Shadow Reaper (Shadow #2)(126)

"Mariko no longer resides in your home," Ricco said. "Nor is she your servant."



Osamu looked confused. "She may no longer reside here, but she is still my daughter. Has she forgotten I took her in and raised her when no other would have her?"



Mariko went very still inside. Osamu had used the "mother" mask often when they had company, pointing out Mariko's failings as a daughter. Dai seemed to buy into it every single time. Stefano and Ricco both acted as if they had adopted Nicoletta into their family. They might believe that Osamu thought of her as a daughter. That subtle reminder of "I took her in and raised her when no other would have her" was all about letting others know she'd come from the streets.



"Mariko hasn't forgotten a single thing," Ricco said. "Now she is here as my fiancée, not your daughter, and what we need to discuss with you concerns her. She needs to be here."



He made it clear, and there was no subtlety about it, that Mariko was under his protection. Osamu didn't fail to understand. She shot Mariko a look of pure poisonous hatred. She settled into the chair beside her husband and glared at Ricco.



"Fiancée?" Disgust twisted her voice. "You are a shadow rider with a great name. You allow the daughter of a whore to seduce you into giving her a ring?"



       
         
       
        



Ricco shocked Mariko by settling back in his chair, steepling his fingers and regarding Dai over the top of them. "Since when is rudeness to shadow riders and their families tolerated? This family has fallen a long way since I was a boy. There was a time the name Saito was highly respected. Now your woman insults both my fiancée and me in your home right in front of you. It is sad that your wife disrespects you so much that she would insult a fellow rider in your own home. You have my sympathy."



Stefano stirred, nodding his head. "Mine as well, Dai."



It took every ounce of discipline Mariko possessed to remain still and quiet in her little corner. Osamu looked as if she might have a stroke. Her face was mottled a beet red and she sputtered, trying to get out a protest. Dai shot her a look of resignation and disappointment.



"Enough, Osamu. You are to answer questions, not give your opinion." His voice was low and defeated. He hung his head and reached for worry beads he always kept on him.



Mariko knew Osamu detested those beads.



"We're looking for Mariko's brother," Stefano said. "Do you know where he is?"



Osamu cackled, sounding exactly, to Ricco's ears, like the witches from horror movies. The strange laughter had Dai leaping to his feet and beginning to pace. He glared at his wife. She kept up the screeches, rocking herself back and forth, looking for all the world like an old crow.



At one time, Mariko had considered Osamu beautiful  – the most beautiful of all the women in their circle. There was none of that beauty now. She looked old and evil. She could barely look at her, barely see the woman Mariko had hoped would one day come to see she'd tried her best to be a good daughter.



"Osamu!" Dai pressed his hands to his ears. "Stop that this instant."



Osamu sobered immediately, as if her husband had slapped her across the face.



"Answer Stefano's question." Dai paced across the room, turning his back on her as if disgusted.



Osamu bared her teeth at Stefano. "Of course I know where he is, but you'll never find him. Never."



"Osamu," Mariko whispered. "How could you be a part of harming him?"



Ricco shook his head, the gesture barely perceptible, but Mariko nodded, ashamed she'd broken her silence when both men had specifically asked her not to.



"You didn't do your job, Mariko, and it was so simple. Just like the jobs I gave you in the house. The cooking and cleaning. Very simple tasks, but you always messed them up." 



Osamu's attention was wholly on her now. Mariko realized why the brothers had asked her not to speak. Her very presence was inciting her.



Osamu leaned toward her. "You were a horrible child, always looking to get out of work. I had to beat you to keep your attention on your tasks. You needed attention all the time. Every second of the day. You ran over your own brother so he wouldn't be able to be trained. You wanted all the accolades for yourself."



"She didn't run over Ryuu," Ricco objected. "Have you forgotten that I was there that night? I saw them all. I witnessed what they did. Nao Yamamoto stomped on Ryuu. I saw Mariko save him. She kicked Nao and drew his attention away from her brother."