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Page 64
“Hello?” I prodded.
“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?” he finally asked. “Okay, then. If you were me, in my situation, what would you do to strengthen your hold on all your irons in the fire? You said we were weak. Where? With what?”
I nearly laughed. Was he serious?
I strolled back down the hallway, suddenly intrigued. “Are you asking me for advice?”
“I’m asking you to put your money where your smart mouth is, brat,” he bit out. “Pretend you run my crew now. What do you do?”
“What makes you think I’d help you?”
“Because I think you’re dying for some real use of your skills.”
Well, he was right there. Kai wasn’t using me to my full potential, and I loved having a seat at the table. I’d kill to tell him exactly what I thought of him and his junior high operation.
I stopped at the entrance to the workout room and stood back, watching Rika throw blocks against her Wing Chun Dummy. She maneuvered, hitting the posts fast but methodical, pausing every so often to correct her stance.
And it suddenly hit me.
Michael was stroking my pride.
“Sensou” meant “war” in Japanese. This place, the name, what they did here…it was part of a larger goal.
Rika might be soft, but she was training. Michael might be careless, but he was aware. Will might be weak, but he had Kai.
And Kai was getting ready.
These people were my enemies.
“If I were you,” I replied calmly. “The first thing I’d do is fire me. I’m not your friend.”
And I ended the call.
I wanted this over.
I was sick of the go-around and waiting, and while I knew my brother was partly to blame for all the shit he found himself in last year, he had every reason to resent these people. They didn’t fight for him. So easily they gave him up, didn’t they?
And I had every reason to hate her.
I moved to the doorway, leaning against the frame and watching her work.
Even if Damon came home, even if some miracle reconciled him with his friends, and there was no longer any bad blood, Kai Mori would still never be anything more to me than he was right now. Not with her around. He’d fucked her, because he’d wanted her, and even if that desire lessened over time, it would never disappear. Just look at her. The perfect package. Smart, rich, pretty. And they all just thought she was the sweetest thing, too.
I brought my hands up, absently cracking my knuckles, bending each finger back until I heard the cracks and pops.
Yeah, anger was better. I’d gotten so lost last night, sinking into how good everything felt, being held and touched and kissed…. But it brought nothing but confusion.
Anger was a straight line. It had a target.
“Do you need something?”
I blinked, raising my eyes. Rika had her head turned, looking at me over her shoulder as she panted. I hadn’t realized she’d noticed me.
Unable to hide my amusement, I slowly stepped in the room, moving toward her. Damon and I had both inherited our father’s methodical nature, but Damon also had some patience. I didn’t.
“Have you ever actually been in a fight?” I asked, gesturing to the dummy.
“Yes. Why?” She straightened her back, making herself a little taller.
I walked around the wooden Wing Chun, appraising her. “You spend a lot of time on your stance and your form,” I told her. “Most people who fight are fighting to survive. There are no rules. No fair play. No time to maintain proper striking distance. All your plans will go out the window.”
“Don’t worry,” she assured me. “I know how to pull hair, scratch, and kick if I need to.”
“And bite,” I added, watching her turn back to her dummy. “When Damon ties you up again, show him what a scrapper you are. It’ll amuse him.”
She whipped around, fury in her eyes.
And I couldn’t stop the smile that peeked out. Yeah, I know all about Pithom, Michael’s family’s yacht, last year and how he scared her. Not that I approved at the time, but God, I hoped he was going to do everything he could to make trouble for her now.
I dropped my voice. “I know you kept the guys from going after him last year. I know you insist on staying at the penthouse alone, without protection, when Michael’s out of town.” I inched forward, not blinking once. “I also know you like a man’s hands on you, and they don’t necessarily have to be your fiancé’s, do they? So, when Damon comes for you, be sure to put up a good, little fight for measure, okay? That way Michael believes your lies when you tell him you didn’t want every inch of it.”
Her face twisted in fury, and she growled, swinging back her fist and knocking me across the jaw. I stumbled a step to the side, losing my breath and closing my eyes on reflex.
But the heat of adrenaline flooded my chest. Yes.
I quickly righted myself again, forcing myself to face her. The ache sank deep into the bone, and my skin burned. Touching the corner of my lip, I pulled my hand back, seeing blood on my fingertips.
“Thank you,” I told her.
Using everything I had, I twisted and whipped the back of my hand across her face, sending her flying to the floor. She caught herself, landing on her hands and knees, and I could hear her sucking in air, the wind having been knocked out of her. She pounded her fists onto the floor once, growling in anger, and before I knew it, she twisted around, lunged for me, and shoved her hands into my chest, both of us tumbling back onto the mats.
“What the fuck is your problem?” she bellowed, crashing down on top of me.
