Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 66993 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66993 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
His voice lowered. “Then, he saw her. . .”
I quirked my brows. “Her?”
“A woman that changed it all. The beast inside him stirred. And he lost direction.”
My mouth parted.
“He’d never been distracted before. Never questioned his next step but when she came, he suddenly didn’t know whether to kneel or run.”
For some reason, those last three words echoed in my head.
Kneel or run.
We stood there in silence and the tale he’d spoken wrapped itself around my mind like silk dipped in smoke.
And then suddenly, I saw it.
Not him.
Not me.
Not us.
But the story, unfolding in my mind.
A massive dragon, perched on a cliff of black stone, coiled in shadow—his body glittering with ember-lined scales, large wings tucked tight behind him.
Below him, she walked, completely unaware—a woman with skin like onyx. Her afro crown caught the light of the full moon.
She wasn’t even trying to be seen.
But the dragon saw her anyway. Saw the curve of her spine, the way her bare shoulders kissed the wind. Saw the calm in her gaze, the sharpness in her mouth.
And the hunger inside him—the one forged for war and dominance—sputtered.
Faltered.
It didn’t feel like a hunt.
It felt like a prayer.
I couldn’t tell if the dragon wanted to possess her or protect her. To fly toward her or fall to his knees.
All I knew was. . .he didn’t burn her.
He burned for her.
A lusty shiver ran through me.
But why did he tell me that? And am I over analyzing this?
My pulse still hadn’t settled.
Kenji hadn’t moved since his last word, hadn’t broken eye contact, hadn’t even blinked. It was like he was waiting to see if the story landed the way he meant it to.
It did.
And I hated it did.
Because somewhere deep in my gut—somewhere far below all my rational thoughts and feminist independence and journalistic boundaries—I understood what he was saying and what he wasn’t saying too.
This wasn’t just a tale.
This was an illogical confession.
Dressed in metaphor and draped in legend.
This man is smooth. Let me get out of here before I end up doing something crazy with him.
I swallowed and shifted slightly, needing space but not quite ready to step away.
“So. . .in that story,” I began carefully. “The woman… Did she want the dragon? Or was she afraid of him?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes. Actually, it does.”
He tilted his head. “It doesn’t. The dragon was going to get her regardless.”
I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to seem casual. “I’m just trying to understand the meaning behind your story. The deeper theme. It’s clearly not just about power or fate. It’s about disruption. About vulnerability. About. . .the cost of obsession.”
“You’re sharp. I like that.”
“I’m not trying to impress you,” I said, maybe too defensively. “I’m just saying—it sounds like the dragon lost everything. Or almost did. That doesn’t feel like a love story. That feels like a warning.”
He didn’t smile but his eyes sparked like struck flint. “A warning? Perhaps it is.”
“Are you warning me?”
“I’m not sure, just yet.”
I blinked.
That response had been unexpected. Upon meeting him, he damn sure appeared to know all the answers.
I stepped back, just an inch.
He didn’t follow.
But he watched.
“Thank you for the story but unless it ends with me getting access to Japan for my research, I should probably go.”
His gaze softened for a breath, then sharpened again.
The storyteller vanished.
The predator returned. “Your study? We’re done with that part of the conversation.”
“I don’t believe so. Before you cleared the room, you mentioned compromises which means that you planned to give me alternate options to do my study.”
“Perhaps, we have different definitions.”
I leaned my head to the side. “What do you think compromise means?”
“You’re stunning.”
I blushed but shook the girly giddiness away. “Kenji, I really need to do this study. If not here, then somewhere else in Japan. Your banning the whole country from me, really messes that up, so I would love some form of a compromise.”
“Do you have a boyfriend or husband?” He glanced at my bare ring finger and closed the distance between us.
“No and why can’t I observe other soaplands?”
“I’ve already told you why. You’re captivating, unique, and sexy.” He tucked a few curls behind my ear and let his fingers linger on my face before moving his hand away. “I thought you would be ugly.”
“Why would I be ugly?”
“Jun looked your name up. He told me you published your first non-fiction book at sixteen.”
“Good research but that still doesn't answer my question.”
“Was the book good?”
“It was an international bestseller.”
“What was it about?”
“My father.”
“Interesting,” he smiled. “I bet your father is proud of you and the book.”
“Actually, my father despises me for putting the book out but that doesn't really matter right now since he's behind bars.” I stepped back.
“Yet, you still can't seem to replace the recorder that he bought for you?”
“Yes because it has sentimental value.”