Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 161615 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 808(@200wpm)___ 646(@250wpm)___ 539(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 161615 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 808(@200wpm)___ 646(@250wpm)___ 539(@300wpm)
Aww. He likes his little surprise.
I was starting to understand that even killers liked to be loved on and fed.
Warmth bloomed in my chest.
I'll make more for them this week.
I thought of things that would travel well in a bento box. My grandma's hot peppered sausage balls popped into my mind immediately. Sautéed garlic, peppers, Bisquick, cheddar, sausage, and cream cheese—my grandma’s southern alchemy.
They were perfect at any temperature, held together beautifully, and had that savory, comfort-food taste that always made me close my eyes on the first bite.
Yeah. That’s what I’ll make the guards tomorrow.
The thought of sharing a piece of the South with these guards who'd been so kind to me felt right, like building a bridge between worlds, one carefully packed bento box at a time. It reminded me that when my grandma fed someone, it was her way of saying, “I care about you, and your feelings are safe with me.”
The elevator hummed as we ascended, and for once, I didn't feel like I was being escorted.
I looked up at my guard on the right. "Is this the only elevator in the house?"
"There are three of them throughout the mansion."
“I wonder why Sako didn’t show me, during my house tour.”
“Usually only service staff and guards use it.”
“Aww. Got it.”
We rode up, and the smell of Eggs Benedict and banana bread filled the small space.
The elevator stopped at the third floor and the doors slid open.
Warm light spilled out.
I stepped forward. . .and froze.
What the hell?
Kenji stood in the middle of the hallway.
Naked.
Completely, gloriously naked.
His back was to me, hands fisted at his sides. His entire body radiated fury as he glared at his own guards positioned near our bedroom door.
He must have just woken up.
I did my best not to laugh at the absurdity of it—the Dragon, stark naked in the hallway, having what looked like a standoff with armed men who were desperately trying not to make eye contact with their boss's cock.
But God, that body.
Tattoos rippled across his broad back—dragons snarling, scales gleaming dark red. His muscles were carved and perfect. And his ass—muscular, tight, absolutely ridiculous in how good it looked.
Lusty heat slid through me so fast I had to brace a hand on the cart.
Then one of the guards gestured toward me.
Kenji turned.
My breath fractured.
The world narrowed to him—skin, muscles, and ink. His cock hung heavy between his muscular thighs. The gold rose piercing caught the sunlight. His abs were a landscape of ridges and immaculate layering. His chest rose and fell with barely contained rage.
His voice carried to me. “Naughty Tiger.”
What did I do?
I bit my lip, hard.
We were approaching now, my guards pushing the food cart slowly forward like they were heading towards a wild animal.
Once we got close, I gave him a weak smile. “Good morning, Kenji.”
"Tora." His voice was a low growl. "You don't leave the bed without me."
Excuse me? The bed? Not the room, but don’t leave the fucking bed. Have you lost your mind?
The nerve of him, yet. . .there was a part of me that really liked this possessiveness and honestly that terrified me the most.
Girl. . .
His men were around. I didn’t want to yell back at him in front of them, so I kept my voice steady. "Why not?"
"Because you're to be at my side always."
I stopped in front of him and gestured to the cart. "And what if I want to surprise you with breakfast?"
His eyes flicked to the cart.
I watched some of the anger drain from his face as I lifted the top to his plate and he took in all the food—the perfectly plated Eggs Benedict and the potatoes. I put the top back on.
Then, he glanced at the bento boxes on the cart’s lower shelf, frowned, and put his gaze back on me. "There is a spy on the island."
"I know." I stepped closer. "There are also dangerous men in this house ready to protect me."
Kenji's gaze grew dark and intense. He was clearly not used to a woman talking back to him. The line of his jaw twitched.
"Tora. Do not leave my side again until the spy is off the island." The low rasp of his voice slid right through me. Anger, command, desire—he made them all sound lush and sensual.
I almost opened my mouth to tell him exactly what I thought about being ordered around like a possession. That I was a grown woman who could make her own decisions. That "at my side always" sounded a lot like a leash, and I didn't do leashes—not for anyone, no matter how beautiful or powerful or Dragon-like they thought they were.
But the words died on my tongue.
Because he had a point.
There was a spy on the island.
He was at war.
Men had died.
More would die too.
And standing here in front of Kenji—naked, furious, and clearly terrified in a way he'd never admit—I could see the stress carved into every line of his body. The tension in his shoulders. The barely controlled panic beneath his rage.