Meanwhile, Reo had not grabbed a lollipop. He was only focusing on his bites, oblivious to all the happenings around him.
I took my own lollipop and licked it once.
The sugar was sweet against my tongue.
I thought of Hiro at six years old. Before our father had broken him down into the man he had become. Before the dirty alleys of Nishinari and the neglect of his mother.
Before the violence.
Before the bodies.
Before the nights he spent making sure he could kill in his sleep to protect himself.
I thought of the boy my little brother had been. The one who had loved candy and nothing else. The one who had smiled before he knew what it cost to smile.
And I saw that kid right in front of me, lapping at his lollipop like a clown and I laughed and bit through my own shell, happy to be fucking alive to witness it all.
Mmmm.
Cherry sake bloomed across my tongue. Vodka followed, sharp and clean. Grenadine softened the edges. Cream landed last, quiet, gentle, and soft.
I let the liquid sit on my tongue and then swallowed it down.
For several minutes we stood there, sucking on candy like children and riding the lovely adventure of sugar and alcohol.
Once done, I slung my empty stick on the tray and captured my Tiger.
She shrieked.
I pulled her toward me.
Her eyes went wide, then closed as I brought her mouth to mine. Her warm mouth tasted sweeter than the candy.
Her body went rigid for half a second, then melted against me.
I felt her pulse hammering where my fingers pressed her throat.
Hiro cleared his throat next to us. “Eh, she’s our Tiger this evening.”
I’m going to fucking kill him.
I pulled back and glared. “Give us a minute.”
“She’s ours for the night.”
“What did you say?” I let her go and went to him, ready to fight.
She got between us. “Alright. I want to show you our next surprise. Be nice or I’ll kick you both out.”
Behind her, Hiro lifted up his fists and mouthed the word,ours.
I rolled my eyes.
Nyomi frowned. “Are you rolling your eyes at me?”
“No. I’m doing it to him.”
She captured my hand. “Come on, baby. Be good.”
