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“Can I help you?”
The taller of the two is a good-looking guy, broad-shouldered and athletic, with a clean face, slightly longish dark hair, and sharp, dark eyes who looks a few years younger than me. A swirl of tattoo ink peeks out from the collar of his black button-up.
It’s the other guy, a bit shorter and a whole lot meaner-looking, who steps forward and bows stiffly.
“I apologize,” he murmurs in a heavily accented voice. “I didn’t mean to alarm anyone barging in like this.”
“Barging in has that effect on people,” I growl back.
He smiles widely, bowing again. “Indeed, Mr. Black! Very true!”
I don’t smile back. “As my assistant told you outside, I’m afraid I’m in a meeting. If you’d like to wait?—”
“But I believe,” the man says with another too-wide smile, “that I am part of this meeting.” He looks past me and beams as he nods his chin. “Ms. Yamaguchi! Surely you have not started without me!”
I turn with a frown, noticing the way Fumi pales a little.
Instantly, I hate the way the shorter man is looking at her. Like he owns her, or she’s beholden to him. The ferocious feeling inside my chest stuns me a little.
The men begin to walk over to her. In one motion, before I even think it through, my arm juts out, blocking them from taking another step.
“Exactly who are you,” I growl.
Something flashes in the man’s eyes, but fades as he smiles once again.
“Ah! My sincere apologies again, Mr. Black! My name is Shiro Watanabe. I’m Ms. Yamaguchi’s accountant.”
Really? The man looks like he’d be more at home at an underground poker game than behind an accountant’s desk. When I glance at Fumi, she nods quickly.
“He… He knows my dad.”
Mr. Watanabe chuckles. “Yes, Mr. Yamaguchi and I go way back, Mr. Black.” He turns to me, bowing again. “Now, if you don’t mind?”
He flashes another grin before he and his buddy walk over to Fumi. She still looks pale, but when she catches my glance, she shrugs quickly. “They’re from Japan.”
“Kyoto,” Shiro clarifies. “Have you ever been?”
“Tokyo. Never Kyoto.”
“A shame, Mr. Black. It’s beautiful. You should come visit sometime.”
“I’ll consider it.”
He nods. The other guy walks over, pulls a laptop out of his bag, and places it in front of Fumi. Shiro opens it and types away before turning to nod at her.
“We are ready for you to make the transfer, Ms. Yamaguchi.”
I frown. “Excuse me. What transfer?”
The man turns and bows deeply. “Forgive me for not mentioning it before. We have advised Ms. Yamaguchi to move the money she’s just received into a few other accounts.”
“Immediately?” Bennet asks curiously.
“Yes.”
There’s a slightly annoyed look on Shiro’s face. I frown, catching Fumi’s eye. Again, she just shrugs. “My dad swears by them. With him being a first-generation immigrant, there’s always extra scrutiny on his financial matters.”
Shiro smiles at me, then at Fumi.