But I swung us around, sending her to the ground with me straddling her instead. Grabbing the blonde hair on the top of her head, I leaned in. “Just keeping your world in perspective, Erika Fane! Not everyone bows at your feet!”
I pounded my fist down into her face, but she shoved at me, making me lose my hold. I gripped her neck instead and slammed her twice more.
She snarled, knocking my hat off my head and yanking my hair, forcing my head down and my scalp to scream. I winced in pain.
Dammit!
I should’ve cut off my hair. Years ago. It was just the only part of me that was still Nik and not Banks, and I’d hung onto it for some reason.
I lost my hold on her, giving her just enough time to push me off. She released me, sitting up and throwing out her leg, kicking me in the stomach.
And I couldn’t breathe. My throat closed, and I struggled to inhale. I coughed, hunching over. Did my stomach go through my goddamn spine?
“Are you done?” she shouted, and I noticed she had a trickle of blood coming out of her nose.
A momentary pang of satisfaction hit me through the pain. She’d made me bleed, after all. It was only fair.
“Not just yet.” I launched for her, grabbing her neck again and curling my fingers so hard, my nails dug into her skin.
She gasped, her eyes going wide as she grabbed for my wrist. I knew I’d broken the skin.
Hands grabbed me from behind and pulled me away, off her.
“What the hell?” I heard Kai growl. I whipped my head around, briefly turning my glare on him.
He was still in his workout pants from before, but now sweat matted the ends of his hair and his chest glistened.
“No, screw that!” Rika shoved at Kai, seething. “Let’s finish this!”
I laughed under my breath, seeing the four crimson half-moons tattooed into her skin over her jugular where a small scar she already had sat. I gazed down at my nails, seeing blood mixed with the dirt.
I lurched for her again, but Kai caught me, yanking me back.
“Enough!” He came between us, yelling. “Everyone is watching you two. What the hell is going on?”
Bystanders lingered outside the room, peeking in at the commotion. Turning back to Rika, I sucked at the cut in my cheek and spit the blood at her feet.
She launched for me again.
“Dammit!” Kai gripped me by the collar, pushing me back. He pointed his finger in my face, his teeth bared as he fixed me with a warning look.
Turning back to Rika, he tilted her head up, checking her bloody nose. “Are you okay?”
Is she okay? Your little princess threw the first punch, asshole.
“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?” he finally asked. “Okay, then. If you were me, in my situation, what would you do to strengthen your hold on all your irons in the fire? You said we were weak. Where? With what?”
I nearly laughed. Was he serious?
I strolled back down the hallway, suddenly intrigued. “Are you asking me for advice?”
“I’m asking you to put your money where your smart mouth is, brat,” he bit out. “Pretend you run my crew now. What do you do?”
“What makes you think I’d help you?”
“Because I think you’re dying for some real use of your skills.”
Well, he was right there. Kai wasn’t using me to my full potential, and I loved having a seat at the table. I’d kill to tell him exactly what I thought of him and his junior high operation.
I stopped at the entrance to the workout room and stood back, watching Rika throw blocks against her Wing Chun Dummy. She maneuvered, hitting the posts fast but methodical, pausing every so often to correct her stance.
And it suddenly hit me.
Michael was stroking my pride.
“Sensou” meant “war” in Japanese. This place, the name, what they did here…it was part of a larger goal.
Rika might be soft, but she was training. Michael might be careless, but he was aware. Will might be weak, but he had Kai.
And Kai was getting ready.
These people were my enemies.
“If I were you,” I replied calmly. “The first thing I’d do is fire me. I’m not your friend.”
And I ended the call.
I wanted this over.
I was sick of the go-around and waiting, and while I knew my brother was partly to blame for all the shit he found himself in last year, he had every reason to resent these people. They didn’t fight for him. So easily they gave him up, didn’t they?
And I had every reason to hate her.
I moved to the doorway, leaning against the frame and watching her work.
Even if Damon came home, even if some miracle reconciled him with his friends, and there was no longer any bad blood, Kai Mori would still never be anything more to me than he was right now. Not with her around. He’d fucked her, because he’d wanted her, and even if that desire lessened over time, it would never disappear. Just look at her. The perfect package. Smart, rich, pretty. And they all just thought she was the sweetest thing, too.
I brought my hands up, absently cracking my knuckles, bending each finger back until I heard the cracks and pops.
Yeah, anger was better. I’d gotten so lost last night, sinking into how good everything felt, being held and touched and kissed…. But it brought nothing but confusion.
Anger was a straight line. It had a target.
“Do you need something?”
I blinked, raising my eyes. Rika had her head turned, looking at me over her shoulder as she panted. I hadn’t realized she’d noticed me.
