My name is Sloan Driscoll, and I am a successful model, lover, and human being….
When my meditation was over, I felt calm and rejuvenated, much more capable of facing the world with its constant ups and downs that were out of my control. I showered, shaved, and threw on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt before knocking on the partition between Cole’s room and mine.
“Come,” he called out.
“You up for some breakfast?” I asked while passing through to his side. He was already dressed and had probably been waiting patiently for me to show up. He didn’t look any worse for wear, and I saw he had his cool mask in place, which was fine with me.
He stood and grabbed hold of Freddie’s harness. “Yes.”
We headed down to the dining room without saying much. When we got settled at a table overlooking the Imperial Palace, I asked, “Did you sleep well?”
He snorted. “After the cold shower, I did.”
I winced. “About that….”
“Stop,” he said decisively. “There’s no need to dwell on last night.”
I looked away from his stony gaze and muttered, “Whatever you say.”
“I’ll have two eggs over easy, two slices of crispy bacon, and some whole wheat toast,” he told the waiter who’d silently materialized. “And some coffee, please.”
To avoid another confrontation about my bad habits, I ordered the same, passing the menu back to outstretched hands. As soon as the waiter departed, I asked, “Did the courier ever show up with the dough?”
“He came late yesterday, just before I went down to the bar looking for you.”
“Did the bank get it right?”
“Of course.”
“Where’s the money?”
“In the hotel safe.”
“So that’s it, right? We should check out after breakfast and head to the train station.”
He nodded. “That’s the plan.”
“Are you nervous?”
“Why would you say that?”
“’Cause you haven’t stopped bouncing your leg.”
“Well, if your children’s lives were on the line, you’d be nervous as well.”
“I’m not making light of this, Cole. I’m as worried as you are.”
“It’s just that we’re getting closer, and I keep thinking something will go wrong.”
“It’ll be fine.”
“How do you know for sure?”
“We’ve done everything they’ve asked.”
“Still….”
“Now it’s my turn to tell you to stop it. Imagining the worst-case scenario is counterproductive. We have to assume it will go smoothly, and it will. As soon as we get to Kyoto, I’ll meet with Adachi to get more information on these creeps we’re dealing with. Hopefully, the letter they promised will be waiting at the front desk, and we’ll know how to proceed.”
“I’m not sure meeting with Adachi is such a good idea,” Cole said slowly. “You know they’re following us.”
“I’m to text him my room number as soon as we arrive. No one will even know he’s there to meet me.”
“Okay,” he breathed. “I’m glad you guys thought of that.”
“We’re not entirely clueless.”
“I wasn’t implying that you were. At the moment I can use all the help I can get.”
“We’re watching your back, Cole, and I can’t tell you how much calmer I am knowing this guy is on our side.”
“Do you really trust him?”
“What choice do I have?”
“None.”
“Exactly. Now, eat up so we can get going. Has Freddie been fed?”
“As soon as he woke up.”
“Has he done his business?”
Cole put down his utensils and sighed with exasperation. “What do you think?”
“Sorry,” I said, feeling sheepish. I kept forgetting that Cole and Freddie had survived the last three years without my help.
“Let’s finish breakfast before this turns ugly.”
“Right,” I said quickly, focusing on shoveling one forkful after another into my mouth.
Chapter 14
THE BULLET train to Kyoto was sleek, spotless, and faster than anything I’d ever ridden in the past. We were there in exactly two hours and fifteen minutes, as promised by the colorful brochure. When we arrived at the Hyatt, we were surprised to learn that only one room had been reserved, albeit with double beds, and the likelihood of getting two separate rooms in an already crowded hotel was slim to none. They did offer us a two-bedroom suite, but the price was so outrageous Cole and I both said no at the same time.
“Don’t worry about it, Cole. I’m used to sharing a room whenever I travel with Max and his bunch.”
“It’s not like I can see you anyway,” he pointed out.
I rolled my eyes and wanted to tell him it wasn’t a question of being ogled; it was a question of personal space. We each had our idiosyncrasies, and I wasn’t too sure if I remembered all of his or vice versa. I liked falling asleep with the TV on, and as I recalled, he didn’t. We both slept in the buff, that part I did remember, and the thought of Cole butt-naked on the other bed was a little disconcerting. He might not have been able to see me, but I sure as shit could see him. Five days without sex, when I was used to getting it at least twice daily, was starting to fray my nerves. I wasn’t oversexed, per se, but I enjoyed it a lot and knew I was jonesing for a man’s touch, Trent’s in particular, but my traitorous cock wasn’t picky, and it had definitely shown some signs of life when I was in Cole’s arms last night. I was reasonably certain that the feeling was mutual, and all I had to do was send out a few signals and Cole would slip in between my sheets without too much fuss. We were going to have to set some boundaries if we planned on surviving this close contact.
