Chapter Twenty Six

Kana

"What would you have done if it wasn't me?"

Mori's question had caught me off guard, but his actions had their intended effect. What would I have done? Would have I been left powerless against my attacker, and subjected myself to being assaulted?

Mori had wanted to teach me an important lesson. I had very little defense against someone who would want to harm me. I tried to convince him that no one was out to get me, but he refused to back down. I knew enough about Mori to understand that words weren't his strong suit, rather, he preferred actions to get his point across.

And that's how I wound up in my backyard learning the art of self defense from Takashi Morinozuka.

"Redistribute your weight." In the last hours I had heard Mori's voice more than I had heard it before. I had changed into the closest thing I had to gym clothes-a pair of black calf-length yoga pants and a tank top. "Even between both feet."

"I won't have time to think about that if someone's coming after me, will I?" Still, I complied. I stood a few feet away from him with my feet shoulder-length apart and my elbows at my side.

"Practice. It'll come natural." Mori wasn't taking any of my excuses. "I'm going to come at you from the front. Use what I've taught you."

I knew Mori wasn't acting at his full potential, but the speed of his movements was still quite alarming for a man his size. With a few steps, he closed the distance between us, preparing to grab me. I sucked in a breath, hesitating for only a moment before I acted.

I quickly knocked his hand away and pulled back for an open-palmed strike. He was too tall for me to reach his chin or nose, the method that he had taught me to use. Instead I struck him directly in the sternum with the heel of my palm. The blow barely seemed to phase him. He caught my wrist in his hand. WIthout thinking, I wrapped one of my legs around his and bent at the waist.

The movement knocked both of us off balance, sending us to the ground. I landed almost directly on top of him, my elbows hitting the grass beside his head with a soft thud.

"At least I have the upper hand now." I panted.

"You're still too slow." Mori gave me a soft smile. He didn't attempt to pull me away from him, instead he adjusted so that my legs were straddling his waist.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to defend myself against you."

"You don't have to."

"I know you'd never actually hurt me." Still, there were questions that I needed the answers to. "What brought this on, exactly?"

His gaze shifted to the side. I followed his eyes to my mother's mansion.

"I don't think she'd send someone to hurt me." I said quietly.

"Kanami." Mori seemed as though he were trying to find the right words. "We've all got our resources."

"So you've heard something then." When he nodded, I rolled off him, coming to rest at his side. "Fuck."

"Mitsukuni will tell you more."

"Why not you?"

"Thinking about it makes me angry." His eyes met mine. They were full of emotion, something I wasn't used to seeing from him.

"Then don't." I sighed. "Something tells me that I'm under the best protection anyone can ask for." I added in an attempt to ease his thoughts.

"Yeah." He seemed to relax. I felt that I had finally got to witness Mori in his true element. His normal front had been absent while he was teaching me how to fight.

"Another question." I sucked in a breath. "What would you have done if I hadn't tried to fight you off earlier?"

My question hung between us for a few moments. I was afraid to see his reaction; instead I focused on the darkening sky above us.

"I'd never hurt you." His words were soft, careful.

"But would you have gone through with it?"

"Not like that."

"How, then?"

I felt him shift beside me. My vision was suddenly obscured by his conflicted face as he moved on top of me, balancing his weight so that he wasn't crushing me. His face hovered inches above mine.

So much of him appealed to me on a physical level. His strength, his voice, the way he moved. I felt an overwhelming urge to see more of him, to let him have his way with me.

It would never truly work out between us, that much I knew, but I couldn't deny the physical hunger I felt towards him. My protector.

I knew that he wouldn't be the type that would just take what he wanted. He was far too polite for that.

Kissing Mori ignited a spark within me. I let my hands tangle in his hair, pulling him almost forcefully to me. He met my enthusiasm with a low groan. His tongue pushed inside my mouth while his hands found my face. I felt his body flush with heat.

"Take me." I said when we finally broke for air.

I didn't have to ask him twice. Mori effortlessly carried me into the house, holding me so that my legs were wrapped around his waist. I could feel his need growing as I grinded against him.

We didn't make it to the bedroom. He sat me down on the kitchen counter and peeled his shirt off, letting it drop to the floor. I allowed myself to marvel at his physique as he stood before me. I couldn't resist pulling him to me. I let myself explore his chest and stomach with my hands and lips, tracing every defined line on his abdomen with my tongue.

