Akira Tong for Christmas (13 page)

Kat giggled. “Male fish sacs full of sperm are a delicacy in Japan.” My body locked up, and I slammed a hand on Akira’s arm just as my stomach and throat went in reverse. Oh God. I got up from the table, searching for someplace to spit. Akira was at my side with a bowl, and I spit the delicacy out. “Ugh!” I spit several times. Fish sacs! Another wave of nausea hit, and I strained out a long, loud retch, trying not to puke.

Nobu appeared with my wineglass. “Chase the taste away.”

I took it with a trembling hand and swallowed hard, forgetting what the hell I was drinking. But I remembered when I’d drained the glass and warmth oozed through my body. Uh-oh. “Thank you, much better, thank you. I am so, so sorry.” I nodded at Akira, patting his shoulder.

He led me back to the table. “You’ve had enough wine. Bring her some water.”

“Not a drinker, I see,” the father said. “This is a good thing.” I shook my head, then got dizzy. “Not a drinker, no. That I’m not. Oh!” I jerked my gaze away from that dish of sperm still next to my plate, and Nobu chuckled as he moved it away.

I fanned my face. “No offense, female fish eggs I can handle, but fish sac…” A tremor shook my body at the memory.

“Maybe some dessert.” Akira placed a dish of glazed strawberries and cake on my left.

“Yes!” I shook my silverware out of the napkin, all grace and poise shot to hell. The utensils clattered loudly onto the table as I got the fork and filled my dirty mouth with the delicious sweet.

“Mmmm, yes.” I nodded, eyes closed. “Yes, much better, mmmm.” The remainder of the meal went without incident, but several times I caught Kat giving me the stink eye. Great. Probably thought I was such a baby. Stealing all the attention. But when it came time to leave, she surprised me. “Sarah and I will go dress for the hot tub. I have extra swimwear she can use.”

“Oh.” I smiled, relieved and worried, not entirely sure what was at the bottom of her kindness yet.

“That sounds…lovely. Of course.”

Chapter Twelve

Akira brooded as we parted ways, especially after Nobu insisted on escorting me by the arm to the departing point. In Kat’s suite, my unease grew. There was just something about her swagger once we entered the lavish room of white and gold. Cocky, almost.

“Follow me.” She kicked off her heels as she entered her bedroom. Then began to strip down. In seconds, she’d shamelessly shed every garment of clothing and paraded stark naked, showing her perfect curves. Were those breasts real? My God, they were perfectly round and…and perfect. She looked at me, and I barely glanced away before being caught staring. “You like girls?” Okay, caught. “I’m sorry, what do you mean?”

She walked toward me, smiling. “You know…” She stopped just before me, maybe an inch shorter than me, staring into my eyes. She grabbed my hand and slid the backs of my fingers over her hard nipple.

I yanked it away. “No. I don’t. You’re beautiful, but I like men.” I blinked rapidly at her, wanting her to back up.

She held my gaze, thinking, searching, plotting? What was up with her? “Nobu is very sexy, yes?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Of course Akira is much more sexy.” She smiled at me. “He has a very large cock too.” Anger first, then fear, and finally jealousy twisted my gut. “Oh, that’s nice. You have a bathing suit for me?”

Her eyes brightened, and she transformed into an innocent sweetheart. “I have just the one for you.” She pulled out two identical bikinis and dangled them before me. “Two for the price of one?” She giggled. “We will be like twins. Nobu will love you in this, I think.” I held up the strings of material with inch-wide sections that I guessed were supposed to cover my vagina and nipples. Absolutely not. “I’m sorry. This isn’t suitable for such a meeting.”

“Of course it is. Very customary,” she insisted in a singsong voice.

I shook my head. “Not for me. It’s not customary for me. I have swimwear in my room. I’ll just go get it.”

“No, no, no,” she cooed. “How about this?” She waved a red one-piece, and I sighed in relief and nodded. “Yes, that will do.”

I changed in the bathroom after much insisting. The woman was nuts wanting me to get nude with her.

What angle was she working here? Whatever it was, it wasn’t anything good.

I stumbled—still half-drunk—with Kat to the suite where the torture tub awaited with two Asian male gods and their father. That bitch. Talked me into a drink before we left. I was so loaded off my ass!

She was definitely out to make a fool out of me. Well. I had news for her. I was nobody’s fool. Except Anna’s. And Akira’s. And…maybe his father’s. But that was it.

