Page 52 of The Dragon 1

I hit my forehead. “Please stop calling him that.”

“Why?” Zo returned to pacing. “Everyone else in Japan calls him that!”

“I’m sure other people are referred to as the Dragon besides Kenji Sato. I mean, I see images of dragons all over the place, on book covers, titles in movies, shirts, and jackets. Surely someone else uses this name.”

Zo paused and stared at me with an open mouth. “Yes, but he istheDragon. Google him!”

“No.”

“Are you afraid to see the news reports of unsolved murders? Gang activity? His name being brought up as they report shootings all over the red-light district?” Zo’s pacing increased as he grabbed the hair on the sides of his head. “Soon as we walked into the office, I recognized him from TV. He’s always on there. If not for crime stuff, then he’s walking around with actresses and attending big fashion events. He’s been photographed with every Japanese actress worth knowing. Rumor is, one of them disappeared right after they broke up, I had no idea he owned Castle in the Sky.”

“We’ll be fine.”

“Google him!”

“Nope,” I gulped down the rest of the sake. “That would probably ruin this awesome sake. Lychee, right?”

“You kneed him like he was an average guy, like he was some nobody named Jerry from Topeka, Kansas. And then you run off as if he’s Billy Bob from Montana like you may never see him again—”

“I don’t know any of those people,” I leaned back on the futon, “But I bet Jerry or Billy Bob wouldn’t have groped my face with his mouth upon meeting me. Most Midwest guys have manners.”

My skin still tingled where his mouth had brushed it. No man had ever made me want to burn him and kiss him in the same breath.

Zo wiped the sweat from his forehead. “You told him your name. His manager, Jun, probably checked you out. The Dragon knows who you are now. Did you tell him my name?”

“No.”

“Okay. So I’m safe.”

“But. . .rememberyoutold him your name.”

“Goddamn it! I did. Didn’t I?”

“Yes, but I still think we’re both safe.” I shrugged. “I kneed him, not plundered and pillaged his family’s village. His hands and lips were all over me. I asked him to move. He didn’t. Where I’m from, when a guy gets too touchy, you knee him and search for your mace.”

“You’re not in New York. You’re in Tokyo,” He covered his face with his hands. “There is great care in showing respect to people here—”

“Respect? Well, I wouldn’t know that fromhisactions. He was being rapey.”

“Do not say the Dragon was being rapey.”

“Fine.”

“This culture is all about saving face. Not embarrassing people. Did his men see him hunched over and screaming?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Fuck!” He held his stomach.

“Are you going to vomit?”

“I might after I have a heart attack.”

I grabbed the sake. “So then you won’t mind if I finish the bottle?”

“Who cares about the damn bottle?! Maybe I’m just freaking out. Maybe it’s okay,” Zo pointed at me. “He called you Tora. That’stigerin Japanese. Tigers are a symbol of courage here and they’re in lots of Zen parables. This could be a good thing.”

I burped. “Tigers also have claws.”