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Jakob now looked out of the screen at him, his steel-hued eyes boring into Raiden’s. “I assume when you say you’d take down anyone with you, that includes us? And we should agree to that, why?”
Raiden shot him a glance in lieu of a kakato-geri ax kick over his thick head. “Because you owe Scarlett your fortunes, your security and your very lives. Medvedev uncovered my identity and by association yours, and was coming after all of us. She almost sacrificed her own life taking him down. That’s why.”
Jakob met his infuriated gaze in utmost composure. “Now, that’s a good reason. I thought you expected us to do that for you. My bad.”
“Shut up, Brainiac.”
Numair’s silky command got a dismissive grunt from Jakob. But he did break off the visual duel with Raiden. Numair would always remain their commander. They’d entrusted their lives to him when they’d been children, and no matter how they changed or how powerful they grew, they’d always take orders from him, and he would always have the last say.
“What do you need us to do, Raiden?”
That was Rafael, probably his closest brother, and the one Raiden had been reluctant to call, since he was a newlywed with a baby on the way, too. Raiden hadn’t wanted to take him from Eliana’s side. After that memorable encounter with her before their wedding in Brazil, where they’d settled down, he had a permanent soft spot for Rafael’s bride. Eliana was also just the kind of friend he wanted for Scarlett.
“I want you to use every resource and connection at your disposal, call in all your favors and practice every pressure tactic to make sure it’s in the Yakuza’s best interests to forget Scarlett exists.”
Rafael was the one who nodded immediately. Raiden could see the others thinking of the logistics of his demand, wheels turning in their heads as they planned its execution.
Not that he even considered any of them would reject him. He knew they’d do all they could to help him. But he had to leave them in no doubt how grave the situation was.
“If I can’t be assured of her total and permanent security, I won’t only relinquish my identity and fake my death and hers, like we did before, but when we resurface, to make sure all of us remain safe from retaliations, I won’t even tell you as whom. You’ll never see me again.”
“And how can any of us live without your aggravation, Lightning?” That was Ivan, his tone teasing, but his eyes alarmed, unable to contemplate losing another of their own. Like they’d lost Cypher.
Richard added his vote. “You and Rafael are the only reason I put up with this group of weasels and your moose of a leader. I’d do anything to keep you around, lad.”
Richard’s comment was met with generalized snorts, before each man followed with his own pledge in his own way.
“Losing one of us, even pains in the neck—” Numair’s gaze singled out Jakob “—or extra baggage—” his gaze flicked to Richard “—is never an option.” He stopped, no doubt remembering how they’d lost one of their brothers before, and hadn’t been able to do anything about it. Cypher had disappeared without a trace. They all carried guilt that would never go away for their roles in his loss. Numair exhaled. “As for your beloved...”
“She’s my everything.” Raiden interjected forcefully. “And now she’s giving me even more than that. She’s carrying our miracle child.”
Looking gratefully again at Antonio, the one who’d given him the best news of his life, he explained what made their baby such a miracle. His brothers took a minute to digest the new info before they bombarded him with their teasing and congratulations.
He allowed himself those moments to accept yet another form of his brothers’ support, his heart stuttering at realizing he was beginning to feel like a proud—and insanely anxious—father.
Then came Numair’s summation, the decree they’d all abide by. “We would have scorched the earth for Scarlett, just because she’s yours. But now we know she almost sacrificed herself for you, and us by association, and we know what she suffered because of her sacrifice, what it almost cost her, and you, anyone daring to threaten her will pay. Long after they back down.” Numair looked around, getting corroborating nods from everyone. Nodding in turn, he drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair as he sat forward, as he used to when a direction was settled and it was time to drum out details. “Now let’s see how we’ll make the Yakuza offer to guard Scarlett and your baby with their lives, for life.”
For the next three hours they discussed every detail and possibility, and came up with a plan. Then Ivan and Antonio left, and the others signed out of the videoconference, each going to initiate his part in the tapestry of manipulation.
Numair stayed behind a few minutes longer to make sure Raiden wouldn’t postpone the first thing he had to do.
Pain crushed his heart as he conceded the necessity of that action. It was the hardest thing Raiden would ever do. Giving the Yakuza what they were now waiting for.
And he had to make it look convincing.
* * *
The first thing Scarlett noticed as she walked into the downtown office was the avid looks everyone gave her.
She’d already been drawing extreme interest since Raiden had first come for her here. And that was before they’d learned who the god who regularly swept her away in his chariot was.
But now they were making no attempt to hide that they were talking about her. Gossip was a paramount pastime around here, even more than anywhere else in the world she’d been, and she’d already been the subject of the mandatory form, as a gaijin who looked the way she did. But now she couldn’t understand the reason for their sudden in-your-face nosiness.
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She didn’t wonder long. Finding Hiro waiting for her in her office explained everything.
Hiro was the second billionaire who’d come for her in as many weeks. Not only that, but she’d recently learned he was one who was considered a hero of the people, a man who had left his father’s path in crime and made himself into a major power in Japan out of nothing. And while it was common knowledge they were friends, her colleagues had only heard about this, as they always met outside of their respective workplaces. For him to be here must be the stuff of folktales to them.
