Dearly Beloved (Siren Publishing Allure) (20 page)

Eriko looked at him oddly at first. “Oh. You know?”

Tomio nodded. “Yes.”

Akira started up the car and continued on to their destination. Daiki and the others had arrived and were casing out the joint. Except for the guards at the gate, Ren Ayase didn’t seem to have much protection.

“Was it your idea to kidnap her?”

Eriko nodded. “She is in the way.”

“Of what?” Tomio asked.

“Of the two of us getting back together again,” Eriko answered.

“We’re never getting back together,” Tomio said to her. “I thought I made myself clear on that. I’ve moved on. You should, too.”

“But we were so good together,” Eriko said. “Things were good between us until Rika confessed to you.”

“Don’t blame her,” Tomio said. “I was never in love with you.”

Eriko frowned at him. “You were, too. You told me so.”

“Men lie,” Tomio said just to make her angry. “The only woman I have ever loved is my wife.”

Eriko folded her arms and pouted like a child. “My brother is thinking about making her his mistress.”

Tomio raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Eriko sighed. “He’s taken a fancy to your bitch.”

Tomio fought the urge to strangle Eriko. The news was good though. That meant Ebony might still be alive.

“How does he propose to do that? Does he plan to keep her in the same house as his wife?”

“Yes,” Eriko said. “Chieko is stupid. She would never catch on.”

“Not unless you tell her.”

“Don’t think I won’t do it,” Eriko said. “I don’t like your wife, and I surely don’t want to live with her.”

“My wife doesn’t like you either.” Tomio teased. “If you brother has laid one finger on her, I will kill the both of you.”

Eriko moved away from him.

“Call him and hand me the phone.”

Eriko pulled her cell phone out of her purse and dialed a number. “Ren, it’s me, Eriko. Tomio wants to speak to you.” She handed the phone to him.

There was a lot of cursing on the other end. “This is Tomio. I know you have my wife.” Ren said something highly inappropriate about fucking Ebony.

“I have your sister. How much is she worth to you?” Eriko would die if she’d heard his answer. He’d told Tomio to kill her. “Don’t think I won’t.” He hung up and tossed the phone to Eriko. “Where is my wife?”

Eriko put the phone away. “Why would I tell you?”

Tomio reached over, grabbed her chin, and squeezed hard. “I don’t need you to answer.” They were almost to the Ayase compound. The first hand grenade went off. The gates were gone when Akira pulled up. There was smoke everywhere and bodies on the ground. The first SUV went through, followed by several more. Akira followed them in.

“What do you plan to do, Tomio?” Eriko asked. “You can’t just barge into my home like this.”

“The hell I can’t,” Tomio said. “Watch me.”

* * * *

Ebony woke up to the sound of an explosion. The room was dark and several guards were standing next to her. “What’s going on?”

“The compound is under attack,” one of them said to her.

“Then why aren’t you guys out helping?”

One of them looked at her as if he wanted to strangle her. “We are under orders to keep an eye on you.”

Ebony stretched. “I’m eight months pregnant. What does your boss assume I will do?”

“It’s not our place to question him,” the other one said.

“But you’d rather lose your lives because your boss has a pissing contest with my husband?”

The two guards looked at each other. Neither of them moved so she suspected the answer to be “yes.”

The sound of gunfire got louder and closer. One of the guards looked a bit nervous. She hoped he had no plans on shooting her on his way to help his boss.

Chieko Ayase came running into the room. “Go help, Ren,” she said to the two men.

“Boss told us to stay here,” one of them said to her.

“Your boss’ ass is in trouble,” the short Japanese female said to him. “They have the place surrounded.”

The two guards left just as the right wall came down on the side of the room.

Chieko screamed as the dust and debris cleared. Akira appeared. Ebony was glad to see him.

“Bothersome female,” he said to her. “Leave it to you to get yourself kidnapped.”

Tomio appeared next. Ebony ran to him. “Don’t run,” he scolded. He was loaded down with weapons like something out of a Rambo movie.

Akira untied the rope from the armored SUV they had arrived in. “My mechanic is going to have a fit when he finds out what I did to this car.”

“Tomio, this is Chieko Ayase, Ren’s wife. She’s been very nice to me.”

“I’ll remember that,” Tomio said. He bowed. “Thank you for looking after my wife.”

“Is Ren dead?” she asked.

Tomio shrugged. “I don’t know. We just got here.”

Ebony couldn’t care one way or the other. She was just so glad to see Tomio and Akira.

“We have your sister-in-law.”

“Drop her off in a river,” Chieko said following them out to the SUV. “This is all her fault anyway.”

Ebony looked at Tomio and tried not to laugh. They climbed into the SUV. Eriko looked at her and then turned her head. “If I were you, I wouldn’t press my luck,” Ebony said to her. “I won’t be pregnant forever.”

“Tomio, your wife just threatened me,” Eriko said as they headed to the front of the compound.

“She’s only telling you the truth,” Tomio said.

There were police cars everywhere when they made it to what was left of the front gate. Some of the officers stopped Akira. Akira got out and said something to them. Eriko opened the car door and tried to run. Ebony watched her. She shook her head. One of the police officers caught up with her. “Wearing high heels will do it every time,” she said.

“Is your wife okay, Mr. Nakamura?” One of the officers asked him.

“Yes,” Tomio replied.

“We’re going to need her to come down to the station and press charges.”

“She’ll be there,” Tomio said. The man closed the door. Akira got back into the car and they drove off.

“Is there anywhere in particular you would like me to bring you until this blows over, Mrs. Ayase?”

“My parents’ home,” Chieko said. She gave Akira the address. “If Ren is still alive, he will come for me there.”

