Part 6

Mika woke up 3 hours later in her bed. She was a little confused. Didn't she fall asleep on the couch? She sat up. The house seemed quiet bar the sound of the waves beating against the shore.

Mika noticed sitting up wasn't as painful as it had been the past few days. "No way." She muttered to herself as she gently took her shoulder through some movement rotations. Up, down, back and forth. The pain was there but it was a dull stiffness and nothing like the searing heat of pain that she'd been feeling previously. "It fucking worked!"

She took her sling off and headed for the living room. Raizo was sat outside on the porch steps but he wasn't alone. Sat beside him was a small grey cat. Mika had never seen it before but Raizo and the cat sat beside each other like they'd known each other a lifetime.

"Hey," Mika called out from the porch doorway.

"Come join us," Raizo replied without looking back at her.

Mika sat down beside the cat and reached out to give it a stroke. The animal leaned away from her, yawned, stretched and sauntered off without looking back. "Sorry didn't mean to interrupt."

Raizo sat crossed legged resting his forearms on his knees watching the cat head off down the beach and across the rocks. "I'm afraid Mother is not very trusting of new people."

Mika raised a quizzical eyebrow, "Mother?"

Raizo shrugged. "That's her name. Says so on her collar. I don't know who she belongs to but she's been visiting me here since the first day I arrived."

"Did she dislike you at first too?"

Raizo looked over at Mika with a smile. "No."

Mika rolled her eyes.

"How's the shoulder?" Raizo asked her.

Mika raised and lowered her arm. "Pretty damn good. I can't believe you had the power to Miyagi me all this time and you just let me suffer."

Raizo looked confused. "Miyagi you?"

"You know, wax on, wax off? Sweep the leg? Karate Kid?"

Raizo shook his head, "Sorry…"

"It doesn't matter." Mika replied. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, thank you it feels much better."

"I'm glad," Raizo said getting up. "Although you feel better the joint will still need healing, so I want you to be careful with it for a few more days."

Mika mock saluted, "Yes Doctor."

"Good. Now we need to get dressed. We're going into town."

Mika didn't even ask why or when. She was just glad to be getting out so she headed back to her room to change into jeans and a cropped sweater. While changing her phone rang again. When she saw Ryan's name flash up on the screen she answered it. It would have been cruel to make him wait even longer.

"Hey, Ryan." She cradled the phone to her ear while pulling on her socks.

"Mika! Christ, where have you been!? I've been worried sick. I went round to your place but…"

"Woah…slow down. Ryan I'm fine. Honestly. I'm just out of town for a while. I needed to get away."

"Where?"

"I can't tell you but I promise you I'm safe."

"I don't understand.

"I'm with Raizo."

Silence for what seemed like an age. Mika could hear Ryan breathing, hell she could hear him thinking.

"So what, are you guys together now?"

Mika shook her head while she swapped ears. "No, Christ Ryan it's not like that."

"I never should have told him you were struggling. When you're around him bad shit happens. I don't like it, Mika."

"I know you just want what's best for me Ryan and I appreciate it, I really do but I need to be away from everything right now."

Ryan went silent a moment. "Ok. Please just promise me you'll let me know if you need help?"

"I promise."

"Put me on loudspeaker."

"Why?"

"Please just put me on loudspeaker."

Mika did as requested.

"I know he can hear me. He hears everything. If any harm comes to you while you're with him, I will hunt him down."

The line went dead.

Mika put her phone down not knowing how to feel about the conversation. What the hell was that? She shook it off and met Raizo in the car as they drove into town.

"So what are we going to town for?" Mika asked after too much silence had passed. Raizo seemed to be quite at home with long pockets of silence. Mika couldn't seem to endure it for much more than 10mins or so.

"We need some groceries. I need to speak to a friend and getting out of the house will be good for you."

Mika couldn't argue with that.

The drive lasted about 25mins before Raizo pulled into a quiet public carpark surrounded by woodland. It was another 10min walk to the village high street. It was like a time warp. All the shops were small, vintage. The place looked like somewhere a Victorian doll might go shopping. There was a fountain in the town square.

Mika unconsciously walked closer to Raizo. Mika had spent 5 years living in Berlin but that was the city and although nowhere near as diverse as the USA, it was diverse enough. This was the sticks and although she could feel people trying to mask their staring she still felt like a museum exhibit. "People are staring at us." She whispered.

Raizo smiled, head high wearing his leather jacket and jeans. "Of course they are. They're lives just got more interesting." They stopped outside of a store that sold blown glass ornaments. "Here." Raizo indicated holding the door open for Mika who just looked confused.

