“I’m trying to find this woman. The Frenchman bought her for a massive sum—a hundred million dollars—from a man named Alexei Egorov. I don’t know where he took her.”
Kaito smirks. “And you think I do? Why not ask this Egorov if he’s the one who sold her?”
“Because he’s dead,” I say stiffly. “I would know; I watched as my associate took him apart, piece by piece. In fact, I removed a few of his fingers myself.”
Kaito tosses back another shot of sake, raising an eyebrow. “Is that so? I wouldn’t have thought you had it in you, to look at you. I never heard that the Irishmen had much bite, to tell the truth. Just a lot of bluster and—what is that word you use?Blarney.” He snorts. “Such a stupid word.”
I shrug. “Be that as it may, I don’t shrink at violence when it’s necessary. And I’m determined to find this woman.”
“Is that a threat?” Kaito leans back, and I can see Levin wincing. “I’m afraid I don’t take threats lightly, Irishman.”
“Not a threat.” I shake my head. “A fact. Iwillfind her. We were told you might have information to help us do exactly that. If that’s not true, then rather than continue to waste your time or ours, the three of us will take our leave so that we can continue to search. You can continue to—” I wave my hand towards the girls, a few of whom are looking more than a little pale at the way I’m speaking to Kaito and the tiger. “Do this.”
The silence that hangs over the room for a moment is thick and heavy, charged with the uncertainty of what’s going to happen next. I can see Levin cursing me silently, feeling Max’s tension at my back, waiting for Kaito to unleash his men on us.
But then, out of nowhere, he starts to laugh.
He flops backward onto his divan, tossing back more sake as the black silk kimono falls open further, the picture of decadence and carelessness. “You,” he says, pointing a finger at me as he tries to catch his breath from laughing, “are not nearly as boring as I thought you would be, Irishman.”
I canfeelthe collective breath that all three of us let out as Kaito finally sits up again, leaning forward with his elbows on his spread knees as he considers. “I was there when my father spoke with this Frenchman,” he says finally. “You’re right. He spent a ridiculous amount for akintsugivase. My father ordinarily wouldn’t have entertained such a thing. Still, the man was insistent, and after all, isn’t someone who turns down a windfall as stupid as one who cheats to gain it?”
“I suppose.” I narrow my eyes, watching him. “So what? He bought this vase and—”
“That’s it.” Kaito shrugs. “He dined with my father and me, we took him to watch some of our girls perform, offered him a girl for the night out of courtesy that he declined. Odd, but not every man has those proclivities. He left in the morning with his vase.”
“And does your father keep records? Would he have noted where this Frenchman lived? An address?”
Kaito smirks. “Do you really think a man who purchases items for an amount far more than their value, who deals with the underworld and even purchases a woman gives out his home address?”
I let out a breath, running my hand through my hair with frustration. “No, of course not. But while I’m glad to know that the Frenchman has, in fact, been seen by someone else—this doesn’t help us find the woman. We’re no closer to knowing his name or where he might be keeping her—”
“Oh, I know his name. I told you, we dined with him. He mentioned the location of his apartment as well, once he’d been plied with enough sake. He wasn’t a careful enough man, in my opinion, for one who does business with such dark corners of the underworld.”
For a moment, I think my heart is going to stop in my chest. “What is it?” I blurt out without thinking, and Kaito smirks.
“You don’t think I would tell you that for free, do you?”
I blink at him. “Name your price. The Frenchman’s name and where he lives. I’ll pay whatever you like.”
Kaito laughs. “I am thekobunof the Nakamura clan, Nomura Nakamura’s son. I don’t need money.”
“What then?” I know better than to hand a man like this a blank check, but I’m verging on desperation. If I thought that his men wouldn’t kill me faster than I could reach him, I’d be across the room in a moment, my hands around his throat until he spat out the information that he has, information that Ineed.
He can lead me to Ana.Finally. Every second that ticks by is another that she’s in the hands of that Frenchman, a second that I’m not using to get to her side and rescue her. And Kaito Nakamura is sitting there surrounded by his women, laughing at the expression on my face.
“Pet my tiger.”
I stare at him, dumbfounded. “What?”
He shrugs. “You heard me. I don’t need money; I need amusement. You want to find this woman so badly? You say you’d do anything to get to her? Pet it. Then I’ll tell you.”
He’s insane.I look at the beast lying next to the divan, a jeweled gold collar around its neck. It’s drugged—it must be, I can’t imagine that it would lie there so quietly otherwise. But that doesn’t mean I want to touch it.
“Liam—” Levin’s voice is a low warning, and I see Kaito cut his eyes towards Levin with clear irritation.
“Stay out of this, Volkov,” he says. “Your Irish friend spoke out of turn, so let him negotiate now. He wants the information. He pays the price.” Kaito’s dark eyes flick back to me, and there’s less humor in them now. “Pet the tiger.”
Fuck.I’m wasting time arguing, and for all I know, if I refuse, he’ll come up with something even worse.
I take a step towards the tiger. I hear Max suck in his breath behind me, but I take another, forcing myself forward. My heart is hammering in my chest, but it’s for Ana.It’s all for Ana.
I’d said to myself getting off the plane today that I meant to keep my vow to Ana—to death, if need be.
I just hadn’t thought this was how it was going to end.