Redemption: AmBw Romantic Suspense

Never.

Therefore, I ignored his handsomeness and checked the kids. Poppy still had not stopped watching the dogs. I swore delight and curiosity cornered her eyes.

Next, I scanned the house, searching for any signs of insanity or possible danger.

Nothing came. There was no indication that more than one person had ever lived here. No show of two tastes competing. The whole place displayed unity. Black sofas, white chairs, and white bookshelves built in simple cubic sections, painted with the same white paint that had been probably used on the walls.

The only definite color in the living room was a life-size painting on the wall above the largest sofa. There, a dragon roared fire among cherry blossoms. The oil came to life on canvas. Bright reds and royal blues. Sunshine yellows blazed around fiery oranges. Lovely blushing pinks mingled with baby blue.

Feeling Yoshiro watching me, I turned back to him.

He’d been studying my face.

I tried to look away, knowing that in this light he could see the bruises, busted lip, and black eye.

He frowned. “You all have been through a lot?”

I kept my voice low. “Yeah.”

Yoshiro turned his attention to Kia. Her cheeks had swelled where Wyatt had punched her earlier today. A red bruise blossomed within that caramel complexion. She turned away and helped Poppy take off her jacket.

Rage hit Yoshiro’s face for a minute and then it straightened into a neutral expression. “You want something for those bruises? Ice or—”

“No, thank you.” I shook my head. “I’m sure we’ve had enough ice to stop the swelling. And besides, you’ve opened up your home. You’ve done enough.”

“Let me decide, when my help is enough.”

I didn’t know what else to say to that.

He rubbed his hands together and walked over to the kitchen further in the back. “I made some stew earlier tonight. Is anybody thirsty or hungry?”

“No. We’re fine.”

He stopped and faced us. “Okay. Let me know, if you get hungry.”

I stirred under his attention and checked out the kitchen.

Clean and spotless, it was huge and tall, fitting his height. All the cupboards were wood, painted white, and the appliances were industrial sizes in stainless steel, like pizza ovens. Yoshiro definitely had enough food to last through several snowstorms. Surely, we had lived in places smaller than the refrigerator.

Grabbing my attention, Yoshiro gestured to me. “Grab the gun.”

“What?”

“I’m going to show you to your rooms. You’ll feel better with it.”

“Umm. . .okay.” I picked up the shotgun.

“They’re upstairs.” He walked off.

The kids and I exchanged looks.

We headed off and followed him.

“Mommy,” Jalen whispered.

“Yes, baby.”

“Can I get a gun too?”

“Now’s not the time, baby. We’ll talk about that later.”

Kia shook her head. “Definitely not the time, J.”

We climbed narrow stairs that led to the second floor.

Once on that level, the hallway ran dark and paneled. Oil paintings hung on the walls. All were lovely dragons—magnificent and exuding strength. All around were closed doors, maybe chestnut, each of them polished to a shine by a century of labor.

He touched one of the doors that had been partly open. “This is my room. If you need me, just knock.”

He guided us to the last room at the end. “Ebony, you can sleep here, and the kids can be in these rooms right over there.”

I shook my head. “No, thank you. We’ll stay in the same room.”

Kia nodded in agreement.

I didn’t know Yoshiro, although he appeared like a good man. Still, I had a young girl. There was no way I would have her unattended in a stranger’s house. And that was the same with Jalen and Poppy. Who knew if Yoshiro was the sort that liked to mess with children?

Yoshiro nodded. “No problem. Then, I’ll give you the room with the biggest space.”

He guided us back to the room that was right next to his. “I can go get a mattress from one of the other rooms. Perhaps, you could put that on the floor, so everybody doesn’t have to sleep in the same bed.”

“That would work for me.” I gave him a sad smile. “We can move everything. Just show me where it is.”

“No, I’m strong enough to move it.” He opened the door for us. “Go ahead and get comfortable. I’ll be right back.”

We walked into the massive room. It could’ve been a master bedroom, although I assumed he would be sleeping in the house’s master. Perhaps, there were two master bedrooms, or the rooms were just huge.

There was a large Persian carpet on the floor. By the wall, antiquated steam radiators connected with fat pipes, giving the room a warm feel. White paint coated the walls. The floor had been done in pale maple strips. The space was cool and neutral, like a museum, showcasing an old home.

With Yoshiro gone, I went to the door near the nightstand, opened it, and was surprised to see a small bathroom.