Dearly Beloved (Siren Publishing Allure) (19 page)

Ebony could see the resemblance. She had the same close-set eyes and big ears. “The relationship you had with Tomio was over a long time ago. You said so yourself. Why would you want a man who doesn’t want you?”

“Because he was mine first and I always get what I want,” Eriko said. She tossed her long hair.

“So you figure that by eliminating me, he will take you back?”

“Yes,” Eriko answered.

Ebony now saw why Tomio had gone for Rika. At least the other woman was intelligent and wasn’t a spoiled brat. And she had sense enough to hightail it out of town after Setsuko died. “Do you honestly think that Tomio won’t figure out that you’re behind this? Do you think he will want you after what you’ve done to his wife and his child?”

Eriko’s mouth trembled. “I can give Tomio a child…a Japanese child.”

“Dream on,” Ebony said. “If something happens to me or this baby, Tomio will kill everyone in his path to get to the two of you.”

“Tomio wouldn’t harm me,” Eriko said. “He loves me.”

“Your sister is delusional,” Ebony said to Ren. “The man left her for another woman.”

“I’ve tried to explain that to her,” Ren said. “But she still insists on getting together with him again. Personally, I can’t stand the thought of him being my brother-in-law. He and his family have always thought they were better than us.”

Eriko giggled. “I’m so glad you killed his parents. I hated his mother.”

Ebony stared across the room at both of them. Tomio was right. The Ayases were responsible for his parents’ deaths. She didn’t like his mother either, but she never would have done something so reprehensible. The Ayase siblings were both insane.

Ren looked at her. “Why don’t you look shocked?”

“I am. How could you kill them? Have you no shame?”

“None,” Ren said. “We are yakuza, like your husband. Tomio has killed his share of people, too. Oops. Don’t tell me that he has kept you in the dark about his activities?”

“I do not involve myself in my husband’s business,” Ebony said. The thought that Tomio was a killer did not stand well with her, but she couldn’t show that to these two. “You had no right to murder his parents.”

“I can do what I want,” Ren said. “And you should thank me for what I’ve done. Your husband is now the head of a powerful organization. You are now wife to an important
oyabun
. You carry the future heir in your womb.”

“I can’t thank you for something like that. I did not marry Tomio to be put into such a position.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Eriko said. “Once my brother kills you, I will step in and make Tomio the perfect wife.”

If Ren wanted to kill her, he would have done so by now. So that led her to believe that he was keeping her alive for another reason. The only thing she could think of was that he was going to use her as bait to lure Tomio there. It was the perfect setup. He would eliminate Tomio, and he would take over his territories. “Good luck,” she said to Eriko. “Tomio is an ass man. You better grow one if you plan to keep him.”

Ren laughed at her joke. Eriko didn’t seem to find it funny. “I can’t believe he took someone like you to his bed.”

“Honey, when the lights are out it all feels and looks the same,” Ebony said. “I’m going to be a tough act to follow.”

Ren laughed again. “Despite it all, I like you Mrs. Nakamura. I wouldn’t mind having a beautiful and intelligent woman like you by my side.”

Eriko gasped. “What are you saying? You have a wife.”

“Yeah, but if Tomio married her maybe she might be better in the sack than Chieko.”

Ebony smirked. How stupid. After all the bad talk, Ren Ayase was still a normal man. All she had to do was flirt with him a bit until Tomio arrived.

Eriko rose to her feet.

“Where are you going?” Ren asked her.

“Shopping. You guys do what you have to do, but she better be dead by the time I get back here.” She marched out of the room, leaving Ebony alone with the two men.

* * * *

Tomio suspected that something was wrong the minute his cellphone rang, and he saw Jiro’s name appear. Jiro was one of the bodyguards he had assigned to accompany Ebony to her doctor’s appointment. “Hello, Tomio speaking—” he answered. “She’s been what? How could you guys let something like this happen?”

