Black Thorns (Thorns Duet #2) by Rina Kent

“I wouldn’t miss it, love.” He brushes his hand against hers as he takes the drink.

She gives him an apologetic glance when she’s called to the other end of the bar.

“A brunette with curves.” He tilts his head and checks her out. “My fucking type.”

“What are you doing here?” I grumble.

“What the fuck is wrong with you, mate? Beautiful girls are surrounding you from everywhere and you’re sulking like an old cat lady who just heard that the judge won’t allow her cats to inherit her fortune, because her children are countersuing.”

“Then go have fun with all the girls. Why are you stuck with an old cat lady?”

“Hello? Obviously, because I love cats.” He takes a sip of his drink. “Now, back to business. Who was that?”

I stare at the bottom of my glass and how the ice swirls. “Who was who?”

“The one who got your knickers in a twist and gave you cat lady syndrome?”

“Are you stalking me?”

“Nah. Just noticed you were more rigid than usual. Do we need to bring in the big guns for Akira Mori?”

I break eye contact with my drink and face Daniel. “You know him?”

“Of course I do.” He throws up a dismissive hand. “International law, hello? That’s me, by the way.”

“Have you worked with him before?”

“No, but I dealt with an associate in England who did. Eh, you know him actually. Knox’s foster father.”

“Ethan Steel?”

“That’s the one. Knox and I went to Japan a few years back to provide legal advice to his father about signing with Akira’s company. Ethan wanted an extra opinion outside of the law firm that represented him for international affairs, and we were there to serve—and fuck hot ladies, of course.”

“What do you know about him?”

“Ethan or Akira?”

“Akira.”

“He’s successful. He works with different conglomerates around the globe and is their entryway into Japan and many other Asian countries. He recently financed a South African man with no background or business ventures under his name. But guess who that man is?”

“Who?”

“Friedrich Jacobs.”

“The man who discovered a diamond mine?” I read about that once in the news.

“Yup, that’s the one. And he didn’t discover just any diamond mine. It’s one of the few in the world that produces black diamonds. Akira is now the sole exporter of those goodies worldwide.”

“So he’s rich. Anything else you know about him?”

“He comes from a powerful traditional family in Japan. He never invites people who aren’t close family members to his house, from what I’ve heard.”

“How about his wife?” The words burn in my throat.

His wife.

She shouldn’t be his damn wife. Fuck that guy again.

“This is the first time I’ve seen her. I think she has her own business ventures that are separate from her husband’s. Both of them are private, that’s for sure.”

Private.

Of course she would be fucking private.

After all, I couldn’t find her, no matter how much I looked in the beginning. I hired a PI in Japan and begged Nate to use his connections to search for her, but it was like she’d never existed.

Turns out, she’s been under her husband’s private umbrella all this time.

“You know her, though.” Daniel’s voice brings me out of my thoughts.

“What makes you think that?”

“I don’t know, your stiffened posture and chatty self, maybe?” He pauses, his eyes widening. “Wait a minute. Is she the girl who broke your heart and stole your soul, leaving a grumpy asshole behind?”

“Fuck off.”

“She is!” He taps the bar table, grinning. “How does it feel to see her again? Please share your thoughts with your invisible fans.”

“I don’t feel anything.”

“Fucking liar. Forget cat lady syndrome. Your face is turning into a serious case of granite. Are you in a mood because she’s married to a man who’s richer than sin?”

“It’s because she came back,” the words leave me in a low whisper, forcing me to taste bitter acid.

“What?”

“She should’ve stayed away.”

“I don’t understand what that means, and no thanks, I don’t need an explanation. What I do need, however, is deets.” He slides closer and wraps an arm around my shoulder. “Tell me some deep, dark secrets I can use to make her husband my client.”

“He’ll be my client.”

“Wait, and I mean this in the most sodding way, what?”

I take a long drink. “I’m making Akira Mori my client.”

“But you don’t do international law.”

“I do corporate. That’s enough.” I stare at him. “Besides, no offense, but you can’t handle him.”

“And you can, motherfucker?”

“I will.”

Daniel opens his mouth, probably to curse me, but Knox cuts him off, grabbing us both by the shoulder and jamming himself between us. “Are you having a moment without me? Do I need to sabotage you and ruin your careers?”