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Hands grab me from behind.
I scream as my heart climbs into my throat, whirling with every intention of jamming my thumb in Takato’s eye.
Except when I turn, I go stock-still as my eyes lock with Gabriel’s.
My husband’s.
The hazel-green eyes of the man I’m completely in love with.
I collapse into him, pressing myself against his firm chest as his powerful arms surround me.
“We need to get out of?—”
“Stop.”
I gasp, and Gabriel stiffens at the sound of Takato’s voice behind us.
“Turn around. Slowly.”
Gabriel’s hand tightens against the small of my back. For the first time, I realize his other hand is holding a sword—and it’s one that I recognize. It used to hang above my dad’s bed, and I always thought it was just something to remind him of Japan.
Now, seeing it gripped in Gabriel’s powerful hand and dripping with blood, I know what it really is.
“Drop your weapon, Mr. Black,” Takato growls, levelling a gun at us. “Now.”
Gabriel’s jaw grits, but he slowly squats and lays the sword on the ground.
“Kick it over here.”
Gabriel glances at me, then glares at Takato and does it. The steel skitters across the stone terrace. Takato grins as he stops it with his foot before shoving it behind him.
“You came a very great distance just to die, Mr. Black,” he growls.
“And you’ve gone to great lengths to hide the fact that you stole from your own family and want to overthrow your uncle,” Gabriel spits back.
Takato’s lips curl.
“What of it? It’s my time, Mr. Black. This is how things work in my world. My uncle has had his time. And now it is my time to?—”
His words are abruptly choked off. His eyes bulge wide as a rasping sound tumbles from his lips, followed by a trickle of bright red down his chin. My hand flies to my mouth as I take in the gleaming steel blade protruding from his abdomen.
With a horrible, wet sound, the blade is pulled from his body. Takato drops to his knees, choking on the blood dripping from his mouth as he turns to look over his shoulder.
Orochi slowly shakes his head.
“It is not your time,” he growls. “It will never be your time, you ungrateful, dishonorable rat.”
I gasp, and Gabriel’s arm tightens around me as Orochi rams my father’s sword through Takato again. The younger Ito’s eyes glaze over as he tumbles sideways to the ground and is still.
The terrace is silent as Orochi kneels, closes his nephew’s eyes, then wipes the blade clean on Takato’s jacket. He lays the sword on the ground and stands, his eyes holding ours steadily.
“Mr. Black, we had an agreement, and you have honored your end of it.” He bows. “Now, I will honor my end.” His gaze turns to me alone. “Our business is concluded, Mrs. Black. You will not be bothered in New York, and I would suggest you make this your last trip to Kyoto. Now, let us consider this whole matter settled. We are now even.”
He turns to leave.
He’s wrong.
This is not settled.
