1.1 | The Yakuza Bride

Chapter 33

His head jerked up. His eyes searched hers unbelievingly and his brow creased, as if unable to comprehend her question.

'What did you say?' he asked with a rough undertone.

'Marie,' she answered in a soft voice. 'Who is she?'

His arm slowly unwound itself from around her waist and went back to his side. Leon laid back down and shut his eyes as if fatigue had suddenly hit him.

'I don't know who you are talking about.'

'You don't have to lie to me,' she hissed.

He ignored her, knowing that the look in her eyes would probably tear him apart and eat him up. Already, the mixture of guilt and anger was churning in him, threatening to burn him alive. Why did she have to talk about this now?

'Why aren't you saying anything?' she pushed.

He could hear the tears in her voice, the odd half-strangled sound that a crying person makes. His fingers clenched at the sheets, knowing that if his arm moved to hold her, words would spill from his mouth. This kind of thing was something that she didn't have to know about.

'Is she your mistress?' Her voice broke on the last word.

Silence.

Then, an exasperated sigh.

'You're such a jerk,' she whispered harshly, her eyes bright with unshed tears. How could he tell her he loved her, whisper sweet words to her, make love to her and then sleep with another woman?

Her breaths came in deep gasps.

'Why aren't you saying anything? You aren't going to defend yourself?' she demanded, her voice rising a crescendo. 'You're just like my family! You don't have to protect me from the truth! I won't break apart!'

She sat up hastily, pushing the quilt away from herself.

'You aren't going to talk?'

He stayed silent with his eyes tightly shut against her.

'Fine.'

A shuffling met his ears, followed by a slight bounce of the bed. As his eyes flicked open, he saw that she was about half way out of the room, wrapping a cardigan around her shoulders.

'Hana.' Leon jumped off the bed and grabbed her wrist. 'Darling.'

She flung his arm away, her eyes boring straight at him.

'Don't call me that.'

Her eyes were red and raw from crying and she wouldn't meet his gaze. Her lips were pressed together in a thin line as she spun away from him and continued her steps.

'Where are you going?' he asked as he followed her.

'The kitchen.'

'Why?'

Another exasperated sigh.

'Because I'm hungry and too angry to sleep.'

~

Hana stepped into the kitchen with Leon trailing behind her. The tiles chilled her feet and the chilly air froze her lungs. The kitchen lights slowly flickered to life as she made her way to the refrigerator.Taking out a carton of milk, she poured it into a pan and started up the fire.

It was a welcomed source of warmth in that cool autumnal night as her fingers shivered involuntarily despite being stuffed into her cardigan pockets. He moved to stand beside her. Despite being centimetres apart, she could feel the solid block of tension steadily growing between them like a brick wall. Even the quiet ticking of the kitchen clock seemed so loud.