Wheels of Steel Book 4 (24 page)

Jason appeared in the doorway and he looked around frantically. “Where is Robin?!”

Yori rose. “I’ll take you to her. She’s sleeping.” He guided Jason down the aisle of beds and pulled back a curtain to where Robin was curled in a fetal position and sleeping deeply. Jason sighed in relief and then bent down and kissed her forehead.

When Robin felt the soft curls from Jason’s head tickling her cheek she smiled in her sleep and then reached up to clutch his head and bring his face down for a kiss.

He kissed her repeatedly, deeply and then he stroked her face and examined her for injury.

“You didn’t get hurt did you?” He asked.

She sat up, still hugging him. “I’m fine.”

He cradled her face, fear still plain on his face. “What the fuck, babe? What happened? Why did you get kidnapped by the Yakuza?”

Robin suddenly recalled the vision of Riyu crouched down before her.
You don’t know anything. You don’t know my name. You don’t know why you were brought here. The only thing you know is that I can find you whenever I want you …

“I don’t know, baby,” she whispered as she buried her face against Jason’s neck.

“You’re not signing that contract with that Yakuza bastard!” Jason yelled.

“Shh!” Robin said. They were in the bedroom back at the house. Robin had been released from the hospital with a clean bill of health but Yagano would need a few more days there to monitor his skin graft.

“Fuck that!” Jason exclaimed while throwing clothes into his suitcase. “We’re getting the fuck up out of Japan and away from this bullshit!”

He had been in a rage since the hospital and the long drive back to the house had only caused him to stew in his anger. Amberly had stayed at the hospital with Y—which was probably a good thing.

Upon learning that Amberly had knowingly married into a crime family Jason and Peter had been disappointed and angry. Jason quietly placed the blame squarely on Amberly’s shoulders. How could she have kept something like this from them? But in an attempt to defend Amberly’s actions Belinda revealed that she and Robin had been aware of Yagano’s connection with the Yakuza and tried to assure everyone that he wasn’t a member. This only meant that he was angrier that Robin, Belinda and Amberly had withheld something so important.

Whether or not Y was a true member of the Yakuza meant nothing to Jason. His connection to a dangerous mob had placed Robin in danger. He also didn’t buy that the attack at the studio had been just a random robbery attempt. Y had a fucking finger in his desk and Jason knew that it wasn’t the property of Akita’s. A fucking finger!

“Jason,” Robin said while clutching his hands in an attempt at stopping him from wrecking the bedroom. “None of this was Y’s fault. It was just a robbery-“

“But you were kidnapped-“

“That’s not Y’s fault,” she averted her eyes from his, “those men snatched us because he refused to give them the money they demanded-“ she lied.

“Why didn’t he give it to them?!” Jason demanded, his face red to the point that his freckles looked like they were on fire.

“He told the police that he didn’t have the new combination but they didn’t believe him. None of this is Y’s fault.”

“Yeah, well he has a finger in his desk drawer.”

Robin grimaced, wondering whose finger it was. “Well that doesn’t mean it has anything to do with Y …”

Jason gave her a long look. “Do you think Amberly’s been collecting fingertips?”

“JASON!” She finally screamed. “I don’t know where the finger came from, I don’t know why I was kidnapped! I don’t know if Amberly has anything to do with anything—“ she began to sob hysterically, “I don’t know! I don’t know anything-!”

Jason grabbed her and pulled her against him. “Shhh, baby, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He blew out a frightened breath. “I’m so sorry, okay …?” Robin shook as she sobbed against him.

Peter rolled his wheelchair away from Jason and Robin’s closed door.

“I think they’ll be alright,” he said to Belinda who was standing with her hands pressed against her mouth. Tears had wet her eyes. She was afraid, afraid for the first time in a long time.

She nodded quickly.

He held out his hand for her, “Come here, B.” She came to him and sat in his lap where she then placed her head in the crook of his neck.

“They’re okay. We’re all okay …” he murmured.

Dinner that night was quiet. Robin was sitting with her arms wrapped around herself, only periodically picking at her meal. Jason had yet to take one bite of the rice and leftover pork and vegetables.

“They burned his crest off of his wrist,” Robin finally muttered while staring listlessly at the table. Everyone looked at her. “The crest that represents the triad that he’s connected to.”

Robin took a deep breath. “There’s this man. His name is Riyu,” she began to shake as she told every bit of the story that she knew. At some point during the story Jason took her hand and held it firmly. Peter took her other hand and Belinda lightly rubbed her arm.

“So … that’s why we were snatched. It wasn’t anything to do with a robbery. It was just to get Yagano’s
sokaiya.”
Robin had remembered that word—such a pretty word for extortion.

“The reason that Amberly married Y is because she knew that he’s a good person that’s connected to a bunch of bad people. Akita Tom was the one being extortioned and even he left Y in his will—gave him part of his stock AND his house. So …what does that tell you?”

Robin looked at each of them. “When we were in the car he told Riyu that he got rid of his stock—he did it so that Riyu couldn’t get it. And that’s why Y got beaten. Whatever happened today it was because Y was trying to protect the studio from Riyu and the Yakuza. So I can’t tell you what to do, but I’m going to sign with the label—as long as they can assure me that Y will remain as part of the company.”

