As all this plays around in my mind the voices around me sound muffled, almost like they’re under water. I’m sweating and start shaking. Tyler comes to stand even closer to me.
“You don’t look well, Miss Moore,” Tyler murmurs quietly in my ear.
“I’m fine, Tyler. Thank you.”
My head’s pounding, my heart beat’s irregular and I feel like all the blood’s drained from me. I start to see black spots when I stand to get a glass of water. I stumble a little and am caught by Tyler who’s quickly replaced by Katsu.
“Everyone out now. Not you, Tyler.” I’m awake but feeling quite ill. I need to calm my body because I need to hear the rest of the meeting and see if Ben’s mentioned.
“Treasure, drink some water. You haven’t recovered from the concussion you suffered.” Keep telling yourself that, Katsu. “You need to go home and rest.” He gestures for Tyler to come closer with the glass of water he’s fetched.
“Katsu, I think Takumi did a number on me with that bullshit he was trying to sell. I’ll be fine, just give me a few minutes please, honey.” I take a sip of the water Tyler’s brought, give him that sweet smile, and touch his forearm briefly. He relaxes his stance somewhat and a small smile adorns his lips.
I close my eyes and I breathe.
I calm my mind.
I calm my body.
Breathe. Just breathe Anna.
Façade, solid.
I open my eyes to see Katsu still looking concerned.
“Are you okay, sweetheart? I can arrange for you to go home”
“No, I’m fine. I just needed to have a drink and I need to eat. Is this going to take a lot longer? I need you to take me out and feed me.” I lean into his body and slowly rub the side of my head up against his neck. His hand starts rubbing my back while he bends his head and his mouth finds mine.
“I’ll finish it now if you like.” He traces my bottom lip with his tongue, before he slips it into my mouth and kisses me.
“No please, if you’re almost done then just finish and you can wine and dine me at one of your fancy restaurants, once your business is in order.” I give him a small giggle. Barf.
“Tyler, call all the men and leave the females out,” he barks the order to Tyler but his hold around my waist doesn’t loosen.
I hear Tyler walk to the door and give the specific instruction and all the men file back into the meeting room and take the positions they held earlier. Katsu though, doesn’t move me or even want me moved.
“How are the weapons sales going?” Katsu asks and I’m immediately excited. Yay, they’re talking about something I love, other than Ben.
“We’ve been moving them fine, sir. We’ve got a huge order to go out to Pakistan, 90,000 units. We’ve greased everyone’s palms and the shipment should go out without a problem and they’ll be received without delay.” I don’t recognize the voice and I don’t try to look up to see who’s speaking because I don’t want to draw any more attention to myself. Instead I try to melt into Katsu’s side which, I believe, he’s misinterpreting, because his grip on me tightens as he kisses the side of my temple.
“We don’t have eyes or ears in the St. Cloud police department yet, but I’ve approached one of the staff there and I’m just waiting for her response. I should know by the end of the week. She stands to lose a lot if she declines my offer,” Katsu says.
Only the St. Cloud PD left to infiltrate? Just how much authority does Katsu hold? How powerful is he?
That statement plays around in my head. Katsu said ‘her’.
Ophelia.
I need to warn Ben.
Anna
The meeting ends. I’ve managed to keep my head down and take in all the information available. Nothing else was mentioned seems to be of direct concern to me, but I’ve locked it away in the part of my brain that might need to recall the discussions that occurred here today.
Katsu excuses everyone from the meeting and one by one they shuffle out, only making small talk with one another as they leave. Scar Man’s one of the last to leave and his gaze flashes over me momentarily. Katsu’s back is turned to me and I simply nod to Scar Man. He’s definitely made my short list. I’m going to have to take him out sooner rather than later.
Katsu leads me out the same way we came in.
The September air is crisp and a breeze passes through us as if we were insignificant in its path. A cold winter will be upon us soon, and I’ll need to get this entire situation wrapped up before snow makes it difficult to get in and out of places unnoticed. A small shiver runs up my spine, not solely because it’s cold but because this is fast coming down to the business end of what I do.
