Ronin crowded beside her. He snagged her dark gray pencil skirt from the hanger, her ivory lace camisole and her peach chiffon blouse. “You are smoking hot in this outfit. It’s sexy and yet professional enough to wear to work. Wear those black stiletto heels with the ankle strap.”
She kissed his smooth cheek. “Thank you.” After dressing, she was in the bathroom applying her last coat of mascara when Ronin moved in behind her. “Almost ready, I swear.”
He grabbed a handful of her hair and tugged until she angled her neck to his liking. His eyes stayed intent on hers in the mirror as he pressed his lips to the side of her throat.
As much as she’d loved his tenderness last night, Amery also needed this. Ronin reminding her of his dominant nature. “Close your eyes, baby,” he murmured against her skin.
The instant she did, he slipped something around her neck.
“Now you can look.”
Amery opened her eyes. Then she leaned closer to the mirror. The necklace, weighted in the middle with a gold curlicue twist, fell below the hollow of her throat. Centered on either side of the charm were colored stones, anchored by two chains, one in rose gold and one in black that were twisted together to create the single chain. “Ronin. This is stunning.”
“It’s an infinity symbol. A reminder we’re entwined together forever. The stones are peach sapphires, which signify eternal passion. I chose rose gold for the finish because it reminds me of your hair.” He kissed the back of her head. “The black chain—”
“Looks like rope,” she finished. “And it’s black because our last name is Black.”
“Yes.” He ran his finger down the twisted chain. “Do you like it?”
God. It took all of her self-control not to burst into tears because it was just so damn perfect. “Well, it’s no kanji carved into your skin, but it’ll do for now.”
He chuckled. “Glad you approve.”
“It’s . . . I don’t know if there are any words for how special this is to me. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Since you rarely let me buy you gifts I knew I had to make it count.”
“You planned this?”
“As soon as I knew we’d be coming to Tokyo.”
Amery wreathed her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. Her eyes were a little misty when she eased back. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He rested his forehead to hers. “Thanks for last night.”
It might be trite to say thanks for needing me, so rather than speaking she kissed him again. “My ears are always open.”
“Good to know. Let’s go.”
Ronin held her hand as they exited the apartment and headed to the elevator. Once inside he used a keycard and punched in an access code for the penthouse.
“I see you learned your love of security measures from your grandfather.”
“He’s way worse than I am. The top floor is only accessible by his private elevator.”
Amery frowned at the lighted panel. “The fifty-first floor isn’t the top floor?”
“Nope. This building has fifty-two floors. We’ll have to go through security and then take the stairs.”
“I checked your sister’s apartment like she asked me to.” Shiori’s place was twice as big as Ronin’s, but that wasn’t the surprise. The surprise was the cozy, English-cottage décor, so feminine and welcoming. The apartment Shiori rented in Denver defined austere.
Ronin gave her an odd look. “Why would she ask you to do that?”
She shrugged. “She handed me a key before we left and asked if I’d mind doing a walk-through while I was in the building. So I did. Nice place.” Although, Amery didn’t poke around much, afraid she might actually find the Hello Kitty whip collection Shiori had mentioned.
The elevator doors opened and two huge, mean-looking dudes waited for them. Their postures became only slightly less menacing when they realized Nureki Okada’s grandson had arrived. They merely pointed up the marble staircase when Ronin inquired after his grandfather.
Once they were out of earshot, Amery murmured, “Jenko, Shiori’s bodyguard, was downright jovial compared to them.”
“It’s not an act either. They will fuck you up if you’re even remotely considered a threat to Ojisan.”
She tightened her hand around Ronin’s when they reached the top of the stairs. “Speaking of . . . what am I supposed to call him? I don’t know protocol for this. He’s Ojisan to you. Okada is his surname so do I call him Mr. Okada? Because it seems presumptive on my part to call him Nureki.”
Ronin stopped and loomed over her. “Amery, do not freak yourself out about this. If you make a misstep, my mother will correct you. Ojisan is a shark. He smells fear on you he’ll zero in on it.”
Now her panic really kicked in.
“But remember, baby. You’re here with me. I’d never allow my grandfather to disrespect you. Part of the reason we came early is so you can meet him without an audience.”
“Promise me you’ll translate everything he says and you won’t editorialize it.”
“I promise.”
Shiori had told Amery previously her grandfather spoke English but pretended he didn’t. It gave him an advantage when companies conversed in English, assuming he didn’t understand.
Opulent was too tame a word to describe the entire space they entered. Gold and marble were everywhere. The prices of the rugs alone could probably feed an entire country.
Don’t gawk and for godsake don’t whip out your cell phone and snap a selfie in front of the gold-plated sea turtle sculpture.
“I hear the wheels churning,” Ronin murmured. “What are you thinking about?”
“What was it like to come to a place like this to visit your grandfather when you were young?”
“Ojisan didn’t live here when I was a kid. This building is only ten years old. Believe it or not, my mother managed to talk him out of even gaudier furnishings than this. He has a need for people to know he has money.”
“Then there’s his minimalist grandson.”
He shrugged. “Another point of contention between us.”
“Because you can’t be bought.” As soon as she’d said it she wished she could take it back.
The muscle in Ronin’s jaw flexed. “He tried. When actual money didn’t work he set me up with Naomi. Making me think I’d found . . .”