1.1 | The Yakuza Bride

Chapter 2

'I see,' she murmured.

A deadline. But wouldn't that mean she'd still have to marry? She didn't want to get married; not now, and not to a stranger. Those daydreams of her spending forever with Osuke, they only seemed to taunt her now.

What about Osuke and I? she thought. Did they not think of us?

She was relieved her Mother wasn't entirely supportive of this mad plan either. At least there was someone on her side, someone to fight for her. But would she be able to convince her father and grandfather?

Otou-san and Ojii-san were obstinate men. They didn't get into the position they had today by being weak-willed and easily swayed. Even so, she hoped her Mother would find a way for her.

She didn't have sisters who could take her place though, and her girl-cousins hailed from her mother's side of the family; the side that had nothing to do with the Yakuza. If there was a chance, maybe the daughter's of her father's men could take her place. But who was she to force this burden onto another unsuspecting girl?

She was tired and confused as the various thoughts formed a deluge in her head. So many things to consider, each with their own consequences. She couldn't get her thoughts straight.

'When you said you knew what Otou-san wanted to speak to me about, did you mean this?' she asked.

'Yeah.' He leant back on his hands and stretched his long legs out.

'When did you know?' she asked quietly.

'Years ago,' he said, throwing her a glance. 'I don't remember exactly when, but Otou-san and Ojii-san told me about the deal with the Federov's. I was supposed to marry Stanislav Federov's daughter as some last-ditch attempt to save both families but things held on, until the thing with Uncle happened.'

She nodded as she listened. Her Uncle, the black sheep of the family, had played around with the protection money and drug money for the Kei-Shiragata turf he had control over. It caused a huge scandal within the circles of the underworld as many Yakuza went unpaid and related businesses suffered.

Her father had to draw on his own reserves to pay the men. That wasn't enough, as some factions spoke of revolt and her family worked tirelessly to appease them. In the end, her Uncle's turf was confiscated, and he was sent to New York where he would hopefully be out of sight and out of mind for a while.

'New York's in a mess now,' Kai went on. 'We can't afford to fight both the Gonzales' and the Federov's, and without an alliance on one side, we will fall.'

'Why the Federov's?' she mused. She knew little about the alliances and enemies her family had outside of Japan.

'They're richer, more powerful,' he said. 'And Ojii-san and Stanislav Federov were good friends.'

'But they can't solve it within themselves?' she asked with a skeptical brow raised. They had to push the solution onto their children? She was appalled that her brother was so calm.

He shrugged his shoulders helplessly.

'The world is a complicated place. Friends don't stay friends forever.' Then he let out a loud sigh, as if trying to dispel the gravity of his words. 'Anyway, this deal is important. Some of Uncle's supporters want him to take over the leadership in Tokyo just because he has money and connections now.'

'So I'm being sacrificed for money and power,' she muttered glumly.

The problems within the Kei-Shiragata weren't new to her. Her Uncle, as the elder son, was expected to take over leadership of the Kei-Shiragata. But his wanton ways and his gambling habits had earned him the ire of much of their grandfather's associates.