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“Abel, one of you better start talking. Now.” Genevieve has reached her limit as well, and there’s a client staring contest going on between the four of us until the bell my father’s staff uses to announce visitors rings.
“Oh, goodie. Josette’s here. We can finally start this party.” Abel passes by us to greet Genny’s mama with a huge hug.
“Off me, you troud chi.” Glancing at Genny, she whispers, “asshole,” and I nod.
Truer words have never been spoken in reference to Abel Brooks.
“Cannibal, get off my mama.” She shoves him away just to take his place.
“Bébé, are you well?” Josie looks her daughter over, checking for anything off in her health, chakras, or appearance.
“I’m fine mama.” Stepping back, she reaches for me.
“Kaká with you’re fine. No Cher, no one can be fine in this man’s presence.” Josie spits at my father’s feet.
“Well, that’s a damn shame, Hiro. Looks like you’ll need to buy a new pair of Gucci loafers. Ladies, please take a seat. It’s story time.” Abel rubs his hands together in a manic manner, and his eyes aren’t any better.
“What the fuck?” I whisper at him when I pass to sit on the sofa he indicates to.
He sits me with Genevieve and leaves Josette and my father to pick from the single high-rise chairs. I always hated them. They resemble thrones, and my father uses them to keep his people in line. A reminder he is the king of this castle.
Josie sits closest to Genevieve, and once she’s seated, my father takes the empty chair. Abel claps his hands, and the lights dim. My father’s movie projector lowers, and ARIA says the system is ready.
“When the fuck did he get your tech?” Genevieve hisses.
“Easy Judge, Hiro was one of my first clients. Now, if everyone would please watch the screen. Indulge my theatrics just a few moments longer. I want to take everyone back to 2001. Josie was a nurse at UCLA where she helped in the care of a certain Goto-gumi recovery from a liver transplant.” A picture of Josie holding smiling preteen Genevieve on her lap.
“She later became his private nurse until his return to Japan. Before he left, she met and worked very closely with one specific Shategashira by the man of Akihiro Fukuma.” My eyes widen.
I knew my father was involved with the Yakuza. But a Lieutenant? Not in my wildest dreams would I have fathomed him being that high up in the organization.
“Can someone please decode that?” Genevieve cups my face, and I close my mouth and swallow, feeling how dry my throat is.
I need a fucking drink.
“This is why you wished so hard for the son you never had,” I growl at my father, finally knowing the reason he hated me so.
“I never wanted to burden my daughter with this responsibility.” I flinch as if smacked.
Genevieve is across the room and on my father before anyone can stop her.
Abel plops down in the empty spot and pulls out a small bag of popcorn from his pocket. I watch on as he opens the bag and offers me some while the staff tries to save my father from my girl. He pops a few kernels in his mouth and grins when Genevieve knocks the butler out.
To my father’s credit, he never once hits back.
“Are you going to stop them?” He asks as I take the popcorn from him.
“Nope.”
* * *
Genevieve
“Bébé,his nose is bleeding. I did not come here to work. Let him be now.” I hear my mama speaking, but I can’t stop my fists from swinging at Akihiro Fukuma’s face.
All the anger I carry is written in blood all over us now.
“Judge!” Abel lets out a whistle, and it breaks through to me, and I finally stop collapsing on the ground next to the asshole Miya calls father.
