Akira Tong for Christmas (19 page)

“I’m not leaving,” I ground out.

“If I have to put you to sleep and put you on a plane, I will. Please don’t make me.” I gasped, pushed away, and stared at him, wide-mouthed and wide-eyed. He was so serious. I couldn’t stop the tears, the stupid tears.

“Please, you’re killing me.”

I choked on a sob. “
I’m
killing you!” I swiped angrily at the tears and shook my head, suffocating on the boulder of pain in my chest. “You’re killing
me
!” My words impaled him. I could see it as plain is if I’d stabbed him right in the chest. But it was true.

And I wouldn’t take it back.

Whoever it was knocked harder, longer.

I slapped on my wig. “We are here for the duration of this holiday, Mr. Tong,” I muttered, mashing my brows in place. “And you, kind sir, have invited us to be guests in your lovely home, and I plan on at least being here until that time is up.” I fixed my beard. I’d taken the contacts out, and there was no getting them back in. Oh well, I’d just let everyone know I wore contacts and they were irritating me, if they even cared to ask.

Japanese sounded from outside the door.

“God, that bitch,” Akira muttered, turning to me. “You can leave out this door.” He dragged me to it.

“It goes into the garden. Please watch your step!” He leaned to kiss me and ended up kissing my forehead.

“Breakfast will likely be served. Make your way to the kitchen. I want you in my sights at all times while you’re here. We’re throwing a party tonight. I’ll figure out how to get out of it. You hide in my closet, and I’ll meet you here at nine o’clock tonight.”

I nodded, flooded with relief at hearing he was cooperating with my stubborn demand. I’d figure out what to do before the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve. I’d figure out how to get Akira out of this mess. Just needed to find out exactly what that mess was.

Chapter Seventeen

That night, I got tired of waiting for Akira and went to Anna’s room, miserable.

“Why are you in here?” Anna asked, stumbling into her guest bedroom. I glanced at her from where I sat perched on the bed.
Must be nice to be having such a grand ole time.

“Because that Kat bitch out there no doubt refused to take her sights off Akira. I got tired of waiting in his closet and came here.”

“Awwww, honey,” she slurred, kicking off her heels. “Well, guess what I found out?” she sang, then giggled.

I regarded her with a glare, hating that I was dressed like an ugly man while she was all gorgeous.

“Hopefully more than I have. All I’ve been doing is getting followed around this house by ten maids with dusters. I swear, it’s like they’re trying to clean me right out of the damn place. Am I some kind of bad omen or what? Do I stink?”

She giggled. “I asked Nobu. He said it’s part of the tradition. They do like a spring cleaning before the New Year. Clean away all the bad from the homes to start the New Year all sparkly.” She sat and leaned into me. “Aww, don’t look like that. They don’t think you’re all baaaad.” I shoved her off. “What did you find out?” I demanded, in no mood to put up with her silly drunk ass.

She flopped back on the bed with a sultry moan. “The things I
didn’t
find out, honey. Sissy’s not just havin’ fun, you know? I have been right on target.”

“Oh, I can see that. Bull’s-eye.”

She sucked in her breath. “Did you know that Nobu isn’t really Akira’s brother?” I jerked around at the news. “What do you mean?”

She struggled to sit up. “I mean, he’s not le-gi-ti-mate,” she articulated with a whisper, then snickered. “Oh, but spangled heavens above us, is he ever amazing in bed!” She sucked in a deep breath, then groaned like a cow before flopping back down. “The things he can do with his tongue. My God, what a dream come true. I wanna marry him so baaaad.”

“So that would explain why Akira isn’t giving him the empire?” Her head wobbled side to side. “Don’t know that part. Might be.” She got up on her elbows and fixed her face like an ugly gorilla. “Big dishonor on family name for this to come out,” she grumbled in a Japanese accent before collapsing back down with a cackle.

I needed a drink. “I need to find out more. Akira is not talking. If he thinks I’m leaving without knowing what’s going on, he is so, so very wrong.”

She rolled off the bed and began to strip. “Well, tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, baby, and don’t you worry. I’ll get more out of Nobu.” She danced in a circle while twirling her blouse and pumping her hip, even biting her lower lip like some kind of rock star fan, nose all crimped. I couldn’t help being disgusted with her. While she paraded the grounds as a beauty queen, I strutted around the place like a cotton-pickin’ cross-dressed ape.

