The Undertow (The Kuroda Yakuza Series Book 2) Read online

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2015 Mia Amano

  All rights reserved.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Adele

  I make long, languid strokes through the cool water, feeling refreshed. The humidity has been oppressive all day, and I’ve been dying to jump into the crystal clear pool. I plunge beneath the glassy surface, reveling in the feeling of being weightless, the water holding me in a tranquil embrace.

  I surface on the other side of the infinity pool, looking out over the serene, green parklands to the city skyline beyond. Above the urban chaos, this place is an oasis of tranquility.

  A warm breeze caresses me, and something causes the fine hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end. It’s the sensation of being watched. I turn around slowly, hooking my arms over the tiled edge of the pool, allowing my body to be buoyed by the water.

  I’m wearing nothing but a black bikini, my wet hair slicked back in a long ponytail. My skin has turned the color of burnt honey, the result of two weeks spent on the beach.

  As I raise my eyes, I catch sight of a familiar figure.

  He’s sitting on a sun lounge, a glass of whiskey in one hand. I take a moment to drink in the ripple of his abdominal muscles peeking through his open shirt. His eyes are hidden behind dark glasses, but I can feel his intense gaze on me. The corners of his mouth curl upwards in appreciation.

  And in the cool waters of the pool, on this hot, tropical day, I feel my desire stir.

  I swim over to him, pulling myself up out of the pool in a single, fluid movement. Water sluices off me, and I feel self conscious all of a sudden, trapped by his dark, hidden stare.

  “You’re not going to jump in?” I arrange myself on the sun lounge beside him, aware that my nipples are taut beneath the thin, wet fabric of my bikini top. He looks at me, takes a sip of his whiskey, and shakes his head.

  I should know better. He hates revealing his tattoos in public. They’re hidden under the long sleeves of his crisp, white shirt, a swirling, mesmerizing riot of color.

  His face is unreadable, apart from the slight smile he wears. But I know him too well. He’s checking me out, his gaze slipping to the curve of my breasts, tracing down my wet skin to the swell of my thighs.

  He’s impossible.

  At this time of day, only the two of us are crazy enough to brave the heat. The rest of the hotel’s guests are sitting in the cool, cavernous foyer sipping cocktails and wine, or taking shelter in their rooms.

  We’re on the fifteenth floor of the St Regis hotel, overlooking the tall buildings of downtown Bangkok.

  And I’m sitting next to my lover, Kaito Araki, a man who hides deep secrets under his polished facade. A man who I choose to stay with, despite the darkness he carries inside. He comes from a world of violence and death; a world I’ll never fully understand.

  He tries to hide it from me, tries to keep me sheltered, but every now and then, I see the glimpses of the other Kaito.

  He tells me he’s trying to leave that world, but it’s as ingrained in him as the insanely beautiful irezumi tattoos covering his body.

  And I suspect his work is not the kind of thing one just walks away from.

  I shouldn’t have anything to do with a man like this. But I’m drawn to him like a moth to a flame, entranced by danger wrapped up in a very attractive package. He tried to drive me away, but I stuck. And ever since then, he’s been good to me.

  He protects me from the ugliness of his world, and when I’m with him, he gives me his undivided attention.

  It’s all I need.

  I grab a soft, white towel and dry myself, as he regards he with obvious interest.

  “We should go upstairs,” he murmurs.

  “Uh huh?” I raise an eyebrow teasingly, a lazy smile creeping across my face. We’re the only two people out on the pool deck, and as far as I’m concerned, we could be the last two people on earth. Nothing else matters right now.

  I rub the towel slowly up and down each of my bronzed thighs, watching him as he takes a long sip of his drink. He’s got that look on his face; the wolfish one he gets when he’s turned on.

  He’s trying to hide it.

  But I know him too well.

  “What’s wrong with out here?” I ask. I grab a tube of coconut sun lotion and start massaging the silky liquid into my skin.

