Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 101427 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101427 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Tet and crew didn’t understand diplomacy. They thought noise equaled power.
But the loudest ones were always the first to bleed.
Tet reached for Reo’s shirt again.
Reo’s hand shot out. He gripped Tet’s wrist—not tightly, not gently. Just enough to make Tet’s entire body stall. “Touch me again, and I’ll decorate the hallway with your fucking molars.”
I cracked my neck just to keep from reaching for my gun.
Nyomi spoke, “I met her in the hallway.”
I put my view back on my Tiger. “I’ve heard.”
Nyomi was watching me too carefully now. I could see the calculation behind her gaze. The fire behind her calm. Her tone was soft, but the demand behind it wasn’t.
“I think you should talk to her. She sounds upset. And that’s not good for the babies. Maybe, you should call her in here. I think it’s time for us to meet.”
The muscle in my jaw flexed, hard. My hands gripped the desk. Not enough to splinter it some more—but close. My knuckles ached with the restraint I was forcing into place.
My cock began to soften.
Next to me, Hiro popped the lollipop from his mouth and raised one brow.
Nyomi didn’t flinch, not even a little.
Are you sure, Tora? Do you understand what you are asking?
I had already told Nyomi: no woman, no situation, no history would ever disrespect her. I had explained that I would fucking harm myself before I harmed her.
And I had meant it.
But what Nyomi didn’t understand—not yet—was that Reo had this under control. He was just being nice to them for her.
Keeping it dignified.
Restrained.
If my Tiger hadn’t been here? If I had let Reo off the leash? Kiko wouldn’t be screaming anymore and Tet would be on his knees—eyes swollen, mouth bloodied, teeth scattered across the marble like pearls.
And even more. . .if I had to deal with this myself?
There would be pain.
Real pain.
I didn’t want to ruin Nyomi’s first entrance into my world. I didn’t want to paint her welcome in screams and broken bones.
But Kiko was making it harder by the second.
My vision narrowed on the door.
I exhaled once—controlled—and then spoke in Japanese, loud and sharp enough to cleave through the noise. “Bring them here!”
Chapter twenty-six
The Dragon’s Heart
Kenji
The hallway shifted from chaos to tense choreography.
Reo stepped into the room first, rubbing the bridge of his nose like the whole situation had drained him dry. His collar was wrinkled. His sleeves pushed up. His expression was pure exhaustion wrapped in murder.
Then came the thunder of pink.
Kiko stormed in like she was marching to a throne that was never hers. Her blush-pink dress clung to every curve. Pearls glinted from her wrists. Her face was dark with fury and drama.
I looked at Kiko’s belly and saw not a miracle, but a fucking question mark wrapped in pearls and entitlement. I saw manipulation. I saw strings waiting to be pulled. I saw her trying to wrap my dynasty in her silk and play mother to empires she had no right to touch.
She thought the children in her womb—if they were mine—would crown her queen?
But queens were chosen by power, not pregnancy.
I hope to God those kids are not mine. She should pray that they aren’t mine too.
Because if they were, I already knew what I would have to do.
Raise them in my image.
Teach them the blade, the art, the code.
Make them killers, thinkers, rulers.
And keep them the fuck away from her.
Because if I left them with Kiko—even for a year—she would poison their minds. Teach them softness disguised as greed. Teach them arrogance without strength. Teach them to smile pretty and lie slowly.
I couldn’t have that.
Not with my sons.
Not with the future of this throne.
Be careful what you wish for, Kiko.
She continued forward and right behind her—like a circus act too proud to know it was the punchline—came her entourage. Her cousins. Her assistants. All of them dressed like royalty and acting like hyenas.
The moment they entered, the war room tensed again. Weapons were not drawn, but they might as well have been. My men shifted. Eyes narrowed. Claws. Fangs. Scales. No one spoke.
But I could feel them watching me.
Watching her.
And watching Nyomi.
My brother muttered to the Claws. “Two queens. One crown. Should we get popcorn. . .or body bags?”
I sneered.
Body bags.
Kiko got to us and stopped.
Too fast.
Too loud.
Too entitled.
She didn’t bow to me as she was supposed to.
Didn’t wait.
Didn’t even lower her gaze.
She glanced at Nyomi, and the look wasn’t casual.
It wasn’t curiosity.
It was murder.
Full-body loathing wrapped in pearls and pink silk.
A glare so sharp it could’ve cut my Tiger’s flesh.
Careful.
As if she heard me, Kiko narrowed her eyes. Her nostrils flared once. Her hand twitched at her side. Not toward her stomach. Not in maternal protectiveness.
Toward her wrist.
The one she used to slap people.
A few feet beside her, Nyomi didn’t move, flinch, or look her way. She just stood with her weight angled slightly on one leg—hip cocked, like a woman in complete command of her posture.