“I swear if I have to watch Akira be all sweet to Kat one more time, I’m going to vomit on his shoes.”

“It’s a full day ahead tomorrow,” Anna sang. “Ring-a-ling-a-linging of the bell, dancing, eating, fireworks, woo-hoo.”

It was my turn to flop down on the bed. This was ridiculous. Something had better happen tomorrow.

* * * *

“You couldn’t find me better clothes than this?” I hissed at Anna, gawking at my reflection in the mirror. “I look like John-fucking-Wayne, Anna. Now come on!” Anna’s eyes got wide, and then she exploded with laughter.

I growled, straightening the stupid cowboy-buckle-sized pendent, of all things, at my neck. “I’m beginning to think you’re just having a blast making me look as stupid as you can.” She blanched like she was so offended. “Sarah Jane!” Then she busted out laughing again.

I glared at her, pulling at the stupid leather vest under the stupid suede blazer. Shit brown, no less.

With hunter-green trim. Like goddamned Mr. Rogers. “I’m not wearing that cowboy hat. You’ve lost your mind. I swear.”

Anna held the counter, breathless with silent cackles.

“Oh, laugh it up, baby. Your day is coming.”

“Come on, I hear the party’s started.” She began to strut toward the door, two steps forward and one step back.

I followed and shoved her.

The party really was started. The houseguests had arrived, all ages, shapes, and sizes. I clamped my jaw nice and tight and scanned the crowd. I spotted Akira and Kat, and my lip crawled up.
Look at her.

Sparkling red gown. Miss Universe
. I snatched a glass of wine from a passing server, needing to chill the hell out.

I downed it, not feeling much better. My gaze found Anna in her red velvet dress.
Ah, she’s found
Nobu. How sweet
. All happy couples accounted for.

A few kids ran into me, one squealing and using me like a blockade, hiding from the others, yanking me around. I pried their hands off. “Shoo, kids,” I growled.

They ran away, and I glanced around, stroking my stupid beard—then brows—making sure they were still glued tight.

I snatched another glass from one of the servers, sucking the contents through the cute party straw.

Eesh. That wasn’t wine. Nasty stuff. But it sure made the party more bearable. I searched around for Akira and found him staring at me with an odd expression. I raised my glass to him and saluted with a what-the-hell-is-your-problem smile. Was that pity on his face? Just what I needed—to feel as pathetic as I was. I drank the nasty contents till there was a loud slurp. Whooo, shit, that hit the mark.

I spotted a suspicious group entering the room. Older, dressed fancy. Now who could that be? I stared at the shorter man and tensed, recognizing him. Was that the man I’d seen on Google? Kat’s father?

Great.

I glanced at Akira, whose face appeared surprisingly pleasant. Not the brooding storminess I’d expected. And hoped for. In fact, he appeared quite chipper.

Kat leaned and whispered in his ear, and the smile he gave felt like a stab in my gut.

I walked up to one of the many tables and studied the array of food, stealing glances his way every few seconds. I took off the orange from one of the many snowman displays on the table. Nobu called it kagami mocha and one of the women informed her it was to be eaten on New Year’s for luck or something. Glaring at Akira, I began peeling the orange, needing all the luck I could get. He sure seemed to be having a blast. I split the peeled orange in half and bit into a slice. My face twisted, and I spit it out.

God. Couldn’t they at least pick ripe oranges?

I spotted Anna dragging Nobu onto the dance floor.
Ugh, look at her, dancing like a tramp.

I glanced at Akira and noticed Kat giving Anna the evil eye. Somebody didn’t like not having all the attention. Finally something to smile about.

That was till she pulled Akira to the dance floor. She signaled to somebody, and the music changed.

To the tango?

Wow. I grabbed another drink from the server and watched Akira and Kat dance like a couple of lovers in heat. Jealousy burned through me as I paced on the sidelines of this nightmare. God, that man.

Dressed in black slacks and a black long-sleeved shirt, sleeves rolled up. Son of a bitch. How could he?

I downed two more glasses, knowing it was a bad idea, but hell if I could bring myself to care while watching her rub her pussy all over his thigh. And him… Rage sizzled in my pores at how close he held her to his body. I was going to kill him.

The music changed again, and techno filled the air. I made my way to the dance floor. Two could play that game.

“Would you like to dance?” I asked one of the beautiful women standing on the sidelines.

