Owned by the Yakuza: A Japanese Mafia Bad Boy Romance (8 page)

“Masaru, I need a favour.”

Masaru looked up at me from his phone. “Sure, what is it?”

“I was hoping you could get some more information.”

Masaru glanced at the pile of papers as if to say
what do you mean, more
?

“Not on Akimoto, good job with that one,” I said with a wave of my hand. I was going to put that on the backburner for now. It would probably be better for us to tackle that sicko once my brother was back from his honeymoon. “It’s about Gregory McMillian.”

“I thought his daughter was working off the debt. He’s dead, what more is there to know?”

“Lots apparently,” I said. “When I spoke to Oriana about it last night, she didn’t seem convinced that her father would rack up some gambling debt and then never pay up. He doesn’t fit the profile for one of our usual dodgers. There’s more to it.”

Masaru exhaled and sat back in his chair. “No disrespect, but are you sure we should be wasting our resources on this while the Shimazu-kai are regrouping?”

“I’ll take care of that,” I growled. “In the meantime, I want some dirt on McMillian. Something is going on and I need to know what.”

#

That evening, I made deliveries of payments. I drove while Yuji and Tatsuya went in and dropped off envelopes stuffed full of cash. We had people to pay – doctors, lawyers, policemen, judges. Just about anyone who we dealt with got some sort of stipend.

We were nearly done our run when I got a bad feeling in my gut. I glanced around. The street was nearly empty, just a few pedestrians and a car turning the corner. I glanced around for Yuji and Tatsuya, but they were still inside our lawyer’s office. He was a chatter, that’s why we saved him for last.

I turned down the radio and reached down under the seat to grab the gun that I kept taped there, just for these sorts of emergencies. I waited. I could almost hear the blood rushing through my veins.

“Drop the gun,” A police officer appeared at my window.

I looked at him closely. He didn’t seem familiar. I made it a point to know all of the officers that patrolled Shibuya, if not by name at least by face. He wore dark sunglasses, even though it was dusk. I saw my reflection in the lenses.

“I said drop it.” The officer repeated.

I complied, dropping the Glock on the mat. Tatsuya and Yuji would be out any minute. I hope they didn’t run their mouths the moment the door closed and give anything away. Citizens were nervous enough about working with the yakuza, we didn’t need our best lawyer getting busted.

“Now raise your hands.”

Something wasn’t right. He was speaking too confidently. These little foot soldiers usually cowered in front of me.

“Get out of the car,” The officer said.

“I’m sorry, is there a problem?” I asked calmly.

“Get out of the car, then we’ll talk.” He flung open the door.

I stepped out with my hands raised.

“Do you have a permit for that weapon, sir?”

“Of course, I do,” I spat. “What’s the problem, officer?”

The policeman reached down to grab the gun. It was then that I noticed that his shoes were made of expensive leather, not standard issue boots. His sleeve rode up and I caught a glimpse of dark red irezumi tattoos around his wrist.

I sucked in a gasp, stepping back and reaching into my blazer for my switchblade.

The cleverly disguised officer spun around with my gun in his hand. “Slow down there, boy.” He grinned, pulling off his sunglasses and raising the weapon towards me.

My hand tightened around the handle of my blade, still inside my blazer. Now that was a good trick. I gritted my teeth, staring down the barrel of my own gun.

“Drop the knife,” He said.

I studied the man’s face. He was older than me, his mid-thirties perhaps. He was a seasoned kyodai and there was no hesitation in his eyes.

“Who are you?” I demanded.

The man grinned. “Why would I tell you that?”

“Well, if you’re going to kill me, don’t I deserve to know your name?” I was stalling. Damn that lawyer, where were Tatsuya and Yuji? I had one chance to fight him off, and if his trigger finger was faster, then I was done for.

The man considered my request. “No, I don’t think so.” He motioned with the gun. “Now drop whatever you’re hiding in there.”

In one fluid motion, I pulled out the knife, opened the blade, threw it at him and dropped to my knees. The long blade dug into his side.

Bang!

A single gunshot echoed out, I heard the bullet whistle over my head.

The man tumbled to one side, clutching his bleeding wound. “You little punk!”

I kicked the Glock out of his hand before he could take aim again. I grabbed it, aiming it at him. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

The man hissed in pain, clutching the knife that was buried deep in his side. Blood was spreading through his blue shirt.

“Don’t pull it out, you’ll be dead in a minute,” I said, keeping the gun steady. “Who are you?”

“I work for the Shimazu-kai,” The man said.

Of course, he did. They wanted us out of Shinjuku. I stole a glance at the lawyer’s office, still no sign of the other kyodai. “Why were you trying to kill me?”

The man snickered. “The kumichō wants you dead, he’s taking us in a new direction. Soon, we’ll be as famous as the Yamaguchi.”

I couldn’t stop myself as I laughed. “Oh, ok,” I said sarcastically. I knew how hard it was for small independent clans like us to keep afloat. Growth was the goal of every kumichō, but to liken themselves to the Yamaguchi-gumi – that was insanity. “Sounds like your new kumichō is a greedy bastard.”

“How dare you,” The man barked, spit flying from his mouth. His breath was ragged and the blood kept dripping. These sorts of wounds were slow; he would be in agony for hours.

“And he sent you alone too? Looks like he doesn’t care about you at all, you’re just some nameless kyodai,” I added.

The man laughed. “I’m not alone.” He grinned.

Just then, sounds of gunshots rang out from the lawyer’s office. A window shattered and a body fell two stories to the pavement with a sickening crunch. I heard Tatsuya’s war cry and more shots were exchanged.

The man for lunged for me, thinking I was distracted. I avoided him, pushing him back down onto the ground where the knife pressed deeper. He cried out in agony.