Jason gave her a sharp look.

Robin continued. “I know that as long as he’s involved in Akita Tom Productions he will fight for the label and fight for us.”

Jason looked away and then nodded. “I want to talk to James and Hideo about it.”

Both James and Hideo arrived at the house the next morning with the contracts.

Jason looked at them both in concern. “Are you two sure you’re ready to get back to work?” They looked a little rough around the edges. Hideo had two black eyes and James had bruises on his face.

Thank God the Yakuza hadn’t man-handled Robin like that, Jason thought.

James smiled in embarrassment. “Can’t let a little thing like that stop progression.” Everyone was in the office gathered around the conference table including Belinda who listened in excitement. Amberly was still at the hospital with her husband.

Hideo passed out copies of the contract for them to go over. He explained that every detail and stated that each condition that Peter’s father had negotiated had been accepted.

“What about Yagano?” Robin asked.

Hideo blanched and then quickly coughed. “Yagano?”

“Yes, he gave up his stock. Is he still involved with the label?”

Hideo looked at James whose cheeks reddened.

James replied, “Yagano is still involved with the label. In fact, we all gave up our shares in the company. Yagano’s idea was to start a limited liability company to hold the stock and that each of us shareholders would be equal partners.”

Hideo’s straightened his tie and stammered. “I faxed the paper work to be filed during our meeting. Yagano insisted …”

Robin smiled. “So nothing in this contract changes and Y is still with the label?”

James wiped sweat from his forehead but he smiled. “Of course my dear. Yagano will be in charge of many aspects of Akita Tom Productions.” Robin looked at Hideo who nodded quickly.

Robin smiled. “Then hand me the ink pen. I’m signing.”

Peter and Jason signed their contracts and then after congratulations James and Hideo left.

Belinda closed the door after them and then turned to face her friends, the broad smile no longer on her face. No one spoke for a long time, but each of them had the same expression. Finally Robin broke the silence.

“Did y’all notice that Hideo is missing the tip of his pinky finger?”

When Yagano opened his eyes Amberly was staring at him. She gave him a soft smile that seemed slightly sad.

“Is the pain any better?” She asked.

Last night they had given him more painkillers because his burn had began to hurt. The doctor said that it was a good sign. It meant that the nerve damage would be minimal. Instead of being pleased about the news Yagano had cursed that he didn’t give a damn if he had feeling in his goddamned wrist!

“Still hurts,” he grumbled and sat up. She passed him water and he took a sip and then passed it back to her.

“Did you stay here all night?” He asked with a frown.

“No, I got a room at the hotel across the street.”

“Okay.”

She studied him silently and he sighed, knowing that he couldn’t put off the inevitable forever.

“Are you ready to talk about what happened?” She asked.

“It’s no big secret. What do you want to know?” He asked.

“Everything. I want to know what you do for … them. I want to know why I had to call your uncle to rescue you. And … I want to know whose finger I found in your desk drawer.”

Y’s jaw flinched. Damn, he had meant to get rid of that thing but things had become hectic … so she had found it. Yagano studied her to see if she was disgusted, but the only expression she wore was that of disappointment.

Well, she was his partner and if anyone deserved the truth then she did. Y began at the beginning, filling in the bits that he had left out when he’d first met her. He told her about the racketeering, drug trafficking, weapons, illegal banks and before he was finished tears were rolling down her cheeks.

“Don’t cry, Amberly, please-”

“Keep going,” she interrupted. He looked at her sad face and then sighed and continued. He told her of the crimes that he had committed. He could have lied but there was already too many lies between them. If she left him because of this then it was
unmei
… fate.

After he finished with that he explained about his life in the Yakuza—forced to do the jobs that others didn’t want. He even explained about the fingertips—although he did not expressly explain whose fingertip she had discovered in his desk drawer.

“Why to our house? Why did you have
it
in your possession?” She asked saying the word ‘it’ as if the use of it sullied her.

“It has to be delivered to the appropriate person. I make those deliveries.”

Amberly made a gagging sound. “You mean … those envelopes you get in the mail-“

“No. They are hand delivered.”

“By Quan? Sweet little Quan?” Quan was their driver as well as Yagano’s Yakuza contact. “Well I want him fired!” She demanded. “I don’t want him around the house.”

Y gave her a hopeful look. Did that mean that she didn’t intend to leave him? “Whatever you want, Amberly.”

She sighed. “I want you to end your ties with the Yakuza, Yagano. I mean completely. No more jobs, no more secret phone calls and secret meetings.”

Yagano’s lips formed a straight line. “My association with the Yakuza ended when my crest was burned from my flesh.”

Amberly closed her eyes and took a deep breath as if settling her nerves. “I’m sorry they took it off … but I’m happy it’s gone.” She opened her eyes and gave him a pointed look. “I don’t want to be married to someone involved with organized crime.”

After a moment Y nodded his head. “Understood.” She stared at him and then Y lifted his arm and beckoned her to him. She stood up in a rush and hurried into his arms where she buried her face against his neck and let loose a fountain of pent up emotions in the form of tears.

“I love you,” she cried. “I love you so much …”

Yagano stroked her hair and kissed her tears. “I love you too.”