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)
She laughed and to my surprise had her own British accent. “Rise, my brave knight. You have my gratitude and more royal feasts in your future.”
Kaede remained in that dramatic bow. “I cannot rise. To do so would cause dishonor. And I fear that Milady will—”
“Speed this up.” My frown deepened.
Nyomi turned my way and scowled.
I quirked my brows.
What?
She rolled her eyes and returned her gaze to him. When Kaede straightened, she pulled him into a hug, and they remained that way for far too long. Kaede even closed his eyes, sinking deep into my Tiger’s comforting warmth.
I tensed.
Reo cleared his throat.
Kaede caught the signal and ended the hug. When he spoke next, he did so in that ridiculous British accent, yet. . .emotion laced each word too. “Milady, this is the finest evening I’ve had whilst bleeding internally. I shall write songs of this feast. Bad ones. Loud ones. Some banned in several regions.”
Nyomi laughed and covered her mouth.
Then, he did the most absurd thing that he could. With that big muscular body of his, Kaede somehow did an outrageously elegant spin and departed the dining room.
What the hell?
Stunned, I widened my eyes.
If this is how the Claws act with this meal. . .after the cocktail party, I’d have to peel them off of her.
Daisuke stepped in front of her next. "Thank you for this night. I felt. . .absolutely loved and uh. . .while I wasn’t sure of your place with us. . .well, now I know that you are undeniably ours."
I began to speak.
Hiro placed his hand on my shoulder and whispered, “Shut up, brother. They need this tonight. Let them have it.”
I looked back at him. “They’re spoiled.”
“A dragon’s claws don’t spoil. They only get stronger and sharper.”
I looked back at her.
Nyomi's eyes went wet at the edges. She pulled Daisuke into a hug. “Thank you for saying that. It means a lot.”
When Daisuke let her go and headed off, the twins arrived simultaneously, wrapping around her from both sides until she disappeared between them entirely, laughing despite her wet eyes.
One of them whispered, “We forgive you.”
"We'll protect you. Always," the other added.
I blinked.
Forgive her for what?
The other twin let her go. "My knives will be waiting for your blood and—"
“Goodnight.” I sneered.
The twins rolled their eyes at the same time and in exactly the same way and then headed off.
The Claws and I will need to talk. They are getting too comfortable with what belongs to me.
Just when I was about to rise, Yoichi and Kaoru came over.
Yoichi reached her next. Thankfully, he wasn’t outrageous like the Claws. He simply stepped forward and held her with both arms. When he pulled back, he winked at her. "Very reminiscent of a samurai’s night after battle. Thank you for that.”
“I couldn’t have done it without your support.”
Samurai? What sort of conversations have they been having today?
Yoichi left her.
Kaoru hugged her next. "I will be demanding to be in your security detail full time."
"Good. I would feel safer."
I watched them go.
Full time. Absolutely not.
She called back to them. “Get some rest tonight, guys.”
Reo was the last one still seated. He'd watched the whole procession from his chair with his hands rested flat on the table.
Once they left, Reo began to rise. The process was slow enough that I had to look away.
I knew what it cost him and I knew he didn't want witnesses to the cost. So, I reached for my empty sake cup and gave him the dignity of my disinterest while he found his feet.
However, Nyomi crossed to him before he'd fully straightened.
Tora. . .don’t. . .
She stepped into him and her arms gently went around his waist. Her left hand settled at the middle of his back. Her right stopped at his shoulder blade.
She went no lower on his left side.
How does she know where the damage is?
Reo pursed his lips, but let her help him.
I scanned the space and thank God that only Hiro and I were in the room to witness this. Perhaps, that was why she did it.
And my Roar must have known that this was his time to seek her love too because. . .he closed his eyes, dropped his chin toward the top of her head, and brought his arms around her with a care that matched hers exactly.
And there they stood in a hug as two people who understood each other's broken places.
I swallowed.
Next, Nyomi rose onto her toes, placed her lips next to his ear, and whispered something that I couldn't hear.
What is she saying?
Reo opened his eyes and stilled completely. Whatever she said, landed deep within his chest.
His jaw shifted.
She kept whispering, and I watched my Roar—a man who had walked through Yoshiwara and battled with cracked ribs—come absolutely apart from my Tiger’s words.
Not loudly.
Not visibly.
But I knew his face.