Brie's Tokyo Tryst (Submissive in Love, #1) (9 page)

Sir paid the cab that had been waiting for them, and
took Brie for a walk instead. As they made their leisurely way down
the quiet streets of the neighborhood, it was charming to hear the
families gathered at their dinner tables, talking and laughing from
open windows in the numerous apartment houses surrounding the
studio.

The full moon was so bright that everything
was visible, covered in its pale blue light. Brie tentatively took
Sir’s hand. He squeezed it and smiled down at her. “Who are you,
téa?”

She looked deep into his eyes and stated
proudly, “I’m a condor, Master.”

He nodded, gently affirming, “Yes, we both
are.”

Sir took a detour when he saw a park set in
the center of the apartment buildings. They walked down the
wandering path, taking in the unique beauty of the foliage tinted
by moonlight. The night had an almost fairyland quality to it.

Sir directed her to sit under a large cherry
tree, the sweet scent of its blossoms drifting down from the
branches. He asked her to lie down in the grass, then his hands
began their exploration of her, passing over her clothing first
before seeking more intimate access underneath the thin
material.

She smiled up at him lustfully, adoring how
cute he looked framed by the blossoms of the tree above.

“You are more than a condor, téa,” he said,
leaning over her. Sir added in a whisper, “You’re also my
babygirl.” Her heart melted when he bent down and kissed her in the
silvery moonlight. Their hands sought each other out, rubbing,
caressing and teasing each other. The sexual excitement created by
Tono’s performance only added fuel to their raging fire.

When Sir covered her mouth and growled,
“Come for me,” Brie shuddered in orgasmic release, moaning into his
hand.

Afterwards she begged, “Now let me please
you, Master.”

Sir lay down beside her and unzipped his
pants, putting her hand on his stiff cock. Brie rubbed it, then
stuck her fingers underneath the material of his briefs. She
stroked his shaft with a slow, tight grip moving from base to tip,
just the way he liked it. When his breath became ragged, she added
a twist of her wrist to bring him over the edge.

Sir grabbed the back of her head, forcing
her lips onto his cock. Brie gratefully swallowed his essence, but
as she did so she heard voices in the distance.

Brie released her hold on his shaft so Sir
could zip his pants. Then they sat up and he gathered her into his
arms, whispering sweet nothings in her ear as the old couple waved
at them while they slowly shuffled past.

Brie waved back, sighing in contentment. It
seemed like a dream, being here in Sir’s arms—as her lover and
Master.

Could anything be more romantic?

The Kiss

B
rie spent the morning
giggling over Japanese television in their hotel room, while Sir
met with potential clients. Her sides ached from laughing so hard
at the practical jokes played on unsuspecting bystanders—it was
pure silliness.

Suddenly, the screen changed as the local
newscast broke in. Brie instantly recognized the private hospital
and a cold chill ran down her spine when Master Nosaka’s photo
popped onto the screen with the dates of his birth…and death.

She picked up her cell and called Sir to
inform him of the tragic news.

“Go to the hospital,” Sir instructed.
“Nosaka will need you now.”

Brie jumped into a cab, handing the man
extra money and begging him to hurry. The cabbie had to park far
from the hospital as a barricade had already been put up. Brie
pushed through the reporters, as well as Master Nosaka’s many
supporters, but she was stopped at the door by security.

She would not be denied and started
screaming, “Tono! Tono Nosaka!” when she saw him through the glass
doors. He turned at the sound of her voice, then nodded to a staff
member beside him. The security guard did not open the door until
he got verbal approval.

Tono looked at her with a sad smile when she
walked up to him. “Brie…”

She buried her head in his chest as she
wrapped her arms around him. He was stiff and unyielding, his whole
body shaking with unreleased grief. She looked up into his sad,
chocolate-brown eyes and whispered, “Breathe with me, Tono.”

He let out a subtle but heartbreaking groan.
Her cheeks became wet as she cried the tears he was unable to shed.
Brie squeezed him tighter, making a point to breathe slowly and
deeply. She sensed his initial resistance, but in time his breath
slowed to match hers.

They stood in the middle of the bustling
hospital, in tune with each other, but oblivious to everything else
as his sorrow became hers and her strength became his.

Finally, Tono whispered, “He’s gone.”

Brie nodded, knowing how great his loss was.
Not only had he just lost a parent, but his teacher and mentor.

“I’m so sorry.”

Tono shook his head, fighting to maintain
composure. “I will not cry, not here.”

She took his hand and squeezed it. “Let’s go
somewhere private.”

He led her out of the hospital, trying to
guide her through the crowd of reporters to get to his car. To
Brie’s surprise and gratitude, Master Nosaka’s fans pushed back the
journalists to make a safe path for his son.

Tono drove away in excruciating silence, his
grief overwhelming her with its darkness and depth. Brie struggled
to breathe slowly as she accepted the onslaught of his crushing
emotions.

Tono took her to Shinjuku Gyoen, a beautiful
city park filled with over a thousand blooming cherry trees and the
soothing sound of moving water. He walked with long strides,
oblivious to her desperate attempts to keep up with him. She
followed as close as she could while he led her deep into the park.
Tono stopped for a brief moment when he came to a bridge, before he
crossed over it to a small island dominated by an ancient tree.

