1.1 | The Yakuza Bride

Chapter 36

'So, about Juan,' she said the next afternoon as she sat across of him in his office, 'you're really going to declare war?'

Her eyes timidly went to his as her finger gripped onto the plastic fork. She had bought lunch for them instead of cooking this time. Grains of rice fell onto his table but she was unaware. In fact, she had started tapping her utensil against the edge of her cardboard takeout box, nervously awaiting his answer.

'Yes,' he said with some finality in his tone.

'Okay,' she mumbled. She returned to her food with a distracted air, poking at a piece of fish that didn't need anymore mistreatment to its already mushed form.

'I don't know what to say,' she went on. 'I've never been close to one before.'

A frustrated huff of air left her.

'But don't get hurt,' she went on.

He smiled and reached over to tug at the luscious hair that fell over her shoulders.

'I'll be careful,' he said.

'But really...' She pushed her takeout box away. 'I was wondering if I could come along?'

'Come along where?' he cried out in astonishment, drawing away with wide eyes.

Hana raised her face to him.

'I can fight. I can use a gun. And you need extra hands, right?'

Sometimes he wondered what he had done to deserve such an amazing wife. Other times, he wondered if his wife was a tad too wilful.

He dropped his spoon into his empty box, rose to his feet, then strode over to her side. Then he took her small hands in his and gripped them tight.

'You are not going anywhere near the Mexicans, do you understand me?'

'Then what do I do?' she cried out with her brow creased and her eyes crinkled as she tilted her face to his. 'I can't just sit around and watch you fight them!'

'You stay home and hold up the fort!' he exclaimed.

'What fort?!' she almost yelled. 'Did you know in feudal Japan, wives would go out to war and fight alongside their husbands?'

She was adorable and he wanted to tell her that. But she was also frustratingly so.

'I'm not letting that happen,' he said firmly. 'Your father will never forgive me if something happens to you. Besides, we don't do war like in feudal Japan. We have shootouts and street fights. It's not a safe place for you.'

'I'll never forgive you if something happens to you,' she retorted.

He placed his hands on the arm rest of her chair and lowered his face to hers.

'You're not coming with me,' he groaned. 'And that's final.'

'But, I - '

A rapt on the door cut her short.

Leon straightened as he called out a, 'Come in.' He was glad for the good timing, for one more pout from her and he would have aceded to her every request.

Val entered with a newspaper which he held out to Leon.

'Interesting news today,' he said.

'Is that so?' he murmured as he began scanning through the headlines. 'Ah.'

His hand paused at a page and he raised a brow in interest at the eye-catching title.

Man Found in Central Park, Hands Tied Around Private Parts