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Hiding the truth was the only way to keep a target off my back. I would own the Sato empire by the time anyone figured my plan out, and by then, I would be unstoppable.
Deceiving everyone, particularly Ichiro and Kenzo, was one of the few joys in my life.
But for Bree, I would show a side of myself that most believed I was incapable of. One that was gentle, caring, and utterly devoted to her happiness.
As I considered the patterns of our lives thus far, a smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. A janitor at Subliminal. Either fate had a sense of humor, or it was merely a cruel twist of irony that had brought us together under such unlikely circumstances.
She wasn’t exactly who she was pretending to be, either. Her magic might have been unlike anything I’d personally experienced before, but I recognized the signs from my studies of various Gifted types. She was a siren, or a mermaid as humans called her kind. I’d bet my life on it.
As far as I knew, sirens didn’t suddenly grow legs and walk on land. I couldn’t remember the last time anyone had claimed to see a siren, on land or at all. If someone had, they kept it a secret. A closely guarded secret, since few in the Gifted population could keep secrets from someone as resourceful and wealthy as a Sato.
No, there was more to Bree’s story, and I was determined to discover it all.
Regardless of who or what she truly was, I knew one thing for certain—she had awakened something within me, a fierce desire to protect and cherish her that went beyond mere attraction. I would stop at nothing to claim her as my mate.
Jou rumbled his agreement before settling in for a nap.
After jotting down my ideas, I called my closest friends for a virtual group meeting on my computer. One by one, Rin, Keiko, and Aaron’s faces popped into view on the video call.
Sweat dripped down Rin’s cheeks as the camera bounced, hints of greenery flashing behind him. Running, yet again.
In the video next to his, Keiko’s black hair spread across a white pillow beneath her head. She blinked sleepily and rubbed at her face. Pulling all-nighters was typical for an assassin.
In contrast, Aaron sat at his office desk, most likely awake and working since the sun came up. His typing didn’t cease despite connecting to the call.
“What’s up, boss?” Rin asked, his face red.
We were all equals, yet Rin had coined the nickname “boss” for me as a pseudo-leader. Apparently, I was the glue that bound us all together over the years.
“I need a favor.” I was going to break my promise to leave Bree alone in the best way I knew how, which meant I needed reinforcements.
Stifling a yawn, Keiko quirked an eyebrow. “Awful early for a favor.”
“Not all of us live such glamorous lives as you,” Aaron muttered, never once pausing his typing.
She rolled over and rested her cheek on her arm. “Oh yes, having to scrub blood and guts from one’s body before downing a few Ambiens just to sleep is so glamorous.”
At that, the accountant stopped typing and looked directly into the camera. “You take Ambien because you drink an exorbitant amount of caffeine every day. You love what you do, guts and all, and yes, attending extravagant parties to learn your marks’ routines is considered glamorous.”
Her lips curled into a devious smirk, revealing the slightest hint of fang. “Touché.”
Rin slowed to a stop and grinned, though his chest continued to heave with deep breaths. “That’s my girl.”
These three could continue for hours if I let them. “If you’ve finished with the pleasantries?”
Keiko covered her mouth with a hand, stifling another yawn. “Out with it.”
Carefully avoiding any details regarding the fight due to the oath-keeper, I told them where and how I’d found Bree, her real name, and explained my date idea. The plan earned equal parts taunts and laughs, but they all agreed to do their part.
Now I just had to wait until evening.
The landline rang. My friends’ banter fell silent as they watched me anxiously. Only one person used my landline, and it was never just to chat.
With a sigh, I lifted the receiver. I didn’t keep much from my friends, so there was no need for discretion. “Yes, sir?”
“There’s a large shipment coming in tonight,” Ichiro said. “I need you to ensure it gets here without any trouble.”
My grip on the phone tightened. “With respect, sir, can someone else go in my stead? Perhaps Kenzo? I’ve a prior commitment.”