There he sat under its immense branches and
began to sob as he stared at the water—a black hole of grief Brie
could not hope to penetrate. She settled beside him and the two sat
in collective grief.

Eventually, when the tears stopped, he
spoke. “Thank you.”

She looked at him questioningly. “For
what?”

“For being here, for not asking questions or
trying to comfort me with meaningless words.”

“I can’t begin to know your pain, but this
garden,” she said, looking around, “it is a good place to mourn,
Tono.”

He tilted his head back and rested it
against the tree. “It doesn’t seem real. A man of great strength
and wisdom is gone, yet the day continues unaffected.” He turned to
look at her. “It is both tragic and reassuring to me.”

Brie smiled sadly.

“To never hear his praise again, or his
correction—I can’t fathom it.”

“Neither can I.”

He looked at her with fresh tears in his
eyes. “
Otosama
is dead.”

The pain behind his statement crushed her.
“But you’re not alone, Tono. I’m here with you.”

His eyes reflected even deeper sorrow. “I
wish that were true.”

She squeezed his arm reassuringly. “It is!
I’ll always be here for you—both Sir and I will.”

Tono looked deep into her eyes. It was the
kind of gaze that was disconcerting because of its raw
intensity.

“Brie, I…”

“What?” she urged when he stopped.

“I’ve kept something from you. Something
I’ve been hesitant to share, even though it has been eating me
alive.”

“I
knew
you were hiding something
from me. Please, Tono, I need to know.”

He looked at her uncertainly, then nodded.
“My father said something just before you arrived in Japan.
Something that has tormented me ever since he mentioned it.” He let
out a long, drawn-out sigh, looking up towards the sky.

When Tono said nothing more, she encouraged
him. “Whatever it is, I’m sure he never meant to hurt you. It’s
obvious that your father loved you very much.”

He shook his head. “Brie, I’ve heard many
words of criticism over the years, and have no problem receiving
them.”

“What is it, then?” she asked, suddenly
concerned when she saw the look of agony on his face. What terrible
secret had his father shared?

Tono groaned, hitting the back of his head
against the tree and closing his eyes. “My father said he was
sorry.”

She was relieved to hear it, but couldn’t
understand his odd reaction. “Why would that make you upset, Tono?
I don’t understand.”

Tono refused to look at her when he
explained, “
Otosama
apologized for being wrong about
you.”

Brie’s heart skipped a beat. She said
nothing as the gravity of those words slowly sank in.

With eyes still closed, he told her, “As he
lay dying, he said it troubled him deeply knowing that he’d
influenced your decision at the collaring ceremony.”

The joy she felt that Tono’s father had come
to believe she was worthy of his son was tempered by the fact that
it had changed the course of the evening—of both their lives.

Tono opened his eyes and turned towards her.
“Thoughts spurred on by his confession have plagued me ever since,
especially when my father admitted that you and I shared something
he’d never known. He wished he hadn’t taken that from me and begged
for my forgiveness.”

Brie stared ahead, reliving that night and
his father’s cold rejection of her. She asked quietly, “Did you
give it to him, Tono? Your forgiveness?”

“Of course. It wasn’t done maliciously.”

Master Nosaka’s rejection on graduation
night had forced Brie to make a decision she hadn’t been prepared
to make. It had led her into the arms of Sir—her Master.

Tono stroked her cheek lightly. “If my
father had said nothing, everything would be different, and that’s
what constantly haunts my thoughts now.”

She closed her eyes, rocked by the
revelation.

“Toriko…”

Brie opened her eyes when Tono’s warm lips
pressed against hers. She could feel his desperate need for
connection—a connection that could release him from the pain and
grief.

She instinctively pulled away and jumped to
her feet. “No!” She ran from Tono, frightened by his emotional need
as well as her desire to meet it.

“I’m sorry, Brie…” he called after her. “It
was a mistake. There’s no need to run from me.”

She stumbled blindly out of the park,
grabbing the first taxi she could find. Brie wrung her hands in the
cab, wondering how she would explain it to Sir. Would he be
understanding or angry, punishing Tono for this transgression?

In her heart, Brie understood the reason
behind Tono’s kiss. He was in agony and longed for the natural
connection they shared to alleviate his suffering. The Asian Dom
was a man of high principles, but in his raw grief he had given in
to his human need.

She arrived at the hotel and anxiously
waited for Sir’s return. Rather than disturb him at his meeting,
Brie undressed and knelt at the door. She contemplated how to break
the news, praying she would be successful in swaying his reaction
towards Tono.

Thankfully, all her worries were for
nothing. When Sir opened the door and saw her, a slow smile spread
across his face. “My beautiful pet…”

He walked over and placed his hand on her
head, stating quietly, “Stand and serve your Master.”

She stood up gracefully, her eyes not
leaving his. “Sir…”

He put his finger to her lips. “I know,
Brie. Nosaka informed me what happened.”

“It was an acci—”

He shook his head. “Although it was
not
an accident, I do believe it was a gut reaction to the
death of his father.” He brushed her cheek lightly. “I knew you
would bring him comfort at this difficult time, but this was
uncharacteristic of him. I noticed a similar breach of protocol
when we scened together a few nights ago and he called you toriko.
At the time, I had assumed it was a simple slip, him using his sub
name for you, but now…” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “There is
something else going on. I’m certain of it.” Sir tilted her head
up. “Did he tell you what that is?”