She waved her hand in front of her face. What the hell did that even mean?

I moved on to the next seemingly available woman. “Would you like to dance?” I hiccuped. “’Scuse me.”

She smiled and bowed, then waved at somebody before leaving.

“Your loss,” I called out, stumbling into another woman and man. “Sorry ’bout that.” I nodded a howdy to the lovely lady. “Care to dance?”

She did that weird hand-wavy thing.

“Aw, come on, just one dance.” I reached for her arm and accidentally made her spill her drink.

The guy with her spoke harsh Japanese to me.

“Uhhh, what?” I put my hand to my ear. “Me no speak no Japaneso.” I snickered and slapped his arm.

By the smirk on his face, he didn’t get—or maybe like—the joke. I waved him off. Whatever. I searched for Anna. She’d dance with me. Least she’d better.

I tripped into people. “’Scuse me. Coming through.” I finally made it to Anna and grabbed her arm.

“Hey, sis, dance with me.”

She gawked at me. “You’re drunk!”

“Pffft.” I shrugged. “Not drunk, tipsy.” I pulled her a few steps over. “Dance with me.” The music changed as soon as we got on the floor—to a slow song. I looked around in disbelief.

“Well, I’ll be damned to hell.”

Kat danced her and Akira toward us, not content until she parked her ass right next to me and Anna.

What a bitch. I swear if I didn’t know better, she knew who I was. But no. This was all about Anna. My second me. At least now Akira seemed upset. Ho-ho, but not as upset as I was.

“Isn’t this party amazing?” Anna practically yelled at me.

I met her wide you-better-behave eyes.

Behave, huh. Like Akira? I glanced at him. What burned my ass was that I couldn’t even get him back by making him jealous with another guy!

I watched Kat whisper in his ear, then take his lobe between her lips.

Oh no. No, no, no, this was bullshit. “Hello? You might want to take that to the bedroom. This is a dance floor,” I yelled toward them.

Kat glanced at me, all surprised and shy, and Akira turned so that his back faced us!

“Jessie?” Anna called to me. “How about some fresh air?”

I glared at her, then at Akira. My stomach churned when I saw Kat’s fingers sliding up in his hair.

The pain made me sick.

“Come on, Jess, let’s go.” Anna literally dragged me off the dance floor and all the way to her room and pushed me down on the bed. “You’re staying in here till you sober up a bit.”

“Don’t fucking tell me what I’m gonna do. I’ll do whatever the hell I want to, ya hear me?” Anna sighed. “Sarah, don’t let it bother you. Just forget about it. I’m sure he has his reasons.”

“Oh, yeah, I’m so sure he does. And she’s standing right in front of him! Just get out.” I pointed at the door. “I don’t want to look at you in all your stinkin’ beauty. Go see your Nobu.” When she saw it was hopeless, she left.

That bastard. I’d show him.

I marched to Anna’s bathroom and began going through drawers. I finally found our special makeup.

And some scissors.

I stripped my clothes off and took my hair down. And then I chop…chop…chopped it all to hell. I got some gel and worked my magic. Oh, I had skills. I decked my face with plenty of sexy-fine makeup next. Then headed to Anna’s ridiculous supply of clothing and found the absolute perfect dress. Wait.

Dress?

I dug through other clothes, and my, my, my, what did I find? Red leather pants and matching jacket. I put the pants on and smiled. My ass was so damned fine in leather! I searched for a top and came up frustrated. Then I got a glance of myself in the mirror. Hmm. I grinned. That black lacy bra seemed mighty perfect, I thought.

I slipped on a pair of black spiked heels and the red leather jacket, liking how it showed off my midriff. Oh. My. I could’ve passed for one of those hot models on the cover of
Vogue
magazine!

Perfect. Just perfect.

I headed out, picking up another drink from one of the servers the second I arrived back at the party room. Little extra courage couldn’t hurt.

Why wasn’t I surprised to find Anna dancing her little heart out with Nobu? I searched for Akira and his whore. He was engaged in conversation with that man. Had to be Kat’s father.

I looked at the time. My, how it flew. It was already 11:45. Nearly New Year’s.

It didn’t take long for men to notice me. I snagged a real cute one and led him to the dance floor, and just as I expected, Kat latched on to Akira and led him out. It was like she had this inner sensor when other women were getting attention. Something alerted her, and off she went to take all the attention back for herself.