  “I don’t want to get arrested for public indecency,” he replies. He motions for me to sit beside him. “Come here.”

  I get up and move to where he’s sitting, dropping the towel. I perch on the side of his sun lounge. Kaito takes the sun lotion from me and starts massaging it into my back.

  His fingers are hard and callused and strong. They know every single one of my sensitive spots. He kneads me up and down, his clever hands tracing the taut flesh of my back as if it’s a ritual, caressing my bare skin. Kaito pulls me backward, into his embrace. “Always tempting me, Adele.”

  “Is that such a bad thing?”

  “When we’re in full view of the entire fucking hotel, it is.” He bends down and takes a deep breath, savoring my scent. His hot, sensuous lips plant slow kisses on my neck. “I want to do you right here, right now, and I almost don’t care who sees us.”

  The hard length of his erection presses into my bare skin through his jeans. It’s almost too much for me to bear. Warmth creeps between my thighs, and I become flushed with arousal.

  “Enough.” His hands gently trace the swell of my ass, before he sits up, and gently pushes me to my feet. Kaito picks up the discarded towel and wraps it around me, taking care to tuck it in neatly between my breasts. His hands linger over my hard, sensitive nipples, feeling them through the soft cotton of the towel. “Let’s get you upstairs.”

  “Speak for yourself, lover.” I let him slide an arm around my waist. I’m barefoot, with only the towel covering me. I slip one hand in the back pocket of Kaito’s jeans, feeling the curve of his toned ass through the rough denim.

  Together, we walk through the cool foyer and enter an elevator. I wait until the doors close and then lean into him, goosebumps rippling across my forearms in response to the air-conditioning. Kaito wraps his arms around me, and we stand like that for a precious moment, both wound with exquisite tension.

  I can’t wait to get him into our room and tear his clothes off.

  Kaito

  As the elevator doors open, I pause, taking a moment to breathe in Adele’s intoxicating coconut and vanilla scent. She’s wrapped in my arms, half naked except for that damn towel, and she’s driving me insane. Then she drags me out of the elevator, her long, bronze legs flashing under the short hem of the towel, which grazes the tops of her thighs.

  I’ve got a hard-on so big it’s fucking painful.

  Adele waits for me to swipe into our room and I slam the door shut behind us as she wraps her arms around my neck and delivers a slow, burning kiss.

  Her mouth is warm and sensuous and she tastes like pineapple and mint.

  I unhook the towel from between her breasts and it drops to the floor. I take a moment to savor the curves of her body. She’s been kissed by the sun after two weeks on the beach, and her skin has turned deep golden. I find the flimsy string-ties holding up her bikini top and pull. The tiny garment drops, revealing her rounded, pert breasts.

  I trail long, slow kisses down her chest, dropping to my knees. I kiss the smooth, taut skin of her belly, until I reach the black t
riangle of fabric covering her pussy. I take a deep breath, savoring her scent. She smells of rich coconut combined with the salty tang of the pool, and underneath it all is the undeniable scent of her.

  It drives me nuts.

  I slip my hand beneath the material and feel wetness on the tips of my fingers. The skin around her pussy is smooth and bare, and she rocks her hips and moans as I play with her sensitive flesh.

  As I tease the bottom half of her bikini down past the swell of her hips, my phone vibrates. With my free hand I pluck it out of the back pocket of my jeans and toss it across the floor, ignoring it.

  Nothing should interrupt us now.

  Who the fuck would be trying to call me when I’m on holidays in Thailand, anyway?

  The black panties fall around her ankles, and Adele twines her fingers into my hair. “Don’t stop,” she whispers, her low, husky voice wrapping around me.

  I bend forward, putting my lips to her soft flesh. She tastes like salt and sunshine.

  The phone rings again, its buzzing harsh and insistent from where it lies on the tiled floor.

  I ignore it.

  I cup my hands around the swell of her ass, appreciating every curve, every inch. I know every detail and every nuance of her body. I crave her. She’s my own personal goddess.

  The phone rings again.

