And Then There Were Four by Lilith Carrie

I wasn’t too sure what I expected when coming to Japan, but as I gazed out the window of the car, I was taken aback by how pretty it was. Thousands of people lined the streets, moving to get to where they needed to be, and neon lights lined the skies.

I thought once upon a time that New York was the place that was alive all the time, but from the looks of it, this city is more alive than New York.

“It’s so pretty here.” I mumbled as I took in the sights. “I can’t wait to get out and walk around this place.”

As much as I wanted to play tourist, I also knew that it wasn’t feasible.

“We have things to do here, Ivy. We have to make sure that we are sticking to the plan, and not deviating.” The calm, soothing tone of James’ voice made my heart melt.

Yet, when I looked towards both men, I saw the dark, grim look Damian was giving me. Something was bothering him, and as much as I wanted to pretend there wasn’t; I couldn’t.

“Are you okay?” I asked him, watching as his body went rigid, and he cleared his throat.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” The car’s slow stop caught his attention, and before I knew it he was opening the car door and stepping through it.

From the moment we had arrived in Japan, he had been bothered. Part of me didn’t want to intrude on his past, but another part of me was curious if something had happened here that made him uncomfortable about coming.

As we stepped into the penthouse apartment Damian had rented for us, my eyes widened at the spectacular sight. Wall to wall windows lined the far wall overlooking Tokyo, and with this view I was able to take in everything.

“Do you like it?” Damian asked from behind me as his arms wrapped around my waist and his chin sat on the top of my head. It was a comforting and romantic notion for him to hold me the way he was.

“It’s beautiful.” I smiled, admiring the view. “Do you think we will be able to find Hale here, though? The city is so big, and I worry it won’t be as easy as Cancun.”

Laughter echoed to my right as I turned to see James dropping the rest of our luggage onto the ground, “Hale isn’t like I am. He won’t be as clouded, and if he wants to be found he will make himself known.”

I wasn’t quite sure what he meant, but I could tell that he was being serious.

There were still things I was learning about each of the men, and even though Hale and I had spent so much time together, it was more in an intellectual way than anything else.

“Oh–” I whispered, pulling away from Damian, “well I guess he will find me then. Like you did.”

“Maybe.” James shrugged as he grabbed my bags, and walked me towards a back room.

Following behind him, I took in the large modernized room and smiled. It was beautiful, but it was just like any other room you would rent. Simply, and to the point.

“Why don’t you get some rest? We can go out later if you would like.” James said as he turned to face me.

“Are you guys not sharing a room with me?”

James’ eyes cast behind me and as I turned, I saw Damian glaring at him with his arms crossed. It didn’t make sense for there to be tension between them, but at the same time, Damian was still very much a mystery.

“We won’t be sharing a room with you. We will each have our own,” Damian replied as he brushed past James and I.

“What’s wrong?” My firm, unhappy tone seemed to snap him from whatever funk he was in because his face quickly softened as the corner of his lips turned up.

“Nothing is wrong. This just gives you privacy. I don’t want you to feel pressured into anything.”

Was Damian being serious right now?

“Right.” Clearing my throat, I gripped the door handle and stared at him. “Well, I guess I will see you later then.”

Nodding his head, he turned, and I closed the door. Letting a heavy breath escape me, I tried to wrap my mind around his words. It was as if we had landed and he became another person, and with that he slowly changed his behavior towards me.

Again.

*****

James POV

I knew that coming to Tokyo was going to be a problem. Damian hadn’t come to this place in years, and being back here was going to bring back too many memories.

“You need to tell her.” I snapped as I walked into the living room and plopped down onto the sofa. “If Shamira does find out you’re here and Ivy doesn’t know, it’s going to cause problems.”

“She isn’t going to know.” He snapped back, glaring at me.

Laughing, I shook my head, “and if she does?”

“She won’t, d a m n it!” He yelled in a whispered tone, trying to prevent Ivy from hearing what he was saying. “We just need to hurry up and find Hale and get the f u c k out of here.”

“Like that is going to happen.” I scoffed, “Hale came here for a reason. I wouldn’t doubt he is probably hanging out with Shamira.”

There was a swirling amount of contemplation running through Damian’s mind, and it was obvious from his concerned yet angry look that he thought that too.

Once again, there were too many secrets being hidden, and with how things went the first time–I didn’t want the outcome repeated.

“Just call her and stop avoiding things. Then talk to Ivy.”

Stopping in his tracks, he looked at me with a dumbfounded look. “Why don’t you watch Ivy, and I will try to handle things quietly.”

“Sure.” I laughed, waving him off, “you’re the boss. Do what you want.”

There was no point in arguing with him. If he wanted to run off and do things his way, then let him. I would stay here and make sure Ivy knew how much I cared for her.

Because if Damian was going to f u c k things up again, I didn’t want Ivy to leave me. After all, they said she could pick who she wanted, and we didn’t need Damian in the end.

“I will.” He sneered, “I am going to run somewhere and see if I can find a trace of him. Keep an eye on her and don’t leave until I get back. Do you understand?”

Rolling my eyes, I shooed him off, “I’m not a child.”

No matter how much he may have changed for the better when it came to Ivy, he was still the same man she had first met. It killed me that she didn’t realize that.

As much as I wanted my brother to be happy, she deserved better than him.

Pulling out my phone, I contemplated calling Shamira myself, and asking if Hale was there. She had been a woman who had helped our family many times in the past, and even though she had a more detailed past with Damian, it didn’t mean she wouldn’t help me.

“James?” Ivy’s angelic voice called to me.

Turning, I looked over my shoulder on the sofa just in time to see her step out of the room dressed in a silk nightdress. Her hair tossed, and a sleepy look in her eyes. “Hello, Gorgeous.”

Walking towards me, she frowned as her eyes grazed the area, “where did Damian go?”

S h i t.

“Uh–he just stepped out for a moment. He was going to check on a lead while you rested.”

“Oh, okay.” She smiled sweetly, “well, goodnight then.”

She walked towards me leaning over and giving me a gentle kiss before turning and walking towards her room. When she acted like this it made my heart melt.

Guilt filled me knowing that I had just lied to her, but at the same time, I didn’t want to be the one to break the news to her about Damian’s past. It wasn’t my place to do so.

“Sleep well, Ivy,” I murmured as I watched her figure disappear from my sight.

Something about today was eating at me, and with my wolf growing restless to get home, I knew that we couldn’t be here for too long.

I just hoped Hale would listen to Ivy like I did. He may have been smart, but he and Talon held a grudge like no one I had ever seen.

Twins at their finest.