Inside there were two customers looking at multicoloured glass vases. A shop assistant was speaking to them but then looked over at Raizo and Mika as they entered. The shop assistant smiled at them and excused herself from the couple viewing the vases. As she walked over her smile got bigger and Mika could see it was clearly aimed at Raizo. The woman was petite. Blonde hair with blue and pink streaks in it flowed in waves to sit on her left shoulder. The hair on the right side of her head was shaved to a close crop revealing a glass pink and blue star earring hanging from her lobe. She wore a yellow and white floral tea dress that ended mid-thigh and wore faded worn ankle high combat boots on her feet.

"Ah, skoenlapper!" The woman who looked in her mid-30s embraced Raizo passionately. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him gently on the side of his mouth. "So good to see you!"

Raizo smiled back, "Mel. Good to see you too."

Mel finally glanced over at Mika, "And who have you brought with you?"

Mika put on a smile but she couldn't ignore what the sight of Mel pouring over Raizo did to something deep down inside of her, something primal. She was a rational, educated woman with no claims on anyone. This shouldn't be bothering her.

"Mel, this is Mika." Raizo motioned.

Mika put out a hand for Mel to shake. Mel tilted her head with a wide seductive smile. "Oh, not a touchy-feely type huh?" She looked Mika up and down and tilted her head in a short nod. "Yes…I see it."

"Keep it in your pants, Mel!" A man's voice called over from behind the counter at the back of the store. Mel pouted then smiled. "Minnaar. How can I when I never wear them?"

The man behind the counter beckoned Raizo over. Mel took Mika's hand before she could follow. "Let the boys talk toys. I want to hear all about you."

Raizo nodded at Mika. "Mel will look after you. I promise I'll be right back."

Mika could feel a panic building in the pit of her stomach. All of this was so unfamiliar to her. Not just the new surroundings, new faces, new people but the fact that she was supposed to trust these people she'd never met before and whom Raizo had never even thought to mention at all.

Raizo could hear her heart beating faster. He went back over to her and placed his palm over her heart gently while leaning into her ear to whisper, "I trust these people. You are safe here. But this might make you feel better." In one swift motion he pulled a short, sheathed knife from the inside of his leather jacket, he circled Mika's waist lifting the back of her own jacket and tucked it snugly into the back of her jeans. His hands rested on her hips a moment longer than they needed to, his thumbs brushing her flesh absently before he pulled away and walked toward the counter without looking back.

"Come," Mel requested, shaking Mika from her momentary daze and bringing her over to look at a set of delicate glass birds.

"Jacob." Raizo shook the hand of the man behind the counter.

Jacob was born in the small town of Tashanta in Russia near the border with Mongolia but grew up in Moscow. He was about 5ft 9 with close-cropped dark hair and covered in a smattering of tattoos, most noticeably across his throat, hands and backs of his arms. He wore a lily-white t-shirt tucked into beige chinos with black and red Air max's on his feet. He ushered Raizo into the back office.

"Been a while Man. Heard the news about the clan. Figured you'd either died or gone deep underground." Jacob placed his palm over an electronic reader which in turn activated a metal door leading to a staircase.

"I kept quiet for a few months just to be sure activity had settled. I reached out to a few brothers that I could trust and set about building an infrastructure for myself."

"Oh?" Jacob seemed unconvinced as the light sensors illuminated his workroom. Wall to wall weapons covered the place. Guns, knives and custom to cover everything in between. "So if the war is over, why are you here?"

Raizo picked up a short sword from its display rack. "You can never be too careful Jacob." Raizo put the sword back. "How's business?"

Jacob went over to a drawer and pulled out a tray of smaller daggers and throwing knives. "Freelance mostly now. Since the word got out that Ozuno has dispersed there's a lot more work for everyone else. Works for me and Mel. You looking for anything in particular? Actually, hold that thought. I got a shipment in a week ago I think you'll like it."

Jacob rummaged for a box in the corner of the room. "So tell me about the stray."

Raizo took a seat on a nearby stool. "She's still hanging around."

Jacob came back with a metal case and laid it on a nearby steel table. "I wasn't talking about the cat." He located the combination of numbers to unlock the case.

"Mika? She saved my life. She's having a hard time adjusting back to normality so I'm helping her out for a while."

Jacob pulled out two hook handled flat blades with intricate carving down the centre of each. He handed them to Raizo. "Is that what you're telling yourself?"

Raizo took the blades and weighted them in his hands. They were quite beautiful. "It's not like that. She's in pain because of me and the life I exposed her to."