  “Fuck,” I exhale, flicking a glance across to where the source of my irritation lies.

  I can see the name of the caller, in Japanese, lighting up the screen.

  Onee-san. Big sister. That’s what I call her, anyway. It’s a yakuza thing.

  Double fuck.

  Adele wraps her fingers around her neck, but I untangle them gently and stand. “Sorry,” I whisper. “I have to take this.”

  My arousal is burning inside me and I drink in Adele’s naked form with a long, lingering stare as I pick up the phone. “Hai?” I answer, cautiously, respectfully.

  Adele doesn’t waste time. As I stand with the phone pressed to my ear, she moves to my side and unbuckles my belt, tugging my jeans down around my knees.

  “Was I interrupting something, Kaito-kun?” Erika Goto’s smooth voice distracts me a fraction. She sounds composed, as always, but I detect a brittle edge to her tone. With my other hand, I cup the side of Adele’s face, bringing my thumb to her lips. She sucks on it, long and hard. I’m trying to slow her down, just a little.

  When the sister of the Kumicho, the Godfather of the Kuroda Group, calls, one can’t afford to be distracted. Erika wields great power within the organization. She’s not to be taken lightly.

  “Not at all,” I reply in Japanese, fighting to keep my voice even, giving nothing away. I stare into Adele’s golden brown eyes, which have gone wide with curiosity and desire.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt your break, but you need to come to Tokyo. Tonight. Hajime-san is dead.”

  I freeze. This is going to shake the foundations of the underworld. The Kumicho of the Kuroda Group, Hajime Ishida, is dead.

  Adele senses the tension and pauses, slowly removing my thumb from her moist, rosebud lips.

  “What happened?” I ask, a familiar coldness settling on me. Yakuza bosses rarely die of natural causes.

  “He was shot in his home last night. We’re still trying to find the killer.”

  “Any ideas?”

  “Some. But we’ll talk more when you get here. Take the usual precautions.”

  “Of course.”

  I hook an arm around Adele’s waist, pulling her close to me, drawing on her warmth. She’s the light that burns through my darkness. When I’m with her, a switch in me trips, and I almost feel like a decent human being.

  Almost. There’s something I should say right now.

  “Erika-san,” I add, filling the void down the line. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  Silence. It drags on and on. I focus on Adele, using the feel of her bare skin under my fingers to ground myself.

  When she finally speaks, Erika’s voice is low and soft, but as cold as winter frost. “In our world, revenge is worth a thousand times more than condolences. You of all people should know that, Kaito. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  And with that, she hangs up.

  Adele

  When Kaito hangs up, a stillness has come over him. He’s still got his arm around me, drawing me in beside him as if he’s somehow afraid he’ll lose me.

  I’m still naked, and I huddle into him, enjoying the feel of his hard body against me. “You okay?” I ask, glancing up into his eyes, which are so dark they almost appear black.

  “Yeah.” He plants a kiss on my forehead, but his expression is cold and distant.

  “Do you still-”

  He shushes me, putting a finger to my lips. Then, he removes the rest of his clothes and leads me to the bed, pushing me down onto the crisp hotel-pressed linens.

  The phone call has made him quiet and thoughtful, but no less aroused.

  I drink in the sculpted outline of his shoulders, and the amazing tattoos that cover both arms. The ink extends in a fanlike shape over both his pectorals, and his entire back is decorated in a riot of intricate detail and bold color. There are dragons dancing with brightly colored koi fish, and swirls of cherry blossoms, floating over a bold, dark background.

  I never, ever get tired of seeing Kaito naked.

  I’ve got this view all to myself. Kaito never shows his tattoos to anyone else. They’re a hidden part of him, hard-earned marks of the life he’s led and the allegiances he’s sworn. Their beauty is deceptive. The meaning behind them is much more sinister. The artwork on Kaito’s body tells a story of violence and tradition.

  He moves over me, fluid and sinuous, never once breaking my stare.

