“He knows I prefer urban life to small towns.”
“He also had boxes full of military records. I didn’t know what was in the other ones. While I was looking through the first ones, I heard Wyatt and Selena return.”
“Jesus,” I murmured. “You were in the house, while they entered?”
“I snuck out.”
“You can’t do that again.”
“I won’t.” But his eyes said that it didn’t matter, he had other plans.
I hugged myself. “That was dangerous.”
“It wasn’t.”
“Thank you, although I kind of don’t want to say it. I don’t want you continuing to put yourself in danger.”
“But you are relieved with the information?” He leaned his head to the side. “Tell me the truth.”
“I am.”
“You feel better now that you know Wyatt has no guns, no idea where you are, and is on pain meds, which are now swimming in the sewer?”
I had to admit it. “Yes. I feel more relieved and less anxious.”
“You’re welcome.” He winked.
I frowned. “Please, don’t do it again.”
He walked off.
I reached out and grabbed his arm.
He glanced over his shoulder and returned to me.
“Promise, please.”
“I promise that I won’t break into Selena’s house again.”
My frown deepened as I let his arm go. “That was pretty specific.”
“Wyatt isn’t off my radar, but I’ll try to make sure that I don’t do anything to make you worry again.” Yoshiro walked off, got to his bag, and picked it up. “I should put the guns in my bedroom, so the kids don’t find it. Come on.”
I quirked my brows and followed him upstairs. “How many guns was it?”
“Three. Several boxes of ammo. He could still have another one in his car. I have his keys so that’ll bring more chaos for him.”
A smile broke onto my face. “Jesus, you took his car keys too?”
“I did. I like to cause mayhem. It’ll keep him busy for some days and give us time to decide our next moves.”
Our next moves?
I sighed as we headed up the stairs.
He opened his bedroom door and held it for me.
I walked in.
He shut the door, set the bag on the bed, and opened it. I looked in, spotted the guns, and torn pages. Ignoring the weapons, I picked up the pages, seeing my name written all over them.
“You probably shouldn’t read that.” Yoshiro pulled out the guns and took them into his closet.
I read the page anyway.
I’m going to rape her right in front of the kids. . .
I dropped the page. “What the hell is wrong with him?”
“He’s definitely not sane.”
I grabbed another page. My name had been written over and over—from the top to the bottom.
Yoshiro got the last gun and box of ammo, and then took it to the closet. “We can burn those pages. I don’t know why I took them.”
“No.” I shook my head. “I needed to see them. They don’t scare me. What’s words on a page? But I needed to see them. . .they give me motivation.”
“Good. That’s how you use them. Let them fuel your hate, help you do the things you’re nervous about doing.”
He took the bag off the bed, put it on a small table near the window, and turned to me. “So?”
“Yes?”
“Wyatt needs to die. You realize that?”
“I knew that three years ago. . .I was just trying to find other ways.”
“And it didn’t work. He’s not going to give up.” Yoshiro dug his hand into his pants and pulled a bullet out. I thought Yoshiro was going to give it to me or explain why there was one in his pocket. Instead, he twirled it around between his fingers. “I know you’re not ready to do the hard part.”
“Killing Wyatt?”
“Yes.”
“So. . .I tried another option. We’ll see what happens?”
Worry coursed through my blood. “W-what option?”
“I had my friend call the police and give them Selena’s address.” A crease lined his forehead as his brows knitted. “Apparently, Wyatt is wanted for questioning.”
“For what?”
“There’s a woman missing in California. Her name is Cynthia Henderson. Does that sound familiar?”
“No. I don’t concern myself with any woman he messes around with. I’ve never heard their names, although I know there has been a few. Once he started hitting me. . .sex for us. . .stopped. I couldn’t. . .”
“I understand.”
“It’s been many years since we had sex. I figured he messed with others.” I shrugged. “But you said she’s missing?”
“She is.”
I swallowed down fear.
“How long has it been since you two had sex?”
“A long time. Close to five years. . .maybe more.”
“Is that right?” Yoshiro played with the bullet for a moment, rolled it under the pad of his index finger, and then he scooped it up into his palm.
It was in that moment that I realized we were alone in his bedroom. I’d been so ready to deal with what happened with Wyatt. I’d just walked into his room. The other thing that shocked me was that I wasn’t scared to be in here alone with him—door shut or not.