"I don't doubt that." Jacob replied. "But a blind man could see the way you look at her, the way you touch her. That's not just obligation brother."

Raizo handed the blades back. "I won't…"

"What?" Jacob interrupted, "let yourself be happy?"

Raizo exhaled standing up and went back to admiring the weaponry on show. "I won't take advantage of her. She needs someone to trust. She needs to heal and when she's ready she'll be able to go back to her life, whole again. It's the least I can do for her."

Jacob shook his head and handed Raizo a handgun. Raizo shook his head. "Still against the whole gun thing? You're so damn old school." Jacob took the gun back and handed Raizo an automatic rifle bayonet hybrid. "Look its gotta knife on it!"

Raizo smiled and shook his head.

Jacob sighed. "One day bro, I'm going to get you into guns." He pulled out two cases from under the table. Raizo was instantly more interested. "She's into you man. You don't have to keep punishing yourself for Kiriko."

Raizo was growing agitated. "She nearly died because of me."

"But she didn't. She's here."

"Barely Jacob! You weren't there, when I came back she was laying on the bottom of a full bathtub." Raizo's fists were clenched with the onslaught of the memory."

Jacob pulled out two short drinking glasses and a bottle of what looked like very expensive vodka. "Raizo. You need to forgive yourself and you need to forgive her. You're both healing. I'm just saying you could do a better job of that in each other's pants." Jacob clinked Raizo's glass and took a sip. "I mean really how long has it been? Have you even ever? Mel has her theories. She is very intrigued by you. I told her you're pretty much a Ken doll down there."

Raizo smiled and rolled his eyes as the tension ebbed away from his body. He took a sip from his glass. "I've been with women."

Jacob printed out two tickets from a nearby laptop. It was the unique combination to the two cases. For Raizo's eyes only. "I know Ozuno let you boys see whores to keep you focussed but as expensive and pretty and clean as those whores were they were still just that. There is a difference brother between making love and cold emotionless fucking. But I tell you when you get to really fuck the one you love, that my friend is life and suicide hand in hand and it's like nothing you've ever felt."

"It's time for me to go."

"Probably for the best. I'm not sure how much longer your little Mika will be able to fend off Mel's charms."

Raizo shook his head. "Don't you and Mel ever get tired of inviting strangers to your bed?"

"Don't knock it till you've tried it Raizo." Jacob handed him the print outs and the cases. "Mika better claim you soon brother. You're Mel's white whale."

Raizo nearly laughed and headed back upstairs with Jacob close behind him.

Raizo returned to the shop floor to find the store empty and Mika sat on a stool surrounded by bags. Mel was pulling her hair up into a messy bun. Mika also now had on a matching silver bracelet and necklace that definitely wasn't there before.

"Raizo." Mika almost whimpered as she saw him emerge from the back of the store.

He tried to stifle a laugh "Mel?" He raised an accusatory eyebrow.

"What? We went shopping. Now you can take her to dinner. You're welcome."

Raizo went over to Mika and picked up the bags. "How even?"

"Don't worry skoenlapper, I put it on your tab. We never know when we will see you again."

Mika got up and gratefully took Raizo's outstretched hand.

"You are unstoppable." Mel smiled as Raizo leaned over and pecked her on the cheek. "Another time Jacob," Raizo called back over his shoulder.

Mel twirled a ring of curls around her finger as Raizo and Mika left the store.

When they got back to the car to drop the bags off Mika broke her silence.

"Ok what directly the fuck?!"

Raizo chuckled.

"It's not funny. You couldn't have warned me about your horny lil friend back there?"

Raizo popped the trunk to put the bags away. "Mel is harmless. Well, that's a lie. She's the best marksmen I've ever met but unless you need to be sniped, she's harmless. Where did she take you?"

"Honestly Raizo, I'm not even sure. Some boutique a few doors down. She made me try on dresses and shoes and jewellery like I was her very own dress-up doll."

"Yes, Jacob says she has what he calls, 'Granny aggression'. Harmless but near impossible to say no to."

"Are you two close?"

Raizo locked the trunk. "Mel and I? Would it bother you if we were?"

"Forget I asked. It's none of my business." Mika got into the passenger seat angry at herself mostly for letting any of the day's antics get to her. She took a deep breath as Raizo got in beside her.

"Mika…"

She interrupted before he could finish. "I'm tired can we just go back home?" She prodded at her injured shoulder. Not because it hurt much but because at least she could focus on that pain rather than the raging confusion and frustration inside herself.

Raizo knew she was lying but felt it best this time, not to pry. "Of course. We can get groceries tomorrow."