“What’s wrong?” Akira asked from the front seat.

“Ayase’s people have Ebony,” Tomio said to Akira while he still listened on the phone to what Jiro had to say. “It was that bastard Kiriya.”

“Does Jiro have any idea where they could have taken her?” Akira asked.

“No,” Jiro said to Tomio through the receiver.

“I’ll deal with you guys later,” Tomio said angrily to the bodyguard. He disconnected the call.

“Where do you suppose she might be?” Akira asked as he followed Tomio to the car.

“Ayase’s place,” Tomio answered angrily. “Take me home so I can gather my wits.”

Tomio climbed into the backseat, and Akira ran around and got into the driver’s seat. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. “This is Tomio. Ayase’s people have kidnapped Ebony.”

Before Tomio knew it, he and Akira had arrived at the mansion, and the area was swarming with cars and SUVs. He refused to call the police. The less people involved the better. Daiki and some of their men left to go check on Jiro and the other bodyguards. “I knew I should have gone with her.”

“It’s not your fault, Tomio,” Akira said.

Makoto and Eiji arrived together.

“What’s going on?” Eiji asked.

“Kiriya Shina snatched Ebony,” Tomio answered. “Bring his head to me.”

“Yes, Tomio,” Eiji said. He and Makoto hurried out of the house.

“Are you sure Ayase has her?” Eiji asked.

“Yes,” Tomio said. “Apparently murdering our parents wasn’t enough for him.”

Tomio opened up a closet. It contained an arsenal of weapons he kept hidden from the women in the house. Maybe he should have taught Ebony how to use a gun, or at least let her know that these were here for her safety. He began pulling out some of the gear and attaching it to his body.

“What are you going to do?” Makoto asked.

“I’m going to get my wife back,” Tomio answered angrily.

“But you’re the boss now,” Makoto reminded him. “If something happens to you we will be without a leader again.”

“What part of ‘he has my wife,’ don’t you understand? There are plenty of people to replace me, but Ebony is one of a kind.”

His younger brother finally gave up arguing.

Akira loaded himself down with some of the weapons. “She’s a pain in the butt, but she does not deserve to be caught up in this,” he said.

“What is the plan?” Eiji asked. “The man will be waiting for us.”

“Don’t you think I know that?” Tomio asked. He grabbed a couple of grenades and handed them to Eiji. “Go ahead of me and take out anything that moves.”

“What about the women? Doesn’t he have a wife and sister living with him?”

“Take them out,” Tomio said. “The life of my wife and my unborn child is at stake.” He left the apartment, and Akira and the others followed him.

* * * *

Ren, Eriko, and Heno had left her hours ago. Ebony’s back and legs began to ache from sitting in the chair too long. Every now and then, she could hear the guards that Ren has posted outside of her door. She was still unbound and no one had the decency to bring her anything to eat or drink. The only thing that kept her sane was the fact that she had access to a small bathroom where she could relieve her aching bladder. Finding nothing else to do, Ebony closed her eyes and tried to get some rest. Being tired wouldn’t do her any good, and put her at a disadvantage if she had to fight for her life or escape. She wondered how Tomio was taking her disappearance. He should have discovered that she was gone by now. She sighed. Maybe Tomio had figured out that this was a setup and didn’t want to risk his life and the life of his people by coming into enemy territory.

The door to the room opened. Ebony woke up. She sat up. Ren’s wife, Chieko, stood in the room holding a tray of food. Ebony recognized her from the Azuma party. She wasn’t very big. Ebony could take her out with one hit if she wanted to.

“Oh, you’re awake,” Chieko said in Japanese. “I thought you might like something to eat.”

“Thank you,” Ebony said, accepting the tray. Of course she considered that the food might be poisoned. “You don’t seem surprised to see me here.”

Chieko shrugged and sat down on the sofa across from her. “I figured my husband was up to something stupid. He finally confessed that he’d had you brought here.” Chieko was much prettier than Eriko, but petite. “And he talked my stupid brother into helping him.”

