“If it’s about meeting for dinner later, the answer is certainly. If it’s about tonight, the answer is definitely.”
“Maybe more personal than that,” he said on his way to the bathroom.
“Oh? More personal than what we did last night?” she called out.
He returned with shave cream on his face, a razor in one hand. “About your scars.”
June rolled onto her back and pulled the blanket up to her chest. “Do they bother you?”
“No, not at all. But when I was briefed on your dossier…”
June didn’t like the sound of that, and couldn’t hold her tongue. “That’s a new way to meet chicks. Have a government lackey pull some bimbo’s dossier and get briefed on her.”
“Oh, now, wait a minute,” he said, coming back from the bathroom, half his face shaved.
“Is that all I’ve been? An educated woman with a decent job that didn’t mind rushing off somewhere to meet you? My dossier was good enough, and once the media discovers my existence in your life, I won’t be an embarrassment?”
“Yeah, well, it’s not all that good. But you definitely wouldn’t be an embarrassment!”
June bundled into the blanket and turned on her side to watch him finish shaving at the bathroom mirror.
“I’m still curious about the scars. You always shift the conversation away whenever I ask.”
“Okay, fine. The ones on my back are from an explosion from a couple years ago. I’m surprised that’s not in my dossier,” June answered curtly.
“That house explosion in the San Fernando Valley?”
“Right. The Yakuza had the place rigged to blow while I was in it. I was able to get away, but when the bomb went off, I was still too close. Anyway, the hospital spent several hours picking shrapnel out of me, and repaired a lung and my spleen. I guess a giant splinter went between my ribs and into a lung. I never knew it at the time though.” She swept the hair from her eyes. “I’m surprised Oguchi has never come back to finish the job.”
“The job?”
“Of killing me.”
Jack returned, his face shaved clean, and sat on the edge of the bed next to her. “And the scars on your belly?”
“The emergency surgery to repair my spleen. I’d sprung a serious leak.” She pulled the comforter down and her cami up to bare her chest and belly, which in the light of day was like baring her soul. She pointed to various twisted and thick scars as she talked. “Most of these are from skidding across asphalt, and these on my tummy are from surgeries.”
Jack frowned. “Who, or what, is Oguchi?”
“The Yakuza crime syndicate that wanted me dead. They generally don’t leave loose ends.” She hid her body again with the comforter.
“You’re in great shape now,” he said.
“Believe it or not, I was quite famous for my infomercial-perfect abs just a couple years ago. And this face has sold a lot of makeup back in the day. Unfortunately, now I’m more of an example of what can go wrong in a hurry.”
Jack looked closer at her face, now hours since she had makeup on.
“My face took a hit too. But through the magic of plastic surgery, and clever-handed makeup, I look pretty good again.”
He leaned down and gave her a long, wet kiss, the cool menthol scent of shave cream floating into her nose. One of her hands went to his head and held him tight, while the other tested his desire for her. He passed the test but she had to let him go.
After he showered, she watched him dress, still in her place in bed. She planned to stay there as long as possible that day, playing hooky from life and responsibilities.
“Can we do something later?” she asked.
“Like?”
“Go for a walk. Downtown Seattle is supposed to be quite pretty, but I’ve never seen it.”
“Walks are tough,” he said, cinching up his necktie. “There needs to be a planned route. Plus, we’d have security around us everywhere we went. And it’s not like we could eat lunch somewhere.”
She feigned a pout.
“It really is easiest if we just go with whatever Leopold has prepared for us.” He slipped into his jacket. “I’ll be back soon. Just a few things to take care of.”
With that, he was out the door.
Chapter 28
KANEZAKI GRIPPED THE claw hammer a little tighter. Debt collection was an ugly but necessary part of his business in Seattle. Along with keeping an eye on that idiot Yamada, there was plenty of work to occupy him. Today’s appointment was with Arakaki-san, some lowlife from Beacon Hill. Got himself into trouble and hadn’t met his payments. Now it was time to collect.