Brie wasn’t entirely convinced Tono would be open with her even if they were alone. He’d disclosed so little in his letter, and it distressed her. She had to trust the spiritual connection they shared was powerful enough that her presence alone would prove comforting if he chose to keep distant.
“Sleep if you can, Brie,” Sir suggested. “You’ll need to be fully rested in order to face the challenges ahead.”
“I’d rather stay up with you, Sir.”
He caressed her cheek before putting his hand over her eyes. He leaned over her, whispering, “Your dedication to your Master is charming, but I would prefer one of us sleep.” She kept her eyes closed when he took his hand away, but she pouted to show her protest.
Sir leaned forward and kissed her, biting her pouty lip lightly before pulling away.
Damn, the man is sexy…
She almost opened her eyes, but remained true to her Master’s wishes. Sighing with frustration, she curled up in a more comfortable position in the overly large airplane seat. Brie was lulled to sleep by the authoritative tones of Sir’s business voice.
When they landed in Tokyo at midnight, Brie expected they’d head straight to the hotel, but Sir suggested they explore the city first and hailed a cab.
She found Tokyo fascinating. Driving on the left side of the road rather than the right brought its own unique, nervous thrill and she couldn’t help whimpering every time they made a right-hand turn.
“I sure would hate to drive here,” she told Sir.
He disagreed. “I’d find it invigorating. In fact, I should really get an international license, since I’m growing my international client base.” Sir stared up at the tall high-rises surrounding them on both sides. “The culture here is definitely intriguing.”
Brie was surprised to see a bright yellow version of what looked like the Eiffel Tower in the middle of the city. “What is that?”
“That, my dear, is Tokyo Tower.”
“It sure looks like the Eiffel Tower, Sir.”
“It’s meant to. It’s the most attractive antenna I’ve seen. I do like that about the Japanese culture. They take ordinary, practical things and make them appear beautiful, even artistic.”
She snuggled against Sir, soaking in the excitement of the downtown area. The lights of Tokyo were far more colorful than in any city Brie had seen, even putting Vegas to shame. Every building was lit up with bright, vivid signs or animated screens. It appealed to her youthful nature, beckoning her to come and play.
“Can we take a walk, Sir?”
“Right now?”
“If it pleases you.”
He had the cab driver pull over and told him to wait for them. Sir helped Brie out of the vehicle and placed his arm around her waist as he guided her through the streets.
Brie found herself subconsciously looking for Tono in the faces of all those they passed. Knowing they were in the same city made her feel as if Tono were close by, even though a chance meeting would be impossible in a place as crowded as this.
They walked up to an upscale bar and Sir ushered her inside. The walls were made of smoky glass with rich purple neon lighting up the bar area. Above, multicolored lanterns accented the ceiling, dotting the floor with their fun punch of color. She squeezed Sir’s hand, charmed by the artistically modern yet playful decor.
Although the place was packed, Sir found two open seats at the bar. He ordered martinis for them both, then nodded his approval when he tasted the drink. “Damn fine martini. Drink up, téa.”
As she was taking a sip, Sir discreetly slipped his hand up the inside of her thigh. She smiled as she opened her legs a little wider. There was an irresistible thrill knowing she was his, whenever and wherever he wanted.
Sir lightly brushed her sensitive clit, before removing his hand and dragging it slowly over his lips. It was his promise to her; later he would partake of her taste… She wiggled in her seat, her body tingling with sensual pleasure.
Brie glanced up at a large TV screen and was shocked to see an image of Tono’s father. Although she could not understand what was being said, it was easy to follow the news story when they showed an outside shot of a hospital, then cut to an outdated shot of Tono and his mother.
Brie whispered hesitantly, “Is he dead?”
Sir shook his head. “No, but I believe the privacy Tono was trying to preserve has been compromised.”
“Then we got here just in time,” she breathed in relief.
The joy she’d felt just minutes ago was lost in a sea of new worry. Sir paid for the drinks and quickly escorted her back to the cab. “I hope you got the sleep you needed on the plane, babygirl. It doesn’t appear you’re going to get more anytime soon.”
Sir spent several hours tracking Tono down. Despite some language barrier issues, he not only found the location of the hospital where Tono’s father was staying, but also a phone number for Tono’s mother. “Unfortunately, we won’t be able to reach Nosaka until the morning to inform him we’ve arrived,” he explained.
“Tono knows we’re coming, doesn’t he?”
He surprised her by shaking his head.
“Then why are we here, Sir?”
“Nosaka is drowning. You sensed it, and his unusual actions confirmed it. The man needs our support.”
Sir’s pronouncement gave Brie chills, but the fact he had come to assist Tono touched her deeply. She struggled to speak, her throat choked up with emotion. “I can’t believe you would do that, Sir.”
“Nosaka is a good man,” Sir said, wrapping his arm around her. “He should not suffer alone.”
While he got ready for bed, Sir instructed Brie to undress completely, pulling her close when she joined him in the bed. “Everything will be okay, babygirl.”
She pressed against him and closed her eyes, trusting him.
The next morning Sir tried to call Tono at his mother’s, but only got a busy signal. “Not surprising,” he stated. “They probably took it off the hook once the media got wind of the story.”