“Who is your brother?” Ebony asked as she sampled the food. Chieko didn’t seem like the type to try to help her husband destroy another living soul.

“Kiriya Shina,” she announced as if Ebony should know him.

“Ah, the blond.”

“Yes,” Chieko said. “Kiriya used to be so nice, but he’s changed since hanging around my husband.”

Nice didn’t come to mind when she thought of the handsome blond. She wondered how much Chieko knew about what her brother and husband were involved in.

“This is all Eriko’s fault,” Chieko said angrily. “Our lives would be so different if she wasn’t here.”

“I know exactly how you feel. I have two sisters-in-law who don’t like me.” The food was surprisingly good. “Thank you for the meal.”

“You’re welcome,” Chieko said.

“Does your husband know that you’re feeding me?”

Chieko nodded. “I insisted after I found out that it was you.”

“Why me? What do you know about me?”

“Not you in general,” Chieko said. She pointed to Ebony’s stomach. “Your baby needs food.”

“Thanks,” she said again. “No one else I’ve met here seemed to care that I am carrying an innocent life inside of me.”

“I’ve always wanted kids,” Chieko said. “But Ren keeps saying it’s not the right time.”

“There is never a right or a wrong time,” Ebony said. But she knew exactly what Ren meant. There were times that she regretted getting pregnant. This was one of those times. She wasn’t afraid to die, but she cared more about her child than herself. “Do you have any idea what your husband or your sister has in store for me?”

Chieko shook her head. “They never tell me anything. Sometimes Eriko seems more like Ren’s wife than I do.”

“They had Tomio’s father and mother killed.”

Chieko looked up in shock. “What?”

“They had Tomio’s father and mother killed,” Ebony repeated.

“Why would they do something like that?” Chieko asked.

Damn, she is an innocent.
“Because Eriko wants Tomio.”

Chieko seemed to process the information slowly. “I am not surprised. There is nothing Ren won’t do for his sister.” She frowned. “Maybe he should not have agreed to look after her when their parents died.”

“I think they are going to kill me and my child too,” Ebony said as she ate. Playing on Chieko’s emotions might get her out of this.

“They wouldn’t dare do such a thing,” Chieko said. “I won’t let them.”

“What can you do?” Ebony asked. “You’re a nice woman, but I don’t think Ren will listen to you over his sister.” There she had added fuel to the fire.

“I can talk to him,” Chieko said. “I will tell him what he’s doing is wrong.”

Ebony sighed. She hoped Chieko would come to her senses and get out before something happened to her. “If something does go down, I want you to run away from here. You’re a nice woman and I don’t want you hurt.”

“Do you really think that my husband would try to kill you?” Chieko asked.

Ebony nodded. “He loves his sister more than he loves me, so if she wants me dead, I’m sure he will do it.”

“I can’t let that happen,” Chieko said. “I will talk to him.”

“Thank you,” Ebony said. “But just remember what I said. If something goes down, run away from here.”

Chieko stood up and took her empty tray. “I will remember.” She headed toward the door. “Thanks for the information,” she said. “I don’t like being kept in the dark.” She left the room and closed the door.

Ebony sat back in her chair. She really meant what she said to Chieko. It would be a shame for her to get hurt. But if it came down to her life or Chieko, she would choose to save herself.

“Tomio?” Eriko said when Akira pushed her into the back seat of the SUV.

Imagine his surprise when he spied Eriko Arase walking around at the open market they were passing on the way to going to her home. “Hey, Eriko.”

Akira loaded some bags into the front seat.

“Why did you send Akira to get me?”

Tomio couldn’t believe that he had actually dated the young woman all through high school. Thank god he had come to his senses and left her when Rika confessed to him. Looking back, he thought he made the right choice. “Because I’m going to use you to get my wife.”