“I hate that you call me that.”
“Why? Didn’t you know? I’m the dark prince of the Yakuza. You will be my princess.”
“I feel like a princess sometimes. Always locked up in my tower. Never allowed to live my life.” I bite my lip, not sure why I told him that.
“I’m sorry you feel that way. I’m working on that, though. Let’s talk about more pleasant things for now. Tell me, what are you wearing?”
I gasp and sputter, “W-what?”
His chuckle flowing through the line makes my body light up. “I’m kidding, babe. I mean, unless you want to tell me. The phone I gave you can take and send pictures if you want to show me?”
“What? No. You’re being a perv.”
“You’re going to bring me so much joy. What if I send you a photo of me first?”
I swallow hard. Looking at the background picture is already doing crazy things to my body. I don’t need any more confusion.
“You’re being bad. Stop it.”
“I’m so good at it though,” he drawls.
“That’s for damn sure,” I mutter to myself before clearing my throat. “Tell me something. Something no one else knows about you.”
He lets out a breath. “I watched my mother die when I was seven years old.”
I gasp. I wasn’t expecting that.
“What? I-I can’t imagine. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay. It was a long time ago. My father was in a dispute with one of his enemies. He thought she was safe. We had gone out back so she could mess with her garden, and I could run off the energy I had. We never saw them coming. I failed her that night. I made a promise never to fail another person I love again.”
“Is that why your father is so cold?”
I’ve never met the man, but I’ve seen the photos of him. His eyes are always cold. Dead.
“Maybe. He never forgave me for letting that man kill my mother.”
“It wasn’t your fault. You were a child,” I say harshly.
“You’re right, but he doesn’t see it that way. The man made me watch as he did unspeakable things to her before ending her life. I was a message to my father. He feels I should have died along with her,” he says calmly.
Tears prickle my eyes. “Kai, that’s… I’m so sorry. You have to know that there was nothing you could have done.”
“I know. Thank you for the sympathy, but I’ve moved on from it. No one aside from my father and his second in command know though.”
My heart warms. “You’re trusting me with it.”
“I am. Don’t make me regret it,” he teases.
“I suppose I owe you a truth then?”
“I wouldn’t mind one.”
I swallow hard, already knowing what I want to tell him.
“My father used to dote on me when I was a child, but when I turned thirteen, all of that stopped. I’m not sure what happened, but after that my mother disappeared too. She’s always sleeping in her room while he focuses on business. Neither one of them gives me the time of day anymore. I mean, unless it benefits my father. It’s like a switch flipped and he’s no longer the man who raised me those first twelve years.”
“I’m sorry, babe. That sounds lonely.”
