Page 91 of Legal Returns
Not this time.
We fall into a little amiable banter after everyone is seated. Placing our orders, we all play our part and make Ivan comfortable as Ne looks relaxed and as if he has his guard down.
“Tell me, how are things going with the Alliance? Business still good for you and your family?” Ivan suddenly asks out of nowhere.
A frown comes to my face and I reach for my bag by my foot. I was looking forward to that salad. It looks like I’m not going to get a chance to eat it.
“Business is business.” Ne shrugs.
“Interesting, because those of us who didn’t confirm or resisted ended up with shit end of stick,” Ivan bites out.
“You sound as if I made that happen. I told you my thoughts before any of it was a reality. Your family chose their path. My family chose ours.”
“You could have put in word for me. You were supposed to be my friend. You have place at table,” Ivan snarls.
“Actually, my father and brother-in-law have seats. I am a silent member for now.”
Ivan roars like he has lost his mind and pulls a gun to aim at my brother. Before he can get out of his seat, I have him by his hair as I pull a blade across his throat.
I drop his body to the floor as I stand over him and look down at him bleeding out. Tatian drops to her knees beside him, screaming. There’s no point; I can already see the light leaving his eyes.
Ne sits back in his seat and folds his arms across his chest with a grin on his lips. I have one blade dripping with Ivan’s blood at my side as my chest heaves. The few people dining here for lunch have broken into hysterics and fled screaming.
We picked this restaurant on this side of town at this time just for this. Everything about this meeting has been controlled. As the patrons run out, Ivan’s men run in.
“Don’t stand there. Kill them all,” Tatian screams at her brother’s men.
Right at that moment, Ren Takahashi and his dog Nanami enter behind Ivan’s men. My blood begins to boil. However, I gather that Yui is more enraged than I am as a growl rips from her chest.
From there, everything begins to move so fast I can only react. A window behind me blows out as a bullet enters the head of Ivan’s guy pointing at my brother.
In the next breath, my brother flips the table, and Yui kicks it so hard it flies into Ivan’s remaining shooters before they canreact. The action also gives me time to pull my other blade from my bag.
When I have it and straighten, Tatian gets to her feet holding her brother’s gun aimed at me. Not thinking, I drop one blade still in its sheath to rest on top of my foot as I step forward with the other foot. Then I grab the gun, twisting it out of her hold.
In the next breath, I kick my other blade up in the air, catch it by the hilt and unsheathe it. I grin at the surprised look on her face as I run her through. Not sparing her a single thought, I knock her from my blade with the swipe of my other arm as if she’s a nuisance, which she is.
The sound of things crashing and the grunts and groans of fighting pull my attention to my right. When I find Ne sitting back in a chair with his arms folded across his chest while Yui is fighting, I go to fuss at him. Then I see who she’s fighting, and I understand.
I walk over and take the seat next to Ne. Our work is done here. Ryan and the others can have this cleaned up after Yui is done.
“Finally,” I murmur as I watch on.
“Yes, it is beyond time. I will not take away her honor. She has been owed this for a long time.
“We can put this to rest and move forward now. I can have the life I’ve wanted. All wounds will begin to heal,” Ne says as I settle in my seat.
“Well, lunch was a bust. You coming to my house for something to eat?”
He nods his head, not taking his eyes off the fight before him. “Um.”
“Good, I’m hungry,” I grumble.
He chuckles. I lean into him and bump him with my shoulder. He cups the side of my head and kisses the top.
“Thank you.”
“I love you,Kyodai.”
