Only yours

This night belongs only to us

Monday and Tuesday flew by in a blur. Father seemed to have transferred all his appointments to me, and I jumped from one meeting to the next. Fortunately, Massaru kept track of when and where I needed to be. Yesterday, I received the news that Saphir had arrived back in Brazil. I just hoped my people could keep him occupied there long enough.

I had just finished discussions with the bodyguards for Usagi. Both had promising resumes. "I think we'll take this one," I said to Massaru, pointing to the file of Haruka Tenou. "Do you know her well?" Though this was rare, Massaru suddenly smiled. "I trained her myself. One of the best students I've ever had." "Why didn't you mention that earlier? We could have skipped all this introduction nonsense!" "You should see for yourself. When should she start?" "Best to start immediately. For now, it's enough if she keeps an eye on her from a distance. Also, arrange for an emergency bracelet, something simple—you know what I mean."

Massaru nodded and left me in the office. For a moment, I enjoyed the silence. My phone vibrated.

> Please contact me when you're in Tokyo. We need to talk. < Usagi.

I glanced at the clock. She was still working, and I had at least three more hours ahead of me. I could already guess what she wanted to discuss.

>The driver will pick you up after work. < I replied shortly and turned my attention to the new investment inquiries.

At some point, my head started to throb, and I decided to call it a day. Usagi would be arriving soon. I took a bottle of wine from the fridge and set it out in the living room. It wasn't long before I heard the door swing open. I had to smirk—she didn't even bother to ring the bell but simply entered the passcode and stood in front of me.

"Usagi, it's good to see you," I said calmly. "Yes, I... um... we need to talk again," she stammered, earning a reproachful look from me. Why couldn't she just say what she wanted?

I looked at her for a moment and gestured for her to come in. She took a seat on the sofa and I poured her some wine. I tried to appear calm and collected, although I would have liked to tear her clothes off her body immediately. Her presence alone made me tense with excitement, but today she seemed somehow unsettled.

"What do you want to talk about, Usagi?" I asked, taking her hand to give her support. I suspected it was about the troublesome topic of Saphir again.

"Do you really think Saphir wants to kill me?" she asked softly.

I took a deep breath, trying to hide my own concerns. "I'm not sure, but it's possible—quite possible, in fact. I managed to arrange for him to stay in South America for a while. Hopefully, we'll have some peace for that time. But he won't stay there forever. Usagi, I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Would he leave me alone if we ended things?" Her voice sounded shaky as she asked this.

I stood up and paced a few steps in front of the fireplace. Of course, this question had occupied my mind too. But after what happened with Isabella, I didn't believe he would let her go. Still, maybe it would at least give her a sense of security, and Haruka would be there soon. I looked into her bright blue eyes, which were marked by sorrow. Because of me. Because of my mistakes.

"I don't know. But do you want that?" I finally asked, needing to know what she wanted. Judging by her body language, she didn't seem comfortable in this situation, and the tone of her voice reinforced that impression. But if she really wanted to end things with me, I needed to hear it clearly from her. I leaned casually against the wall, crossing my arms over my chest to hide my tension.

She stood up and slowly approached me, her hand resting for a moment on my shoulder before sliding down my arm.

"It doesn't have to be forever... Maybe just until we know exactly what he's planning... and... and then we'll see," she whispered uncertainly.