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I s your safety seriously" Then I sober "I don’t suppose you’ve thoughtTokyo?"

Hideo sips his coffee "Second rounds start this week If I’h "Justthink about it Please?"

A bodyguard calls to hihtly "Mr Tanaka," reads my translation "Reporters are ready for your interview"

Hideo gives his bodyguard a subtle nod of his head "In a moment," he says He walks toward me until we’re separated by inches, and then leans doard ht now, I could probably feel his breath stir against my neck "I promise I’ll think about it," he murmurs "But you have to understand how hard it is when you are still here in the city"

My toes curl, and I shiver with pleasure Through our Link, I can tell thathim in ripples You’re hopeless, I think to hi pretty hopeless that night, too

He turns his eyes down, and his lashes catch the light A sht now

What if I didn’t let you? I tease

You wound h Maybe I want to kiss someone else

Jealousy flashes across his face, and his eyes darken to cinder Even through the physical distance between us, I can sense his eh our Link, that deliciously warht

My stomach flutters But, my teammates

I’ll make it worth your time

The flutters turn into somersaults "To your home?" I whisper, unable to hide my own smile

He hesitates The uncertainty returns to his face, and for a e his h, he surprises ht I’ll show you my old home

My heartbeat quickens This is another secret froh our Link I findout of our Link, and I exhale, then get up and head out ofhard outside Harossed in a quiet debate about how best to hts’ defense Asher’s ar Ha a ga himself live on his social channels Ren is nowhere to be seen The dorainst our atriu

"Emika"

I nearly juoes up instinctively, and I whirl around to see hi behind me in the hallway, turned as if headed to his room Then I let out my breath and lower my fist I should have sensed hi a room "You scared the crap out of me," I blurt out

He just raises an eyebrow at my reaction, then replies in French Transparent white text appears in my view as it translates "Are you always ready to punch people that surprise you?"

All ofhim over the past couple of weeks must have made me jumpy when I’m around him "Just the ones that lurk in dark hallways"

"Do you have a"

"About what?"

Ren stares quietly at me "About Hideo"