The sounds of fighting quieted and Yuji and Tatsuya burst through the doors, hauling the same package of cash that they had gone in with. Yuji was bleeding from his shoulder.

Tatsuya caught sight of the injured man in front of me. Without taking a second to think, he raised his gun and shot him in the head. The sound of the shot echoed in the silence.

“Tatsuya!” I shouted.

“Sorry, where you gonna get that?” He sneered, helping Yuji into the back seat.

I clenched my fists. Yet again, he had stepped over me and laughed at my authority. I stared at the man, his dead eyes reflecting the streetlights and a trickle of blood running down his cheek. The dead always creeped me out.

“Tadao, come on, we gotta go!” Tatsuya shouted. The sounds of sirens were approaching fast. “The cops are coming, fuck, man!”

I pulled my knife free from the man’s body and wiped the blood on the shirt. There was something sticking out of his pocket.

“Let’s go!” Tatsuya shouted.

“One second,” I grabbed the paper from his pocket and ran back to the car. Tatsuya, who was sitting in the driver’s seat, stomped on the throttle as I slammed the door. He weaved out of the alley and as far away from the scene as possible.

I didn’t even bother to care that he was driving my car. Yuji was groaning in the backseat.

“What happened?” I asked.

“That lawyer sold us out to the Shimazu-kai,” Tatsuya said, lighting a cigarette. Smoke filled the car. “That fucking bastard. Don’t worry, they’re all dead.” He jabbed his thumb in Yuji’s direction. “Got a hit on him, though. The bullet didn’t pass through; we need to get him to the doctor.”

“How do we know that our doctor isn’t being whispered to by the Shimazu-kai?” Yuji groaned.

“Save your energy, let me worry about that,” I said while the kyodai slumped back down against the seat, spreading blood over the leather upholstery.

I opened the paper that was folded in my hand. My mouth went dry and dread rippled through my body. Oriana? It was a photo of her taken at the hostess club. She wasn’t looking straight on at the camera, enough to make it apparent that she didn’t know that her picture was being taken. Why the hell did someone from the Shimazu-kai have her picture?

Tatsuya glanced over, speeding through a red light. “Hey, isn’t that the girl from the club?”

“Yes,” I said. But the question was why. “Stop the car!”

Tatsuya slammed on the breaks. “What? Why?”

Yuji was tossed forward and groaned.

“I’m getting out. Take Yuji to the doctor, call for back up. I’m going to the hostess club.” I jumped out of the car, heading for the nearest train station. “And for fucks sake, clean up the blood before you bring it back.” I didn’t look over my shoulder, hearing the car speed away.

#

“She’s not here.”

“What the hell do you mean, she’s not here?”

The hostess at the front door shifted from foot to foot nervously. “She never showed up for her shift, Himura-san.”

“And no one thought that this was suspicious? No one bothered to call me?”

“We didn’t want to bother you,” Sora said. She came up behind the other girl and shooed her away. “It’s not like its strange for new girls to get cold feet and drop out after a few shifts.”

I scowled at her. “You know she’s here for more than that. She wouldn’t just leave.”

Sora’s devious smile made me sick.

“Have any new guys been frequenting here lately?” I asked, remembering the kyodai. “Anyone suspicious or shady?”

“Honestly, most guys who come in here are shady,” She caught my glare and continued. “Well, there have been some new regulars, a few guys that I haven’t seen around here before. They seemed really into Oriana, but who isn’t these days.” She shrugged.

“Why didn’t you say something?”

“Am I really supposed to care about every pervert who walks through these doors?” She snapped back at me, tears shining in her eyes. “It’s not like you care about me anymore, now that you have that chick.”

“Stop making this about your little feud with her. Listen, Oriana’s life could be in danger. I found her photo on a dead yakuza member.” I held Sora’s arms tightly so she would look at me. “Please, if she comes in, call me right away.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to find her.”

CHAPTER TEN

Oriana
オリアナ

I stared at the two suitcases that were laying on my bed open and half filled. In my hand, I held a ticket to Glasgow.

Auntie Bess had called back and in the short phone call, she had convinced me to come to Scotland for a visit. The plane was leaving in the morning. I called the hostess club to call in sick, but no one answered. Just one week. One week to get away from all of this stress. Then I would come and repay the debt.

If I came back. I walked to the window, taking in the breathtaking Tokyo skyline. Maybe it was time for a change. What was keeping me here now anyways?

Tadao. My heart hurt thinking about him. Was there really something between us that wasn’t sex? Our date had been perfect but aside from wild sex, were we even compatible?

I hadn’t forgotten what Sora said.

Once the novelty wears off, he’s going to dump you like yesterday’s garbage. That’s what he does.

Somehow, Tadao didn’t seem like that kind of guy. But what did I really know about him? He was just some yakuza who came to my door looking for money. He was the first man to ever make me cum, to set my soul ablaze with passion. But that couldn’t last. Maybe I was just a novelty.

Then there was the question of why my father had hidden the past and why he owed them money. Was I dishonoring his memory by sleeping with the man who would have killed him over the debt?

Don’t forget, until that debt is paid off, I own you.

I swept my hair back from my face and set the ticket down. I needed an escape. A week in the Scottish countryside would clear my head. Then I would decide what to do.

The doorbell rang.

I glanced at the clock. It was past nine o’clock. Who would be coming to the door at this hour? My heart froze. What if it was Tadao? I crept down the hall and peeked in the peephole.

It was him. Tadao was standing there, his hands in his pockets. He looked tense and out of breath.

I put my hand on the door handle, squeezing the cold metal. Before I could convince myself that it was a bad idea, I opened the door.

Tadao’s eyes met mine and he let out a sigh. He relaxed and his face lit up. “Oriana.”