Brie felt butterflies when they pulled up to Tono’s family home, knowing that he had no idea they were coming. She hadn’t understood the love and devotion the people had towards the famous bakushi until she was forced to wade through a crowd of journalists and grieving fans of the elder Kinbaku Master.
The home was charmingly traditional, with a large, decorative roof, thin dark wood accents and paper walls. Sir knocked on the door and announced loudly, “Ren Nosaka, it’s the Davises.”
Brie blushed with unexpected joy. Although they were engaged, they hadn’t set a date for the wedding yet. Sir hadn’t had time with all the litigation, and Brie hadn’t wanted to push. However, she had to admit that hearing his last name associated with her was absolutely heart-melting.
It took several minutes, with the scrutiny of every eye on them, as they waited for the door to finally slide open. A petite older woman who shared Tono’s facial features stood before them. Unfortunately, she wore an unwelcoming expression on her face.
“Visitors another day…please!”
Brie understood that was her polite way of saying “Go away”, but Sir wasn’t going anywhere and called into the house, “Ren, we aren’t leaving until we speak to you.”
When there was no movement or sound from within, the woman began to slide the door shut.
Brie called out, “Please, Tono Nosaka, I have to see you.”
The door shut with a little added force, leaving Sir and Brie staring at each other. She glanced at the crowd of photographers behind them, listening to the rapid clicking of their cameras. “What do we do now?”
“We wait,” Sir said patiently.
Brie put her hands behind her back and straightened her stance to match her Master’s. The two stared at the door, ignoring the numerous shutter clicks fluttering behind them. After a few more excruciating minutes, the door slid back open and the old woman ushered them inside before quickly closing the door again.
It was eas
y to tell by her sour look that Mrs. Nosaka was not happy with their intrusion.
Sir bowed to her and asked, “Where is your son, Nosaka-sama?”
The woman frowned, but pointed to an open door down the hall on the right. Sir bowed again and smiled politely, choosing to ignore the woman’s obvious displeasure as he placed his hand on Brie’s back and guided her towards the room.
Sir cleared his throat at the threshold to get Tono’s attention. The Asian Dom was bent over a small table, pouring three cups of hot tea.
Brie’s heart fell when Tono looked up. His appearance was physically jarring—his face gaunt and hollow. He seemed a husk of the man he’d once been.
“Tono…” she whispered in distress.
He looked down at the teapot, choosing not to acknowledge her presence.
Sir quietly closed the door behind them and directed Brie to sit next to Tono. She sat beside her dear friend and tentatively reached out to touch his sleeve, but Tono deftly moved out of the way and addressed Sir.
“There was no reason for you to come, but please sit.” He indicated that Sir should sit opposite him and placed a steaming cup in front of Sir. Without addressing Brie, he pushed the next cup towards her, then picked up the last one for himself, holding it up reverently to Sir. “Although I appreciate the gesture of your visit, it was unnecessary.” He nodded before taking a sip.
Sir looked at Brie and indicated that she should join them. She had to choke back the tears of rejection as she took a sip of the soothing green tea.
Even though Tono was purposely ignoring Brie, she felt the pain he was suffering and assured him, “We’ve come to support you, Tono Nosaka.”
He shrugged off her words with a roll of his shoulders and told Sir, “I didn’t need you to come.”
For the first time, he glanced in her direction, his eyes devoid of their inner light. Brie was struck dumb by the depth of pain those rich chocolate eyes revealed.
Sir replied smoothly, “I’m sorry to see the media has become involved.”
Tono took another sip of tea before responding. “We would prefer to suffer this battle alone with dignity, but even that has been taken from us.”
Brie wanted to wrap her arms around him, but knew it would only upset him further, based on his behavior towards her. She sat there feeling useless while Sir explained to him, “I believe I can help if your father’s doctors are willing to move him to another facility. Give me the go-ahead and I’ll see what I can do.”
“Although I doubt we can escape the paparazzi, you have my permission to try.”
“How can I help?” Brie offered, determined to get past the emotional barrier between them.
Tono sighed, reluctantly meeting her gaze. “I do not need you here, Miss Bennett. Please go.”
She couldn’t hide her hurt and looked desperately at Sir.
He gave her a private smile, commanding, “Téa, you will stay here while I make the arrangements.” Before Tono could protest, Sir stood up and exited the room.
Brie sat beside Tono in uncomfortable silence. As he continued to sip his tea, she listened to his breathing out of habit, and instinctively slowed her breath to match his unique rhythm. Once they were in sync, she noticed his muscles relax.
Finally, he broke the painful silence. “Why? Why have you come, Brie?”
The tone of his voice sounded reproachful, but she answered his question in earnest. “Tono, the dream I wrote to you about has haunted me. As much as you may not want me here, I felt just as strongly that I had to come.”
He closed his eyes and groaned. “You can’t know how much your presence both comforts and wounds me.”
His words cut her like a knife, but rather than reply, she took a sip of her tea and wondered, What changed so drastically between us? The two of them had developed a comfortable friendship despite their romantic past, but now it seemed all that had changed…
He pushed back from the small table and lay down on the mat, not looking at her as he spoke. “I was doing well, enjoying the tour, until I got the phone call. I thought my world was falling apart when I heard my father was in the hospital, but at the time I had no idea how serious it really was.”
