No Ordinary Love (25 page)

“Maybe you're right.”

I rubbed my hands together to warm the chills that had crept into my bones. “I really would like to leave here.”

Kenji nodded, stood, and helped me up.

Okay, so he's not my captor.

He wrapped his fingers around my hand and led me away from this darkened red room where humanity had been tainted in the name of money.

“I promise you right now,” he said. “This is the last time I step into this building again.”

My chest felt constricted, but I moved on with him down the passageway to the front door. “And don't forget my other promise. Clean up.”

“Yes, take out the garbage.” He opened the door and freezing cold air hit my face. “I'm going to take you to my condo and show you your room. There's a typewriter and updated computer in there for writing. I already have someone gathering your things from your friend's house.”

I released his hand. “Excuse me? You already have someone doing that? When did you tell them to do this? I've been with you the whole time.”

“I asked someone to do it before we left.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “So me moving in with you was always the plan?”

“I'm sorry.”

“What do you mean you're sorry?” I said.

“I don't want to be away from you.”

I edged back. “There's a way a man could say that to a woman and it would cause her so much joy. This moment is not one of them. You're scaring me again.”

“I tend to do that a lot.”

“I don't like it.”

He took a step forward. “I won't hurt you.”

“But you will kidnap me?”

“You'll have full access to my district.”

“I think I've seen enough of your district.” I spit the words back at him and stormed off to the car. There really wasn't much I could do in that moment but keep myself moving forward. The farther I got away from this gray area, the more I could breathe. The sooner I got to a private place where I could use my phone, the less I would panic.

“Tora,” Kenji called after me.

“Fuck you.” I showed him my middle finger. He hissed behind me and I laughed as loud as I could and displayed my claws. “Well, you're the one that wants to romance a tiger.”

Chapter 25

KENJI

We arrived at my condo after a quiet ride of her sitting on her side of the limo and me on mine. Anger radiated from her as she hugged herself.

See? I told you I’m a monster.

“Or have I?” Those words came out of my mouth before I could stop them.

“Have you what?” she asked between clenched teeth.

I gave up and sank into my seat. “I was just wondering to myself if I'd ever told you I was a monster.”

“No. You never had to tell me that. I could sense it from the first time I met you.” She glared at the partition dividing us from the driver's attention. “It doesn't matter in the end, anyway. I'm like the foolish women in all of those classic monster novels, hoping that Dracula or Frankenstein won't harm them, that if they get just a little closer they can learn why he is what he is and maybe change him.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “What usually happened to those women, anyway?”

“Frankenstein didn't have a love interest.”

She rolled her eyes. “So you not only force your will onto others, but you spend your time reading horror classics? Trust me. This is one thing I know. There's always a story of a woman who gets too close to a monster.”

“Then you tell me. What happens to the women?”

She glared at me. “Either they kill the monsters or they die trying.”

“That's what I was hoping for.” I opened the door and held my hand out. She sucked her teeth and got out on the other side. And still, as she rounded the back of the limo, I couldn't take my gaze off her. Beautiful. If there could be one definition of beauty for all women, it would be her. Her will and courage drew me in, but that face and amazing body was what truly trapped me.

And now I'm kidnapping her? What is happening to me tonight?

“And after I help you change, judge your father, or die from choking, then what happens to me?” she asked.

“You write your book and continue your journey.”

“Away from you?” she asked.

There was no need for me to answer. To say yes would be to lie. I took her into my building, nodding at the doorman and guiding her to the elevators.

“You only have two weeks left,” she said as the elevator doors closed. Light jazz played on the tiny speakers in the top corner. We rose with a light buzzing sound.

“Of course,” I said.

“Do you have some special plans for me during the day? Or am I expected to sit in my dungeon and wait until my master beckons?”

“As I said before, you can go wherever you want and at any time during the day, but your nights are different. Tomorrow night, I have someone coming over to cook for us.”

“And how should I dress, master?” She stuffed her hands into her pockets and leaned against the elevator door.

Although she was being sarcastic, several images of her flashed in my head. “I want you draped in diamonds.”

She eyed me with curiosity. “I'm sorry, sir, but I didn't bring my diamond dress to Japan. It's back in Brooklyn next to my pearl jumpsuit and platinum thong.”

I curled my lips into a huge smile. “Don't worry. You'll have a package in your room tomorrow afternoon.”

“With diamonds?”

“I'll do my best.”

She shifted her view to the front, something I noticed she was doing more and more when I caught her off guard.

You don't like anybody to see the nervousness in your eyes. Do you?

“I don't need diamonds, Kenji. What wins me is someone that gets that I need my freedom. Someone who's not trying to cage me in or is so jealous that they can't deal with being a few minutes without me.”

“You've had this problem before?”

“That's not the point.”

“Have you?”

“Yes. I like my men with a little edge. It just so happens that the edgy ones are also crazy.” She gazed at me when she said the last word.

The doors opened. A gray passageway appeared with decadent art that exploded with color. It was one of the best parts of my days—walking down the hallway among beauty. Those steps helped me transition from the world outside to my quiet home beyond the condo's doors. I was the only person who lived on the floor. My door, solid white, stood at the end.

With a frown, Tora said, “These paintings are beautiful.”

“You don't seem that enthusiastic about it.”

“I'm nervous. My expressions do that when I'm nervous. It's my resting bitch face.”

“I won't hurt you.”

We stopped right in front of the door. I gently took her arms and turned her my way. “I promise. I won't hurt you. I know this isn't … normal, what I'm doing. None of this is making sense to me, either.”

“Then what's stopping you from relaxing your intensity?” She gestured to my hands on her arms, and I released her.

“I just want you near me. That's it.”

“And you always get what you want?” she asked.