The room itself was large and well lit. It overlooked the Japanese-style garden, not that it mattered to Cole one way or the other, but I could enjoy the view of the intricate swirls of colored sand. There were two double beds with a nightstand separating them, so the possibility of rolling over onto his side was snuffed out by logistics. If there was any border crossing, it would have to be a deliberate choice.
The first thing I did was point out all the objects in the room so Cole could get his bearings. We were standing just beyond the door, and I began to recite them off like I used to in years past. “The bathroom is at nine o’clock, the double beds are several steps ahead of us. There’s about two feet separating them. You’ll get the bed closest to the bathroom, so veer right when you get up in the morning or the middle of the night. There’s a six-drawer bureau directly in front of the beds. You can have the three on the right side. There’s a wall-mounted TV, and a separate bar-type nook to the left of the bureau with coffee and tea paraphernalia on top and a small refrigerator underneath.” I walked over to the fridge and opened it to check out the contents. “There’s the usual tiny bottles of booze, water, and soft drinks. There’s also cheese and crackers if you’re hungry.”
“I’m fine,” Cole assured me. “Dig out Freddie’s bowl from my carry-on and give him some water. I can hear him panting.”
I looked down at the dog, who wasn’t panting in the least bit. Cole was obviously nervous about our proximity, and bossing me around was his default. I grabbed the black leather satchel, unzipped it, and pulled out the bowl in question. While in the bathroom, I pointed out the salient features. I could feel his body heat close by and knew Cole had followed me.
“There’s a glass-enclosed shower and a separate tub. The john is completely enclosed, so there’s lots of privacy there. It’s even got a bidet in case you need to spit shine your ass,” I quipped. “Wall-attached hair dryer on the right for your silky locks and side-by-side sinks. You can have the one on the right.”
“So everything that’s on the right in both rooms is mine.”
“Yes.”
“Simple enough,” he said, nodding. He headed back to the bedroom while Freddie slurped wa
ter out of the bowl I’d laid on the tile floor. I guess he was thirsty after all.
“Cole?”
He turned when I called his name, and for a split second, he looked like the same guy I’d fallen for almost ten years ago. The streaks of silver that were overtaking his dark hair weren’t visible because I was staring at his mouth, which had quirked up in a shy smile. The immediacy of his disability hit me like a slap in the face, and once again, I was struck by his resilience and ability to cope. I’d forgotten how difficult it must be to live in his dark world. The emotions came out of nowhere, and I stepped forward and embraced him, holding him so close we were practically glued together. He felt terribly vulnerable in my arms, and all I could think of was protecting him, exactly the same thoughts that were front and center when I’d first heard he was going blind all those years ago.
“What is it?” he whispered in my ear.
I shook my head, too afraid to say anything or I’d start bawling. He didn’t need to see me getting emotional over his affliction. I’d been the one who’d convinced him that life would go on no matter how dark things appeared. He’d taken my strength and used it to go on living when life as he’d known it was about to end. In those days I was like a pit bull, determined to keep him out of harm’s way and see him through the most difficult time in his life. I’d succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. He’d turned into a fully functional blind man, independent and hugely successful in his chosen career, yet in my heart, he’d always be that same vulnerable man who leaned on me for support. I wanted to keep the bad guys away forever.
“It’s nothing,” I said, clearing my throat of the choking tears.
“Tell me,” he insisted.
I pressed my forehead against his and sighed. “I’d forgotten what you deal with on a day-to-day basis, and it brought back a lot of memories.”
“It’s been nice having you by my side again,” he said softly. “I’ve missed you.”
“Cole,” I whispered, knowing I was inches away from his mouth. A quick slide to the right and I’d be tasting those sweet lips again, but I shook that thought out of my head as quickly as it appeared. Stepping away, I coughed and moved off toward the bedroom. I had to distance myself, mentally as well as physically, or I’d get into trouble. I knew it as sure as I knew that Trent would never forgive me if he ever found out. In essence, I was already cheating by imaging the scene. What the fuck was wrong with me? Why was I so drawn to Cole after everything he’d done?
“I’m going downstairs to see if there are any messages. Plus, I need to put this briefcase in the hotel safe.”
“I’ll go with you,” I said dully. My mind was still in turmoil, but first I had to address the immediate problem. “Make sure you wear pajamas or a robe whenever I’m around.”
The change in his facial expression was priceless. You’d think I’d offered him the keys to fucking paradise or something. He was obviously overjoyed that his physical presence was affecting me.
“Can’t stand to see my scars?” he teased. The smile was getting broader now, and I couldn’t help but smile back.
“I’m afraid the opposite is true.”
“You mean to tell me that you’re still interested in this beat-up body after having Captain Hot Stuff in your bed for the last three years?”
“I’m not dead, Cole. I still respond to a naked body, especially one like yours.”
“Good to know,” he said with a chuckle. “I promise to keep it covered at all times.”
“You do that,” I replied, feeling like an idiot. That request could have gone down a lot better. I appeared to be some horny teenager, but in truth I was only aroused by Cole. I was routinely surrounded by the most beautiful male models in the industry who thought nothing of parading around me in the buff, and I never gave them a moment’s notice. God, shoot me now.
