Only yours

The message

I was already halfway to the airport. I was supposed to be flying to Hong Kong for a few days, but the message that just arrived on my phone changed everything.

> Your brother was just here! At my workplace! For a "consultation"! < Usagi.

I read the message a second and third time. Damn! How did he find out about her, and what did he want with her?

"Massaru, cancel the flight. Take me to the villa immediately!" I yelled toward the front.

I needed to find that little rat before he really caused any damage. Call Kunzite.

"Yes?" Kunzite answered after several rings. "Are you still in Tokyo?" I asked urgently. "No, I'm in Hong Kong, where we were supposed to meet." "Forget Hong Kong and come back here as quickly as you can; it's about Sapphire." "And how am I supposed to explain that to Kaori?" "Kunz, I don't care, and if she doesn't want to come, then you'll come alone. I expect you at the villa."

I hung up and felt the nerves creeping up inside me. Call Sapphire. Voicemail. Of course, he wouldn't answer the phone now.

"Massaru, can we locate Sapphire somehow?" I asked my assistant. "I can try as soon as we're at the villa." "Good, hurry up," I muttered, running my finger over my throbbing temple. Now, exactly what I had been trying to prevent for almost six years had happened. An innocent person was pulled into our conflict. I had to make sure Usagi was safe until I found Sapphire.

The problem was that he also had access to all the accounts. That meant he could hide anywhere in the damn world. However, since his visit with her was recent, it was likely he was still in Japan.

As soon as we reached the villa, I stormed inside. One of my father's staff members met me in the foyer.

"Have you seen my brother? Was he here?" I asked her hastily.

"Yes, this morning. But I haven't seen him since. As far as I know, he just took a car and left."

I turned around. Massaru was already behind me. "Check which car he took. Maybe we can locate it with GPS. I need to know what he's planning."

In just a few sentences, I raced up the grand staircase to his room. I had a faint hope of finding something about his plans here. Since he barely stayed in Tokyo anymore, my father had rented out his apartment years ago, so if he was here, he had only his old room or a hotel.

At first glance, his room seemed empty and untouched. I stepped in and looked around more carefully. I pulled open the drawers of his nightstand—empty. Then I went to his desk. There was still a picture of him with Rina. I started going through the drawers of his desk; the first few were empty, but the last one was locked.

"Massaru!" I yelled down the long hallway. Damn, I had sent him to the parking lot. Well, I'd have to try it myself. It had been ages since I had picked a lock, but as a kid, it had been easy. I took a paperclip and bent it into rough shape. I remembered it being much easier to crack my father's desk, but eventually, I heard the bolt spring back. When I pulled open the drawer, I could hardly believe my eyes. Aside from a single note, it was empty. The message on the note was clear.

-I will get her -

I crumpled the note in my fist. Damned bastard, you will not. I will make sure of it.

I rushed back down the stairs. "Prepare the conference room. Now!" I yelled at one of the staff.

Massaru had just returned. "What did you find out?" "He took the Porsche. GPS has been checked; the car has been parked at the Yokohama harbor for over an hour." "Harbor. He wants to get away first. Go there, take someone with you, and try to apprehend him before he leaves the country!"

This couldn't be true. Just because I had become so careless, Usagi was now in danger. A danger she didn't even know about. Restlessly, I paced back and forth. It was really a terrible idea to deviate from my rules!

After about four hours, Kunzite arrived, and Massaru also returned.

"No luck, boss. He was gone by the time we reached the harbor," Massaru said, disappointed.

"Are you sure he wants to harm her? Maybe he just wants to provoke you," Kunzite speculated. I slammed the note on the table. "Does this look like a joke to you? He was at her place! He ambushed her at work."

Kunzite ran a hand through his long hair in frustration. "What do you plan to do now?"

"I have no idea. You tell me... The only thing that's certain is that we need to ensure her safety. We owe her that."

"What did he say to her?"

"I don't know. I only got a message from her that he was there." Kunzite poured two glasses of Scotch and slid one toward me.

"No, not now. I need a clear head," I said, standing up and pacing restlessly. Kunzite was right. I needed to know what Sapphire wanted from her, and the only way to find out was to ask her myself.

"Kunz, go through the accounts, call the staff, and tell them that if Sapphire shows up, there's a big reward for information. Massaru, take me to Ms. Tsukino."

Kunzite raised his hands to pause me. "Stop, where should I call?"

"Everywhere in our houses, apartments. Think of anywhere he might be hiding." "You realize how many properties your father owns, right?"

I glared at him angrily. He knew he was one of the few people allowed to challenge me, and I didn't like it at all.

"Just do it!" I yelled at him and stormed out of the conference room, with Massaru following like a shadow.

Less than half an hour later, we arrived at a large, uninviting apartment building.

"You need to go to the 8th floor. Down the left hallway to the very end; that's where her apartment is," Massaru instructed.

Usagi Tsukino was written in a flowing script next to the doorbell. I knew it was late, but this was an emergency. It took a moment before I heard footsteps approaching. Usagi opened the door, staring at me in disbelief with wide eyes. She stepped into the hallway and pulled the door shut, as if she didn't want me there.

"Oh, hey, what are you doing here?" she asked, fidgeting with her top.

She always did that when she was nervous, and I knew her well enough by now. But where was her anxiety coming from?

"I need to know exactly what Sapphire wanted from you. Can we go inside for a moment?" I tried to sound calm, but it was damn hard.

"I... um... I haven't cleaned up. If you're coming into my apartment for the first time, it should at least be tidy... it looks like a bomb went off in here... and Sapphire... yeah... that was really strange. He scheduled an appointment with me through my boss. I thought you were coming since he only mentioned your last name. I was quite surprised when your brother suddenly stood in front of me. Sapphire just wanted to know if you care about me, ordered something, and left. It was really odd."

Great, she was stammering again, and then her words were coming out so quickly that I could barely keep up. I sorted through the fragments and clenched my teeth. He asked her if I cared about her. So yes, he wanted to verify if there were feelings involved.

"What did you answer him?" I hissed, struggling to hide my tension.

"That it's none of his business, and if he has such questions, he should ask you. After all, you're his brother," she replied, looking worriedly at me. She probably sensed that something was off.

"I'm sorry you're getting dragged into this. Sapphire can be a bit too curious for his own good."

She placed her hand on my arm. "What do you mean? What am I getting dragged into? What's going on with you? You're different than usual."

"I have some important matters to attend to. I'll see you on Saturday," I said, her lively, soft lips smiling back at me hesitantly.

I pulled her close and gave her a long, intense kiss before turning to leave. If I had deepened that kiss any further, I probably would have taken her right there in her stairwell, I was so charged. But there was no time; I needed to act.