“When I can.” I pulled out my key and opened the door. Behind me, the elevators beeped. My usual guards would take the elevator up next and stand outside the hallway. A security system monitored all movements within my condo.

“And this will be for only two weeks?” she asked again before stepping through the doorway.

“Yes.” I kept my back to her. “Come inside, please.”

“No.”

I stopped in the doorway. “Should I pick you up and carry you in?”

“What did your text mean earlier? The one about forgiving a monster?”

I smiled. “I thought you ignored it or could care less.”

“Just answer the question, please.”

“You see who my father is? That's a man who should be judged. This is the one that should be hated by his child. Next to mine, your father is … Mickey Mouse.”

“Really? That's the only thing you could come up with? Fucking Mickey Mouse?”

Walking further into my place, I shrugged my shoulders. “I have information about your father.”

I was sure panic hit her core as she rushed my way. “W
HAT?
What do you mean information about my father? Why would you be looking into him?”

“I was intrigued.”

“Don't do anything to him.”

I faced her with a wicked smile. “Why not? I have several people where he's at. It would be quick and simple.”

“If anybody's father should die, it's yours.”

Should he?

I stood there for a minute, thinking about the possibilities. “You truly think so?”

She gulped in air. “I-I … um.”

“Do you think my father should be killed?”

She said nothing.

“I think it would kill me if I did take his life.”

She held her hand to her chest. “What?”

“But back to your father.” I walked off. “You should forgive him. Compared to mine, he can't be that bad of a guy. However … ”

Flabbergasted, she reached my side, shaking her head over and over like it was a bad dream.

“I sent a message that those letters from him must stop. Do you know what letters I'm talking about?” I glanced at her.

“Y-Yes. He was pretty upset about the book, so he's been sending me crap in the mail.”

“A few that he had written, but not yetsent were scanned and emailed to me. I didn't like them.” I stood in front of my guest bedroom that had been fixed up for her. “I've had a friend ask your father nicely to end the cruel letters and apologize. I expect you to accept that apology and start forgiving him.”

“And why the fuck am I going to do that?”

“Because I want your heart, Tora. I want it to be in as good of shape as it can be.”

“Why?”

There go those damn whys again.

“Because when it is time for us to truly be together … I may be so damaged you'll need to repair mine.”

“What are you saying?” she asked.

I'm not sure yet. Am I truly going to clean up my life as well as this city?

I exhaled a long breath. “I have some hard decisions and I need you by my side.”

“That's not an answer.”

“Yes, Tora, you're correct. But that's all I'm willing to say.”

Chapter 26

NYOMI

Two hours passed and Kenji stayed true to what he'd said. He didn't hurt me.

Not that I figured he'd chain me up and start slicing my skin as he yelled, “It puts the lotion in the basket and does just what it's told!”

This wasn't
Silence of the Lambs
and I sure wasn't a helpless woman stuck in a tunnel.

No. I'm a helpless moron sitting in a luxury condo.

I sat on the edge of the bed in my guest room. Black, white, and red decorated Kenji's whole house. Not one drop of gray or any other color. Black rugs, white walls and furniture, red knick-knacks and frames. Most of his art verged on dark—black and white photography of nude bodies lying peacefully underwater.

Why did he pick those? They don't really look festive. In fact, they look like they’re dead underwater, even though a stream of bubbles are leaving their nostrils.

If it wasn't the morbid photography, then it was haiku. Clearly he had a love for the art. In every room, a haiku hung on the wall—black painted letters on white, crisp canvas, bordered in blood-red frames.

When we got into his condo, he'd taken off his shoes, disappeared to the kitchen, grabbed a beer, and sat out on the balcony, telling me over his shoulder that I could go anywhere in the place that I wanted, including his bedroom.

“I bet I can venture off into your bedroom.” I rolled my eyes.

“Of course.” He chuckled. “You can touch anything you want to.”

“Including your cock, I bet.”

“Especially that.” He turned around and undid his jacket. It fell from his shoulders. He grabbed it and slung it on the white end table next to him. Sex emitted from his body and twisted in the air. I would have been a fool not to admit how gorgeous he was or that my body reacted to him when he did the most simple movements. He unbuttoned the top of his shirt, but didn't go any further. Inked color peeked out from the open fabric.

“
You still won't show me your full body tattoo?
”

“Not yet. However, you can search through everything else, too. I don't want any secrets with you,” he said. “Are you still writing that mental book on me?”

I tapped my forehead. “Now that you've captured me, it's my most exciting work in progress. Hmmm. Who is my kidnapper? What makes him tick?”

“Kidnap is such a harsh word. Shall we say ‘coaxed into long-term dating and companionship’?”

I raised one eyebrow. “Shall we say ‘go fuck yourself’?”

He smiled. “You're the only one that talks to me this way.”

“I think you like it.”

“I do.” He slid his gaze down my body. “More than you could ever imagine.”

My nipples perked up. Heat rose in my chest. I inched back. “So I can look at anything in this condo?”

“Anything?”

“Do you have a secret safe with some … secret shit in there?”

“Of course. It's under my bed.”

Sure, it's under your bed, where your cock will be tonight
…

“And I can look through it?” I asked.

“Of course.”

“Why?”

“Because I want you to know everything about me.”

“Why?”

“Here we go again with your whys.”

“That's not an answer,” I said.

“Because no one else on this earth knows me. If I'm going to allow myself to get as close to you as I hope, then you'll need to know everything you can about me.”

I glided my finger along his bookshelf, checking out the numerous haiku books. Some were done in English, but most were in other languages, so they could've been on how to murder a woman for all I knew. “Once I learn about you and maybe even have sex with you, I'm going to start choking the crap out of you, right?”