Free Brie's Tokyo Tryst (Submissive in Love, #1) by Red Phoenix

out of the hospital, trying to
guide her through the crowd of reporters to get to his car. To
Brie’s surprise and gratitude, Master Nosaka’s fans pushed back the
journalists to make a safe path for his son.
    Tono drove away in excruciating silence, his
grief overwhelming her with its darkness and depth. Brie struggled
to breathe slowly as she accepted the onslaught of his crushing
emotions.
    Tono took her to Shinjuku Gyoen, a beautiful
city park filled with over a thousand blooming cherry trees and the
soothing sound of moving water. He walked with long strides,
oblivious to her desperate attempts to keep up with him. She
followed as close as she could while he led her deep into the park.
Tono stopped for a brief moment when he came to a bridge, before he
crossed over it to a small island dominated by an ancient tree.
    There he sat under its immense branches and
began to sob as he stared at the water—a black hole of grief Brie
could not hope to penetrate. She settled beside him and the two sat
in collective grief.
    Eventually, when the tears stopped, he
spoke. “Thank you.”
    She looked at him questioningly. “For
what?”
    “For being here, for not asking questions or
trying to comfort me with meaningless words.”
    “I can’t begin to know your pain, but this
garden,” she said, looking around, “it is a good place to mourn,
Tono.”
    He tilted his head back and rested it
against the tree. “It doesn’t seem real. A man of great strength
and wisdom is gone, yet the day continues unaffected.” He turned to
look at her. “It is both tragic and reassuring to me.”
    Brie smiled sadly.
    “To never hear his praise again, or his
correction—I can’t fathom it.”
    “Neither can I.”
    He looked at her with fresh tears in his
eyes. “ Otosama is dead.”
    The pain behind his statement crushed her.
“But you’re not alone, Tono. I’m here with you.”
    His eyes reflected even deeper sorrow. “I
wish that were true.”
    She squeezed his arm reassuringly. “It is!
I’ll always be here for you—both Sir and I will.”
    Tono looked deep into her eyes. It was the
kind of gaze that was disconcerting because of its raw
intensity.
    “Brie, I…”
    “What?” she urged when he stopped.
    “I’ve kept something from you. Something
I’ve been hesitant to share, even though it has been eating me
alive.”
    “I knew you were hiding something
from me. Please, Tono, I need to know.”
    He looked at her uncertainly, then nodded.
“My father said something just before you arrived in Japan.
Something that has tormented me ever since he mentioned it.” He let
out a long, drawn-out sigh, looking up towards the sky.
    When Tono said nothing more, she encouraged
him. “Whatever it is, I’m sure he never meant to hurt you. It’s
obvious that your father loved you very much.”
    He shook his head. “Brie, I’ve heard many
words of criticism over the years, and have no problem receiving
them.”
    “What is it, then?” she asked, suddenly
concerned when she saw the look of agony on his face. What terrible
secret had his father shared?
    Tono groaned, hitting the back of his head
against the tree and closing his eyes. “My father said he was
sorry.”
    She was relieved to hear it, but couldn’t
understand his odd reaction. “Why would that make you upset, Tono?
I don’t understand.”
    Tono refused to look at her when he
explained, “ Otosama apologized for being wrong about
you.”
    Brie’s heart skipped a beat. She said
nothing as the gravity of those words slowly sank in.
    With eyes still closed, he told her, “As he
lay dying, he said it troubled him deeply knowing that he’d
influenced your decision at the collaring ceremony.”
    The joy she felt that Tono’s father had come
to believe she was worthy of his son was tempered by the fact that
it had changed the course of the evening—of both their lives.
    Tono opened his eyes and turned towards her.
“Thoughts spurred on by his confession have plagued