Tomio looked at Ebony and shook his head.

Ebony sighed. Chieko had a very long wait.

“Push,” the doctor told Ebony for what seemed like the thousandth time.

Ebony was so tired after being in labor for nearly twelve hours. If this baby didn’t come out soon, she was going to reach her hand inside and pull him out. She inhaled and pushed as if her life depended it on her.

“That’s it, baby, you’re doing great,” Tomio said from somewhere behind her. He held her shoulders while the doctor pulled from the other end.

“I can see the head,” the doctor said. “Boy, that’s a lot of hair.”

Ebony took a break and continued to breath. The doctor had given her something to numb her from the waist down. She wasn’t in pain, but she could still feel the twisting and the turning to get the baby through the birth canal.

“I’m going to need you to push one more time,” the doctor said to her.

“I’m too exhausted.”

Someone mopped the sweat from her brow. It was probably Tomio. “Come on, Ebony, baby. I know you can do it.”

“You’re having the next one,” Ebony said as he lifted her shoulders. She inhaled and then pushed at the doctor’s command. The baby slid out of her. There was some suction, a slap, and then a healthy wail.

“It’s a boy,” the doctor said happily.

Tomio shouted. “I have a son.”

Ebony lay back on the bed exhausted and glad it was over. “At least give me some credit.”

“Thanks, babe,” Tomio said.

The doctor continued to work on her while the nurse cleaned up and measured their son.

“Ten pounds and eight ounces,” someone said. “Twenty-one-inches long.”

“He’s going to be a basketball player,” the doctor said with a chuckle.

The nurse eventually brought the baby over to her. Ebony looked down at him. He had blotchy skin, big cheeks, and a head full of ebony hair. “He looks just like you.”

“Of course he does,” the proud dad said taking the baby away from her. The baby started crying. “And he has your temperament.”

The doctor stood up. “Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Nakamura.”

“Thank you,” they both said.

Ebony closed her eyes. Tomio could handle things while she took a little nap.

* * * *

Ebony woke up in a strange room surrounded by flowers, balloons, and stuffed animals. She tried to sit up but there was an IV in her right hand.

“She’s finally up.” It sounded like Gina.

A feminine face looked down at her. It was her sister-in-law.

“Congratulations. The baby is beautiful, healthy, and has ten fingers and toes.”

“Let the woman breathe,” Eiji said, coming up next to his wife. “You did well, Ebony. My father would be so proud.”

“Thanks,” Ebony said as she used the button to bring her bed to a seated position. Tomio was on the other side of the room sleeping peacefully in a chair. “What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s been on daddy call most of the night,” Gina said. “The nurses are all in love with him. He’s been feeding the baby and changing his diaper.”

Ebony smiled. He told her he would be there every step of the way. So far, he had made good on that promise.

Tomio woke up. “Wow, how long have I been asleep?”

“About an hour,” Eiji answered. “You better get up. The men are waiting for you to come home to celebrate.”

“What are you guys celebrating?” Ebony asked.

Tomio stood up and stretched. “The birth of my son.”

“Don’t you mean our son?” Ebony asked.

Tomio chuckled. “Yes, our son.”

“I thought so,” Ebony said.

“Maybe I should have a girl,” Gina said.

Eiji grinned at her. “I’m still going to act the same way. This is a new generation. The days of the
nee-san
just being a figure head is obsolete.”

Ebony smiled.
Hmm, an equal opportunity mob. Go figure.

Ebony was alone by the time the nurse brought the baby to her. It was the first time she had a chance to bond with him. “Hello little, guy, I’m your mother.” The baby yawned, opened his eyes, and gazed at her. “You’re a cutie, and I’m not just saying that because I carried you in my stomach for nine months.”

The baby gooed at her.

“It soon will be time to give you a name. Since you’re half Japanese, I guess you’ll have to have a Japanese name so your friends won’t tease you.”

The baby yawned again.

“I’m keeping you awake, aren’t I?” She reached over for the bottle the nurse had brought in with her, and put the nipple into his mouth. He latched onto it and began sucking strongly. The door opened and Tomio walked in. “What are you doing here? I thought you were celebrating with your friends.”

“I’d much rather be here with you,” he said, coming over and looking down at their son. “He’s a beautiful child, just like his mother.”

Ebony sniffed him. He hadn’t been drinking. “We’re going to have to name him.”

“Tomio’s son is a nice strong name.”

“So is Winnie the Pooh,” Ebony replied. “He needs his own name. Something strong and manly, like Nori.”

“I like it,” Tomio said. “Nori Hajime Nakamura.”

“I think it’s a fine name,” Ebony said. “Do you think Akira would mind being his godfather?”

Tomio looked at her oddly. “No, but I’m surprised that you chose him.”

“He’s been at your side since childhood, and Nori may be the closest thing he may have to a child.”

“I’ll ask him,” Tomio said.

The baby emptied his bottle and kept sucking. “He’s greedy.” She put the baby on her shoulder and patted his back. The baby burped loudly. “And he’s a guy.”

Tomio took the baby away from her. “I can’t wait to teach him baseball.”

“I thought you said he was going to be a basketball player.”

“He can do both,” Tomio said. “When can we begin creating his sister?”

Ebony pulled up the covers. “Not for at least six weeks, and after that, when hell freezes over.”

“I love you,” Tomio said to her.

“I love you, too.” Tomio didn’t hear her. He was too busy cooing at his son.

Six weeks did not go by fast enough for him. Tomio was in a meeting with his people and not paying attention to what was going on. His mind was on getting busy with his wife, who had lost most of the baby weight and rocking some serious curves.