“Ah, there they are. I was about to go rescue you from Kat,” Nobu said, grinning from inside the…

way-too-small hot tub! We’d be touching in that confined space. And by the dark glower on Akira’s face, he’d already figured that out.

Nobu reached up to help Kat—who made quite the show of disrobing—down into the tub next to Akira. He held a hand out to me next, and nothing I told myself could make me remove the thin wrap hiding my body from that leering letch grinning at me. I walked over and set down the borrowed black bag that held my clothes. Reluctantly I accepted his hand and stepped in.

“What about your wrap?” he asked, clearly perplexed.

I sat in the water and smiled. “It’s an American custom to leave it on.” Kat laughed outright. “I’ve never heard of such a custom.” Her tone sang firm, clearly implying I was lying.

With the alcohol and the heat of the tub, my logic failed me. As well as my guard. “Down in Mississippi, a woman’s body is considered property. Owned by her parents until sold to the highest bidder.”

She giggled. “No buyers for you yet, Sarah?”

I sighed and forced myself to appear relaxed. “Momma says there ain’t enough money in all the world to buy me. Silly woman. Thinks I’m priceless.” I met Kat’s innocent smirk that turned hard when she looked at Akira. I glanced to see what had her so pissed. Hmm. Might have been the grin he did a poor job at hiding.

Nobu didn’t hide his, nor did he hide his tickled laughter. He leaned and kissed my cheek and pushed me toward the father. In my effort to resist, my hand went below the water to hold on. “Oookay.” I jerked my hand back out of the water at touching Nobu’s…penis!

I glanced at the father, then at Akira, whose mouth was hard. He returned my gaze with a quirked brow and a
yeah, they’re naked
news flash.

Oh. My. God. My eyes widened, and I lowered them to Akira’s chest. Then lower. I finally met his you-should-know-me-better-than-that look.

Relief flooded me. Of course he wouldn’t get naked.

“So tell us, Miss Shelby, what our research cannot about American women’s fashion,” the father said in his grumbly voice.

I focused on the upper walls of the suite. “I think that every city is different.”

“Different?” Nobu sounded entertained.

“Yes.” I thought about the question and what I actually knew. Only that every big city had its trends and they all eventually found their way down to the smaller ones. “I suppose New York would be considered the…city where fashion is born, and eventually it trickles down into the smaller cities. At least some of the main themes. Maybe not all. From…handbags and accessories to clothing and shoes.” I cleared my throat and chanced a peek at Akira, who appeared pleasantly surprised.

“Very interesting,” the father said.

I wasn’t sure if this was really news to them.

“How long do you suppose it takes for the trends of the great and mighty New York City to catch on in the Netherlands?” Nobu’s question accompanied the drape of his arm on the tub behind me.

I leaned forward just a little, not wanting the man touching me, wishing this would end soon. “Not sure, really. But I would imagine one could easily track it by sales.” Nobu leaned closer, bringing his mouth to my ear, not deterred by my lack of participation with his advances. “Would you care to join me in my suite for a drink? Let Akira and Kat have some time alone?” It took everything I had not to lift my shoulder and cringe. I turned to Akira, who tensed visibly while looking Nobu in the eyes. “I appreciate the offer, but I’ll pass. In fact”—I glanced around—“I need to call my mother. She expects to hear from me every evening. Dinner was lovely, but if you don’t mind, I’m going to retire.”

“I’ll walk you,” Nobu said.

I protested, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer and stood in all his naked glory. I focused on my exit from the tub, not missing that Kat scooted closer to Akira. Not missing how she pressed her breast into his arm. I swallowed my anger. “Akira, as soon as you…are done here,” I said without turning. “I have the information you requested of me earlier.”

“Business tomorrow, relaxation now,” the father grumbled. “Nobu, my robe. I wish to return to my room. Miss Shelby, thank you for your help to my son and company.” I shot a backward glance at him as I picked up my bag. “My pleasure, Mr. Tong. Good night. Very nice to meet you, Kat. Good night, Akira.”

Akira stood, black fitted boxers clinging to his sculpted body. Pulsing panties, the man was sexy. “I am ready for bed,” he mumbled before bowing to Kat. “Forgive me, Kat, for my rudeness.” He bowed again, then stepped out of the water, grabbed one of the white terry-cloth robes on the line of pegs, and Nobu did the same.

I turned to leave as Miss Universe got out too, sashaying her way to the wall for her wrap. I could practically feel Nobu hot on my heels.

“Nobu,” Akira called as I exited the suite. I didn’t turn or wait. “I need to talk to you.”

