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“Make yourselves at home. I’ll get dressed and be out of your way in a few minutes.” I turn into the walk-in closet and dress in leather pants, a black tank top, and boots.
I grab my harness, jacket, and two Glocks to complete my outfit of the day. I wave goodbye to the small family just as Bear lets a huge snore. He’ll be out for hours.
“I see where the road name came from.” Zahra frowns at her man as I close the door.
“Ready?” I call over to Eagle as I strap my harness on.
“Are we going into battle?” His snickers remind me he hasn’t had to deal with my family before.
“What do you know about my family Benny?” He stops short at my use of his name.
“You’re father is an arrogant prick who doesn’t deserve you.” I don’t blush often, but his words are making my cheeks burn.
“You can't straighten a snake by putting it in a bamboo cane,” I repeat the words my grandmother once told me to describe my father.
“Riddles, Karma?” I shake my head at him.
“No, proverb.” I pull my jacket on and head for the front door.
“What the fuck does it mean?” That’s a complex question, but the only answer I have is simple.
“Don’t turn your back on him, and he may not bite you.”
* * *
I pullup in front of my father’s building and rev my engine louder than I need to. It’s lunchtime, and the parking lot is full of people leaving to enjoy the hour break they get, so I get a ton of people looking my way.
If making a scene makes me childish, so be it.
I’m out, loud and proud. So if he’s going to continue to act like his only child died because she’s gay, then I’m going to take any and all chances I get to let people see me. Fuck his stockholders and their opinions of me.
“Was that necessary? We should be keeping a low profile.” I take my helmet off and place it on the seat of my Harley.
“You ever try to sneak up on a snake?” Eagle rolls his eyes.
“No Karma, and why all the snake metaphors?” I turn my back to him and look at the office building.
I point up at the Fukuma Enterprise logo above the front doors. An infinity symbol is made of a snake with its mouth open, ready to eat its own tail. The head closes the family name while the tail closes the enterprise.
“Well, ok then. Your father is a little full of himself, I take it?” I snort.
“Isn’t every man?”
I don’t wait for an answer and enter the building I try so hard to avoid. The guard at the front desk stands and, when he sees my face, bows. I bypass the metal detector and then wave Eagle in with me, so the rent-a-cop knows he’s with me.
“Does he know we’re coming?” Eagle asks as I push the call button of my father’s private elevator.
I shrug cause it’s not like I called ahead. But my father has high-tech surveillance, so I’m sure he’s been alerted to my presence on the property.
As if the question Eagle asked manifested the man himself, when the elevator opens, I’m face to face with my father.
“Miya.” I bow from pure instinct and step into the elevator once he grants me passage.
When Eagle tries to follow, my father’s hand stops him. He looks at me, and I shake my head. It’s not worth arguing or the fight it will cause. He backs up, but his face says how much he hates this idea. Fucking same.
I don’t believe my father would ever physically hurt me. Emotionally? I’m pretty sure he’s done all the damage he can. Verbally? That’s a whole other ball game.
Once the door closes and Eagle is no longer in sight, I regret getting in this tin can on cables with a man I don’t trust. I stick my hands in my pockets, so I don’t fidget the whole thirty stories up to his office.
