I Just Can't Stop Loving You (24 page)

Ichiro still did not seem to understand. In some ways, he was still such an innocent.

“It’s a place with legal prostitution, women of ill-repute, and drugs,” Satoshi explained.

Ichiro frowned. “Count me out. I’m in enough hot water with my wife.”

“She won’t know unless you tell her,” Takumijo said, finally putting away his phone.

Ichiro still declined.                                              

“What about you, Yori?” Satoshi asked.

Yori gave him a thumbs up.

Ichiro shook his head, like he was disappointed in Yori’s decision.

Good, the old Yori was back. “I’ll just be looking,” he replied. “The women perform for you behind a glass. It’s all perfectly legal.”

“And then what?” Ichiro asked. “I’ll be horny and I have to come back here with you losers. No thank you. I’m good.”

Takumijo laughed. “You are so pussy-whipped. Shaundra won’t find out. None of us will tell her.”

Ichiro continued to shake his head. “Listen, I love you guys like brothers, but I don’t trust two of you as far as I can throw you. I can just see it, I hook up with some European shortie and the video version of our rendezvous will get back to Shaundra before I bust a nut.”

“Ooh,” Satoshi said. “Ich is using sexy talk.”

Ichiro ignored his comment. “And then one of you snakes will go and comfort her and personally escort her to a divorce attorney.”

All three of them looked at Ichiro.

“Where do you come up with these things?” Yori asked. “We would never do that to you.”

Takumijo chuckled. “Sure you wouldn’t.”

Yori tried to hide his smile. “Well, I wouldn’t exactly take her to a divorce attorney, because she’s probably already has the name of a good one by now.”

Ichiro hissed at him.

“But I would be there to comfort her. Amaya would understand since they’re friends now.”

Ichiro laughed. “Don’t hold your breath on that. Shaundra was just being nice since Amaya tried that foolish stunt. But no doubt she won’t hesitate to stomp her ass if she steps out of line again.”

“So you aren’t going with us?” Satoshi asked, getting bored with the conversation and glad Ichiro wasn’t reading him his pedigree.

Ichiro shook his head. “I’m going to bed.”

“I bet he’s going up to take a very cold shower,” Takumijo teased.

“Where’s your partner in crime?” Yori asked Satoshi. “We should take her and Amaterasu with us.”

“Amaterasu has cramps,” Takumijo announced. “So she won’t be going anywhere with us. The last time I talked to her, she was moaning and about to take a pain pill.”

“Cristal is having dinner with Tae,” Satoshi said.

“What’s up with that?” Yori asked.

Satoshi shrugged. “Forget both of them. I’m ready to have some fun.”

Yori took his cell phone out of his pocket and texted someone. His phone beeped several seconds later. “Kenny’s coming with us,” Yori announced. “He’s bringing around the car.”

“Good old Kenny,” Satoshi said. “He’s probably desperate for some female company too.”

“I’m not desperate,” Takumijo replied. “My boo is traveling with me. She sexed me up real good before the cramps arrived.”

Satoshi turned up his nose.

“Are you and Ameterasu an item now?” Yori asked.

“Sure,” Takumijo said.

Both Yori and Satoshi smiled at the lie.

Takumijo rolled those big beautiful brown eyes at them. “You guys are just jealous.”

“Man, she likes girls too,” Satoshi replied.

Ichiro gasped. “Shameful.”

“How is Osamu?” Yori asked Takumijo.

Takumijo shrugged. “I guess he’s okay. He should be back from filming by now.”

“Did his wife go with him?”

“Yes,” Takumijo said. “She often accompanies him when he goes overseas.”

“Then why doesn’t he take her when you guys go clubbing?” Yori asked. “I find it a bit strange that he prefers your company to that of his beautiful wife.”

“The woman is a bitch and Osamu has good tastes,” Takumijo said, rising and heading toward the hotel door.

“See you guys later,” Ichiro said, turning toward the elevator. “Try to stay out of trouble.”

