Page 37 of The Dragon 2 (Tokyo Empire #2)

That got a twitch at the corner of his mouth. Not a smile. Something darker. Something unspoken. “I’m not the type of man people walk away from, Tora.”

“Then maybe it’s time you learn how to be that man.”

His expression cracked—barely—but I saw it. The tension in his jaw. The death behind his eyes. The part of him that decided to cage me in silk and gold and never let me leave.

“I want you,” he said, and it sounded like a curse. “I’ve never wanted a woman like this. And you think I’ll just accept distance?”

“No. I think you’ll have to learn what compromise feels like when love is real.”

“Love. . .” He watched me for a few seconds and then his voice lowered. “Is that what this is?”

I hesitated and then I nodded. “Maybe. . .at least for me it’s the beginning of the fall. . .”

My heart hammered in my chest.

“You say that to me and my body hums.” He pierced me with his gaze. “And you think I would let you get on a plane to leave me?”

“Kenji. . .eventually I would have to. My life is in New York.”

“It was in New York, and understand this. . .” He moved my way until he was close to me with his arms over my shoulder, pulling me toward him. “With you. . .I will never do long distance. But. . .I will do obsession. I will do devotion. I will do war if I have to. But distance?”

He leaned in even further and his lips ghosted the shell of my ear. “Never.”

Hiroko cleared her throat, signaling to me to get Kenji back in check.

I did what we practiced, a gentle hand to his chest and my leaning away but that didn’t work.

His hold was firm and his gaze was locked on me. “I’m sorry about not telling you about the pregnancy sooner. You came into my life. Then my father did something horrific and that took up my time. . .I’m sorry, Tora.”

“I accept your apology.” I tried again to gain control, the subtle slipping away from him, but he would not have it.

Hiroko cleared her throat once more.

I swallowed.

“I’ll make sure to never fuck up again.”

“Okay, Kenji.”

“But since we are discussing tough topics, it is time for you to understand that your place is now in Tokyo.”

“It is not.”

“It is.”

“There will be distance in the beginning of our relationship.”

“Hmmm.” He came in closer and exhaled a breath that danced against my neck. “Don’t ever say that again, Tora. Not unless you want me to scorch every border, fill the ocean with bodies, and bury all miles in blood.”

My breath caught.

“After all that you have done for me tonight, if you think for one moment that I will ever let you go. . .you’ve lost your mind. Even if you ran, even if you hid, I would find you. Fuck you until you forgot your name. Whisper mine into your spine until the idea of leaving makes you sick.”

A shiver skated down my spine.

He pressed his body closer—just enough for me to feel the heat of him.

The unmovable weight of him. Like gravity chose him instead of the other way around.

“I meant it when I said this changes nothing, because. . .Tora. . .I am currently rearranging my entire empire for you. I am carrying your scent into war.”

“What?” My pulse pounded.

I couldn’t speak.

Couldn’t breathe.

He leaned back just enough to meet my eyes. “I will not share you. I will not compromise. And I will not allow the woman I’ve chosen to ever doubt her new place in my life. . .her new place in my heart. You will be respected, but you will also not leave.”

I opened my mouth, but the words died on my tongue.

He leaned in again, raised his hand to my face and the soft drag of his knuckles trailed the underside of my jaw. “No woman, no situation, no history will ever disrespect you. I would fucking harm myself before I harmed you.”

The words hit me like a storm—fierce, wild, and unrelenting.

He ghosted his lips over mine, not quite kissing, just letting the promise of it linger like a curse. “And after this dinner. . .after we smile, toast, and pretend to be civilized? I’m going to talk to your pussy too. So she also understands.”

A soft moan left me.

His hand slid behind my neck. “I’m going to kneel in front of your pussy and I’m going to fucking devour you until the only word you remember is mine .”

His mouth crushed against my lips before I could speak. It wasn’t a kiss—it was a possession. A claiming. The kind of kiss that blurred worlds and bent gods.

His tongue swept in deep, demanding a reaction, an answer, a moan he could pull from my throat and wear like a trophy.

And I gave it to him.

Because I couldn’t not do it.

I fucking melted into him, one hand gripping his suit lapel, the other tangled in his silken hair. His body pressed against mine like a man starved. Like he’d been waiting for centuries to taste me and was now making up for every missed second.

There was no pretense.

No performance.

Just hunger, heat, and the quiet, devastating sound of me surrendering.

He pulled back just enough to let me breathe, and his eyes went dark with lust. “You’re mine now, Tora. Say it.”

I didn’t hesitate. “I’m yours.”

His smile was wicked and holy all at once. “Good. Because I plan to make sure you never forget it.”

Then he kissed me again, but this time Hiroko’s voice cut through the tension like a blade through silk. “Nyomi!”

I froze.

Oh shit.

The sound of her voice told me that she was right next to us.

Kenji pulled back and exhaled slowly. “Hiroko.”

His hand lingered for one more second on me before moving it away. Then he looked at Hiroko with all the regal coolness of a man used to being interrupted only by gods. “Do you need to speak to your pupil ?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Now?”

“Yes, Kenji. Now.”

Sighing, Kenji gave a faint nod. “Then by all means.”

Holy shit.

I knew I was in trouble because my panties were soaking wet and I was damn sure ready to bounce on his cock right there.