I wanted more of him.

Acting purely on instinct, I slid off the counter and dropped to my knees in front of him. I tugged his pants and underwear down to his ankles, pleased with the sight that I was met with.

God he was hard. And huge.

I knew there was no way I could take all of him into my mouth, but I still tried, nearly choking myself on his length. I heard him moan my name. My nails dug into his thighs eagerly. I loved that I was doing this to him.

While I had been enthusiastic with my actions, Mori was almost frustratingly slow, gentle. After a few moments he gently pulled me back to my feet. He took his time in undressing me, kissing a trail up my stomach as he slid my tank top over my head.

"You're lovely." Mori whispered once I was completely naked before him. He lifted me once more, this time carrying me to the couch where he laid me on my back. He slowly ran his hands down my sides and lowered his face between my legs. His lips pressed to my inner thighs, almost too lightly for my liking.

"Mori-senpai-"

"Takashi." He mumbled. His tongue found my entrance. He teased me, flicking his tongue over my clit. His arms circled around my thighs, positioning my legs so they were over his shoulders.

"Takashi." I moaned. I squeezed my thighs around his head, unwillingly begging him for more. My hips bucked in a need for friction, for something to satisfy the growing tension building up inside me.

Mori wasn't ready to comply. He continued at his own pace, as though he were trying to explore every inch of me with his tongue. He wasn't letting me reach my edge, not yet anyway. He continued for several long minutes until he was finally satisfied. I let out a small noise of protest as he pulled away from me and sat on the couch.

He motioned for me to climb on top of him. He positioned me so that I was hovering just above his length. His eyes questioned me. When I nodded, he gently lowered me onto him, allowing me to adjust to his size.

I felt like I was being split in half, despite being incredibly aroused already. Just when I thought he was completely inside of me, he would lift my hips again and start over, pulling me down further each time until he was buried inside of me.

"You feel amazing, Takashi." I rocked my hips, nearly losing myself in the pleasant fullness he was giving me. He granted me a few moments of this before he stood, pushing himself deeper inside me with the motion. He carefully moved to one of the walls, pressing my back my back to the cool surface.

This was Mori's game, apparently. I wrapped my legs tightly around his waist as he ever so slowly moved in and out of me. He held my hips in place, preventing me from trying to quicken his pace. He was driving me mad with need. My body was nearly burning heat and desire.

"Fuck me Takashi. Please." I begged.

Mori's eyes locked to mine. A smirk grew on his face. I had given him what he wanted. Still, I wasn't prepared for the sudden change in speed as he began pounding into me at an alarming pace. I dug my nails into his shoulders, unable to do much besides hold on to him.

The intensity of my release surprised me. I dropped my head to the crook of his neck, letting out a long moan. I felt myself convulse around him.

"Look at me, Kanami." His voice was low in my ear. I complied. His gaze was intense. I felt that I truly saw him in that moment. I could feel the passion pouring from. It was enough to bring me back to the edge once more. I had never been brought to my limit again so quickly, not even whenever I tried it on myself.

Mori sensed this. His fingers gripped my hips tighter. I could tell that he was reaching his own release. His quiet grunts grew to match my own volume. His pace became more sporadic, needy. I urged him on until I felt him push once, twice, then a final time before we both came undone.

"Thank you." He whispered as he slid out of me. He supported my weight while I tried to stand, my legs shaking almost uncontrollably.

"I should be thanking you, Takashi." I rested my forehead against his chest. "You're pretty amazing."

This seemed to please him. He held me in a strong embrace, a gesture that I never expected from him.

That night, I convinced him to stay in my bed with me. He protested at first. Despite everything that had transpired between us, he had reverted back to the impossibly polite gentleman that I knew him to be. Still, we went to bed next to each other, his hand holding mine over the covers as we chatted about his dreams of running his own martial arts academy. He grew more vocal in his exhaustion, telling me all about the connection between his family and Honey's, giving me a background on their relationship.

My mind returned to my mother once he had fallen asleep. I wondered what information he wasn't sharing with me about her plans. I would have to find out more from Honey. Until then, I would rely on Mori's protection.

Not a bad spot to be in, I decided. I allowed myself one last look at Mori before I rolled over. I had a strong feeling that my safety was certainly guaranteed as long as he was around.