by Clark, T. C.
No matter the darkness of the car or the shade of Rhea’s dark brown skin, Yuuto knew she was blushing. He’d teased her about this habit a million times. She became the mother hen on any mission she went on. That was one of the many things he’d missed about her. When they were together, she’d always taken the time to look after him. She was a natural nurturer. He’d never experienced that kind of care before. He’d never known how much it mattered until she was gone.
She ignored what he said and asked a question instead. “I wonder if NICON kept up their end of the bargain. Do you think other people are still looking for us?”
“It’s not NICON I’m worried about. I’ve been marked by the Tanaka clan.”
“What… I thought you said you cleared things up with your father?”
“We had a disagreement recently,” he said vaguely. He would never tell her what it was about. She had enough to worry about right now, and, anyway, he was here to protect her. He would make sure nothing from his past touched her.
“A simple disagreement led to you being marked.” Rhea knew that being marked in the Yakuza was a serious thing. That meant he had a bounty on his head, one that exceeded a million dollars.
There were several clans looking to collect that bounty. He’d had his hands full with evading them. He’d killed fifteen men so far to get this far. Somehow, he would make sure Rhea was kept out of it.
“You know how my dad is, it doesn’t take much.”
“So we are going to drive straight to Florida, right?” Rhea asked as she put her things away.
“Yes, I think that is for the best.”
“Okay, will you wake me up when you need to rest?” she asked as she smothered a yawn.
“No.”
“Yuuto, you can’t drive the whole way through. It takes twenty hours or so on the best day to get there.”
“You need your rest. If I need to stop, I’ll pick the cleanest motel I can find. You may not agree with me being in charge of this mission, but this is how it’s going to be. I want you to get some rest. Our baby comes first.”
“So it’s our baby now?” Rhea asked sarcastically.
“It was always our baby. I just needed a moment to get my head out of my ass. My reaction had nothing to do with you, Rhea. My stupidity was created from past experiences. I never got to say I’m sorry. So I’m saying it now. I’m sorry, Rhea, and I am so happy that you are going to be the mother of my child.”
“Yuuto, do me a favor and shut the hell up.”
She would need time to trust him again. He knew that, but at least the words were out now. “I’m not saying this to start an argument. I just need you to know that. As long as I’m alive I will make sure you two are safe. I won’t fight with you about this. You are my first priority; the mission comes after that.”
Rhea opened her mouth to say something and then decided against it. She reclined her seat and rolled over to her side. Once again she was looking out of the passenger window. He forced his hands to stay on the steering wheel, though they itched to comb through her tangled hair. He wanted to comfort her in any way she needed.
He wondered what she was thinking about. There was no denying the chemistry between them that would work to his advantage. He would have to use every trick in the book to get Rhea to give him another chance. But he would have Rhea again; of that he was sure.
* * *
Rhea yawned loudly as the early morning sun threatened to bake them in her small pickup truck. True to his word, Yuuto was still driving, and, unlike her, he looked refreshed and sexy. She didn’t need to look into the mirror to know that her hair was a mess and her clothes were rumpled.
“Are you hungry?” Yuuto asked. He ran one hand through his silky black hair. He looked serious. It was an expression he wore often. To be honest, she’d only really seen him smile twice.
She wondered how he still had the ability to affect her so deeply. Her brain usually controlled her heart, but right now they were both being dumbasses. It was probably the hormones.
He’d cut off his long black hair and now he wore it in a short military style. Why would he do that? He’d once told her his hair was a symbol of his commitment to his clan. Even when he’d walked away from them years ago he’d been unable to cut it.
Rhea sighed. She needed to stop worrying about unimportant shit and focus on keeping them on task.
“That’s a constant state for me,” she admitted wryly. Thank God the morning sickness wasn’t showing itself today. She’d struggled through her first month of pregnancy with her head in a toilet. She looked through her tote until she located the ginger lollipops and a small bag of saltine crackers. It always paid to be safe. Her stomach had proved itself to be a traitor to her body.
“Okay, there is a diner we can go to. It’s only a few minutes away.” He pointed to his phone. Apparently, he was taking her to the Midnight Diner. Hey, at least they had five stars on their Google reviews.
“How do you feel?” Rhea asked. This whole trip was throwing her off her game. She’d never imagined Yuuto reacting like this when they met again. In her imagination, he would say something nasty and she would kick him in his balls.
She didn’t know what to make of Yuuto right now. So she needed to focus on the things she could control. She could control her hunger. Plus, when they stopped, she could check on the engine.
She’d built this truck from scratch. It wasn’t meant to travel long distances. But she’d given the other Sanctuary members her good vehicles because she was the one who knew how to fix cars. If this one fell apart, she could put it back together again.
“I’m fine, just a little tired. But nothing to worry about. Once we refuel, I have a good five hours in me before we rest.”
“There is no need for that. I can drive fine. Other pregnant women do it all the time.”
“Rhea, even if we drive straight through to Miami, we would still have to wait for your sister to find something. That’s not going to be easy. We need to take the time to rest while we have it.”