Unable to hide my amusement, I slowly stepped in the room, moving toward her. Damon and I had both inherited our father’s methodical nature, but Damon also had some patience. I didn’t.
“Have you ever actually been in a fight?” I asked, gesturing to the dummy.
“Yes. Why?” She straightened her back, making herself a little taller.
I walked around the wooden Wing Chun, appraising her. “You spend a lot of time on your stance and your form,” I told her. “Most people who fight are fighting to survive. There are no rules. No fair play. No time to maintain proper striking distance. All your plans will go out the window.”
“Don’t worry,” she assured me. “I know how to pull hair, scratch, and kick if I need to.”
“And bite,” I added, watching her turn back to her dummy. “When Damon ties you up again, show him what a scrapper you are. It’ll amuse him.”
She whipped around, fury in her eyes.
And I couldn’t stop the smile that peeked out. Yeah, I know all about Pithom, Michael’s family’s yacht, last year and how he scared her. Not that I approved at the time, but God, I hoped he was going to do everything he could to make trouble for her now.
I dropped my voice. “I know you kept the guys from going after him last year. I know you insist on staying at the penthouse alone, without protection, when Michael’s out of town.” I inched forward, not blinking once. “I also know you like a man’s hands on you, and they don’t necessarily have to be your fiancé’s, do they? So, when Damon comes for you, be sure to put up a good, little fight for measure, okay? That way Michael believes your lies when you tell him you didn’t want every inch of it.”
Her face twisted in fury, and she growled, swinging back her fist and knocking me across the jaw. I stumbled a step to the side, losing my breath and closing my eyes on reflex.
But the heat of adrenaline flooded my chest. Yes.
I quickly righted myself again, forcing myself to face her. The ache sank deep into the bone, and my skin burned. Touching the corner of my lip, I pulled my hand back, seeing blood on my fingertips.
“Thank you,” I told her.
Using everything I had, I twisted and whipped the back of my hand across her face, sending her flying to the floor. She caught herself, landing on her hands and knees, and I could hear her sucking in air, the wind having been knocked out of her. She pounded her fists onto the floor once, growling in anger, and before I knew it, she twisted around, lunged for me, and shoved her hands into my chest, both of us tumbling back onto the mats.
“What the fuck is your problem?” she bellowed, crashing down on top of me.
But I swung us around, sending her to the ground with me straddling her instead. Grabbing the blonde hair on the top of her head, I leaned in. “Just keeping your world in perspective, Erika Fane! Not everyone bows at your feet!”
I pounded my fist down into her face, but she shoved at me, making me lose my hold. I gripped her neck instead and slammed her twice more.
She snarled, knocking my hat off my head and yanking my hair, forcing my head down and my scalp to scream. I winced in pain.
Dammit!
I should’ve cut off my hair. Years ago. It was just the only part of me that was still Nik and not Banks, and I’d hung onto it for some reason.
I lost my hold on her, giving her just enough time to push me off. She released me, sitting up and throwing out her leg, kicking me in the stomach.
And I couldn’t breathe. My throat closed, and I struggled to inhale. I coughed, hunching over. Did my stomach go through my goddamn spine?
“Are you done?” she shouted, and I noticed she had a trickle of blood coming out of her nose.
A momentary pang of satisfaction hit me through the pain. She’d made me bleed, after all. It was only fair.
“Not just yet.” I launched for her, grabbing her neck again and curling my fingers so hard, my nails dug into her skin.
She gasped, her eyes going wide as she grabbed for my wrist. I knew I’d broken the skin.
Hands grabbed me from behind and pulled me away, off her.
“What the hell?” I heard Kai growl. I whipped my head around, briefly turning my glare on him.
He was still in his workout pants from before, but now sweat matted the ends of his hair and his chest glistened.
“No, screw that!” Rika shoved at Kai, seething. “Let’s finish this!”
I laughed under my breath, seeing the four crimson half-moons tattooed into her skin over her jugular where a small scar she already had sat. I gazed down at my nails, seeing blood mixed with the dirt.
I lurched for her again, but Kai caught me, yanking me back.
“Enough!” He came between us, yelling. “Everyone is watching you two. What the hell is going on?”
Bystanders lingered outside the room, peeking in at the commotion. Turning back to Rika, I sucked at the cut in my cheek and spit the blood at her feet.
She launched for me again.
“Dammit!” Kai gripped me by the collar, pushing me back. He pointed his finger in my face, his teeth bared as he fixed me with a warning look.
Turning back to Rika, he tilted her head up, checking her bloody nose. “Are you okay?”
Is she okay? Your little princess threw the first punch, asshole.
