Ruin

by Lila Rose

  “Got it.” I made my way down the long-arse table. Seriously where did they get a table so big?

  When I’d entered, I’d caught the attention of most at the table. Some stared, others whispered behind their hands, and a few looked at me like I was dirt. Uncle Jiro was one of them, of course.

  Even Mimi was watching me as I took my seat opposite her and beside Wolf at the head. She gave me a tentative smile, and I could read how uncomfortable she was sitting there by her posture.

  I gave her a chin lift. “What’s happenin’?”

  Someone down the table snorted. I swear all these people couldn’t be their whole family. When I said it was about twenty-odd too many, I meant it. I’d be happy just sharing dinner with Mimi and Wolf. The others all peered around, judging everyone, even from within their family. Right then, Jiro’s glare was transferred from me to someone across from him, another man a few years older than Wolf.

  I pulled my gaze back to Mimi and tried again, “You good?”

  She nodded, and a small “Yes,” dropped from her mouth. I didn’t like seeing her like this. She’d been smiling, laughing, and seemed at ease just that afternoon, and now she was like a rabbit waiting for the fox to bite.

  I shifted my gaze to Wolf, which he met before he glanced to Mimi with thinned lips. Yeah, he didn’t like it either. So why in the fuck was he giving the bitch on his lap all the attention and not easing Mimi’s tension?

  “Get rid of her,” I ordered quietly.

  Wolf’s gaze flashed back to me, and even the woman lifted her head from his shoulder to glare at me.

  Wolf’s nostrils flared. He didn’t like me ordering him, but he was being a dick to Mimi, and I didn’t like that. Still, with his hands on the woman’s waist, he moved her to her feet and took her hand, kissing the back of it. “I’ll see you later, my lovely.”

  She smiled coyly, but it was too late. We all knew she was just a slut looking for a banging. “In your room?”

  “Of course.”

  She rested her free hand on his shoulder and brushed it down his arm as she turned. After shooting me daggers again, she finally left the room. I didn’t give a shit that I’d pissed her off.

  Wolf picked up a knife and twirled it around his fingers. He rested his elbows on the table and leaned my way. “Never speak to me like that again.”

  My lips tipped up, and I chuckled low. I leaned close also. “Your sister’s back for the first night, yet you sit there with some bird on your lap ignoring the glares she’s getting—”

  “Ruin,” Mimi snapped low and shook her head.

  Wolf flicked the knife my way, holding it with the tip of the blade to my neck. “What goes on at this table or in the house is how I want it. You’re here because I allow it. That can change if you piss me off again.” He placed the knife back down, smiled at the people around the table, and clapped his hand before he took Mimi’s hand and squeezed it.

  Mimi smiled up at him.

  Fuck.

  Maybe I’d jumped to the wrong conclusion, and I’d missed something.

  Doors opened, platters were brought forward and set down throughout the table. No one moved to grab their food though.

  Wolf cleared his throat. “Tonight, we welcome back my sister, Mimi, and with her is our guest, Ruin. I want no harm to come to either of them. If something happens, the person responsible will be punished.”

  What the fuck? Seriously, I didn’t think Wolf ran the whole house like Talon did the Hawks MC, but they all sat there listening to him like the brotherhood listened to Talon. Some looked peeved over the idea of not harming us, but the others nodded and accepted his order.

  I thought that’d be it, that we could eat and get out of there, especially for Mimi’s sake, but of course it wasn’t.

  Jiro stood. “I will not eat at this table with people who desert the family and dishonour us.” His hard gaze landed on Mimi.

  A look of anger swept over Mimi, and she stood. Her chair screeched over the hardwood floor. All eyes were on her when she said, “I would not have dishonoured the family if one of you had listened to me when I said I would not marry that man.”

  “It was a promised business deal. You have no right to tell us how to run things. You listen and do as you’re told.”

  I snorted. I couldn’t help it. “How fuckin’ outdated.” I grunted when a foot met with my shin.

