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  Last night with Sophie had been good for me. After exposing my heart to her and then having Becca attempt to ridicule me, having a night with Sophie all to myself had been great.

  Our bodies had intertwined last night in more positions than pretzel formations. My body hummed in remembrance of her mouth on me. The way she licked me from my earlobe down to my cock. I got her back though. I had her screaming out my name until the neighbors probably knew who I was.

  The elevator chimed that I’d reached my floor.

  This was it.

  I knocked on the door and his assistant answered. As Sophie had instructed, I checked to see if shoes had been left near the door. None were there so I kept my shoes on and followed Nakamura’s assistant, Ichiro. The suite was well decorated with fresh flowers and dark mahogany decor. I was led into the great room where Nakamura was reading a newspaper on the wide balcony.

  Instead of taking in the amazing view, I extended my right hand, grasping my wrist with my left. Nakamura gave me a firm handshake as I bowed.

  “I’m glad you came,” he said.

  “I’m pleased you took the time from your busy schedule to see me.”

  We sat down at the balcony table and his assistant poured me tea.

  “You’re quite persistent, Mr. Quinn,” Nakamura remarked.

  “In this business you have to be, but there are times when persistence can get a man into trouble.”

  “Truly.”

  He was silent for a moment and I wondered what I should say. Most certainly pitching the proposal my lawyers had sent him so long ago seemed too bold.

  “I’ve read your proposal and you have intriguing ideas,” Nakamura said.

  Now that almost knocked me off my feet. “Thank you.”

  “But I don’t know if you’re the man to do them. You seem to be on a train without brakes. A boat sailing off into the unknown.”

  I’d been told this before. “Mr. Nakamura, you have the resources and experience I need. I’m willing to learn and I’m willing to do whatever is necessary to show you I’m the best.”

  Nakamura nodded for me to continue. I had my shot now. It was up to me to cross the finish line.

  —

  A few days passed.

  I was at the gym working out when a phone call came in from Ian in Phoenix. “We’ve received news with an offer to sit down and begin the negotiation process for a contract.”

  I grinned from ear to ear. “Good to hear you sounding better.”

  “I thought I was going to have to send out a search party for my lung, Mr. Quinn.” Ian had sounded like a hungover smoker who’d been dragged through a metal grate.

  Ian fed me what few details existed: I was needed back in Arizona to begin the process and everything would be waiting for me when I got there.

  The contract could wait. I planned to get out of these sweaty clothes so I could see Sophie and celebrate. She’d be overjoyed to hear about our victory. I was shrugging off my sweats when my phone rang again. Probably Ian to nag me to hurry up.

  But when I picked up the phone, I was surprised to see Marcus’s number.

  “You still having fun in Boston?” I asked.

  “I’m not in Boston anymore.” The withdrawn note of my brother’s voice made me pause.

  “What’s going on, Marcus? Is everything all right with Mom and Dad?”

  He sighed. “It’s not them. It’s Becca. She has cancer.”

  The weight of his words forced me back to my bed. I sat down with a heavy heart. “Marcus…”

  “We’ve been keeping it a secret from everyone. Maybe we hoped we could hide her treatment from the kids. From everybody for as long as possible. But she’s gotten sicker and now she needs me to be there for her.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Marcus had borne the burdens of our family for so long. The vacation resort business, the expectations of my parents.

  “I hate saying this,” he continued, “but I need you back home. I have people I trust, but I don’t trust them like I trust you.”

  I ran my hand through my hair, unable to imagine the shit my brother was going through. Why hadn’t I been nicer to Becca? “You can count on me.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’d planned to return to the West Coast anyway.”

  “What about the girl I saw you with? Your assistant, or should I say girlfriend?”

  Now that was another matter I’d have to settle. “I don’t know if she wants to take what we have to the next level or not, but I’d like to see where things go.” Something swelled inside my chest. A good feeling I hadn’t felt since I’d last been with Sophie.