Katsu notices my chill and takes his suit jacket off to drape it over my shoulders as we take the few steps to the limousine’s back door. He makes quick strides to go ahead of me and hold the door open. I stand for a second at the door and inhale the beautiful smell of the pine trees mixed with the cool night air. I take a look around at the Castle for one last time and lean in to give Katsu a small kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you for bringing me here, Katsu. This house is simply amazing. I would have loved for you to show me around.” I slide all the way over so Katsu can sit in after me.
“Treasure, I’ll bring you back here and we can stay for a weekend.” He takes his hand in mine and rubs his thumb over my knuckles. “You did well today. The fear in Takumi’s eyes when you spoke to him was priceless. What did you say to him?” His tone is relaxed.
“I told him never to underestimate you, honey.” Of course that’s not what I said, but I’m not going to tell Katsu the truth.
“You make me proud.” He sidles up closer to me and starts kissing my neck.
“Will you tell me a little about that beautiful castle?”
“Do I need to stop kissing you?” His lips haven’t left the pulse point of my neck.
“How else are you going to tell me about it?” A genuine smile reaches my lips.
“Okay.” He detaches his mouth from my neck and inhales loudly but exhales slowly. “The castle’s owned by the Yakuza. We use it for our meetings and for other activities. But any use other than our meetings needs to be approved.” He starts kissing me again.
“Other activities?” How odd.
“For the men to take their spouses or their girlfriends away for a weekend in the country. Or for other things that take place.”
“Katsu, are you married?” I’ve never asked the question before, because I don’t really care.
“God no, Anna. Why would you ask me such a stupid question?”
“Really? You keep talking about the men and their wives and or girlfriends. I hoped I wasn’t sharing you.”
“It works both ways. I refuse to allow another man near you, so you’ll just have to trust I won’t allow another woman near me. But you’re taking your time and I’m beginning to feel quite frustrated.”
“I’m sorry, honey, I’m trying.”
“Enough talk about it for now. You’re hungry; let’s have a late dinner.”
We head back to the penthouse and as soon as we’re through the door, spicy aromas permeate my sense of smell. Divine is the word I’d use to describe them.
Katsu leads me into the dining room. There’s no artificial lighting, just the flicker of candles dancing on the walls and ceiling. The table’s set just for Katsu and myself, side by side.
Katsu leads me to a chair and pulls it out for me, and while I take my seat a waiter comes in with a bottle of wine.
“None for Miss Moore,” Katsu instructs the waiter offering no other information. To the waiter it looks like Katsu’s controlling my alcohol intake, but I know it’s doctor’s orders because I have a concussion and can’t drink.
It doesn’t matter. I need to keep a steady head regardless.
“Bring Miss Moore a glass of ice water with a twist of lime.” The waiter pours Katsu’s wine, waits for approval, fills his glass when he nods, and leaves to get my ice
water. “I do hope you’re hungry, sweetheart. I’m very partial to spicy Indian food and so I’ve had the chef make Beef Vindaloo, Butter Chicken, Rogan Josh and Tandoori Chicken.”
“That sounds fantastic. Thank you, Katsu.” The dishes are all placed in front of us family style, and Katsu waits for me to put some on my plate before he serves himself.
Katsu tells me a little about each of the men at the meeting table this afternoon and how Takumi’s caused a problem by doubting him in front of the other members. Takumi’s reduced his time here on earth because he challenged Katsu at a meeting.
What Katsu fails to understand is that Scar Man will die, but by my hand. I don’t like how he was looking at me and he almost outted me to a room filled with men who’d kill me in a heartbeat. That puts him on the top of my short list.
I get myself ready for bed. Katsu’s already there, lounging in his boxers and nothing else. He has the remote for the TV in his hand and is flicking through channels as I come out of the bathroom. He stops and looks over at me and smiles seductively.