  Wolf glowered at me before he stood and rested his hands on the table, staring down the room. “Since my father has signed everything over to me, you have noticed some things have changed already. More changes will come. Within the family and businesses.”

  Another man stood quickly. “It is not something we speak of in front of outsiders.” Gazes turned on me and Mimi. Christ, I couldn’t fucking believe Mimi was seen as an outsider for not marrying an old fucker.

  “I did not say I would speak of all changes now. The businesses are for another day, but for the family, that is another matter. I want to touch on one subject only. No longer will the women of the family be bargained off in any type of deals. They will not be forced into an arranged marriage unless they are willing and I hear it from them myself.”

  “This is not how it’s done,” Jiro boomed.

  Goddamn old prick.

  Wolf straightened. “It is now, on my word.”

  “Come,” Jiro ordered two women and three men, all of different ages, beside him. If I had to guess, one woman was his wife, the other his mother. The men looked younger, maybe his sons. Jiro stopped, and when he did, the rest of his family halted and looked down at two girls in their late teens. “Yuri, Hina, now.”

  They bowed their heads and stared at their plates.

  “Ima oki nasai, on'nanoko,” the wife snapped in Japanese.

  I saw the older teen take the younger’s hand. “W-We don’t want to marry the men you have us set with.”

  Jesus Christ. They were younger than Mimi and already had been set to marry someone. That was fucked up. I wanted to wrap my hands around Jiro’s neck and choke the life out of him.

  “You are my daughters. You will follow my rule!” Jiro yelled.

  I stood, ready to storm around the table and lay the fucker out. A hand dropped to my shoulder. Wolf’s. He didn’t say anything to me. When he removed his hand, he moved closer to Jiro and said to the room, “From this day on, the women have their say on how their lives are lived.” He stopped just before Jiro. “That is my word.”

  “They are my children.”

  “They are a part of the Takahashi family.” Wolf cocked his head to the side. “Tell me, Oji-san, who runs the family?”

  Jiro’s jaw clenched, along with his fists. “You.” It was pretty clear he left off “for now.” Calculating intent filled his eyes. I expected he wouldn’t even flinch from killing his own nephew—as long as he had control in the end.

  Mimi’s life wasn’t the only one in jeopardy within these damn walls. Wolf’s was as well.

  I hadn’t, as yet, seen the muscle backing Wolf. Would he have enough protection? Would they both? I’d stick around and stay close to see. If not, I would make sure they did by calling the brothers in.

  “Yuri, Hina, come,” Jiro tried again. If they left, I worried for their safety. I wouldn’t put it past Jiro to beat them bloody for “dishonouring” him in front of the rest of the family.

  The girls looked to Wolf. He smiled gently. “If you wish to move to this side of the property, I am sure your aunt will love the company.”

  “You will not take them!” the mother yelled.

  I caught Mimi wrapping her arms around her waist and biting her bottom lip. I quickly moved around the table and rested my hands on her shoulders in support. She leaned back into my chest.

  Wolf’s gaze hardened and swung to the woman. “The girls will still be within the walls, just closer to me so I know my ruling will be followed.” Yeah, Wolf also knew the girls were going to get in the shit for speaking up.

  Jiro’s face shot red
as he screwed it up. He took two steps back and grabbed Yuri’s hair. She cried out as he pulled her from her seat. Hina started crying. She dropped to her knees and pressed her forehead to the floor by her father’s feet.

  “They are not your problem. I am their father. They will do what I say.” He shook Yuri by the hair, a whimper falling from her lips.

  Fuck this.

  I started around Mimi, but she gripped my arm. “No,” she uttered. “Taro will take care of it.” I took another step. “Please, Ruin. It’s a family matter. You can’t get involved unless asked by the head of the family. Please.”

  I didn’t like it one damn bit. But I locked my body down and glanced back to see the men had joined Jiro at his back. All of them scowled at the girls like they were a disease.

  “You do not want to do this,” Wolf warned as he removed his white jacket.

  “You have no say over my children,” Jiro snarled.

  “I have a say over the treatment of any member of this family, and I do not like what I see. Let Yuri go, Jiro.”