When she saw the small metal trailer, she sighed. There was a bunch of old pickup trucks parked outside with confederate flags covering the windows. She knew that didn’t necessarily mean trouble, but it did make her a little nervous.
They needed to be invisible. If someone started something and the cops were called, their faces would be recorded. She thought about saying that, but Yuuto was already out of the truck. She snickered as he ran into the diner. Apparently, he really needed to use the restroom. She knew that stiff-legged walk anywhere.
She grabbed her cosmetic bag and fixed her face and brushed her hair. She wanted to at least appear human. She opened her door and stepped out slowly. Her bones were stiff from sitting for so long. She took a few minutes to check out the truck. Once she was satisfied everything was in working order, she followed him.
She opened the metal door and smiled as the crowd turned to take her in. No one spoke as she walked down the aisle to an empty booth and took a seat. The only word to describe the atmosphere was awkward. Still, no one said anything nasty.
She picked up the menu and sighed when an old man walked up. He had thinning white hair and an ugly expression. He was wearing faded overalls that had seen better days. She knew even before he opened his mouth their interaction wasn’t going to be pleasant.
She reached inside her jacket pocket and wrapped her hand around a unique pen she’d designed. She didn’t want trouble, but she had no problem participating in it if someone decided to try her.
“Girl, you know where you are?” the old man asked with a sneer. He stood feet braced apart. He looked ready for a fight.
“Man, now that I think about it…No, I don’t. Why don’t you tell me?”
“This ain’t a place for your kind. I’m saying this for your own good I think you best be on your way and take that yellow boy with you.”
“Listen, Billy…” Rhea said, standing.
“My name ain’t Billy.”
>
“I don’t give a fuck about what your name is. I’m trying to help you out here. We aren’t the ones you want to fuck with. I promise you that. To be honest, I’m the nice one of us two. All we want to do is eat an average meal and be on our way. So you need to go back to your seat with your boys and enjoy your morning. Don’t start off your day like this. What we do next depends on how you act.”
“You people are always ruining shit.” He reached out to grab her and stilled when a knife touched the side of his thick neck.
“Don’t kill him,” Rhea warned. If they left a trail of bodies in their wake, they would be easy to track.
“He was going to hit you,” he said simply. The knife slid a little deeper into the old man’s neck. A small trickle of blood rolled down his neck. The man didn’t move.
“He was going to try to grab me. We both know I would have fucked him up first. I don’t need your protection. I can take care of myself.” Still, Yuuto didn’t move. Everyone remained still. Even ignorant people could recognize the violence in the air.
“If you kill him, it’s just going to be more problems for us along the way,” Rhea said, sitting back down. She shook her head when the waitress picked up the phone, and the redhead nodded and put it back down. Smart woman.
“What do you suggest I do with a man who threatens my woman? I’m not in the habit of letting disrespect pass.”
“We could eat lunch with him. As long as he’s right where we can see him. I’m sure he will be smart enough to behave and surely his friends will follow his example.”
When two guys at the rear of the trailer stepped forward, Yuuto’s eyes went cold. “Anyone moves towards us and I will kill him. Don’t test me. I’m not in the mood.”
Rhea sighed this wasn’t going to work. They couldn’t stay here. Eventually, the tension would escalate and they would probably be forced to hurt someone. Plus, this environment couldn’t be good for her indigestion.
“Jeanette, is it?” Rhea said, looking at one of the waitress’s nametags.
“Yes…Yes, ma’am?”
“Can I get two coffees, two orange juices, a stack of pancakes, some bacon, and a lot of scrambled eggs with cheese.”
“Will that be for here or, um, to go?” she asked nervously.
“I think an order to go would be for the best,” Rhea said with a wink. “Oh, and Jeanette.”
“Yes, ma’am?”
“If you fuck with our food, I will come back here and find you. And I promise, you do not want that.”
The nervous waitress nodded and hurried to the back.
Rhea turned her attention to the old man still lying across the table. His dark blue eyes were completely focused on Yuuto’s. The man knew how close he was to death. People showed respect real quick when their life was on the line.
“Ahh, Billy, this can’t be the first time you fucked up. What makes you think you can do or say anything you want to anyone?”
The old man remained quiet. He was trying not to move, as every movement pushed the knife deeper into his neck. She looked up at Yuuto and shivered. He really was terrifying when he worked.
His obsidian eyes coldly examined his prey. If this went the wrong way, he wouldn’t hesitate to slice through the man’s neck. No one moved around them. The instinctual response from the other patrons in the diner struck her. For a moment she wondered how often situations like this happened here.
“You need to calm down. This asshole isn’t worth the mess that will be created by killing him.”
“He raised his hand to you,” Yuuto whispered. He didn’t look up as he spoke.
“Yes, and you saved his life by interfering.” Rhea stood up and placed a hand on Yuuto’s arm.
“Here you go.” Jeanette ran back and handed her a package with shaky hands. The young woman was clearly nervous. Mascara was running down her cheeks from crying. If Rhea had time she would tell the young woman that crying never solved anything and that she needed to learn how to be stronger. She hated how weak people became in the face of fear, it was something she could never truly understand. She turned her attention back to Yuuto.