Cristal and Tae entered the door just as Takumijo and the others were about to leave.

“You guys on your way out?” Cristal asked.

“Yes,” Yori answered. “How was your date?”

Leave it to Yori to ask such a rude question. Satoshi awaited the answer.

“The food was great and I was with a pretty woman,” Tae replied. “That makes for a perfect date.”

“When are you leaving?” Yori asked rudely.

“Tomorrow morning. I have an early flight back to Japan. So I plan to go to bed shortly.” He smiled smugly. “Unless I get a better offer.”

Cristal continued over to the elevator and struck up a conversation with Ichiro.

“You mean if Cristal lets you in her room,” Takumijo said. “Let me know how that turns out.”

Satoshi pushed past them. He had heard enough.

“What’s wrong with him?” he heard Tae ask.

“I don’t know,” Yori said. “He’s your brother. Maybe you should ask him.” He bowed. “Have a pleasant evening and disaster-free ride back home.” He exited and Takumijo followed him out of the door.

****

Ichiro dialed Shaundra’s cell phone as soon as he got back to his room. She picked it up on the first ring.

“Hello?”

“Hello, baby.”

“Hey, Ich.”

“I just called to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.”

“Same to you.”

It was like talking to a stranger. “How are the boys?”

“They’re eating their last meal for the night,” she told him.

“Are you still breast-feeding them?”

“Yes,” Shaundra answered. “I like spending time with them and they are getting so big.”

Ichiro sighed. “I hope they remember me.”

“They do,” Shaundra said. “How is Amsterdam?”

“Lonely,” Ichiro said. “I miss my family.” He waited for her to respond. She didn’t. “How did you spend the holiday?”

“Harper and his son stopped by and we had dinner together.”

“Harper has a son?” Ichiro asked.

“Two, Damien and Kevin. Damien has moved to Japan to finish his master’s degree and he’s working at KiNii.”

“Good,” Ichiro said. “I hate to think that you spent it alone.”

“It’s just a holiday,” Shaundra said. “It doesn’t matter.”

He heard one of the babies smacking. “Which one is that?” Ichiro asked.

“I think it is Ryoto. I can barely tell them apart now. They look exactly like you. He’s really greedy and thinks my breasts are his own personal domain.”

Ichiro chuckled. “Smart boy.” He paused. “Tell him to save some for me.”

Shaundra chuckled this time. “Ryoto barely wants to share with Raiden. You should see him. He’s just as big as his older brother now.”

“I can’t wait to get back to see them. And you,” he added.

“Where are the losers?” Shaundra asked.

“They went out,” Ichiro answered.

“And you didn’t want to go out with them?”

“No, I’m not in the mood to get arrested.”

Shaundra chuckled. “Smart boy.”

“Well, I better let you get back to nursing. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.”

“Okay,” Shaundra said.

“I love you.”

“Yeah.” Shaundra said. She disconnected the call.

Ichiro shook his head and tossed the phone on the bed. She was still mad at him.

****

“Now there’s something you don’t see every day,” Yori said as they watched a young woman perform an erotic show for them through a plate glass window in the red light district of De Wallen. They had arrived and went to a bar first, threw back a few drinks, and wandered the streets until they found the real entertainment.

“And certainly not in Japan,” Satoshi agreed. “No, that isn’t true.” He had had quite a lot to drink and wasn’t feeling any pain. Except now he had a raging hard-on after looking at twat for the last couple of minutes. “I wonder how much they charge an hour.”

“I wouldn’t touch that with a ten foot pole,” Takumijo said. “No telling who’s been there before you.”

Satoshi frowned and glared at him through bloodshot eyes. “When have you gotten so picky?”

“Since recently,” Takumijo said. “I didn’t come all the way to Amsterdam to get the clap. I’ve had enough penicillin shot up in my ass for a lifetime.”

Yori chuckled. “At least you’re honest about it.”