The drive home was another journey filled with deafening silence. Mika was kicking herself for once again allowing her thoughts and emotions to screw with her reality. She reconciled herself to the fact that being a researcher all this time with its long and one working must have straight up destroyed her people skills.

Once back at the house Mika retreated to her room. She just felt so damn clumsy around Raizo. "What the hell is wrong with me?" She grumbled into a pillow she held against her face. She removed the pillow to stare up at the ceiling and shook her head before closing her eyes with her good arm over her face. Unfortunately, if she was looking for an escape from her growing feelings she would not be getting it behind closed eyelids. Instead, she remembered the way Raizo looked that morning covered in sweat, hair in his face and wearing those tight black shorts. He was muscled from head to toe like the MMA fighters she would see on TV from time to time when Ryan stopped by to hang out. She wasn't a fan of the sport. Ryan had tried several times to convert her but all she took from it was a new perspective of the male form in teeny tiny shorts. Ryan gave up trying.

Things low down inside Mika clenched at the memory of Raizo. She was tired and pent up and tense and hungry for food among other things. The day was grinding on and Mika realised that they'd managed to skip lunch. Raizo must have been giving her space. She couldn't blame him. She felt like she was blowing hot and cold but the mixed signals were definitely going both ways. She wished she had a clearer sign. Her mind wandered back to the awkward conversation she'd had earlier with Mel in the dress shop.

"You've not taken the pleasure of him yet hey?" Mel said while she coerced Mika into a pair of heels that were way too expensive and way too high. Mel's gently lilting South African accent made her sound way more innocent than her actions made her look.

"I don't know what you mean." Mika had responded.

"Ah, nonsense. We've known Raizo a long time and he has never brought anyone else to the store. You must be very special to him so it confuses me that you don't indulge each other." Mel directed Mika to stand up and walk back and forth in the small boutique clothing store that it seemed like Mel also owned. Who the hell was this woman?

"It's not like that with us." Mika managed to remain upright before Mel beckoned her over to try on a dress that looked like a top.

"Smoke and mirrors honey. You like him, he likes you. Why must you make it so complicated? When I first laid eyes on Jacob all those years ago I was shooting at him. Long story, I must tell you one day. Anyway, after I shot his business partner I saw JJ's wonderful face down that scope and I knew I would have that man in my bed first before I killed him."

Mika was behind a changing room curtain trying to figure out which part of the dress was the front. "But Jacob is still alive." She shimmied into the garment as best she could.

"Yah, what can I say, he was very good in bed. I mean I did eventually shoot him of course. It was my job. 3 weeks later we were living together. That was 17 years ago." Mel smiled in nostalgia. "He makes me very happy. Now get out here and let me see you."

"I don't think this is the right size."

"Just get out here or if you like I can come in there with you my love." Mel got to her feet as Mika emerged quickly. Mika did not want to be in a confined space with her.

Mel put her hands over her mouth. "Gorgeous."

"It's obscene!" Mika replied trying to tug parts of it to cover her more"

Mel shook her head. "Yah this is the one. This you must wear to dinner with Raizo." Mel boxed up the shoes. "Get dressed, I'll package it all up."

"But I don't have money for all of this." Mika protested.

Mel tutted. "Not your concern. Now be sure to wear your hair up. I've paired up some lovely matching jewellery for you. I'll put it in the bags. Oh, and one more thing, are you bleeding?"

"Huh?" Mika emerged from the dressing room with her own clothes back on. "You mean am I having my period? No, why?"

Mel had a wicked smile on her face. "When you wear this, no underwear."

Mika looked horrified, "You can't be serious!"

Then Mel did look serious for the first time since Mika had met her. "Trust me, my love. No underwear." Mel picked up all the bags. "Now let's head back before the boys begin to miss us."

Mika heard a gentle knock at her door shaking her from the memory.

"Come in." She sat up on the bed as Raizo entered with a sandwich and a mug of tea.

"Thought you might be peckish as we seemed to have skipped lunch."

"Thanks, you didn't have to do that."

"My pleasure. Oh and I thought as we didn't get groceries, we could go out for dinner tonight rather than eating in. Would you mind that?"

"Oh?" Mika was momentarily lost for words. "I mean sure that would be great."

Raizo turned towards the door. "Great. I'll make reservations for 7.30pm at the Cambridgeshire in town."

Mika lay the tray Raizo gave her, down on the bedside table. "The Cambridgeshire? Sounds fancy, what shall I wear?"

"It's quite smart but the food is good. Don't worry just wear what you bought with Mel." And he left before Mika could respond.

"Ah shit," Mika exclaimed laying back down on the bed.