Free A Love For Always by Victoria Paige Page B

know?”
    “I told you. I was being followed last night.” Sylvie pushed at his forearm to free her chin.  
    “Is that all?” he asked.  
    “Yes.”
    “Who erased the footage?”
    “I did.”
    “Don’t lie to me, Sylvie! Is your assistant involved? Does he know of our arrangement?”
    “No! No one does. Just me.”
    Hiroshi remained silent, his gaze unwavering as if contemplating whether to believe her or not. “It might be a good time to broach the subject of marriage between us to your father again.”
    Sylvie couldn’t help it. She laughed. Even when Hiroshi’s face reddened in anger, she couldn’t stop. “Oh, my God. Listen to you . . . this is America, not feudal Japan.”
    “This is the only way he can keep you in line.”
    “He or you? You’re in charge of East Coast operations and the only reason I agreed to this fucked up arrangement is because of Nana.”
    “You are causing a lot of tension within the organization.”
    “How?” Sylvie asked incredulously. “I’m a bastard daughter—”
    “—and still Daichi’s blood. Yet you insist on living away from the protection I can give you. Your father has many enemies. You’re an easy target.”
    “I’ve lived for years on my own and nothing has happened. You’re overstating the danger.”
    “Not anymore.” Hiroshi’s tone was serious. Sylvie was tempted to ask him to clarify, but she knew she wouldn’t get the whole story. Knowing information about the Asian mafia could prove fatal.
    “I don’t get you, Hiro,” Sylvie said, still baffled. “You say we need to marry, but you’re in no hurry to get to know me. Instead, you flaunt your girlfriends in front of me.”
    “I’m just setting expectations.”
    “What?” she exclaimed. “Are you saying you’ll keep your girlfriends even when we’re married?”
    “Mistresses,” Hiroshi nodded. “Of course.”
    “You’re delusional, and need to have your head examined,” Sylvie said, fighting the urge to laugh hysterically. Had she walked into an alternate universe?
    “You shouldn’t talk to your future husband that way.”
    “Go fuck yourself,” Sylvie shot back. “Take me—”
    The side of her face exploded in pain, then her scalp burned when her hair was yanked down, and she was forced within an inch of Hiroshi’s wrathful face.
    “You think I want to marry you because I’m crazy about you?” Hiroshi said softly. “Have you seen my women? Have you not noticed I prefer blondes? They’re goddesses while you are nothing but a scrawny . . . how do they call it? Ah yes . . . piece of ass. I’m grateful you’re not ugly, but there’s nothing special about you.”
    Sylvie tried to pull away, still defiant, but the man’s strength overpowered her and she was forced to listen to his hurtful words that threatened to unearth her buried insecurities.  
    “Do you know why I call you little sparrow?” His lips twisted in a cruel smile. “Because you are as plain and ordinary as that common creature. I will fuck you until you give me a son, maybe two—”
    “I am not a brood mare,” Sylvie retorted. “I doubt my father will agree to this.”
    She winced. Another painful tug of her hair.
    “Allegiances are important in our organization,” Hiroshi said. “I assure you, he is all for our union. After all, I am his successor. Besides, you talk to him only when I allow it.”
    Sylvie didn’t volunteer that her father called her mother sometimes. The problem was, Mom didn’t know how to contact her father. But Nate would know how. She’d just have to trust him and hope she could convince her father it would be detrimental to everyone involved for her to continue funneling the pills. Why couldn’t he see this? Why was she important?  
    “You’re right,” she forced herself to say. Self-preservation, Sylvie! “I’m sorry if I was making things difficult for you, but I really think smuggling the pills needs to stop. You don’t want your bride to end up in prison do