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)
Fuck. I don’t want Reo going out again until he’s had time to heal.
I looked at Kenji as he ate.
Roar duties my ass.
That hadn't been about logistics. Kenji had given Reo time to strip off the Roar mask somewhere private. To sit alone with the pain for a few minutes and maybe even take some medicine before walking into a room full of people who needed him to look unbreakable.
You take care of them in ways they'll never know, don't you?
Reo pulled out the chair on Kenji's other side and lowered himself into it.
Slow.
Controlled.
His expression gave away nothing, but the exhale when his weight finally settled told me everything.
My heart broke for Reo, but I wouldn’t risk babying him in front of the Fangs and Claws. However, once it was just Reo and me in the room, I would hold him for a long time and tell him how much I loved him.
I swallowed. "I’m so glad you're here and fine. You’re a fucking, warrior, Reo."
A warm smile spread across his face. "Thank you, Nyomi. I believe a lot of it had to do with Hiroko’s knowledge and your blood’s protection."
Toma gulped a beer and then burped. “Yeah about that. We should get the Tiger’s blood on our weapons too.”
Aki pointed to me. “On my knives.”
“On my guns.” Yuki grabbed some roasted broccoli off his brothers plate.
“Enough with your demands. My Tiger’s blood is not a group resource.” Kenji sneered. “Be grateful for this meal tonight and shut the fuck up.”
They returned to eating.
I whispered to him, “I could do it though.”
Kenji rolled his eyes.
Meanwhile, Reo looked around the table with this hopeful expression that was so out of place on the Roar's face that I almost laughed. "A dinner welcoming us home? How exciting. Nyomi, anything with cheese on the table?”
“No cheese. I kept it traditional for you all today."
Reo actually looked sad. His shoulders slumped, and coming from a man who had probably walked through a war zone without flinching, the defeat over missing mac and cheese was almost too much.
“I’m sorry, Reo. I’ll remember next time.”
"What about more of the braised oxtails?" He asked it the way someone asks about a loved one's health. Hopeful and bracing for bad news at the same time.
“Oxtails?” I blinked.
“Yes.”
"Hold up.” I thought back to days ago. “You tried the oxtails that I made?"
"Of course."
"I burnt those."
"It didn't taste burnt to me," Reo said it with complete seriousness. "The whole pot was perfectly fine."
My mouth fell open. "I know you didn't sit there and eat an entire pot of burnt oxtails."
"I ate it all."
Yoichi spoke up from across the table. "And by himself. Wouldn't even share any of them with us."
“It’s my job only to taste the food.”
Everybody laughed. All of them—bruised, bandaged, and stitched continued to crack up and eat. The sound filled the room, and my chest felt a little lighter.
Kenji's chopsticks appeared in front of my face. A piece of steamed tofu sat between them, glistening with that dark glaze. "Open, Tora."
Smiling, I opened my mouth, and he placed the tofu on my tongue.
Mmmm.
The flavor hit me slow. It was warm and savory with this deep earthiness that spread across my palate and made my eyes close on their own.
Perfect.
The glaze was sweet at the edges, almost smoky, and the tofu itself was so crispy on the outside and soft within.
Chef Bunzō is not playing around.
I hummed against the taste.
Kenji's chest vibrated against my back. "When did you eat last?"
I thought about it. Really thought about it. There'd been the wine. The reading. The kitchen prep. The braiding session with Deja before that when I’d been so worried about Kenji and them. . .I didn’t think I even touched the plate Zo had made me. "Uh. . .I'm not sure."
He pursed his lips. His arm tightened around my waist. Another piece of tofu appeared in front of my lips. "Open."
I took it.
"Naughty Tiger."
I swallowed.
He leaned forward and brushed his lips against my ear. "Taking care of everyone and forgetting yourself."
“I promise to do better.”
Kenji fed me another piece. "You'll eat a full plate before we leave this table."
"Yes, baby."
The meal continued. We all were eating, talking, and mumbling with our mouths full. And even though they were big, strong, dangerous men who had just come back from a battle, they acted like boys at the table.
Nudging each other with their elbows.
Taking food from each other's plates with chopsticks and grinning when someone protested.
Frowning when someone stole their drink.
Laughing at jokes I couldn't quite hear.
I shook my head.
This damn Claws cocktail party is going to be a hot mess.
“Hold on. People are missing.” Kenji looked around the table carefully like he was counting people. "Where's Satoshi?"
Yoichi answered while chewing. "Satoshi is off with Nyomi's friend Zo. It seems that Nyomi's grandmother had a special remedy for his water allergy. It healed him. Instantly. And once you all gave the update that everything was fine, I made the decision to let him remain in his room, enjoying that relief."