Chapter 1
Copyright 2021 by Kat Thomas
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Cover design by Canva Kat Thomas
Book design by Kat Thomas
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“I love you. I always have.”
Six words that hung in her mind and were the last thing she ever expected to hear from him. he was never one to show his emotions, and he was the last person she would have thought would ever carry a secret flame for her but as she looked at him in those moments as he spoke to her she knew everything he has said was true. She had to blankly stare at him as the words hung in the air like the frigid cold that surrounded them as the group all arrived at the time and they could not address those comments any further.
The group of about twenty friends had all descended on the area her and her brother, one of the original members of the group of friends, had made their home. Though neither had planned on the other being nearby, it wasn’t a surprise that the siblings were not that separated. The rest of the group had begun to think of them as a package deal and had for nearly a decade since she was the youngest member of their friend tribe, and she had then turned eighteen and escaped to real life.
She was the lone female of the group as a friend herself though the men all had taking to bringing their girlfriends to the annual meetings it was usually for only one year and they would move on to the next in the long trail of woman left in the wake of them. They had all thought of her as the younger sister. They often checked in with her but never just quite a friend and never quite like a brother. It was an odd relationship to have with one male, but having it with close to fifteen was undeniably difficult. She was trying to find herself and find the things that would make her the person she wanted to be but in the meantime answering to people that were neither just friends and they weren’t family was difficult on the best of days.
She knew them. Knew their tastes. Knew their weaknesses. She also knew that she had to safeguard herself from certain things with each. Masamune would hound her if he thought she wasn’t eating enough. Mitsunari would make sure her studies were done. Sasuke would check-in to see if she saw the newest invention. Hideyoshi would lecture to no end about nearly everything. It was something with each of them. They were the best of friends but they were so different from each other.
In the restaurant, they had been seated about as far away as they could be with him at one end of the long table and her seated at one of the smaller tables off to the side. It was almost as if keeping them apart was the thought but no one could have known that she would ask a question and he would tell the truth for once. This gave her time to think as she dodged question after question as people wanted to know why she wasn’t acting like herself.
Normally not one for remaining quiet she was sitting there lost in her own mind. She had brought this down upon herself. The feelings rolling through her were of her own making in asking the simple question that had been plaguing her for years now. “Do you even really like me?”
His answer had been more telling and more revealing then she had hoped for. His outward non concerned behavior and the biting comments delivered at her expense had never changed over the years, but something in his eyes did. though he had not changed she knew she had. She knew she had grown to like him far more than just a friend or even a remote extension of a brother. He had found a spot in her mind that had taken root and a garden had grown there in its wake.
She couldn’t even see him, and he was grateful to that fact. He was trying to figure out what his next step would be. He had let her know the truth and he saw the look in her eyes when he had. It was almost everything he had wished for as he sat back and had dreamt of that moment that he knew should have never happened. The fact she had even asked the question of him he knew she had to feel something more than what everyone else felt for each other. She wasn’t a person who enjoyed the spotlight and hardly ever wanted to rock the boat around them. This was new. This was something that he never expected. He thought he would have to endure watching her fall in love with someone else. Then marry the helpless sap who would be completely wrong for her. Instead he now had a chance at happiness. A chance with the only woman he ever loved. He glanced her way and saw her profile and wondered how none of the rest of them had ever glimpsed underneath the shield-like he had. She was incredible and beautiful at the same time. He wanted this dinner over with so they could talk some more. Getting her away from the crowd would be easy enough or so he thought.
“Let’s go to a club after,” Masamune called out and most everyone agreed. she looked around and smiled.
“Sorry, I can’t. I have some work to do still.” She said as she bowed out for the night. The meal was coming to an end and her brother Drew looked at her.
“do you really have work to do?” he asked softly.
“Yeah. I have some papers that I have to go over for next week, and it will take me a while to go through them.” She replied. It wasn’t exactly the truth but it was true she did have to go over them at some point. She wasn’t to think.
“Okay then, Saffi.” Her brother looked at her. As the entire party got up and then filed out to find cabs, she noticed he hung back and disappeared for a few moments. The rest of them piled into the awaiting vehicles and took off to go to the clubs and bars for the rest of the night. Though she didn’t seen him get into a car he must have slipped her vision in the chaos. She was on the sidewalk just thinking when two arms snaked around her making her jump.
“I do believe we have some things to discuss, don’t you princess?” he whispered in her ear, making her relax against him.
“Mitsuhide, you better not be playing around with me.” Sapphire who was better known as Saffi to nearly everyone, said.
“I might play around with certain details of things, my dear, for my job and all, but do you honestly think I would say those words to someone and have it be a game?” Mitsuhide asked.
“With you, sometimes it may be difficult to distinguish you know.” She smiled.
“Well, I assure you those words I have never uttered before in my life and would not use them lightly. Princess you must realize that that is the most honest thing I believe I have ever told you.” He said as he pulled back to look at her eyes and her face to see the reaction.
“I swear Mitsu. If this is a huge joke on your part, I will kill you.” She said as she looked up.
“Words can only say so much.” He said as he tilted his head right before he slowly bent down and touched his lips to hers. He felt her stiffen then completely relax in his arms. This is what I wanted, he thought to himself. “Now, do you see, my dear?”
He looked down at her face, the one he dreamed about nightly, and saw the light start to shine through again. The doubt that she must have had was fading quickly. He grinned at the idea that maybe he had a small chance of having his dream come true.
“Mitsuhdie, I guess we really do need to talk.” She said.
“I would prefer if we do other things, but talking is a good start.” He said softly.
“other things?” she laughed. “Maybe after we talk, but you know how I am.”
“I do.” He said as he looked at her, “Soft and sweet.”
“Mitsuhide.” She said as a warning to him.
“I shall endeavor to be the perfect gentlemen.” He said as his grin spread.
“I would you prefer to be you instead.” She replied.
“You wound me.” He said as he clutched at his heart.
“I know you.” She said.
“Not as well as you may think if you had to ask that silly question.” He replied.
“How else would I have known the answer. It isn’t like you were ever going to volunteer the information. That isn’t your style. Saffi said as she took his hand and they began to walk to her car.
“I meant, my dear, you should have been able to see.” He replied as he brought her hand to his lips, “I have not hidden this from you. It was more your willful blindness that has prevented you from seeing it.”
“Blame me.” She smiled.
“I will not hide it any longer, though.” He said as they arrived at her car, “The hotel or your house?”