  I feel his skin brush against mine, and it’s electric. Like me, Kaito has turned a shade darker, the result of days spent diving and snorkeling around the crystal waters of Koh Samui. We had a boat, all to ourselves. We went out on the ocean, just the two of us, away from the tourists and crowds, enjoying each other’s company under the warm, tropical sun.

  It was magic.

  Kaito dives into me, entering me. He’s brutal but gentle at the same time, fucking me slow and deep, holding me with his dark, depthless gaze. We move to each other’s rhythm, not saying a word, caught up in a tide of bittersweet pleasure.

  I sense his need. Even though the frenzy of our arousal has slowed, his need is as deep as ever.

  Just like mine.

  I wrap my legs around him as we rock back and forth, our intensity building.

  We make love on the pristine hotel bed, lost in one another, pulled along by the force of our slow-burning desire. I run my fingers through Kaito’s thick hair, down his neck, down the defined muscles of his back.

  Heat stirs inside me in response to his warmth. The sensation of pleasure grows, winding tighter and tighter as he fucks me harder, faster. It builds and builds until I can’t take it any longer, then it unfurls like a blossoming flower and I gasp in release.

  Kaito cries out as he climaxes deep inside me.

  His arms are around me, and he holds me tighter, burying his face in my neck, planting soft kisses in the hollow above my collarbone, his hot, sensuous lips like warm velvet on my bare skin.

  I shudder with desire as the aftermath of my orgasm ripples through me.

  He holds me tightly, then withdraws and moves so he’s lying beside me. I turn so I can see his face.

  Even when our lovemaking is bittersweet, it’s still beautiful.

  Finally, he speaks. “I have to go to Tokyo.”

  I blink. “What?” His statement catches me off guard. Kaito once told me that he’s a wanted man in Japan. That he would never go back. When I launched my first exhibition in LA, I had several invitations from small galleries in Tokyo to show my work.

  I never accepted any of those invitations.

  Because I couldn’t stand the thought of going to Japan without him.

  The old me would have just packed
up and left on a holiday, without a second thought. If it was anywhere else, I might have gone, but Japan is different. It’s Kaito’s birthplace. I need to go with him.

  “Something’s come up.” Kaito brushes a stray tendril of hair away from my face. “It’s something I can’t avoid.” The tenderness of his gesture is at odds with the hard edge in his voice. “I’m sorry, Adele, but I have to fly out tonight. You stay here for as long as you want. Relax. Pamper yourself. Put it on my account. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “You’re not going anywhere without me.” I raise one eyebrow. “You’d leave me here, on my own?”

  “It’s dangerous.”

  “Everything with you is dangerous.”

  “Not like this.” Kaito shakes his head. “You don’t know these people, Adele. It’s not even a good idea for me to go back, but I have no choice.”

  “What happened, Kaito?”

  “The head of the Kuroda Group is dead.” Kaito’s dark eyes hold only a flicker of warmth as he looks at me. HIs expression is cold. “There are some things I need to sort out.”

  “I thought you were trying to get away from that kind of thing.” A sliver of fear winds its way into my chest. “Isn’t that why we decided to take a vacation?” Before we left Los Angeles, Kaito did something. He didn't reveal all the details, but two bosses of a prominent Italian mafia family had ended up dead. It was all over the news. Then the Kuroda Group, the yakuza family Kaito’s involved with, had mysteriously acquired a casino in Las Vegas.

  I don’t really know all the details of what Kaito’s mixed up with. I know he does bad things, but I also know he’s trying to change that.

  Kaito had decided then that it might be a good time to leave the country for a while. He'd suggested the sun-drenched beaches of Southern Thailand.

  Having never been out of the States before, I thought that was a good idea. Now, on the tail end of our vacation, we've ended up back in Bangkok.

  Kaito remains silent. He leans over and plants a soft kiss on my forehead before sitting up and rising to his feet, moving with his usual grace. “I can’t allow you to get involved in my business. You shouldn’t ever have to know that world.”