My . . . friend, Veah tells them.
Say the word, and I’ll stop kissing other girls for you.
Kaya, this is Himari, my father, and Yui, my mother.
My heart catches. Her parents. It’sum, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Kaya.
How do you know our daughter ? asks Yui. Veah’s mother.
Before I can respond, Veah cuts in smoothly, She works as an engineer, and my boss assigned me to partner with her. New project.
A new project ? Like the meth lab beneath the church ?
Her parents . . . her parents must not know.
Where have you been ? Yui demands. It has been over two months since we heard from you. You could not have left us a call ?
Veah ducks her head. I was busy.
Seeing this lethal, dangerous, terrifying Yakuza boss getting scolded by her mother makes her seem almost . . . human.
Too busy to call, Heaven-chan ? her father says. We know your job requires international travel, but it is not like you. It reminded us of
Veah glances away. That was a bad incident. A coincidence.
Her mother looks close to tears. That was not a bad incident ! Those people told us you were in the hospital and
Veah’s father places a hand on her shoulder. Think of it no more. She is home now. Safe. And witha girl.
Yui’s attention slips onto me, and she brightens, almost imperceptibly. You must be hungry, she says. Let me make you food.
My face flushes. I would love that, thank you.
Her mother begins to bustle through the kitchen, clattering the pots and pans, turning on the sinkwater.
Veah’s father sits back down at the kitchen table.
And Veahshe is still staring at me.
The distance between us is only an arm’s length, but it might as well be the Pacific Ocean.
I like you. Okay ?
But I can’t think of that. Not now. To her mother, I say, Mrs. Tanaka, is there any way I can help you ?
Yui shakes her head. Not at all, Kaya-chan. Sit down, please.
So I pull out a seat next to Veah’s father, stiffening when I realize that he is reading the newspaper with headlines about a feud between the Yakuza.
He really has no idea.
His daughter is a gang member, and he . . . he doesn’t know.
No, his daughter isn’t just a gang member. She was once the boss of the Cais, and now she is a boss for Kogu-Ryu. For a woman named Okami, who is called the Wolf.
Veah is the most feared assassin in this city, and her parents have no idea.
I don’t know if she sees the panic on my face, but Veah suddenly touches my shoulder. May we be excused, Otosan ? she asks her father.
Of course, he says distractedly.
I jump to my feet, following Veah into a narrow hallway. She is only an inch taller than me, but she has to duck slightly.
Her mouth is a breath away from mine.
Not that I notice, of course.
Not that I am paying attention to the soft curve of her lush lips, and the way they press together, so sharply her smile is a wicked slash.
They don’t know ? I whisper.
They have no idea.
There is something in the way she says itsomething sad.
Buthow do you keep it a secret ? And what was that time at the hospital your mother was talking about ?
A trick, Veah breathes. Fuck. That cherry scent is intoxicating. When I escaped from the Cai gang, they decided to use my parents to lure me back. They showed up on my parent’s doorstep, dressed as paramedics, and they told them that I had been in an accident. My parents rushed to the hospital, butI wasn’t there.
It was a trap ?
Yes, Veah agrees. The truth is, I never wanted to join Kogu-Ryu. When I escaped from the Cais, I wanted a new start. But when they led my parents to the hospital, I had no choice. My mother and father are so important to me, I could never stand to lose them. So I went to Okami, and I pledged my service to her in exchange for my parents’ freedomand ignorance.
How could your parents not know, after all that ?
The Cais did not tell my parents why they weren’t allowed to leave the hospital, so afterwards I liedI told them it was related to my work. That it was a coincidence.
And they believed it ?
Veah’s eyes are dark. I hope so.
Her eyes drift down to my lips, and there is a fraction of a second when I think she will lean in. Close that distance, cross the Pacific Ocean.
The food is ready ! Yui declares from the kitchen. Come, you must eat !
I stumble away from Veah, my back hitting the wall. My heart is pounding, and there is a sly smile on her lips, like she knows what she’s done to me. My eyes still on her, I return to the kitchen, sitting back down where a plate has been set out for me.
There is rice and meat slathered in sauce, with steamed broccoli and herbs. It looks delicious, and I smile gratefully.
Thank you for the meal, Mrs. Tanaka.