Asami's Shadow (Ryoma's POV)

Chapter 14

I led her inside and felt her hand slip out of mine and paused as I looked at her. She looked wary and I wanted nothing more than to kiss the slight frown from her lips. "Where are we going?"

I knew I was taking a risk and she clearly didn't trust me. "You said my wounds needed to be treated."

She pursed her lips and nodded. I had to shake myself from looking at them and began to navigate through my home. The door loomed ahead and my heart raced as we neared. I shouldn't... I glanced at her and reason went out of the window as I pushed inside.

I turned to look at her when she froze at the door and scanned the space. It was my room and when her eyes paused, just above my right shoulder, I knew she was admiring the katana set she gifted me for the last birthday she was here. It honestly was the best set of swords I had, crafted by a master swordsmith per her specific instructions.

When she looked back at me, I beckoned her forward and tilted my head as she hovered. Well, she hasn't run screaming or tried to kill me so... I pulled something out to cleanse the wounds and cloth from my drawer and debated again. If she was the girl from a year ago... maybe...

I knew it was adrenaline and testosterone that had me acting so recklessly as I sat on the bed and placed the items beside me before facing her again. Still, she stayed where she was. Poke the tiger it is... "You can't treat my wounds from there."

Anger flashed across her features and she swept into the room, grabbed everything, and moved to the desk. So... she knows there are nurses her and yet... I smirked at the thought, but her voice broke me from it. "I can't treat your wounds from over there." I smiled as I complied. She's mocking me. "You're going to have to remove your top."

She spoke so softly I barely heard her and I couldn't help, but tease. "You want me to undress."

The sharp little inhale she took had me twitching so I turned to her. Couldn't have been her... "Just the top, your legs are not injured."

I watched her as I did so and she looked away as she turned pink, making me chuckle. One way to find out... "Not many men have had the pleasure, if any at all."

I knew I was playing with fire as she looked at my torso and poured antiseptic onto a cloth. "That's not true..." She wouldn't meet my gaze, but even as she spoke so I could barely hear, there was a smug tone to her voice.

I couldn't hide my displeasure as that struck my chest. It was her... "So how many?"

She smirked as one of my wounds stung when she began to clean it. "It doesn't matter. I was never interested."

She said it so matter of fact, my chest burned with rage. I stilled her hand and she looked at me surprised. "You were forced."

She blinked as I searched her eyes for the truth and took a step away from me. I will find whoe-... She shook her head. "No, I was never forced."

I clenched my jaw and let her go before my temper got the better of me. I turned my back to her, trying to reign it in. She doesn't know, but to willingly just... "Why are you so nervous then? Sounds like routine for you."

Images of her in that man's lap, kissing him, caressing him flashed through my mind, only serving to make me angrier. I was stunned as my head rocked back from the force of her hand connecting with my face. "What would you know?!"

I was still in shock as she rushed from the room and gently touched my stinging cheek. She ju-... but she said... I'm so confused. I blinked as tears began to form, not from the pain she caused physically, but emotionally. Yes, she was very unaware of our betrothal, but she admitted to being with other men. She all, but confirmed I caught her in the act not to long ago.

She was almost smug when she admitted it and didn't seem fazed when she said it wasn't by force. Still, her reaction when I pointed it out was violent. What is going on here? If you chose to... or... the man was dead when we found him.

I stood, needing answers now more than ever. Wonder if she found her way back yet.