What Men Want - Chapter 22

As she heard a door slam closed somewhere in the apartment, Kaori collapsed into her favorite—and now vacated—armchair with a sigh. As much fun and liberating as it was to finally discover her inner bitch and let her play for a while, it was also damn tiring. She felt exhausted but giddy. She was also extremely surprised at the bitchy prowess she’d just demonstrated. Who knew she had something like that in her? Who knew she was capable of talking to another woman—a more beautiful and sophisticated one—in such a manner? Who knew she could be so biting, sarcastic, and spiteful? Who knew she had even a drop of venom in her?

Wow!

That was...well...Wow!

But hey, it’s been about time she stood up for herself instead of just calmly and silently laying down for everyone who wanted to step on her. She was a human being, after all, not a doormat!

Why has she allowed all the women they’ve protected in all these years to put her down, insult her, and humiliate her because of Ryo being such a stud that every female in a ten-mile radius fell for him with just one look from those deep, dark eyes of his? Why did he have to be such a stud in the first place? Couldn’t he be small, bald, and crippled? And why did the women fall for him, even with his obnoxious behavior?

Kaori sighed. Because, like her, all those women realized it was all just a cover. The guy wasn’t even half as perverted as he acted. And he had a heart of gold. Why couldn’t he be small, bald, crippled, and a bastard where the human population in general was concerned?

Her eyes darkened. He had been a bastard that morning. She still couldn’t rid her mind of the memory of his dark eyes glaring at her, of his biting remarks, of the venom in his voice.

She shuddered. How could he misunderstand the situation like that? He should have known better! He should have known her! And to think that up until that morning, she was convinced he was the only one who really knew her. Boy, was she wrong! How could he put her in the same basket as all the other women he knew? How could he put her in the same basket as the women in Kabukichō? Besides, even if she had slept with Mick, what reason would he have to go off the way he did? It wouldn’t be cheating; it wouldn’t be a betrayal...They were colleagues and nothing more! But he didn’t act like a colleague that morning!

Why did he act that way?

She glanced out the window. The sun has already set, tingeing the horizon purple.

Where was he, anyway? It wasn’t like him to abandon a client that way. At least not at night. He was a professional, after all. So, where was he? And what was she to do if he didn’t show up soon? She couldn’t just shrug it all off and go to bed, leaving their client unprotected. What if something went down that night of all nights, and all she would be able to do was stand by and let the bad guys have their way with Amaya?

However tempting that thought might be, she was a professional, too, and she knew something needed to be done. If the designated bodyguard wasn’t around, it was up to her to find a substitute. At least until Ryo got back.

And when he got back, then what? What would she say to him? How would she behave? Well, better not think of woulds and shoulds just now. Hitotsugi Amaya, and her well-being being her first priority, she picked up the phone.

X Y Z

In a dark apartment, the phone started ringing. A silhouette emerged from the shadows beside the window to pick up the receiver. “Yes?”

“It’s me.”

The man smiled slightly in the dark, dropping down onto a lumpy sofa. “I wasn’t expecting your call so soon.”

“I wasn’t expecting to call so soon.”

“How’s the weather?”

“Clouds are gathering. We may have to move quickly if we don’t want the rain to catch us.”

Perching his leg onto a small table before him, his fingers felt for the knife hidden in his boot. “May have? It’s not like you to be so hesitant.”

“It’s not hesitation. I just have another...project...to bring to fruition.”

“How much longer?”

“A few days. Be ready when I call.”

“Always.”

The line went dead before he could finish the word.

X Y Z

“You have reached Mick Angel. I’m not at home at the moment, so if you’re a man, just hang up; it’s not worth the effort. If you’re a leggy brunette, redhead, blonde, or raven-haired beauty up to her late thirties, don’t hesitate to leave a message. I’ll come as soon as I’m able.”

Kaori rolled her eyes at the purr in Mick’s voice. The guy was incorrigible, live, and on tape. And the double-entendre at the end. Sheesh!

“Mick, it’s me. Ryo’s not home yet, and I need someone to keep an eye on our client until he gets back.” Slight pause. “But you’re obviously not home, so I’ll think of something else. Sorry to disturb. Good night.”

With a sigh, she looked at the receiver in her hand. Ryo was out, Mick was nowhere in sight, and there was only one person left to call. The most suitable candidate, even. Smiling, she dialed the Cat’s Eye. Miki would have no qualms about sending her husband to the rescue; besides, God forbid anyone who would dare oppose such a man. She just hoped he wasn’t as lurid a dreamer as Ryo was. She needed a few solid hours of sleep.

X Y Z

Ijuin Hayato took a deep breath before knocking on the door of the Saeba apartment. Kaori hadn’t said much to Miki, but judging from Ryo’s reaction that morning, the sweeper would take a long time returning home. He was probably in a bar somewhere, drinking himself into oblivion and beyond. And Mick was probably out somewhere searching for him. He just hoped the two would work this out without a shootout. Because with his luck, it would be up to him to clean up the mess.

The other reason that made him pause before the door was the fact that he was about to spend the night in a strange apartment with two women, neither of whom was his wife, and without said wife at his side. He still didn’t understand why Miki hadn’t insisted on going with him. Kaori was supposed to be her best friend, and she felt very protective of her. Luckily, he’d kept his mouth shut on the goings on of that morning, and Kaori hadn’t disclosed much either. Surely, Miki would have popped a vein in learning of Ryo’s reaction. And then she’d go on a murder rampage. Yes, it was probably better she hadn’t come with him.

But that didn’t solve his problem. What was he to say to Kaori? How was he supposed to behave? He has never been good at this interacting-with-people stuff, and he was way too old to start learning the basic skills. So he was just going to sit on a chair—he wasn’t sleepy—and keep his mouth shut. Yeah, that was a good plan.

He knocked on the door, dread swamping his big, muscular body.