“A giant teddy bear?” Kazuo grumbles under his breath. He massages his temples like I’m giving him a headache. My stepmother always did that when she got frustrated with me.
“I’m telling him that so he’s not scared,” I whisper.
“Follow me,” he orders before he makes his way up one of the two curving staircases. It’s actually really neat. They both go up and meet in the middle at the top. I stand there. He doesn’t realize I’m not following him until he is halfway up.
“I’m not a dog,” I say tartly. I’m not sure what's gotten into me. It might have been the whole little girl comment. Now I’m testing the boundaries.
“No, you certainly are not, but if you want a bedroom, you’d better move your little ass up the stairs.”
Thinking I’ve pushed enough, I go up the stairs but take the set on the other side. He grumbles something under his breath and meets me at the top.
“Get her things,” he tells the two men standing at attention at the front door.
“Thank you, Ritsu and Ken. You’re both gems,” I tell the two men.
Kazuo's eyes cut to me. I think he’s about to tell me not to speak to his men. I wasn't allowed to speak to my father's men beyond asking a few questions. They all did their best to ignore me. With Ritsu and Ken, they’ve been polite to me while I waited for Kazuo and even told me their names when I’d asked.
I have to admit I was a bit giddy about having a conversation with them. I never get to talk with boys or men. The boarding school I attended was all girls. Whenever I get the chance to speak to someone of the opposite sex, it’s exciting to me. All my life I’ve wanted a boyfriend. My stepmother insists that I’m boy crazy. I can’t help it. My best friends come from books, and I adore romance novels. So why not add a boyfriend into the mix, too?
As fun as it was to talk to the two men and the driver I met when my plane landed in the States, none of them checked off any of the boxes I required in a boyfriend. I have a very specific list. One I’ll be adding to when I get to my new room. Giant hands are definitely going on it.
“This way.” He motions for me to walk ahead of him. “To your left.” The house is massive. I’m guessing one way leads to Kazuo’s quarters and the other side is the wing for guests to stay in.
When we pulled up to the tall iron gates of the estate, there were five men manning it. From what I could tell, there’s a giant stone wall that surrounds the whole property. This place is a fortress. I think it might be bigger than my father’s.
“Is your bedroom on the other side of the house?” I peek down the hallway to the right. It looks the same as the left. The walls are lined with art and beautiful details.
“You stay on this side,” he says, not answering my question. I walk down the long hallway, passing a few doors. At the end are two large double doors. I'm guessing they are to enter the master suite. “On your right. You’ll take that room.” It’s the last door before the double doors.
“What about that room?” I point to the double doors. “I bet there is a giant soaking tub in that room.”
“There is, but that’s my room.”
“Oh.”
“I’m going to shower. You get settled in.” He opens my door but steps back. “In you go, Mei.”
The way my name rolls off his tongue has me nodding my head in agreement and stepping into my bedroom. The second I do, he grabs the handle and shuts the door behind me.
“Hey!” I grab it and try to open it, but the knob doesn’t budge. “What the hell? You bastard!” I shout through the door. When Kuzi wiggles in my arms, I stop shouting.
“I’ll return for you later,” he says through the door. I want to shout more, but I don’t because of Kuzi. I don’t want to frighten him any more than he already is.
I glare at the locked door. If Kazuo thinks he can keep me locked in my bedroom he’s going to learn, the same way my father did, how well that works for anyone.
3
Kazuo
The blood runs down the drain, coloring the white tile pink until it flows clear. I lean my forearm against the wall and rest my head against it.
To say I have questions is putting it lightly. Why the hell would Hideo send his daughter to me? And without warning? It doesn’t make sense.
More than that, why is she so … I can’t put my finger on exactly what she is, but my cock certainly has an opinion. It’s so hard I can feel my heartbeat pulsing through it.