My jaw set hard enough to ache. I held it there until this overwhelming emotion moving through my chest had somewhere else to go that wasn't my face.
Still. . .against all my will. . .I smiled like a goddamn fool in love.
Which was fine because the Claws went feral around me.
Toma roared. “Woohoo! I need another!”
“No.” Nyomi raised her empty shot glass high. “We’ve got more to come, Toma. You’ve got to pace yourself.”
The twins kept blinking as if they were still feeling the fire.
Kaede and Daisuke had now sandwiched Hiro between them and were joking about taking two more of those fiery shots.
Reo just stared at his empty glass. “Well. . .I think my ribs are now fully healed.”
I chuckled. “That was quite enough whiskey in there to supersede any pain pill.”
“Yes. Indeed. I may have a Dragon’s Flame every night.”
Nyomi placed her glass on the bar. "You all just had fired-up, high-proof Japanese whisky to represent the Dragon’s power.”
I couldn’t get the silly smile off my face.
“We had to add ginger syrup to build more heat slowly. That’s all about the Dragon’s control.” Nyomi looked at me. “And because the Dragon is so sweet, we could not forget the lychee liqueur.”
“Sweet!?” Kaede snorted. “Who?”
Daisuke chuckled.
Hiro turned to me. "That is it, Kenji. We are marrying her."
Everyone laughed.
I raised my eyebrows.
I couldn’t tell whether my brother meant that he had now committed to seeing the two of us married, or whether he had just announced that all three of us were entering a shared union.
Nyomi leaned her head to the side. "Are you ready for more, Claws?"
"Fuck yeah!" Toma roared.
Kaede adjusted his cuffs with ceremonial dignity. "I am prepared for whatever you bring us, Tora."
This time I didn’t frown at the use of my nickname. It was clear that tonight I would have to share. I just hoped that they understood that this wouldn’t be a continued thing.
What will my Tora surprise us with next?
Chapter eleven
Signature
Kenji
Stillonthebar,Nyomi lifted her hand and the Claws went quiet without being told.
That detail hit me harder than it should have. A week ago, only Reo and I could get silence from that group. Tonight, my Tiger had gotten it with one raised palm.
"Before we get to the Claws’ signature drinks," She rubbed her hands together. "there's one more person we need to honor."