The concierge was very helpful, as usual, and he led us to the hotel safe, which rivaled any bank. I had to wonder how much money these people made to warrant a walk-in safe but decided to forgo the question. It served our purpose, regardless of why they had it. We stashed the briefcase, signed out, and headed back to the front desk. There was another envelope for Cole, and we ambled off toward the hotel lobby, which had tables scattered around. It was crowded with people who were enjoying drinks and finger food. This was obviously a popular meeting place, and I tried to find a table that was more secluded or near a corner so the chances of being overheard were reduced. We got lucky, and I found one close to a window.
“Let me text Adachi and let him know we’ve arrived.”
Cole nodded and sat down in the upholstered wing chair I’d pulled out for him. “Would you ask for some tea, please?”
“Sure.” I raised my hand, and a passing waiter quickly took my order: tea for Cole, coffee for me, and a plate of cookies we could snack on. I pulled out a rawhide twist from my jacket pocket and handed it to Freddie.
“You’re spoiling him,” Cole mentioned. He had this knack of knowing exactly what I did. It was either intuition or years of being my partner, but he could tell when I was handing out forbidden treats.
“Who gives a shit?” I countered. “Life’s too short.”
Cole bit his lip and handed me the envelope. “What do they want?”
“Dear Professor,” I began to read. “Welcome to Kyoto.” Seriously? Once again, I was taken aback by the kidnappers’ observance of proper etiquette “We hope you enjoy your stay here. Please bring the money to the Kiyomizudera Temple tomorrow at precisely 2:00 p.m. Off the main hall is a wooden stage, where someone will meet you. Please make sure you and your companion are not followed. If we get wind of police involvement, you will never see your children again. Once the money has changed hands, you will be given a set of instructions for their pickup.”
“That doesn’t seem right,” I commented. “We should insist on seeing the children before we hand over the money.”
“How will we get that message to them?”
“I have no idea.”
“Maybe Adachi will have a suggestion?”
I nodded enthusiastically. “You’re right; maybe he will.”
Cole reached for the envelope, and I passed it back to him without another word. By then the waiter had returned with an elaborate tea setup, and we waited in silence as he laid everything out on the table between us. The plate of cookies looked amazing, as I knew they would. They might have tasted like cow dung, but in typical Japanese fashion, appearance was sacrosanct. Fortunately, they were delicious, and we demolished them in no time. Adachi texted me back while I munched on a lemony crisp, letting me know he’d be there in twenty minutes. I gave him our room number so no one would realize he was there to meet us.
It wasn’t long after we’d settled in the room when there was a knock on the door. I’d never met Adachi in person, so I had no expectations. All I knew was that he was efficient and spoke English. The man at the door looked like a younger version of Ken Watanabe from The Last Samurai, only shorter. I topped him by a good six inches, which made him around five foot five. He was on the slim side, but I could tell there were respectable muscles bunching underneath the fabric stretched across his wide shoulders. He was nattily dressed in a dark blue suit with a hot pink and turquoise paisley tie. He might have passed for a gigolo; he was that cute. I reminded myself that I was engaged to be married, and I had to stop checking out every hot guy who showed up. Maybe my body knew something my brain couldn’t accept. Whatever.
I greeted him with a firm handshake, introduced him to Cole, and led him to one of the two chairs in the room. I sat on the other, and Cole perched on the edge of the closest bed.
“How may I help you, Mr. Driscoll?”
“Please call me Sloan.”
“Very well. What can I do for you?”
Without mincing words, I told him what was going on. He listened quietly, and when I wrapped it up by showing him the envelope with our instructions, he shook his head and made some kind of derogatory rema
rk in Japanese. I could tell by his tone that he wasn’t exactly happy.
“Is there a problem?” Cole asked, quickly picking up on the implication.
“I think you have been duped, Mr. Fujiwara. Yakuza does not bother with small stuff like this. If they were truly behind the kidnapping, they would be asking for ten million dollars per child after looking through your financials and would have arranged the trade-off in the United States. This scenario you’re describing is very amateurish.”
“But they sent me that dismembered finger,” Cole protested loudly. “Isn’t that a trademark?”
“Anyone can cut off a finger, especially if you want to throw off the trail by playing copycat.”
“All right,” Cole said slowly. “If it’s not them, then who? Who would dare do this and why?”
“My fee is three hundred fifty dollars an hour. Would you like me to find out?”
“Can you find out before tomorrow’s deadline?” I asked.
“I’ll do my best,” Adachi said solemnly.
“Go ahead,” I said. “And for God’s sake, be careful. If these people find out we’ve hired a PI, there’s no telling what they’ll do.”
“I have been in business for over fifteen years, sir. I know what’s involved.”
“I’m glad someone does,” I said, grateful for his help.
He stood and bowed to both of us. “I have much to do before tomorrow so I’ll be on my way.”
Cutting Cords Page 72