“I need to get laid,” Satoshi announced.

“You could have stayed back at the hotel for that,” Takumijo said. “All you had to do was knock on Cristal’s door. But like a fool, you left her there with Tae.”

“I won’t take sloppy seconds to that bastard,” Satoshi said. “And besides, I’m tired of waiting for her to come around. I’ve been celibate long enough.”

Yori chuckled at his expense. “I was wondering when you were going to snap out of it. I kind of miss the old Satoshi who had a different girl on his arm every weekend.”

“Well, I think you’ll be definitely be seeing more of him,” Satoshi announced. He pulled his collar tightly around his neck to fight off the cold.

“Especially since you still can’t get next to Shaundra,” Yori teased. He did know how to push a button and work a nerve.

“That’s because she’s still recuperating from childbirth. Other than that, I’d be all in that if I thought I have a chance right now. But since I don’t, I’m going to pick me up a cutie, take her back to the hotel, and screw her brains out.”

“I refuse to ride in the limo with a skeezer,” Takumijo said to him.

“Satoshi is just talking shit,” Yori said.

“I don’t know,” Kenshin said, still watching the blonde in the first window. “I think he’s serious. I’ve been checking him out lately. He seems depressed about something, and my guess, it’s caused by his brother suddenly showing up in town.”

Satoshi ignored their conversation.
What did they know
?

“That’s because Tae is a lowlife bastard,” Takumijo said. “What kind of man moves in on his brother’s territory?”

“Yi-jun, Yori, and Satoshi,” Kenshin answered as they walked up to the next window.

“Not funny,” Yori said. “I would never touch Cristal. She’s not exactly my type.”

“What’s wrong with Cristal?” Takumijo asked.

“She’s mean and she has a Satoshi attitude,” Yori answered.

Kenshin agreed. “And she can’t make a decent pot of coffee.”

“And she’s one of the fellows,” Takumijo added.

“All good qualities,” Satoshi said.

“Plus, she’s destined for Satoshi,” Yori said. “The two of them were made for each other.”

If so, then why did he feel so bad?

“And I can’t wait for them to have some cigar-smoking, card-playing babies,” Takumijo said. “Raiden and Ryoto need friends.”

“Who?” Kenshin asked.

“Ichiro’s sons.”

“Is that what Shaundra named them?” Kenshin asked.

“Man, where have you been?” Yori asked.

“Puppy-dogging behind Masaaki,” Takumijo answered for him. “Yes, those are their names. I wonder how big little Takumijo has grown.”

“Please don’t tell me you’re still calling him that?” Yori asked. “He’s name is Raiden and he’s going to be the lead singer of a future pop group. Women will love him.”

“What about Ryoto?” Kenshin asked.

“He will probably become a publicist for his mother,” Yori answered. “She will need someone to look after her affairs once she divorces Ichiro.”

“Shaundra is not going to divorce Ichiro,” Kenshin argued. “I’ve seen how the two of them make out.”

Yori shook his head. “All in the past. She thinks he cheated on her, so the making out is over.”

“You are wrong,” Kenshin said. “I know Ichiro. He wouldn’t cheat on Shaundra and you guys know it too. Why would he cheat on her when he has the best piece of ass in Asia? Her shit is so good she has all you fools fucked up in the head.”

Satoshi couldn’t help but smile at Kenshin’s description of them and their involvement with Shaundra.

“You guys are no better than Tae. You just do a better job of hiding your dark side.”

“What dark side?” Yori asked. “I don’t have a dark side.”

Takumijo and Satoshi walked down to the next window.

“I still don’t understand why she doesn’t have an effect on Takumijo,” Kenshin said.

Yori led Kenshin with him. He peered into the window. “Oh my,” he said.

Satoshi chuckled at Yori’s discomfort. The dancer had long black hair, a pretty face, huge breasts, and a long cock. “Shaundra does not affect Tak because she’s not exotic enough for his tastes.”