Dirty, Dirty Liars [Mature/Editing]

[30] 三十

Two weeks passed without another run-in or invitation from Ryuzo's father. There was always something looming over our heads, but that was the new normal. Everyone plotting, waiting, enjoying the moments in between.

Ryuzo's lips brushed against my knuckles, pulling me from my thoughts. We purred down the highway back to Tokyo, our fingers laced together while he didn't have to shift gears. He looked as lost in thought as I did, his eyes locked to the road while he absentmindedly pressed light kisses against my hand every so often.

"Why are you being cute?" I asked.

"I'm being cute?" He glanced at me with a smirk. "I'm imagining a way to get you fired so you don't have to leave me for work anymore."

That made me laugh. "Thank you for not doing that. You know I love my job."

He grumbled and kissed my hand again. "Well, I don't love missing you."

Every day, he reminded me why he was my favorite person. "Where are you going this time?"

"Nagoya again."

"Fucking Nano-ya," I complained. Work was even harder when I spent my days off traveling between cities. "Do you know when you will be back?"

He brushed his lips against my fingers. "Tomorrow night or early the next morning. It will be quick."

"Can we talk when you get back?"

"About what?"

"The plan you keep not wanting to talk about."

A side eye was his only response.

"Don't do that. You don't have to tell me what is going on between you two, but you have to tell me enough, so I don't get in your way."

Conveniently, we reached my exit. He let go of my hand to signal and shift. I stared at the side of his pretty, avoidant head until he spoke.

"The plan is to wait," he said finally.

"Oh, wow! That's so helpful. Thank you."

We came to a stop. I looked up to find we were in the hospital parking lot already.

Ryuzo sighed as he killed the engine. His dark eyes looked into mine. "With my father, you must remember the truth is always two layers below what he makes you see," he explained. "His attention is to make you feel important, the way he does with everyone else — because he wanted something from me. Now that he has it, there will be a time when his focus moves from us to what he really wants."

"So, we wait."

He nodded. "For now, we are safe. We will continue to entertain his petty requests. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Even if that means getting married?"

His posture lost its confident structure. He was no longer in control of the conversation. "Do you . . . ? Do you want to —?"

"Oh, shit. I'm late." I turned and reached for my bag sitting on the back seat.

"Mi-na."

"We can talk about it later," I teased him.

Catching me by the waist before I could open the door, he pulled my face to his and kissed me, slow, sultry, cradling my head in his dominant grasp. He ended the kiss and traced the breathless look on my face with a smirk. "Be good while I'm gone."

I stole one last kiss, then gave him an impish grin. "That's really not my strength, baby."

He let me go with a chuckle. "See you, Mina."