Believe

SUMMERINE WAS STILL speechless in shock when Ryu dropped her back home, kissed her forehead, and warned her in a very pleasant voice to 'forget the bastard who had dared to encroach on his property'.

"If you want what's good for him, that is."

Ryu didn't give her a chance to explain, and all she could do was gaze helplessly as his limo sped out of view.

What in the world just happened?

Summerine didn't even know what her problem was at this point.

If she allowed her husband to continue thinking she had cheated on him, would he eventually give her a divorce?

But if she protested her innocence, would he let her go if she asked for her freedom?

Was divorce still an option even...considering how things had changed between Ryu and her?

(Oh, c'mon now. Are we still going to be in denial?)

I'm not—-

(The writing's on the wall. And it's very, very wet—-)

Oh my gosh, how crude can you get?

(You tell me. I'm YOUR Inner Troll. Remember?)

Summerine's shoulders slumped. How in the world had she ended up losing an argument with herself—- again?

(Want me to spell it out for you?)

Not really.

(Aww, don't you be self-pitying like that. It's not that bad, you know.)

Isn't it?

(Not at all. Because the truth's very simple.)

I'm not gonna like this, am I?

(You're in love with him.)

Oh, bleep.

(And this time, you're ready to fight for him.

Summerine's knees folded, but she was saved from face-planting the tiled floors of the foyer with all fourteen of her bodyguards charging forward to her rescue.

(Oh, and you're right, you're not gonna like it.)

I'm dead.

(Not until tonight, I'm guessing, but what a way to go, right?)

And it was with these thoughts running continuously through her head that she unintentionally bought herself a reprieve.

IT WAS ALREADY DARK outside the house when Summerine woke. She felt woozy and hot, but then she turned to her side and saw Ryu seated next to her bed, and it was like having a bucket of ice-cold water thrown at her face.

She sat up with a start and winced immediately as the sides of her temple throbbed.

"Easy now," her husband murmured. "The doctor came in to see you earlier."

"I d-don't remember."

"You've contracted some kind of bug, but Dr. Sherman has already given you antibiotics."

So that was why. Her head didn't just hurt awfully. Her nose also itched unbearably, and her lips felt terribly dry.

"That bad?"

Realizing that her so-called expressive face was guilty of giving everything away again, Summerine could only nod and admit the truth. "Horrible."

"Then we're on the same boat."

Her eyes widened. "You're sick, too?" Because right now, her husband looked his usual ridiculously good self and in tip-top shape.

"Not exactly—-"

She looked at him in confusion, and his lips twisted in a self-mocking smile.

"But if you put yourself in my shoes..."

She still didn't get it.

"And realize that your wife has managed to make herself sick at the thought of only having one man in her life—-"

Oh...

"And that's none other than her husband, naturally—-"

No .

"It's a valid reason to feel horrible, don't you think?"

Summerine felt as if her temperature had spiked by a couple of degrees by the time Ryu finished speaking. "It's...it's n-not like that at all," she finally managed to protest.

"While evidence suggests otherwise," her husband murmured, "I'm willing to start on a clean slate if you are."

Summerine nodded eagerly. "Absolutely!"

His lips curved in a smile of approval, and Summerine's breath caught.

"Tell me then..."

She looked at him expectantly.

"How do I make you fall in love with me instead?"

Did he just ask...what she thought he asked?

"I don't like loose ends, and I've realized that even if I were to get rid of your other lover—-"

Summerine's headache was making it hard for her to think. Should she just tell him the truth? And maybe confront him with his own infidelity while at it?

"That won't stop you from cheating again."

"But I really didn't —-"

"Ah, yes, I apologize. I stand corrected. You simply fell for another man—-"

Summerine mentally threw her hands up in surrender.

"But we can't have that happen again, can we? And the only way to prevent it is for me to be the love of your life—-"

Summerine just had to choke at how easily such words rolled off his tongue.

"Permanently, of course."

"C-Can't you see how crazy that sounds?"

Dark eyes narrowed at her. "Is it that hard to imagine yourself in love with me? Or are you saying that because the other man means that much to you?"

"N-No—-"

"No, he doesn't mean that much to you...which means he does exist?"

"I—-" Summerine couldn't believe how he had effortlessly twisted her words into an admission. "It's n-not—-"

"You don't need to explain. And even if you don't think I can make you fall in love with me—-"

You really can't, Summerine thought helplessly, since I'm already in love with you!

"It will happen."

She stared at him uneasily. "T-That sounds like a threat—-"

"Because it is."

A shiver rocked her body at the sudden hardness of his tone. Gone was the perfect gentleman she had been living with for the past several weeks, and in its place might be the real Ryu.

A.K.A...the mob boss.

"Your body's already mine to command, Summerine."

The silky reminder had her struggling with a conflicting mix of fear, confusion, and foolish excitement.

"It's only a matter of time before your heart follows."

Yes...I mean...absolutely not!

Horrified at how quickly he had been able to turn her head around with his seductive words, Summerine opened her mouth to tell him very clearly that she was her own person—-but ended up swallowing food as Ryu took advantage of her parted lips when he fed her a spoonful of... wow.

His lips curved in a smirk. "Good, right?"

She wished she could say no, but when she saw him scoop another spoonful of the most delicious bowl of porridge she had ever tasted, her lips had already parted open—- aaah, why was this so, so good?

"It's Japanese porridge," Ryu murmured in amusement. "We call it okayo ."

Summerine finished the entire bowl in seconds and was embarrassed when she accidentally let loose a burp after the last spoonful of porridge. "I'm s-sorry—-"

But her husband only leaned forward...and Summerine stopped breathing at the feel of his thumb wiping the corner of her mouth.

"You missed something."

Then he should have told her that, she thought miserably, instead of nearly giving her a heart attack.

"I'm sorry," her husband said as he straightened back in his seat.

Why was he—-

"The doctor says you should take things easy for the next couple of days," he said solemnly. "I'll do my best not to accidentally excite you with my touch."

—-so good at reading her stupidly expressive face?

"Do you want anything else before I go?"

You, she wished she could say. I want you to say I'll also be the ONLY woman in your life.

But how could she when she was terrified of how he would answer her?

"I'm on your side, Summerine."

"I want to believe that," she whispered.

"But you don't."

"I u-used to," she said jerkily, "b-but—-"

"That asshole you're in love with fed you lies about me?"

"I..." Summerine's fists clenched against her lap. "I r-really didn't cheat on you—-"

Ryu's expression turned brooding. "I guess we're on the same boat again. Because I also want to believe you...but I don't."