Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 92392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“Trust me. My brother watches you most of all.”
The twins appeared like they didn’t believe him. I could tell that in their minds. . .Kenji could do no wrong.
Smirking, Hiro dug into his pocket and pulled out a gold lollipop. “You go to college with some of the most dangerous kids in the world. Their parents are ones that your uncles and I have fought in the past.”
“Their parents may have been dangerous, but their kids are nothing.” White-hair chuckled. “We don’t fear them.”
“And never will.” Black-hair added.
And it made me think of Aki and Yuki.
I snickered.
Hiro unwrapped the lollipop, pocketed the wrapper, and placed it into his mouth. “They say you’ve been getting into it with the Lion’s brood.”
The twins went silent.
Hiro quirked his brows. “Haven’t your uncles and I told you to stay away from them?”
Black-hair cleared his throat. “It’s a small conflict that we are. . .finalizing.”
“Soon.” White-hair nodded. “All is fine, Father.”
Hiro leaned his head to the side. “Bullshit.”
They both stepped back.
Hiro twisted the lollipop stick to the other corner of his mouth. “You kidnapped one of the females.”
I parted my mouth in shock.
White-hair held out his hands. “It wasn’t the Lion’s daughter or the Butcher’s so. . .we understood that it would be fine to take her.”
Hiro sneered. “The Panther is the Lion’s brother-in-law which means his daughters are off limits too.”
Black-hair was not pleased. “All of the Panther’s daughters are off limits?”
Hiro loudly sighed.
“But. . .Father. . .they’re gorgeous.”
“Maxwell visited me personally about his daughter.” Hiro scowled. “He came with a fucking army that covered both sides of this mountain.”
They took another step back.
“Your actions almost started a massive war for all the global criminal groups. Lucky for you, Maxwell and I have history, even if it is a bit murky.” Hiro just stared at them. “Why would you kidnap his daughter?”
White-hair spoke, “Uncle Kaoru said that was a good way to court a woman—”
“Never take love advice from your Fang-Uncles.” Hiro loudly groaned. “I’ve said this several times. The Claw-Uncles are the true gentlemen.”
“I don’t see what the problem is, Father.” Black-hair held out his hands just like his brother. “Mr. Maxwell’s daughter was no victim. She kicked our asses the whole time we had her. We’re the ones that should be complaining.”
Hiro frowned. “She should have maimed you both.”
“Actually, Father we should go.” White-hair looked at his platinum watch. “Aunt Nyomi wanted us to come back early so she could take us shopping for new suits. We’ve got the spring formal—”
“Tora won’t be able to save you this time. Kenji and I have made sure to keep her busy today. Therefore. . .” Hiro pulled out the lollipop and pointed at them. “You’ll take your punishment like I taught you.”
And then fast Hiro blurred to them and attacked, and I screamed with my hands in the air.
But I was back in the hospital room.
The cold was still on my face. Pine resin still in my nose. My hands were still up in the air like I could stop Hiro from attacking his adult twins.
Then the fluorescent light came back. The hum of the incubator rose. The smell of antiseptic replaced the mountain air that had just been there.
And everyone was staring at me like I had lost my damn mind. The guards quickly surrounded me.
They said Uncle Kenji. . .so he survives this war. Hiro too. And Kaoru for sure. Thank you God.
My heart ached.
Deja pulled out Betty Boop and came over. “What’s up? Why did you scream like that?”
I shivered. “Uh. . .”
Still by the incubator, the doctor had her pen right above the chart. “What’s wrong? Are you having pain or—”
“No. No. No.”
The twins cried.
“Oh, fuck.” I placed my hand in their incubator to soothe them. “I was just. . .daydreaming and scared myself.”
Deja frowned. “What the hell? How do you daydream and scare yourself?”
“Girl, it can happen.”
“I don’t know about that.”
I rubbed both of the twins’ shoulders and they calmed.
Little bad asses, kidnapping people’s daughters.
And as I soothed them. . .two names had arrived inside me the way a song filled a room.
"Raijin." I said it out loud without meaning to.
The doctor turned to me. "I'm sorry?"
"Raijin." I touched one twin and then the second. "Fūjin. Those are their. . .names. . .well. . .maybe. Hiro will decide."
Why did those names come to me?
The doctor's eyebrows lifted slowly. "Those are perfect names."
"Are they?"
"Raijin is the god of thunder. Fūjin is the god of wind. They are divine brothers.”
A nurse had already been gathering the samples. She must have come over during the vision. Now she nodded and picked them up. “In every old painting where Raijin appears, Fūjin appears with him."
I thought about it.
Deja put up her gun. “Girl you have my nerves going crazy. Stop screaming.”
“Sorry.” I looked down at the two small bodies curled into each other.