  Maybe this was the sign I’d been waiting for to do what was right.

  Chapter 21

  Sophie

  I heard from Komiko sooner than I’d expected. I would be seeing Sato again. A few days wasn’t enough time for the news to sink in.

  Staring at the text message didn’t help:

  Sato is waiting for you at the Aoz sushi bar.

  The message was simple, yet my heart dropped every time I glanced at my phone. Knowing he was in town was hard enough, but knowing he was waiting to see me made a familiar ache in my chest return.

  If I was still hurting, why was I on my way to Southie? Instead of taking a cab, I took the train to South Boston. I needed time—a lot of it—to prepare.

  This trip was familiar. The blue line to the orange one. From there it was a bus ride toward City Point. Every minute was a journey to a place from a different time. A happier time. Two years ago, before he’d left, we’d held hands going down E. Broadway, past the Medal of Honor Park, on the way to Aozakana. In the wintertime, snowdrifts gathered along the roads, but that didn’t stop us from trudging there.

  I sighed. Now that I stood in front of Aozakana, I was happier, but in a different way. I was ready to see Sato, even though my body churned in agony—almost as if my spine remembered the pain of crying for days.

  I straightened my back and opened the door. Aozakana hadn’t changed much since my last visit. The decor still welcomed anyone with its rustic, down-home feel. None of the chairs or tables were made of plastic. All the chairs looked lived-in and there were tears in the fabric on the seats, but based on experience, I knew I’d feel at home. Hiruto, the owner’s son, was still working behind the counter preparing food, while his wife Carmine was taking orders at the register. Komiko had chosen a spot where I’d been confident and carefree.

  The last time I’d walked into this place I’d been happy. I could still be that Sophie.

  He was in our spot. The corner booth nearest to the door.

  Sato didn’t turn to look at me. Even when I slipped into a seat and placed my tote bag on the floor. A meal was waiting for me, though. A California sushi roll wrapped with extra seaweed. So he remembered.

  “How are you?” he began. That simple statement from him held so many meanings.

  He was still beautiful, but his face was a bit thinner. The power in his dark gaze remained. Somehow just sitting in front of him, I felt smaller.

  He glanced at my wrists. I wasn’t wearing his leather cuffs. Nor did I have plans to do that anymore.

  “Much better than after you left. I’m well.” I placed the napkin in my lap. Then, using the chopsticks, I placed the first piece in my mouth. So many wonderful tastes crossed my tongue.

  “You look well.” He paused, watching me eat. “Thank you for meeting me.”

  I shrugged. “Even after what you did to me, I know how to be civil.”

  “I appreciate that.” Another long pause. “For a long time I’ve tried to think of what to say to you if I ever had an opportunity like this.”

  Had an opportunity? My bite came down hard. A real man would have come to me and apologized.

  Sato continued, “But there’s nothing I can say to make amends, other than see you today.” Sincerity filled his features. Two years ago, I would’ve tossed my water into his face, but today I just nodded so I could say what
I should have so long ago.

  “Leaving me behind was so…fucked up…and you know I rarely say that word out loud…that I’ve done things I never would’ve before. I’ve closed myself off from people. People who would’ve loved me and accepted me for who I was.” I kept talking, even though my throat had gone dry and my fists clenched so tightly they hurt. But I didn’t cry—I was past crying and there was nothing left. “You took something so beautiful between us and you were too much of a fucking coward to let me go.”

  He accepted my venom, not saying a word the whole time. This was the Sato I remembered. Stone. Unmoving. Once I was done, he finally spoke. “Shame followed me home to Nagasaki and continues to follow me, Sophie. I’m trying to make amends.”

  “With your little gifts?” I took the tote bag and placed it at his feet under the table. “You can have them back. Stop sending them to me.”

  “If it’s what you want,” he said.

  Just looking as his straight face almost pushed me over the edge.

  “Does your fiancée know about your shame? Your gifts?” I asked him, trying to keep my voice even.

