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)
Of course Reo would have the best watching us.
I nodded at them. “Good morning.”
They politely nodded back.
I headed off.
Three of the guards followed as I moved down the hallway. Not threatening, just. . .accompanying. That told me that Reo had assigned a small new unit to shadow the Tiger wherever she wandered.
Interesting.
The one on my left and with the scar, lifted his wrist to his mouth. A small communication device must have been built into his watch because he began to speak into it, "Reo, the Tiger is up and moving."
Oh okay.
I quirked my brows.
It was hard not to feel like the First Lady or something—three Secret Service agents trailing behind me while I padded down the hallway.
A small laugh escaped before I could stop it.
The guards exchanged quick glances but said nothing.
Last night I'd vetted Kenji's inner circle like I was screening Cabinet members. This morning, I had armed escorts reporting my movements to his Chief of Operations.
The absurdity of it hit me fresh.
Weeks ago, I'd been in New York, not broke, but not rich either pitching book proposals and happy that at least one editor thought the Japan story would be a good idea.
That publishing house approval had been the most momentous thing of the year.
Now so much had changed.
Two beeps came from the guard’s watch, then Reo's voice came in, rough and groggy. "Where is the Tiger going?"
The guard looked at me, clearly unsure how to answer.
I smiled. "I want to get some items out of my office and then I want to make tea."
He repeated my words into the watch verbatim.
Reo's response came with what sounded like a sigh. "Tell her we have people to do that."
I grinned at the guard. "Tell him he sounds exhausted and I'm perfectly safe. He can go back to sleep."
The guard delivered the message. His mouth twitched like he was fighting a smile.
Another pause.
Then, Reo responded, "Tell the Tiger thank you for her concern and that I expect a report of her returning to the Dragon within the hour."
Uh. . .okay.
I blinked.
Dude just gave me a curfew to be back in Kenji's arms.
I was a grown ass woman, but I understood. Kenji would be possessive about where I was, especially with a spy on the island.
And Reo—loyal, efficient Reo—was probably operating on two hours of sleep and doing his best to manage both the Dragon's obsessive need to know my location and his own need to collapse.
"Understood," I nodded.
The three of them fell into step around me as I made my way through the mansion—one slightly ahead, two flanking.
Professional.
Unobtrusive.
The kind of protection that looked casual but was absolutely lethal.
Alright. Time to check messages.
I pulled out my phone as we walked, checking my missed calls.
Oh shit.
Four from Grandma.
Four from Deja, my natural hair stylist.
One from my editor.
My stomach tightened.
Charleston was thirteen hours behind Tokyo. That meant it was barely past dinnertime.
I called grandma first and lifted the phone to my ear.
She answered on the second ring. "Baby girl! Are you calling from Japan?"
"Hey, Grandma." Relief flooded me from just hearing her voice. "Yeah, I'm still here. I saw your missed calls and—"
"Lord, child, I've been worried sick. All that mess on the news about bombs in Tokyo, and I'm thinking my grandbaby is over there in the middle of some terrorist attack zone—"
"I'm safe, Grandma. I promise. I'm not even in Tokyo right now. I'm on a private Japanese island far away from the destruction and completely fine."
"Private island?" Her voice pitched up. "What kind of journalism work are you doing on a private island?"
“Umm. . .” I bit my lip. "Actually. . .I met someone."
Silence.
"Someone? Like a man someone?"
"Yes." My cheeks heated.
"Now Nyomi. . ." Her voice took on that tone—the one that meant she was about to deliver wisdom whether I wanted it or not. "Don't you get tangled up with some strange man until I meet him. You know the rules. You hear me?”
“Yes, Grandma.”
“If I don't like him, he's got to go. I don’t care what you think of him.”
“I know.”
“You're my only grandbaby. Ain't nothing worse than when a no-good man puts his hooks into a good woman and drains her of all her blessed good energy. Not my grandbaby. I’ll kill him first."
Oh God, Grandma threatening to murder the Dragon. That's. . .actually terrifying for him, not her.
I smirked. “I know.”
“And Grandma don’t have no bail money at the moment—”
“I’ve got bail money for you, Grandma.”
“Talking about you’re on an island and in love.”
I widened my eyes. “Grandma, I didn’t say anything about being in love—”
“I can hear it in your voice. Smiling and upbeat. I have never heard you sound like that. Last time you called you sounded exhausted and bored.”
That's because the last time we talked, I wasn't sleeping with Tokyo's most dangerous and sexiest crime lord.