But I want her to know that she can rely on mine. That I won’t abandon her, no matter what anyone else urges me to do, no matter what it costs, no matter what it takes from me.
That out of everyone in the world, she is the one I want to keep my vows to, more than anyone else.
To death.
Given Levin’s expression as we start to descend,deathis the last word I want to think of right now.
“You look like someone walked over your grave.” His face hasn’t changed much since we got on the plane, tense and dark. “Not a fan of Tokyo? Or just flying in general?”
Levin’s eyes narrow as he presses his lips together, glancing out of the window. “Actually, now that you mention it, I’ve never been a particular fan of airplane travel. Man was meant to keep both feet planted firmly on the ground.”
“Ah, I don’t mind it.” I shrug. “Besides, who can argue with traveling in style like this?”
Levin raises an eyebrow but just tears his gaze away from the window as we start to descend, his expression still heavy. “It’s not that,” he says finally. “What do you know about the Yakuza, Liam?”
I frown. “Not much. I’m not sure the Kings have ever done business with them.”
“None of the families on the Eastern Seaboard have. I know that the Bratva bosses still in Russia do, from time to time. But they’re not to be taken lightly.” Levin frowns. “I’ve never personally met Nakamura, but he has a reputation.”
“Don’t we all?”
Levin glances at me. “That Irish levity won’t get you far here,” he cautions. “Nakamura is as likely to slice your tongue off for insolence as find it charming.”
Now it’s my turn to narrow my eyes. “The Kings may not be as feared as the Bratva or as rich as the mafia, Levin. But we’re no gaggle of knitting grandmothers, either. We’ve got our own reputation for violence—”
Levin smirks. “Oh, I’m well aware of what happens when you get an Irishman’s back up. But Nakamura is likely to be as threatened by you and yours as a band of roving potato farmers.”
“Now that’s just offensive.”
Levin shrugs, his mouth still twitching, and I can feel the tension in the air lighten just the slightest bit, though he still looks concerned. “Be that as it may, Liam, all I’m saying is that once we get into Tokyo and start to inquire, caution and discretion are important. The Yakuza defend their territories fiercely. They don’t care much for outside interference unlesstheychoose to make a business proposition or alliance. The syndicate password will open a great many doors for us in Europe, but here if spoken to the wrong person, it could be a knife in the back as easily as an outstretched hand—and that hand could have a knife in it, as well.”
“So you’re saying they’re without honor?”
“Not at all. The honor of the Yakuza is paramount to them. I’m saying that a dragon doesn’t particularly care if the sheep thinks he’s honorable. Only the other dragons.”
Levin pauses, and I see something flicker across his face, some memory that darkens his expression before disappearing once again. “The Nakamura family, in particular, is known for being both the wealthiest of the Yakuza families and the most violent. If we accomplish arranging a meeting with Nomura Nakamura, tread carefully. Let me speak first. I, at least, have had dealings with the Yakuza before, and neither of you have.”
The thought of hanging back, of not taking every opportunity to grab at whatever leads we can to find Ana, rankles with me. But at the same time, I’m well aware that I can’t save her if I’m dead.
And I’ve certainly never dealt with Yakuza. I’m fairly certain no one in the Kings ever has. I brought Levin along for a reason, and this is exactly it.
A cool head on your shoulders will get you further in this world than a smoking gun in your hand.The words echo in my head out of nowhere, and it takes me a moment to remember where I heard them last. Certainly not from my father.
It comes back to me a moment later, an overheard conversation as a child between my grandfather and father, in a hallway where I’d glimpsed blood on my father’s hands for the first time. I hadn’t realized that the words had stayed with me, but they must have.
My father hadn’t learned that lesson, but perhaps I did, even if I hadn’t realized it quite so clearly. I’ve never been a man prone to hotheaded violence in the way my father was, or even Connor, who had a temper despite his outwardly calm demeanor. Even in the boxing ring, I make certain to keep that cool head, to take the measure of my opponent rather than instantly lashing out.
Look at me, da,I think half-bitterly as the plane comes to land.Your misfit son, the changeling, stepping where maybe no King has stepped before, at least not one that I’ve heard. Are you proud of me?
I doubt he would be, but it’s long since stopped mattering to me. But as we stand up to head down the aisle and disembark, there’s another face lingering in my thoughts—one that does leave a hint of an ache in my chest, a faint wish that he could see where I am and what I’m about to do.
I do miss you, brother.
“The driver should be here waiting,” Levin says as the door to the steps out onto the tarmac opens. “We’ll head into Tokyo and find a place to stay tonight, and I’ll start making inquiries—”
His voice dies off as his feet hit the ground, and I don’t see why at first, as I duck and take three quick steps down the stairs. But as I straighten and get a good look a the tarmac in front of us, my own pulse quickens, a knot of dread forming in my stomach.
“Shit,” I hear Max swear behind me, a quick and heartfelt curse.
There’s a black car there, alright. But I don’t think it’s the driver Levin mentioned.
Spread out in front of it is a line of black-suited Japanese men, armed and impassive, blocking our path to leave. Not a single one of them moves as Max jumps down to stand next to me, his face looking as uncertain as I feel.
This wasn’t what we were expecting at all.
But I’d bet a pot of leprechaun’s gold they’re here for us.