“Why did you hit me as well?! You’re not my partner anymore!”

Looking at Ryo, still clutching her faithful mallet with his name written on it, Kaori swallowed. “What?”

“Why won’t you let me be and do what I want?! You only need to curb Mick’s intentions, not mine. Get it?!”

Ryo looked truly pissed this time. Pissed and exasperated as he yelled at her. Really yelled at her. Kaori nibbled on her lower lip. In fact, he was right. She wasn’t his partner anymore. She was Mick’s and she had her hands full dealing with the American version of Ryo, but still...She couldn’t just let Ryo have it his way. She couldn’t let him ogle other women, touch them...Like he’s done ever since she’s forgotten everything and kept doing as she remembered everything that had happened on Kaibara’s ship. Everything that had happened, everything they had said to each other the night before the raid on the ship...

She knew his behavior meant only one thing—that he didn’t give a shit about her and her feelings, that everything he’d said and done on the ship and before had been said in a moment of danger when emotions are always heightened, when instincts usually take over. He’d simply refused to let her stay there with him so he’d said what he’d known she wanted to hear, needed to hear. He hadn’t meant it. Not really…

She knew it.

So why was she still hoping? What was she waiting for? A miracle? Those only existed in books and movies. This was real life. No miracles were forthcoming. Not for her. Never for her.

“Do you understand, Kaori?” Ryo insisted, his eyes filled with righteous anger.

“Yeah,” she murmured. “I understand.” She understood perfectly, in fact. “Sorry. It won’t happen again. As you were.”

She turned, proud of herself for having been able to keep tears from spilling and her voice from cracking, and went in search of Mick, her new partner.

She never noticed the shocked expression on Ryo’s face as she turned her back on him and walked away without another hammer blow or an explosion of anger.



She found Mick in the showers, having followed the string of screams and screeches. She didn’t bother with a mallet this time—they obviously didn’t work—she merely sighed and calmly asked him to follow her.

It was part shock at not suffering a new bout of blows and part curiosity that had him abandoning the abundance of wet, heaving female flesh in front of his eyes and following his partner out of the gym.

“I have an offer for you, Mick,” Kaori stated as he parked his behind on a bench, while she remained standing. She couldn’t sit, she was too nervous, shocked at her own boldness.

“What is it?”

She sighed, looking into his serious, for once, face. Both he and Ryo—no, she wouldn’t think about him—could be utterly serious when need arose, so why couldn’t they maintain that serious attitude in other circumstances as well?

“You want to win, right? You want to beat Ryo for the rights to the name of City Hunter, right?”

He nodded, his eyes blazing with purpose. “You know, I do.”

She nodded. “Good. It won’t happen if you can’t keep your focus. We have the advantage, it’s two against one, but you can’t go around getting distracted every chance you get by some sexy woman or another.”

She lifted her hand to stop him when he opened his mouth to protest.

“Listen to what I have to say and then decide.” She sighed, bracing herself. “He will get distracted. He can’t help it and I won’t be there to keep him in check. He happily reminded me of the fact I’m not his partner anymore, just a few minutes ago.”

Mick’s eyes grew tender and she wanted to kick him. She didn’t need his compassion, she needed his professional attitude.

“Save the platitudes,” she snapped. “They don’t serve any purpose and I don’t want them. I don’t need them. What I need is to win and for that I need your help. I need you focused on the job and not easily distracted.”

“Kaori...” He smiled engagingly, no doubt thinking it would win her over, while it merely set her teeth on edge. “It’s not good for my health or my ability to perform, if I’m focused all the time. That’s exhausting. I need to relieve the pressure somehow.”

She had him where she wanted him. “I understand. That’s why I told you I have an offer for you.”

He sighed, leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “I’m listening.”

Not yet, she thought, but he would soon. “I need you focused so we can win. And if we win, I’ll sleep with you.”

His head snapped back in its regular position with a cracking sound that made her wince, his eyes zeroed on her face. “What?”

“You heard me.” She swallowed. There was no way back from this. “If we gain the sole rights to the name of City Hunter, I’ll sleep with you.”

His eyes were tender again. She hated that look. It spoke of pity. She hated to be pitied. She didn’t need to be pitied. “Kaori, honey—”

“Don’t honey me, Mick. I know perfectly well what I’m doing and what I’m offering. I’m not an idiot and I don’t go back on my word. Ever. Take it or leave it.”

“Why?” he asked.

She shrugged, surprised at how nonchalantly she was bartering her body. “Why not? You’ll deserve a reward after a job well done, so why not?”

“Kaori—”

“Do you want me, Mick?” she asked. “Or were your protestations of love months ago mere lies a man tells a woman he wants to take to bed?”

His expression darkened. “You know I meant every word.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“You don’t love me,” he said softly.

Her heart did a strange and painful somersault inside her chest, but she’d come too far to back down. Too far to take it all back. “I don’t mean to sound like a cliché, but what’s love got to do with anything? It’s sex.”

“Kaori—”

God, she was really starting to hate that tone of his voice. “Don’t tell me I deserve better than mere sex. Don’t tell me, I have to wait for the right moment, save myself for the right man. Spare me the spiel, Mick. I’ve waited long enough. The right man doesn’t give a shit, you know that better than anyone. I’m twenty-four and still a virgin. If I keep waiting for the right man, I’ll die a virgin. I refuse to do that, damn it! And since you’re the only man of my acquaintance that actually wants me, you’re it. Look at it this way; you’ll have bragging rights.”

Mick was on his feet immediately, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her gently. “Don’t say that. It wouldn’t be like that and you know it, Kaori. Don’t make me such a disservice.”

“Sorry,” she mumbled. “It’s been a long morning.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, his eyes intense.

“Yes,” she said with conviction. “I’m sure.”

“What about if we lose?”

“We won’t if you just focus on the job at hand.”

“But what if we lose?” he insisted, his eyes searching hers.

She shrugged. “If, and let me reiterate, that’s a big if, we lose, I’ll still be your partner. Just a platonic one.” She poked him in the chest. “So what do you say, a sure thing with me or a mere possibility with a stranger?”

He looked at her so long and so intensely, she was convinced he’d refuse. But then he nodded. “All right.” Then his entire face transformed into one she was used to seeing on another man. “Let’s win this thing and I’ll show you what an American mokkori looks like.”

She rolled her eyes, but refused to regret the proposition. She extended her hand. “Let’s shake on it.”

His grin grew even wider. “I’d rather have a kiss.”

She refused to budge until he groaned in defeat and took her hand. “One distraction and I’ll know about it,” she warned. “And the deal is off.”

“Honey,” he drawled. “With the incentive you’ve provided, who needs any more distractions.”

“Also,” she admonished quickly, having just thought of it. “No sampling of the goods before the challenge is over.”

“Kaori,” he whined, “don’t be cruel.”

“Hands off me for the duration as well, Mick, or the deal is off. No distractions, keep your focus...And I’m all yours.”