  “You will call me Oji-san, boy.”

  Wolf chuckled without humour. “You do not deserve the title when I have no respect for you.”

  Jiro’s face screwed up again and he pushed Yuri away. She stumbled and dropped to her butt. In the next second, Jiro raised his hand and slapped Wolf across the face. A bit of a bitch move, but maybe it was something this family did.

  Wolf slowly moved his gaze back to Jiro. “You want to do this now?”

  “I will never bow to you as head of the family.” He turned to the room and waved a hand at Wolf. “This is who you will follow? This pup? He is still wet behind his ears. He knows nothing. He will change everything, and you will sit there letting him? He sucks cock, he takes men to bed, and soon you will be bending over for him.”

  Jesus Christ.

  Another man stood abruptly. “I will not follow a man who takes other men.”

  Bloody hell, were they all bigots?

  “My personal life has nothing to do with how I run the business or the family. No matter who I take to bed.”

  “You ask us to change from the old ways, and you’re not willing to change?” the man asked.

  “Akio Oji-san, the changes I make will never affect the businesses. And doing it without forcing the women of the Takahashi family to do things they never should have to do. Our own father knew of the changes I would make, and yet he still picked me. This was even before he was as close to death as he is now. Maybe having his daughter run from our lives over a business deal where she had to marry an old man had him seeing things in a new light.”

  “Never,” Jiro yelled. “It was you getting in his head. Everything ran smoothly in our lives until now, until you.”

  Wolf scoffed. “Smoothly? It’s so smooth your daughters quiver at your feet because they do not wish to marry men older than them, men who abuse women. Do you not care for their welfare?”

  This family was screwed up. Everything just angered me to a point my gut burned. The old cunts needed to back down and let Wolf take charge. I could see he would be a good leader, and I wasn’t the only one reading some of the respectful gazes sent his way. He fought for the women, and I knew he’d fight for others who came to him for help against old-fashioned crap.

  Wolf snorted. “Of course you do not care when you are also one who lays your hands on them.”

  “Enough,” Jiro belted out.

  “Never. I will protect them and anyone who needs it in the family. Even if it’s from their own father.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “You have no choice here, Jiro, because I run things in the Takahashi family, and that is my final word.” He turned his back on Jiro. I wasn’t sure it was wise. “Mimi, come get the girls and take them to your room.” Mimi started forward, but I wasn’t letting her go alone. I matched her pace. While Mimi helped Yuri stand, I tucked my hands under Hina’s arms and brought her to her feet.

  Jiro made a noise in the back of his throat, and I caught the nod he sent just before the three men at his back advanced towards Wolf.

  “Wolf,” I barked, since he hadn’t seemed to have seen them.

  However, as soon as they were close, Wolf struck one in the throat, one in the chest, the other in the kidney. They tried to fight back, but Wolf counteracted it with a quick punch or kick. Never had I seen anyone move as fast as he did. His movements flowed, his body twisted and bent. In moments, the three men were on the floor, groaning and clutching some part of their bodies.

  “Leave,” Wolf ordered Jiro.

  Jiro waited for a couple of moments, glowering at Wolf before he snapped at the older women, and they walked out the room.

  “Ryo,” Wolf called loudly.

  A door opened, and five men dressed in black walked in. They had damn swords strapped to their hips, but I also saw guns strapped to their other side. The one in front, who I guessed was Ryo, stopped and bowed to Wolf.

  He nodded towards the men on the floor. “Take them out of here.”

  Ryo clipped, “Sorera o shita ni motte itte kudasai.” The others behind him moved forward and collected the fools on the ground, taking them from the room. When they were out of earshot, Ryo added to Wolf, “Next time, do not ask me to wait out in the hall. I am here to protect you.”

  Wolf grinned. “You know I had it handled.”

  “It does not matter.”

  “I’m sure there’ll be other situations.”

  Ryo huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. Was he pissed he didn’t get in on the action? Probably. The two of them seemed close. Then again, they must have been for Ryo to speak to Wolf like that. I doubted Wolf would accept that attitude from many.