Just as I reach the bed, Katsu’s phone rings. He rolls his eyes, checks the caller ID and answers it fairly angrily.
“You better have a good reason for calling me at this hour, Takumi,” anger resonates from his tone.
I crawl into bed and listen to the one sided conversation.
“When?” He starts tapping his leg with his fingers. I’ve come to learn this is his tell for being stressed.
“How many?” He listens intently. He gets out of bed and is pacing the room now.
“Who the fuck did this?” Frustration and fury are fuelling his tone now.
“Find them and kill them.”
He ends the call and is still pacing the room. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” I watch as he mumbles away to himself.
“Do you want to tell me what that’s about?” I ask.
Katsu turns around and looks at me sitting up in bed with a scowl on his face.
Without warning he throws the phone up against the wall and screams out some more.
“We had a huge outgoing shipment to Mexico that was hit tonight. Taken down.”
“What was the shipment and who hit you?”
“Treasure, I really wish I could tell you, but I can’t.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it. Just a few hours ago I sat in on a meeting I could potentially destroy you with. And seeing as I’ve no intentions of doing that, you may as well tell me what’s made you angry with that damned phone call.”
It takes Katsu several minutes to think things through but he finally lets his guard down and tells me.
“It appears the Pace family and the James family have joined forces. They’ve taken down a very large shipment of girls we were sending to Mexico.”
Human trafficking. The one thing I hate as much as pedophilia.
I’ll have to find the Pace and James families and thank each and every one of them after I take care of the situation here.
“Girls? As in slaves?” My voice falters with disgust toward this despicable man.
I’ve a new-found reason to hate him and now I know my façade must stay firmly in place and I must work harder and faster to bring him and his operations down.
“Does it matter, Anna? The fact is this shipment cost me a lot of money, now those fuckers have to die,” he says with no remorse for the girls he’s stolen from their homes and jailed for his own profit.
Not before you die by my hand Katsu.
Anna
The night’s long and continues to be difficult for me.
I barely sleep.
I can’t possibly sleep with the thought of those poor girls, shipped like animals from here to Mexico to be used for God knows what purpose. I lie next to a sleeping and content Katsu. I can slit his throat right now and be done with all his shit, but I know if I take him down like this, there’s an endless line of men waiting to take his spot. I don’t only need to kill him, I need to take down the entire organization. And the only way I can do that is if I stay right where I am and take care of this from the inside.
The sun breaks over the horizon and Katsu starts to stir. I haven’t slept a wink and my body’s starting to protest the lack of rest. I turn my back to Katsu before he fully wakes, because truthfully, I don’t think I can handle looking at him and not killing him right now.
I’m so repulsed and completely disgusted by him.
Katsu turns to spoon me from behind and brings his body flat against mine, pressing his arousal into my ass cheeks. I certainly don’t want to do anything like this with him because I truly detest him more now than I did when I thought Ben was in danger.
Ben can handle himself to some extent, but all those poor girls, past, present and future are the ones I need to protect from the villain behind me.
But I also know I chose this path and with this course I need to do things I don’t like to get the job done. Katsu’s something I need to do. Literally.
I fake stirring awake and wiggle my butt closer to his arousal. His hand comes around and gently cups my breast. He starts kissing my neck down to the apex of where my shoulder and neck meet. His hands caressing my breast slide down under the t-shirt I’m wearing to stroke my stomach.
“I like waking up like this with you, treasure.” I groan at his words. To Katsu it must sound erotic, but to me it’s a pep talk I’m giving myself to continue into a situation I’m dreading. I’m going to have to close my eyes and imagine Katsu is Ben. That’s the only way I’ll be able to get through this.
Katsu turns me to my back. He pulls my t-shirt up over my head and drops it on the floor beside the bed. He’s already mostly undressed, since he only wears boxers. His mouth doesn’t leave my skin at all, even while he pulls my panties down my legs. He’s a gentle lover, but a lover I don’t want.