  “No, she doesn’t. It’s for the best.”

  I snorted. Shouldn’t be surprised. “You better do well by her.”

  His jaw twitched, but he didn’t speak. His hands remained in his lap. Sato had always been bold, commanding. Every move he made was certain, seemingly calculated. Scolding him was something I’d never done before.

  A question circled my tongue and I wanted to hold it back, but I couldn’t. “Did you ever love me?”

  He took a deep breath. “What I can say is I loved the moments we shared.” He paused as if pensive. “I’ve never met a woman like you before. You’re responsive. Sensual. Everything I could’ve wanted in a partner, but my parents would have never accepted an American. A life beyond what we had was impossible.”

  Impossible? Just impossible for him.

  At that moment, I should’ve gotten up and left, but damn it, I came here to eat Aozakana’s food. I wouldn’t let him force me to leave. So I picked up my chopsticks again. Might as well get a free meal out of this. I’d learned all I needed to know.

  When I finished eating, I even made another order with the waitress. “I’d like two more California rolls to go. Put them on his bill, please.”

  When the sack arrived with the meals, I got up and left. I didn’t say a damn word. Why bother saying goodbye? Sato didn’t care.

  Xavier

  Endless calls kept me from seeing Sophie all day. Never would I have imagined that I’d be overseeing the company that I’d run away from most of my adult life.

  Instead of feeling jubilant as I walked up the stairs to Sophie’s apartment, I was apprehensive.

  I’d called Sophie’s cell a few times more than an hour ago, but she hadn’t answered, so I called her apartment. One of her roommates, the one named Penny, picked up the phone.

  “So you’re looking for Sophie?” A slight pause. “Yeah, Ashley’s here. She came home a few hours ago and then went straight to bed. It’s really weird.”

  “Who’s Ashley?”

  Penny laughed, her voice melodious and smooth. “She never told you she changed her name, huh? I’ve always known her as Ashley.” Her voice dropped as if she wanted to share more secrets. “I’ll let you ask her about it after she wakes up and calls you back.”

  “Is she all right?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. She hardly ever sleeps. She sleeps like three to four hours a night like clockwork.”

  Sophie couldn’t be mad at me. We’d parted on good terms the last time we’d seen each other. “Can you let me in if I come see her?”

  “If you knock, I’ll answer.”

  So here I was. It was almost ten o’clock, but I didn’t care.

  In the darkness of her bedroom, I couldn’t make out much, just her silent form on the bed. She seemed so vulnerable while she was curled up on her side. Her breaths were even—she was sleeping peacefully.

  I dueled with the idea of leaving, but I missed her, so I took off my shoes and joined her in the bed. The mattress groaned a bit, but she didn’t stir. I settled behind her and wrapped my left arm around her waist. She was wonderfully warm, smelling of her fruity shampoo. I ran my nose along the crown of her head. Heaven. My groin tightened just thinking about what she might not be wearing. The longer I lay next to her, the more peace settled in my bones.

  Then Sophie spoke. “When did you get here?”

  So she was awake.

  “Not too long ago.” I kissed the back of her head. We fit so perfectly together.

  “Did you get the contract?” she asked, her voice still a bit sleepy.

  I ran my hands down her extended arms to her hands—then I noticed she wore her leather cuffs. A chain linked them to the bed.

  Now this was unexpected.

  “What’s this?” I asked softly. She was all alone. Why was she wearing these?

  She paused as if she considered what she was about to say. “I needed them tonight. For the last time.” She shifted and I caught the sounds of her removing the cuffs.

  A weight lifted from my chest. Did that mean she was getting rid of them? “Why do you wear them by yourself?”

  I’d yet to meet any sub who did self-bondage.

  Placing them on the nightstand, she turned around to face me. Her lips brushed against mine. “Sometimes I wear them for comfort. I guess you could say they’re like an anchor. A reminder of the pleasure I experienced during a scene.”

