Page 39 of His Passerotta
My fingers curl at my sides.
“Regardless of your… interest in him, he is human. What happens to him is of little concern to me. As much as his little project would benefit us, he is not worth risking Takada’s wrath by confronting him about this.”
I didn’t expect anything from him, but I’m still pissed.
Namikawa sets down his glass of water hard. His hand shakes, like just lifting the glass cost him great effort.
In the light, his face looks hollow and gaunt, like the skin’s stretched too tight. “What would you have me do? Punish Takada’s men? Evoke his fury, risk starting yet another fight between our clans? Over what? A human?”
The disdain that colors the word human makes me growl. “I can’t let this attack against Hiro go unpunished. Takada has to pay! Just… let me target the ones who hurt Hiro. That’s all, that’s it, I—”
Searing pain carves into my chest, lighting my scars on fire. I try to hold back the scream, but I can’t. I crumple to the floor and succumb to the pain tearing my chest open, stabbing hot needles into my heart. I tear my shirt open, desperate for relief as my chest tightens so painfully, I’m sure I’ll go into cardiac arrest and die on the spot.
The scars carved into my flesh are red and angry looking, like they were burned into me with a hot poker. And damn, does it feel like it.
I almost beg for him to stop. Almost. I bite my lip so hard, my fangs pierce the skin.
Violent coughs rack Namikawa’s body, and he grips onto the desk.
Everything stops. I gasp for breath, heart pounding so hard I’m afraid it will rupture.
Through watery eyes, I pant up at Namikawa as he comes to stand before me. I almost shifted completely to my wolf form; fur’s thick on my body, my ears are pointed, and my claws have gouged the wood floor.
Namikawa fists my hair in his hand and rips my head back to meet his glare. “I must have allowed you too much freedom as of late, if you truly think you have any say over your own destiny. You are mine, Noboru. Your father decided your fate the moment he chose to betray me.”
Baring his teeth in a smile, Namikawa pats my cheek. “When I have need of you, I will summon you. Until then… do nothing to drive a wedge between Takada and this pack, Noboru. I don’t care if Takada abducts the boy and pulls off his fingernails one by one. If you evoke his anger… you will wish I had killed you.”
He leaves me panting on the floor, in too much pain to move.
Fuck him. I still have free will.
Those bastards won’t get away with hurting Hiro.
If Namikawa doesn’t like it, well… there are worse things than being dead. Like being his bitch for the rest of my damn life.
The club bustles with activity as salarymen drink themselves under the table with their boss, and scantily clad women twirl on poles beneath swirling lights. I take a seat at the bar and grab a glass of Hibiki. The bartender eyes me with suspicion but serves me anyway. From where I sit, I have eyes on the door, so I’ll see if anyone comes in.
Takada owns this club. I’m risking pissing him off by prowling around his territory. His men frequent the bars they own, and I got a good look at the faces of the ugly fucks who attacked Hiro. Goro Takahashi was one of them. He should be coming here tonight.
“Look,” Ren says after a swallow of beer. “I get it, Hiro is cute and nice and all. But is his bubble butt really worth getting in trouble with Namikawa?” Her worried brown eyes stare right through me.
I don’t know how to answer. Sure, I’ve defied Namikawa every once in a while, and the punishment has never been worth it. So why am I risking it for some guy I’ve known for just a week?
This isn’t just anger flowing through me. If I hadn’t been there to stop them, they could have killed Hiro. The thought makes me spiral down into something black and suffocating.
Maim. Kill. Protect Hiro. Our Hiro.
My wolf has hungered for blood since last night, and only vengeance will silence him.
“Takada targeted Hiro because of me. I need those bastards to pay for hurting him.”
“He will hurt you if he finds out.” She grips my arm.
“So, he won’t find out.”
She rolls her eyes. “Raiden—”
“My wolf needs this, Ren.”