Total pages in book: 152
Estimated words: 154368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 772(@200wpm)___ 617(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 772(@200wpm)___ 617(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
“I can’t believe it’s working.” Satoshi unbuckled his belt and stepped out of his pants.
Zo kept applying the mixture to his legs, his calves, anywhere the bumps had spread.
Satoshi was sighing with relief. His whole body seemed to melt under the cooling touch of the remedy.
I smiled.
Grandma knew what she was talking about.
The door opened again, and three more servants stepped inside. Two of them had measuring tape in their hands. The third one was carrying something that looked like fabric swatches. Small squares of silk in different colors.
Hmmm. What are they here for?
The three looked at Rin.
Huh?
He nodded and gestured toward Deja.
Quickly, the servants walked over to where Deja was standing behind me. She had taken a break from braiding to watch Satoshi and Zo.
What the hell are these three going to Deja for?
Fast, one of the servants stepped forward with the measuring tape and measured the top of her head, just did a quick wrap around like they had the authority to do so.
Deja shoved at her.
I blinked. “Eh.”
"What the hell are y'all doing? Don’t touch my hair." Deja stepped back.
The servant inched away and then wrote something down on a notepad, he’d gotten out his pocket.
What the fuck?!
Then, like some ninja on a mission, the second servant slipped behind Deja with the tape and quickly measured her shoulders.
"Hey!" I pointed at him. “Stop that. What are you doing?”
I turned to Kaoru and Yoichi who had their eyes wide, yet were completely silent. “Stop them. This is crazy.”
Rin snapped his finger.
The two servants left.
Deja watched them rush away. "What was that about?"
The third servant stepped forward and held up the fabric swatches near Deja's face. They were different colors of silk. Deep red. Gold. Black. Bronze. Copper.
Then, the servant looked at Rin.
“What are you doing?” Deja pushed the swatches out of her face. “Am I going to have to fight these people?”
Rin pointed to the copper swatch.
The same copper Deja had just woven into my hair. He'd been watching. He'd been listening to her every word about undertones and saturation and what color made brown skin glow. And he'd clearly remembered.
The third servant bowed at him and then rushed away.
Oh no.
Horror hit me as I finally realized what Rin was doing.
I know he doesn’t think he’s going to get a silk bag made for Deja and put over her head!
Nika headed over to Deja. "Are they making you a dress or what? I know shit is different in Japan but that was crazy."
I looked back at Rin and pointed. “Don’t have them come in again. Okay? These are my guests.”
Silent, Rin watched me with a wicked smirk on his face. It was so devilish, I actually yearned for him to look bored again.
Kaoru cleared his throat. “It’s all handled, Nyomi. We apologize, Deja. That won’t happen again. Trust me. That’s the end of it.”
“But what were they doing?” Deja held out her hands.
“Yeah.” Nika nodded. “Is my cousin getting a dress or not? Or is it a fur coat? Because I’ve got measurements too.”
I glared at Rin. “I will be telling the Dragon about this.”
“Hell yeah.” Nika bobbed her head. “We sure are telling the. . .Dragon. And tell him too that we like diamonds with our fur coats.”
“Girl, no one is getting a fur coat.” Deja sucked her teeth and picked up a comb. “Alright, Nyomi. Let’s get back to your hair, before people rush in here and start measuring my legs and waist.”
Before I turned in my chair, I pointed at Rin again. "I don't want any more servants coming in here with any measurements or anything like that."
Rin just looked at me and his expression returned to bored.
Alright, buddy. Fuck around and find out.
I turned to Kaoru. "Like I said, these are my friends and guests. We're not going to have measurements or whatever y'all are doing over here."
Kaoru nodded, but I could see the shock in his eyes. He was clearly surprised at Rin’s actions too.
Deja had no idea what was going on. She just went back to braiding my hair and muttering about how weird rich people were.
Sighing, I pulled out my phone and checked it.
No messages.
I'd been checking every few minutes, hoping Kenji would send something. Anything. Just to let me know he was okay.
But there was nothing.
I tried to tell myself that was a good sign. My stomach was twisted in knots.
All I could do was sit here and wait.
And hope that they were safe and still alive.
What’s going on in Tokyo?
Chapter thirty-six
The Kill Box
Kenji
The elevator groaned one final time and stopped.
No one moved.
I counted three rhythmic pulses in the pause. My heartbeat. The hum of the cables settling. And the faint, muffled bass on the other side of the doors.
Reo spoke to the Scales in front, “Get ready.”
The Scales in the front row adjusted their grips. Fingers on triggers. Shoulders squared. Ready to absorb whatever came next.