  “Scenes with Sato? Do you reminisce about being with him?” I didn’t want her thinking about him anymore.

  “I have new memories now. With you.” She shivered so I rubbed her arms. “You’re quite good at helping me create great ones.”

  Satisfied with her response, I stroked her back and we fell into a comfortable silence.

  Before I drifted off to sleep, she ended the silence with her original question. “Did you get the contract?”

  “Not exactly, but the first step in the negotiation process has begun. Our lawyers will be meeting at the end of this week…Ashley.”

  She snorted.

  “So when did you plan to tell me you’re Ashley Ashton?” I asked.

  “How about never? I’ve nuked every document with that name, but Carlie and Penny won’t let my birth name die a good death.”

  You’re in trouble now, Ashley Ashton. I relaxed again and looked forward to every opportunity I’d get to tease her. The name was sexy as hell. I could get used to lying next to her in bed like this. Tension filled my limbs and my hunger for her was peaking again. “I never imagined I’d reach this point. From the beginning, I thought I’d have to beg on my knees and fling every achievement I had at him. In the end, all it took was one conversation. A confession and an admission.”

  Her head tilted. “An admission?”

  “I admitted my imperfections and I confessed you’re the reason I made it this far. I was supposed to show up here with flowers, but Ian is running a bit late.”

  She laughed a bit. “So Ian’s well again? I guess he can make your flight arrangements.”

  “I’d like it if my flight back home included two people instead of one.”

  Her head turned sharply toward me. “What are you saying?”

  “Come to Arizona with me. My brother’s wife, Becca, is ill and Marcus needs my help with my family’s company.”

  A wave of emotions crossed her face in the darkness. Uncertainty. Sadness at hearing about Becca. With little light all I could see was her parted mouth and the rapid blinking of her eyes.

  “You don’t have to decide right now,” I said to reassure her. “Just come for the weekend and see if you want to stay with me.”

  For a while, she didn’t say anything. Doubts circled my mind, too. Memories of Rosalie were strongest back in Phoenix and, as much as I wanted Sophie with me, the idea of bringing a woman to the home I was supposed to make with Rosalie fed those doubts. I
needed a new start as badly as Sophie did.

  “Just a weekend,” she finally said. “Nothing more?”

  I slowly nodded. One weekend for us both. “You’ve given me everything I could ever need in Boston. I should return the favor.” Unable to resist, I cupped her breast through the thin material.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Just getting comfortable…” My cock was aching at this point. “I’m thinking I should supervise your packing in the morning to make sure you don’t back out. I’d like to leave tomorrow morning if possible.”

  She was so soft, so sweet. She moaned as my hand ran down her belly to seek out the warmth between her thighs.

  “From now on I’ll be the one who comforts you,” I whispered. I pulled her arms upward, stretching them until her back arched. Every night she’d been with me, she’d slept well. By the time I was done with her tonight, she’d sleep long enough for us to miss any morning flight.

  Chapter 22

  Sophie

  Not sure how this happened, but instead of flying east to London, I was flying west to Arizona. Just for the weekend anyway.

  I was flying all alone, too. To my surprise Xavier had to fly out earlier to handle business at Silver Sparrow Systems. I smiled at the thought of his face when he told me he was going home to work on negotiations with Nakamura. He’d done it. And I’d been there with him through it all.

  So what now? As I got off the jet at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and into the dry Arizona heat, I asked myself that question. Back when I was with Sato, I had dreams of stepping off a plane in Japan. I remembered the growing excitement in my belly and all the hopes and dreams I’d had of meeting his family. For the first time, I would be drop-kicked into a place where I hadn’t prepared for a visit beforehand.

  Case in point, I was barely prepared for anything today and it was my job to be prepared. Not that I hadn’t done a little bit of research. Don’t get me wrong. I am good at what I do for a reason, but this time things were different. I was the visiting girlfriend, and not the assistant.