“Can’t it wait?”

“No, it can’t.” Akira’s tone sounded threatening.

I turned to Nobu. “I’ll be fine. Thank you so much. I’ll see you later tomorrow, I’m sure.” He gazed lustily at me. “Yes, later.”

When I rounded the corner to our suite, I practically ran for it. As soon as I entered the sanctuary of my room, I tossed the bag, hurried to the bathroom and showered. The thought of being in the water with another naked man—no, men. Ugh, God! No telling what kinds of diseases Nobu had. And his father. I hated to even think such a thing about the man, but Akira didn’t exactly paint him in the best light. A man who gets what he wants, when he wants. Not to mention Kat. I needed to return that bathing suit before I gave into the temptation to burn it.

After my shower, I put on jeans and a T-shirt and crept into the living room to wait for Akira. Only he was already there with his brother and Kat, his mood blacker than ever. Might’ve had something to do with Kat hanging out of her halter top while leeched to him. Before I could sneak out, Nobu spotted me.

“Ahh, there’s our priceless treasure.”

“Oh, hi. Sorry, was just coming in to… I’ll just let you guys visit.”

“No, no, no,” Nobu protested. “Come here, right now.”

He patted the spot next to him on the white leather couch, and I took the matching chair across from it.

“How about some music?” Kat got up and shook her ass all the way to the stereo. She wore a short, white, flimsy skirt and a matching short halter top that showed off her entire muscled midsection. She clearly wore no bra. It appeared that two softballs had been glued to her chest, huge, hard nipples protruding through the T-shirt material.

Nobu angled his head and made a painful grimace, watching her swinging ass as she put on a song.

My jaw dropped—you could see her ass cheeks! And a puff of white between her legs. What. A. Whore.

“Damn, Akira. It isn’t fair,” Nobu said.

Akira stared at me, his eyes dropping to my chest, making my pulse race. “Since when does betrothal stop you, brother? Don’t start being a saint now.”

Nobu chuckled. “If I didn’t know better…” He looked from me to Akira. “I’d say you were having fun here before I came along.”

Oh crap. Oh crap, oh crap.

But really, Akira was having fun before he was given to another woman without his permission. That wasn’t fair.

Kat climbed on the coffee table and began dancing. And stripping! Akira sat there, appearing trapped and furious. Something was going on, more than Akira let on. Like water that was supposed to be under the bridge returned to flood the room in a tidal wave. Akira shot up like a drowning man and went to stand at the window while the slut continued stripping and dancing, and Nobu clapped and laughed. “I don’t think Akira likes sharing you, Kat.”

She giggled. “He never did.” She wiggled her way out of her panties, top gone.

Akira’s words echoed in my mind.
Since when does betrothal stop you, brother?
Oh no. This was a repeat? Was there more history between Akira and this girl than he let on?

Kat stepped off the table and walked up to Akira, dancing next to him. Fury took over. I stood.

“Akira.”

He turned to me, and the pain in his eyes stole my breath. She’d hurt him before. And his brother.

The two of them, slutting before him. He was trapped in an engagement to a…woman he clearly couldn’t stand. Trapped to marry her. Oh, and she knew it.

But she was wrong. “Come here,” I said to Akira.

Kat turned and glared at me, but I didn’t let my eyes veer from Akira’s. He didn’t move, but it seemed like he wanted to. Again, stuck, trapped in another time, another culture.

Well, this was America. This was now. I marched over and stood before him. I took his face between my hands. “I love you,” I whispered. Then kissed him.

Kat gasped and spoke hard Japanese words. Akira gave a sharp exhale as I pushed his lips open and kissed him deeper, moaning.

Nobu laughed. “I knew it.” His claps followed. “Father is going to love this.” At those words, Akira grabbed my face and kissed me back, bringing more shocked blubbering from Kat. Lost to passion, he pulled my leg up and ravished my mouth, then lifted me so that I straddled his waist. Our desire officially raged out of control, and I held his face and devoured his mouth, hardly noticing we were moving. I realized he’d made his way to his bedroom. He kicked the door shut, and I heard it lock, his moans loud and hungry the entire way.

He let me down, and we both struggled to remove each other’s clothes, breathing heavy. I was naked first, and I helped him with his tight black briefs. I jerked them down and dropped to my knees, taking his hard length into my mouth. He roared as I sucked him deep, licking his salty tip every time I pulled up. I jacked him off while gently sucking his tight balls. “Lay on the bed,” I said, my voice shaky.