  Wolf patted Ryo on the arm and addressed the room. “Anyone else wish to go against my new rule?”

  Silence.

  The other older guy had even sat down.

  “Then let’s eat.” He faced Ryo again. “Ryo, could you take over from Mimi and get the girls to Okaa-san?”

  Ryo nodded and gently wound an arm around Hina’s waist, taking her from my hold. Then he did the same for Yuri. Wolf got close to them, cupping a cheek on each girl. They lifted their gazes to his.

  “You have my protection. You have my love. I will make sure you never have to do anything you wish not to.” They clasped his hand in each of theirs and bowed, pressing their foreheads to the back of his hands.

  “Thank you, Jiā jūn, thank you.”

  I leaned into Mimi and asked, “What’s that word mean?”

  “Jiā jūn?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Head of house.”

  “Rise, girls, and go with Ryo. I’ll have Katon bring you something to eat soon. Do not fear for anything.”

  They bowed a couple more times and went with Ryo. Wolf moved to Mimi and me. I jolted a little when his hand landed on my waist. “Let’s eat,” he said. I turned back to the table and felt his hand slide to my lower back, guiding his sister and me back to our seats.

  It was damn weird having a guy’s hand on my back, but I wasn’t going to make a fuss about it in front of everyone. Obviously, there were many rules and traditions in the house, and I knew I’d stuff up over something, probably kicking someone’s arse, but for now, I’d keep my mouth shut.

  Respect for the guy who just pulled out my seat ran through me, despite my brows shooting high, wondering why the fuck he made such a gesture. If we had more time here, I could even come to like the man. That was if he stopped treating me like some woman, since he’d just tried to place a napkin on my lap.

  I snatched it out of his hand and glared up at him. The prick smirked.

  Maybe liking him as a person was not going to last long. I had a feeling he’d get on my nerves more than anything.

  Chapter Four

  Ruin

  After dinner, Mimi and I stood in a library. I’d pulled her aside to see how she was, since she’d gone to see her father earlier. Pouring us a drink, her hands shook a little. I pla
ced my palms on her shoulders. “Let me do that, babe.”

  She handed me the bottle of bourbon and took the glass she’d already poured, stepping out of the way. After I got myself a couple of licks of straight Kentucky, I turned and leaned against the bar and watched her pace in front of me.

  “I’m guessin’ it didn’t go well.”

  She sucked back her drink and faced me. “He was sleeping when I went.”

  “You didn’t get to speak with him then.”

  Mimi rolled her eyes. “I suppose I could have talked to him while he slept.” I took on her irritation. She’d come here for one thing, and that was to sort shit out with her father before he kicked the bucket. Since it hadn’t happened, she was probably fretting over the thought. Her shoulders sagged. “Sorry.”

  “It’s all good, honey. I get it.”

  Mimi grazed her bottom lip with her top teeth. Usually that move would get my dick paying attention, but he was asleep. It proved Mimi wasn’t my one. God, it sucked, because I wanted to find her, and Mimi was a great woman. But honestly, now wasn’t the right time to be thinking any of this shit.

  A change of subject was what was needed. “You’ve got a lot of people in the family.”

  She laughed. “Yes, you could say that. Some still live in Japan. They refuse to…. Well, I guess they don’t like Australia or the US, where our other uncle resides over the Takahashi family that moved there.”

  “What’s so different from there to here?”

  “Everything. In Japan, they’re stricter than here.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Exactly. In a way, it was good Dad moved us here. Although, he was still strict. More with Taro since he is the family’s heir. If Taro ever spoke out of turn, he was punished.” Her lips thinned. “Really, I had the better end of the deal.”

  “Doesn’t mean your turmoil is any less than his, Mimi. You were gonna be sold off like an item instead of a person.”

  Mimi poured herself another drink. “Right. Some still do that in Japan. The main difference from here to there is how different the houses are. Traditionally, we should live in wooden houses with mat flooring and sliding doors. Rooms are divided by partitions of paper. Which makes things awkward when you can hear things going on in the other room.”