“Treasure,” his husky voice is telling me it’s time for me to step up and do what I need to do to secure his trust.
Katsu’s hands lightly touch my skin from neck to belly button as his lips slowly pay tribute to every curve of my body. My eyes are closed, not because I don’t want to watch him, but because he isn’t the man I imagine is touching me.
“Your breasts are perfect,” he mumbles as his tongue carefully circles my nipples.
My senses are heightened. I so want this man to be Ben. My mind’s playing tricks on me, or maybe it’s just a way for me to handle letting this man between my legs right now. Ben’s mouth replaces the heat of Katsu’s. Ben’s hands grip my hips as his tongue and mouth find every area of exposed skin.
I feel the bed shift, but I don’t dare break the fantasy. My left leg’s lifted tenderly and I feel his wet lips on my foot. Slowly, he kisses the top as his hands caress my calf and thigh. One by one he kisses my toes; when he finishes my left leg, he pays the same measured attention to my other leg.
I can feel him crawling up the bed at a gradual pace, just stopping to kiss or lick parts of my legs. My knees are his favorite, his mouth attached to them as his hands slide up the inside of my thighs. He nips at the skin, and licks the area once he’s pulled his teeth away.
My legs part giving him more access, his fingers dangerously close to my pussy. Ben’s thumb strokes my clit, but doesn’t put any pressure on it. I grind my hips down so I can relieve the heaviness that’s building there.
“Oooohh,” I groan.
“You’re so wet, treasure. I can’t wait to taste you.”
Katsu’s voice breaks the spell I was under, but I won’t open my eyes to confirm the nightmare of him. I just have to keep telling myself it’s Ben. Tears form behind my eyes. If I open them to confirm it’s not Ben, I won’t be able keep the flood gates from cracking and spilling over.
Without warning I feel his face pressing into my pussy, his thumb still making circles on my clit, but applying more pressure.
His tongue laps deep inside me. He curves up and grinds his face further into me. Slowly, he licks me, from clit to opening. He plunges his tongue dee
p inside me and then nips on my folds.
My body’s starting to betray me. The tingling’s building. Just like a volcano about to erupt, I’m grinding and moving my hips to the rhythm created by the man who has his face buried deep in me. I lift my hips and grab his hair, pulling his face closer to my pussy, so he can keep fucking me with his tongue.
I come with a forceful moan as I pull his hair, riding his face and fucking his mouth. My back arches and my eyes squeeze tighter, wanting to stay in my Ben-filled fantasy.
When I let go of his head, he moves up my body, but I turn my head away when I open my eyes not wanting to see Katsu’s face. He positions himself and is just about to thrust in when I stop him.
“I won’t do this without a condom.”
“You can trust me.” He lines up again without giving me the respect I deserve.
“I won’t do this without a condom.” Repeating my sentence, I close my legs to him, stopping him before he gets a chance to enter me.
“I said you can trust me.”
“Do you want to argue or do you want to bury that cock of yours in my hungry, wet pussy and fuck me? The choice is yours. I know which one of those two I’d prefer.” My nipples harden at my excitement over asserting control over this scene.
Katsu’s face softens immediately as he jumps up and goes to his walk-in closet. Coming back with a box, he takes a condom out, rips the foil pack open and rolls it on his rock hard six-inch cock.
“Is this better?”
“Of course.”
But not your size.
“Stand up.” Here we go, a control freak in bed. I stand next to the bed.
“Turn around and bend over the bed, I want to fuck you hard first, then I want to make love to you.” I turn around as he instructs and roll my eyes.
I bend over and Katsu positions himself behind me. His hands aren’t so gentle anymore. He wraps one hand around my hair and pulls my head back, exposing my neck. The other hand grips my hip with so much force, I’m sure he’ll leave marks.
As he rams into me he lets out a deep grunt.
The HiT Series Page 34