Kiko craned her head over her shoulder to keep her eyes on me until the trees finally swallowed her from view.
I let out a slow breath.
Once the Dragon understands what I carry, he’ll ship you back to America.
The ugly line repeated itself in my head. She'd said it like her belly was a loaded gun and the babies were the bullets to bring my death.
Girl, bye. Had I not been raised by my grandmother. . .you would have been dead already.
I exhaled and kept my gaze forward.
The cart rolled on.
I had almost gotten my heart rate back down when I saw the next thing.
Now what the fuck is this?
Up ahead, at the bend in the path, a knot of bodies moved across the gravel in a tight cluster. Five men. They had a sixth man between them, and they were dragging him against his will. His feet were sliding. His arms were locked behind his back as he screamed in Japanese and cried.
There’s never a boring day on this island.
I leaned forward to get a better view.
Oh shit. That’s Tet. Right? Kiko’s cousin.
I sat up.
The five men hauled him sideways down a narrow side path that branched away from the villas. He struggled against them and looked exhausted. His shirt was twisted at the collar and blood dripped from one side of his mouth.
He didn't see me.
I watched until the trees swallowed them too.
Then I turned to my guard. "What are they doing to him?"
"I do not know."
"Can you ask Reo to let me know? I’m. . .intrigued."
The guard nodded once and pulled out his phone. His thumbs moved fast. He held the screen low in his lap and waited.
I faced forward.
What the hell are they going to do to Tet?
The path curved.
Hiroko's villa came into view at the top of the slope, all clean lines and expensive restraint.
The cart slowed.
The guard's phone beeped.
He read it, then turned slightly in his seat so I could see his face. "Reo says not to worry. Tet will be having a conversation with Hiro about Kiko's party crashing last night."
I went still.
A conversation with Hiro.