She didn’t know any other agent who could cut off emotion like him. She’d only ever seen that look directed at her once, and she could say honestly that she was not a fan.
Rhea reached into her purse and pulled out a couple of twenties. “Keep the change.” Rhea placed the money on the booth table. “Now, I don’t want to be a dick, but I only have enough patience to deal with one asshole at a time.”
She grabbed Yuuto’s wrist and pulled it back, pressing on the pressure points he’d taught her about. Reluctantly, he released the man and stepped back.
The man stood up and adjusted his clothes. She moved between them. “We aren’t the kind of people you want to have problems with. I suggest you tell your boys to back down before I let him off his leash.”
Fortunately, the old man seemed to take the hint. His beady eyes followed them as they gathered their things. He put his hands up and moved back from the booth. Yuuto never broke his stare as they left the restaurant.
If she gave Yuuto the go-ahead, the people inside of the old-style diner were as good as dead. Once they got to the car, she took out her pen and popped out the knife inside. She made quick work of the oversized tires on the trucks in the parking lot.
They didn’t need the good old country boys following them. Once they left town, they would need to think about changing vehicles. She hadn’t seen any cameras in the diner, but they needed to be safe. No one came out as they drove down the gravel road.
“Are you okay?” Yuuto asked with a frown. He kept looking over at her anxiously. She sighed. Everyone was acting like this now that she was pregnant. Even the Hunter and the Librarian had urged her to go into hiding.
“I’m fine, Yuuto. That man was just an ass.”
“At least we got some food. You didn’t get a chance to use the bathroom, though. I have to start thinking about those things first,” he reprimanded himself.
“I’ll be fine. I can hold it, and if it gets too bad, you can pull over. I was born in the country and I spent over a decade in the military. I know how to use the restroom outside,” Rhea said proudly. She wasn’t the princess type, and they needed to keep moving.
“That’s a weird brag,” Yuuto said with a smile.
“Well, I’m a weird girl,” Rhea admitted. Yuuto knew that, though. She was transparent. People either loved or hated her because she didn’t hide her feelings on anything.
He tapped the plate on her lap. He wanted her to eat. She was sure he wasn’t going to let her drive, and, for once, she wasn’t going to argue. She needed to save her energy for later. Frank and Kara were going to have a lot of questions. She had to be strategic here and pick her battles with Yuuto.
It seemed like now that he’d accepted that he was the father of her child, he wanted to be the person taking care of her. She didn’t know how to take that. She didn’t need him or anyone else. When she’d found out she was pregnant, she hadn’t been thrilled. But even in the midst of all of the chaos of her pregnancy, one thing was clear. This baby was everything. She would protect it and guard it with every breath in her body.
That’s why she had to do this mission. A world where a genetic weapon was available for use was not a safe place for any child. She would be careful, but NICON’s days were numbered. She’d been part of the team sent out to retire them. Rhea had no idea how they survived. She just knew that she wouldn’t let it happen again. She was known as the Mechanic because of her skills with all types of artillery. If NICON wanted a fight, then she would happily give it to them.
Two
Chapter 2
* * *
Rhea opened her eyes and yawned. At some point, she’d fallen asleep again during the drive. She tensed when she felt the world move around her. Yuuto was carrying her inside of a Motel 6. She thought about making him put her down, but God, it felt good to be held again. She shook her hea
d at her weak thoughts; it had to be the hormones rushing through her body.
She remained quiet until he placed her onto the bed. He turned around and left again without so much as a word. He was in work mode. She could tell he was tired. His eyes had a glazed quality about them. He should have let her drive.
She looked around the room with a frown. It was as okay as a roadside motel could be. The stained carpet had seen better days, but overall it looked clean enough. Yuuto had already stacked her things on one of the beds. Geez, how long had she slept?
Rhea stood up to stretch her back and immediately ran to the bathroom. It was as if her bladder had woken up with a vengeance. The bathroom looked cleanish as well. She wanted a hot shower. She’d been tense since she’d been attacked by NICON’s men earlier this week.
She’d taken out their recon team quickly, but it was burying the bodies that had really taken it out of her. She hadn’t had time to call a cleanup team to come and collect them. Luckily, the area closest to her house was fenced with barbed wire, and the land itself was armed with anti-theft traps. She would deal with the clean-up when she got back.
She hoped the house would be okay while she was gone. She hated that she would have to leave it, but if NICON found her there, it meant the location was no longer safe. She would have to start over with a new name in a new place. She really did not want to do that especially with a baby on the way.
She looked up when Yuuto walked back in. He was carrying some canned sodas and a variety of candy bars. She hid her smile. Yuuto had a thing for sweets of any kind. He was definitely going to eat most of them himself.
“This was the best I could do. We are only five hours away from Miami. We should be safe here for now.”
Rhea walked over to the window and frowned. Her vehicle was not in the parking lot. “Where’s my truck?”
“I’ve got some good news and I have some bad news.”