Page 71

“Only cocky if there’s nothing to back it up.”

“Says a cocky man.”

“We’ll be here all night if you both continue this,” I say as I brush off a few crumbs I didn’t notice on my dress earlier.

“And we do not have that long, I’m afraid,” Grandfather says with an edge of frustration as he sets his drink down.

“She’s not getting married.” Atom speaks with more authority than I’ve ever heard from him. One made to obey, no matter if you run the Japanese Mafia or not.

“I heard you the first time, but things are not that simple.” Grandfather takes a deep breath and addresses both of us. “A marriage is expected to secure the East Coast ports. We have already brokered a deal.”

“Find another.” Atom’s jovial behavior is all but gone now.

“The marriage must be with someone of the Takahashi family.”

“Your uncle got any kids?” Atom asks as he rolls his head my way.

“I don’t have an uncle,” I say with a shake of my head. “I call those of a certain position within the Yakuza and close to the family ‘uncle,’ but my grandfather was an only child, as is his son.”

“Tell Reina, then. I’m sure she’d like a chance to make someone new her sucker.” Atom snorts.

“Unfortunately, due to what you sent back of Reina, she is unusable.”

I whirl to face Atom, who only shrugs. “She had it coming.”

My eyes go wide at what those words could mean.

“And she’s already married,” I add. Not for her sake, but for Benji’s. He really was a decent sort of man, just far too easily manipulated by a pretty face.

Grandfather nods. “Yes, that is also another issue. As it is, Reina has caused enough trouble within the family. It is difficult to keep everyone happy.”

Meaning she and Benji really are on the rocks, and it’s impacting the family business. Something Grandfather would not tolerate. I’m not foolish enough to think Reina is going to have a long, prosperous life. Not if she keeps this up.

“But the biggest issue is that the deal is for only a pure Takahashi to be wed,” he continues.

I shake my head. “You already said I wasn’t. Hiroshi isn’t my father.”

“Yes, that is true. Your mother was raped before I could save her.”

“Save her?”

Grandfather takes a deep breath and looks away. I share a glance with Atom, but my eyes are pulled away once Grandfather moves his wheelchair and goes to one of the drawers in the tansu.

He pulls something out, a box, and comes back to sit closer to us. He looks at the wooden case, rubbing his hand over it lovingly as he speaks.

“When I was a boy, I thought I knew everything. I was very similar to you.” He nods to Atom. “Spoke out loud and did what I wanted. Till I met a woman. One who captured my heart from the start. My kokoro, my spirit. My Evelyn.”

A smile spreads on his lips but dies almost as quickly as it appeared.

“She was American, and my father deemed her unworthy. So he had her removed.” His jaw tightens, but his hand glides lovingly over the box. “It took some time, but eventually I found her. Well, her daughter. My kokoro was dead. Died poor and forgotten, but she left a daughter who survived any way she could. It was she who I gave this.”

He hands me the box. I take it and open it cautiously. My breath stalls and then comes out too fast as I hyperventilate when I see what’s inside.

“What is it?” Atom leans over to look in, but his hand goes to my back for support. It’s that support that has me, with shaky hands, lifting the object.

“A hair comb.” Gold detailing curves along the spine in hand-painted strokes. Cherry blossom branches twist around white birds in mid-flight. And at the top, a cluster of pale, almost pink pearls no larger than raindrops, set beside a single piece of jade carved into the shape of a leaf. The craftmanship speaks not only of wealth but family and history. Not something given freely to anyone, only to those who belong. “My mother’s hair comb.”

My breath stalls in my chest after I speak, my words filled with confusion and awe more than revelation. This doesn’t make sense, but yet it does.