Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 104141 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104141 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
"Incredible," one said.
The other one lifted his gun. "You know what this needs?”
“Fuck yeah.”
They both pulled their guns’ triggers. Bubbles rose and filled the space, surprising all of the women who cheered.
Meanwhile, Reo had not grabbed a lollipop. He was only focusing on his bites, oblivious to all the happenings around him.
I took my own lollipop and licked it once.
The sugar was sweet against my tongue.
I thought of Hiro at six years old. Before our father had broken him down into the man he had become. Before the dirty alleys of Nishinari and the neglect of his mother.
Before the violence.
Before the bodies.
Before the nights he spent making sure he could kill in his sleep to protect himself.
I thought of the boy my little brother had been. The one who had loved candy and nothing else. The one who had smiled before he knew what it cost to smile.
And I saw that kid right in front of me, lapping at his lollipop like a clown and I laughed and bit through my own shell, happy to be fucking alive to witness it all.
Mmmm.
Cherry sake bloomed across my tongue. Vodka followed, sharp and clean. Grenadine softened the edges. Cream landed last, quiet, gentle, and soft.
I let the liquid sit on my tongue and then swallowed it down.
For several minutes we stood there, sucking on candy like children and riding the lovely adventure of sugar and alcohol.
Once done, I slung my empty stick on the tray and captured my Tiger.
She shrieked.
I pulled her toward me.
Her eyes went wide, then closed as I brought her mouth to mine. Her warm mouth tasted sweeter than the candy.
Her body went rigid for half a second, then melted against me.
I felt her pulse hammering where my fingers pressed her throat.
Hiro cleared his throat next to us. “Eh, she’s our Tiger this evening.”
I’m going to fucking kill him.
I pulled back and glared. “Give us a minute.”
“She’s ours for the night.”
“What did you say?” I let her go and went to him, ready to fight.
She got between us. “Alright. I want to show you our next surprise. Be nice or I’ll kick you both out.”
Behind her, Hiro lifted up his fists and mouthed the word, ours.
I rolled my eyes.
Nyomi frowned. “Are you rolling your eyes at me?”
“No. I’m doing it to him.”
She captured my hand. “Come on, baby. Be good.”
“He’s the fucking one—”
“Kenji.” She shook her head.
I sighed and looked forward. Tonight, I apparently wasn’t the Dragon. I was the Tiger’s plus one.
Guards in tuxedos came over and stepped to either side of the large curtain in front of us. They each gripped a handful of heavy black silk.
She nodded.
They pulled.
The curtains swept apart in one fluid motion and slipped along the floor.
I spotted a raised stage with a polished black floor. A single microphone stood at center, lit from below.
A large screen was behind the stage.
Along the back, thousands of tiny lights had been woven into hanging black fabric to create a starlit backdrop that slowly twinkled on and off.
Several plush velvet benches were in front of the stage for the audience.
Toma shouted so loud that the violin player across the room flinched. "Is that a fucking karaoke machine?!"
"Oh, we are going to destroy that stage tonight." Hiro raised his cane like a sword. "All of it. Every song. We will sing until someone physically removes us."
Kaede nodded. “We’ll beat Kaoru this time.”
The twins began to climb up onto the stage.
Nyomi laughed. "Not yet, guys. We still have dinner, the Fangs, and more drinks to come. But it's there. When the time is right."
I let my hand slide from the small of her back up her spine to rest between her shoulder blades. I could feel her breath move under my palm. The laugh hadn't quite left her body yet. It was still vibrating through her bones.
I leaned down.
My lips brushed the shell of her ear.
"You built my men a stage."
"I built us all a stage."
"You gave them permission to make fools of themselves."
"I gave them permission to be seen, Kenji."
“I’m going to fuck you hard tonight.” I kissed the spot just below her earlobe.
She let out a soft moan.
“You’re going to be pregnant by the morning.”
“I have protection from your craziness.”
“We’ll deal with that later too.”
“We won’t.” She stepped out of my hold as the flapper women arrived with trays of small crystal glasses that were the size of the Dragon's Flame shots.
I frowned, yearning to have my hands all over her.
“Let’s try more drinks.” Nyomi clapped. “I’m keeping the portions small. Sample sizes. So we all don’t get drunk too fast.”
One of the Claws booed.
I glanced that way.
No one admitted who it was.
“Hey.” Nyomi put her hands on her hips. “After we’ve tried them all, whatever drink you like the most, you can order a regular size glass.”