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)
My breath caught in my throat.
He raised his hand again and brushed his finger against another curl. When he did, his sleeve slipped up just slightly, and I spotted ink—black and bold against his skin. I couldn’t see the full design, just edges of it—sharp curves and flicks.
Damn.
I’d seen enough documentaries and police reports about the Yakuza to know about what their bodysuit tattoos meant.
They were history.
Hierarchy.
Blood oaths etched into skin.
How much of Mr. Sato’s body was covered in them?
How far did that ink go?
“I love your hair,” he put his hand back down. “Wild and soft at the same time.”
My gaze darted to his jacket, where my recorder sat like a hostage. “What does men not hearing no have to do with me being unable to do my study?”
“When men see you, they’ll crave you. They’ll follow you with their eyes. Their hands. Their hunger. They’ll whisper prices in my ear.” He pierced me with his gaze. “And I’ll have to tell them no.”
"Mr. Sato—”
“That’s bad for business.”
“I can stay in the background.”
His lips quirked. “We Japanese like to try new things. You wouldn’t last five minutes before someone tried to purchase you.”
My throat dried.
I wanted to argue.
He grinned. “Do you want to work for me?”
“What? No.”
“What’s your first name?”
“Nyomi.”
He considered it. “No. Too gentle.”
Excuse me?
“I’ll call you Tora, instead.”
“Tora?”
“Tiger.” He stepped back a few more feet. “Sharp teeth behind a pretty mouth.”
Some of the men in the back of the room snickered.
Zo stirred. “I think Nyomi and I get the picture, Mr. Sato. We can go to another district or city. We’re deeply sorry, sir.”
“No,” the amused expression left Mr. Sato’s face. He didn’t even look Zo’s way. “You and she aren’t going anywhere else. You’re done with Japan.”
I did my best not to yell. “All of Japan?”
“Yes.” His tone didn’t rise. He didn’t shout. But it felt like someone had drawn a blade across the map.
I stared at him in shock. “Why?”
“Do I need a reason?”
Zo quickly spoke, “No, sir. Not at all.”
“Well. . .” I gritted my teeth. “It would be really nice if you provided a reason or even compromised with me so that I could do my observations—”
Zo loudly inhaled his breath, desperately trying to stop me.
Tension thickened the room.
“Naughty Tora,” Smiling, he raised a finger and wagged it at me. “I don’t compromise, but. . .”
I stood there desperately waiting on his next words.
Mr. Sato kept his gaze on me. “Everyone leave.”
What?
Swallowing, I edged away and tried to rush off with Zo as he left the office. But I wasn't so lucky. Mr. Sato seized my arm and gently pulled me. “Not you, Tora. We’re going to talk about compromises.”
Fuck. What did I get myself into?
Chapter three
When the Dragon Saw Her
Nyomi
All the suited men that had lined the walls marched out and didn’t even glance my way.
Mr. Sato didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t lift a finger. But the way the room responded to his silence told me everything I needed to know—power didn’t shout.
It watched.
Zo, being the brave man he was, fast-walked out of there as if his life depended on it.
“Mr. Sato, should I shut the door?” Jun placed his hand on the knob and waited for a response.
Ignoring him, Mr. Sato continued to sear me with his gaze.
My skin heated.
My heart beat so fast I thought it would detonate.
Granted, I knew he wouldn’t kill me. I believed he wouldn’t rape or hurt me. There were too many witnesses.
And I had my rights as an American.
Right? He can't just kill me?
But I had no idea why Mr. Sato wanted us to be alone and once he said I couldn’t do the study at his place, I was ready to go. Hot or not, I didn’t like him so close. Especially, when he assumed he could command me like his men or touch me like a lover.
Then the door slammed shut and with it left my quick escape.
For a second, Mr. Sato didn’t speak. He just watched me like I was both the question and the answer.
I gathered up my confidence. “Is there something wrong, Mr. Sato?”
“Call me Kenji.”
“Then, call me Nyomi.”
“I like that name.”
“I’m glad you do but is there something wrong?”
“Yes, there is something wrong.”
“What?”
His gaze swept over me. “Have you ever heard of the story, When the Dragon Swallowed the Moon?”
“No.”
“It’s an old tale. Rare. Only a few copies exist now and most have been locked away or lost to time.”
Against my will, my curiosity piqued. “Okay.”
“In it, a very powerful man had a plan to conquer the world and he wasn’t just any regular man. He could transform into a dragon.”
“So, a dragon shifter?”
Kenji nodded. “His every step to conquer the world had been greatly calculated. Every ally chosen. In fact, in his mind, all of his enemies were already buried.”