“What’s wrong with your father, Tono?”
He snorted in disgust. “He went in for simple back surgery, but complications arose and he left the operating table paralyzed from the waist down. I arrived in Japan a day after he received the devastating news.”
Tono turned his head towards Brie. “My father is a strong man—strong not only physically, but mentally. Even that prognosis did not deter him. He was determined to walk again so he could return to the art he loved, but fate has not been kind. A week later, he contracted a virulent strain of pneumonia. Now he fights for every breath and his body is growing weaker by the minute.”
“I can’t imagine how difficult it must be watching your father suffer.”
He let out a painful sigh. “There’s no hope. He will die from this, but he can’t willingly leave this Earth. It is not in his nature; he will fight this until the end.”
“As difficult as it is for you, Tono, his warrior spirit is truly inspiring.”
“I have always admired my father, Brie.” She watched in sympathy as a lone tear fell down his handsome face. “I’m not the warrior he is. I can’t handle watching him suffer day in and day out. It’s killing me inside.”
Brie moved away from the table and sat next to Tono, taking his hands in hers. “I’m so sorry, Tono. Just so deeply sorry…”
“I wish I could switch places with him. I could handle that better than standing by having to watch him suffer like this. Every breath is a fight.” He laid his head back and covered his eyes with his forearm. “I can’t face it, yet I will again today, forced to make my way through the wall of media as added punishment.”
“I’ll go with you and push them out of the way if I have to.”
Relief flooded through her when she saw him smile slightly.
“How is your mother holding up?” she asked quietly.
Tono shook his head, lowering his voice when he answered. “She has become unbearable. She feels as helpless as I do, but reacts by attempting to control things that are not hers to control. I spend my days at the hospital putting out the fires she creates. Naturally, her disdain is not limited to the nursing staff. All of us are an affront to her control. If she were not my mother, I… Let’s just say I am struggling to manage her.”
“Is there any way I can help?”
“You? No, your presence has only increased her distress.”
Brie opened her mouth, ready to offer to leave, but he reached over and placed his finger on her lips. “But she deserves the challenge.”
She nodded slowly, and his finger fell from her lips. Instead of dwelling on his mother, she brought the conversation back to his father. “I can’t imagine losing my own father, but he isn’t my mentor and trainer as well.”
Tono closed his eyes. “Only those who have had an osensei can truly understand. My father poured all that he was into my instruction. When we trained, we were no longer bound by blood, but it was because of those blood ties that it meant so much more to me. I was his prize pupil and I flourished under his focused tutelage.”
“If you felt that way, why did you end up leaving Japan?”
He smiled sadly as he sat up and gracefully crossed his legs. “Two reasons. I was interested in spreading my wings and discovering what America had to offer. I’d grown tired of others seeing me as only my father’s protégé, a toy to be tested and critiqued for their entertainment.”
“What was the other?”
“I could not stomach the relationship between my father and mother. Her lack of respect for him transferred to me as well. Whereas he felt the need to acquiesce to her, I did not. The only way to preserve the familial ties was to leave.”
“It must have been difficult leaving your father behind.”
“While it wasn’t easy, I don’t
regret leaving. However, I do regret the time lost with him. Time I will never get back.”
She put her hand on his shoulder. “But you’re with him now.”
He frowned. “Yes, we’ve had a few opportunities to talk, between the coughing spasms and the excruciating pain. However, our conversations have only reminded me how much…I’ve lost.”
Brie felt he was holding something back, but she didn’t press him to explain, grateful he was being as open as he was. “I’m afraid anything I say will only come off as a sad platitude,” she apologized, squeezing him tight—needing to be of comfort to him. “I’ve never been in your shoes, but my heart genuinely hurts for you, Tono.”
He lifted his hand and tenderly caressed her cheek. “I did not ask you to share in this pain, little one.”
She pressed her hand against his, closing her eyes. “We’re connected. Your pain is my pain. Time and distance do not affect that.”
Unresolved Demons
The door slipped open and Tono’s mother stood before them, eyes glaring. She spat out a stream of words obviously meant as an insult. Brie just smiled at her, getting up and walking over to the woman. Brie knew she must be hurting underneath all that anger, so she gave her a hug.
The woman’s muscles churned underneath Brie’s touch and she let out another wave of insults. Brie remained undeterred, laying her head on the woman’s shoulder and squeezing her tighter as the woman struggled. She did her best to infuse Tono’s mother with peace before letting go.
The look on Mrs. Nosaka’s face was one of horror and offense. Tono stood up to speak, but was interrupted by his mother’s vicious protests. The way Tono remained calm in the midst of her fury was truly heroic, but it was easy to see the toll it was taking on him.
Brie regretted her spontaneous gesture and hated that Tono was paying for it. When he had finished placating his mother, he sat at the table and slowly poured hot tea into his own cup, offering it to his mother. He then filled the two other cups, giving Sir’s cup to Brie. He took hers and lifted it to his lips, indicating that they should all drink.