I Just Can't Stop Loving You (27 page)

Ichiro had bought a bigger SUV to chauffer his bigger family around. They left the house without telling Takumijo they were leaving. Ten minutes later, they drove up to the house.

“Is this it?” Ichiro asked. “It’s smaller than the farmhouse.”

“How much room does she need for herself and two babies?” Satoshi asked. “It looks rather nice, like a picture out of a book, and look at all the land.” He opened the passenger car door and Ichiro turned off the engine and stepped out the driver’s side. They walked up to the metal gates and Satoshi pressed the button to call inside the house.

“Yes?” Shaundra answered.

“It’s me, Satoshi. Ich is with me.”

The gates slowly opened and they entered and walked up to the door. Satoshi rang the doorbell. Moments later, the door opened and Shaundra appeared. She looked at him and then Ich. Her eyes automatically fell on Ichiro’s new haircut, but she didn’t say a thing. Satoshi chuckled to himself. He told Ichiro she wouldn’t like it. She bowed. “Welcome back to Japan. Come in.”

They entered and she led them into the den.

“Where are my sons?” Ichiro asked.

Satoshi shook his head. So he’d been mistaken. Ichiro wasn’t as calm and composed as he imagined.

“Asleep,” Shaundra said. “In the nursery.”

“You look good,” Satoshi said. “Are you sure you just had babies?”

“Thank you,” Shaundra said. “But it’s been over a month since you’ve seen me. I’ve been exercising.”

“I want you to come home,” Ichiro said.

“I am home,” Shaundra told him.

“No, I mean the farmhouse.”

“I know what you mean, but I’m happier here.”

One of the babies cried and Ichiro walked off in the direction of the sound.

“He’s taking this awfully calmly,” Satoshi said.

Shaundra nodded. “Where the fuck is his hair?”

Satoshi smirked. “We all decided to get makeovers while we were in Europe. The stylist thought it was time for a change.”

Shaundra looked him over. “Cute. You look like a hot Uke.”

“What is a Uke?” Satoshi asked.

“Believe me, you don’t want to know.”

Ichiro appeared carrying one of the babies. “Pack their things,” he said. “I’m taking my sons back to the farmhouse where they belong.”

“It’s too cold to take then out tonight,” Shaundra said.

“Which one is that?” Satoshi asked.

Ichiro shrugged. “Their armbands are gone and I can’t tell them apart.”

“That is Ryoto,” Shaundra said.

“How do you know?” Satoshi asked.

“I know my babies.”

“I want you home tonight,” Ichiro said.

“Don’t give me any orders,” Shaundra told him. “I’m a grown damn woman and I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do. You can’t just waltz in here, pretending everything is okay between us, and just demand I follow you.”

“You are my wife,” Ichiro said loudly, startling Ryoto.

 The baby began to cry.

Satoshi rose. “Give him to me so the two of you can talk.”

Ichiro handed the baby over to him and the two parents faced off. Satoshi walked Ryoto through the house, checking out the place. It was small compared to the farmhouse, but nice. He could see himself being very comfortable there with Shaundra and the boys. He found the nursery. Raiden continued to sleep through the argument between his parents. It grew louder. He could hear Shaundra reading Ichiro his pedigree. His money was on her.

Something hit the floor loudly. Satoshi put Ryoto in his bed and ran back to the front of the house. Ichiro was trying to drag Shaundra out of the house and a lamp had been knocked over in the process.

“Ichiro, stop this,” Satoshi shouted at him.

“You stay out of this, soul mate. She is my wife and she’s going home whether she wants to or not.”

“You can’t just kidnap her,” Satoshi argued.

“I can do what the hell I want to. I am her husband and she will obey me.”

“Get your hands off of her,” someone said behind Ichiro.

Satoshi looked out of the door.

Ichiro dropped Shaundra’s arm and spun around.

A very tall and muscular Korean dressed in a black tae kwon do costume stood on the porch. He looked vaguely familiar.

“Who the fuck are you?” Ichiro asked. He looked at his wife and then back at the man. “Who is this, Shaundra? Is this your lover? Did you move out to be with him?”

Shaundra backed into the house, but didn’t answer.

Ichiro turned on the man and tried to kick him.

The man caught Ichiro’s leg, spun him around, and kicked him through the front door into the foyer.

Shaundra bent down to see if Ichiro was okay.

The Korean continued into the house, pulling Shaundra away from Ichiro and pushing her out of harm’s way.

Hmm, competition
, Satoshi thought. He leaned against a wall, watching with mock interest.

Ichiro tried to get off the floor, but the kick had knocked the wind out of him. He made it to his knees, but the Korean stood over him, waiting. He looked up and glared at him.

“Welcome home, Ich,” Shaundra said. “Meet Dae-Hyun, my bodyguard.”

Ichiro fell back down on his butt.

Satoshi chuckled and walked back to the nursery to bond with his godson.

The End

Sugar and Spice Press

Where romance is everything nice.

www.SugarNSpicePress.com