Secrets

Chapter 1

1

      Ayame Kaoru sipped a coke and she read a magizine as she waited for her friend, Marlo, to get done with the ATM machine. She honked the horn on her porsh and laughed when she saw her friend jump.
      "I'm working on it!" Marlo snapped as she grabbed the money that slipped out of the machine. She ran back to Ayame's car and climbed in the passenger door. "I forgot my number." She said sheepishly.
      Ayame rolled her eyes. "Well, I don't plan on spending my only day off waiting for you." She said with a smile. She looked out her window to see if the road was clear before pulling off onto the street. "Plus I have to cash in my paycheck down at First Key Bank."
      Marlo stared at Ayame blankly. "For the fifteen minutes I fought with that goddamn ATM machine...and you never told me we were going to a bank!" She snapped.
      Ayame laughed. "I guess it slipped my mind." She said.
      Marlo narrowed her eyes. "You are such a bitch." She joked.
      Ayame smiled. "Yeah, gotta love me."
      Marlo rolled her eyes. "No I don’t."
      Ayame just smirked as she pulled into the parking lot of the First Key Bank and unbuckled her seatbelt. "Coming?" She said with a smirk.
      Marlo rolled her eyes and unbuckled. She climbed out of the car with Ayame and walked up to the doors, opening them to let Ayame pass.
      "Thank you, Doormat." Ayame said, joking.
      Marlo narrowed her eyes playfully and walked in after Ayame.
      Ayame walked up and stood in line when she noticed a young man with spiked green hair across the way. He had a nice build and was tall, with two golden earrings in his left ear. She did a double take when she saw him. "Marlo? Does he look familiar?" She whispered to her friend.
      Marlo studied the young man. "Maybe he was one of our clients?" She said thoughtfully.
      Ayame shook her head. "I don't think so..." She drawled.
      "What does it matter? He's fine!" Marlo said, covering her mouth slightly.
      Ayame rolled her eyes and walked up to the man. "Excuse me, Sir?" She said, tapping him on the shoulder lightly. Her eyes grew a little wider when he turned towards her.
      "Yeah?" He said rather rudely until he saw her, and then a smirk graced his lips.
      Ayame held out her hand. "Have we met before?" She asked as she shook his strong hand.
      "I wish we had." He said. "G-." He began before he stopped himself. "Yusuke Sonake." He said.
      "I'm Ayame Kaoru." Ayame said, taking her small hand from his powerful one.
      Yusuke froze. “A-Ayame Kaoru, you say?” He said.
      Ayame gave him a funny look. “Yeah, is there a problem?” She asked.
      “O-oh, no, not at all.” Yusuke said with a devious smirk.
      Another young man walked up beside Yusuke. He wasn’t quite as tall as the green-haired man was, but he was still as handsome. He had spiked bleached-blonde hair with shaved brown hair around his head. “I see you’re making friends.” He said, giving Yusuke a ‘what the hell are you doing’ kind of look.
      Yusuke gave him a stern look back. “Yes, Ms. Kaoru, this is my best-friend and partner, Rei Kai.” He introduced.
      Ayame gave him a shocked look before shaking Rei’s hand. “O-oh, your partner. I had no idea you were, ah, a homosexual.”
      Yusuke’s eyes grew wide and he seemed to have broken out into a cold sweat, jumping from Rei a bit. “No no no no no!” He exclaimed. “I think you have the wrong idea! We’re partners in our work!”
      Rei’s eyes were also wide. “Oh Jesus! I’m married! I’m straight!” He exclaimed.
      Ayame seemed to be relived. She looked down at Rei’s hands and saw a gold band on his finger. Then she looked down at Yusuke’s slightly tanned hands and saw nothing. “No ring for you?” She asked him.
      Yusuke shook his head. “Haven’t found the right person.” He drawled.
      Ayame smiled.
      Rei coughed, obviously forcing it. “Look at the time. Come on Yusuke, we got to go.” He said, practically shoving Yusuke away.
      Ayame waved. “Nice talking to you boys.” She said before they walked out the door.
      Marlo came up behind Ayame and cleared her throat. “What was that all about?” She said, smiling devilishly.
      “Just thought I knew him.” Ayame said, still looking at the door.
      “Uh-huh. And why didn’t you give him your number?” Marlo asked.
      Ayame narrowed her eyes at her. “I don’t know, let me think. Maybe because I don’t have one?”
      Marlo shut her eyes and smacked her forehead. “Forgot. You still looking?” She asked.
      “Nope, I think I found the perfect place. The apartments down the street from your place.” Ayame said, getting back in line.
      Marlo nodded. “Cool, so I can come over sometime. Big party! Maybe you can invite the two cuties.”
      Ayame rolled her eyes.

2

      Ayame walked inside an empty condo. She looked around in awe. “Woah, this place even has a bar!” She exclaimed, running over and jumping up on it.
      Marlo looked around. “Now all you have to do is hire some cute muscle builders to come and bring in all your furniture.” She said, joining Ayame on the bar.
      “Have your cell?” Ayame asked.
      Marlo nodded and handed Ayame her cell phone.
      Ayame dug through her purse and pulled out a card that had a number on it. She dialed it quickly and went through only four rings before someone answered. “Hello, yes. I would like my luggage to be brought up to the condos on 192nd and 4th avenue, apartment 404. It’s in storage 418.” She said.
      “Make sure they’re cute!” Marlo exclaimed in a whisper.
      Ayame pressed her fingers to her lips. “Uh-huh. Yes. Thank you so much. Buh-bye.” She said sweetly.
      “You should have told them to make sure they’re cute!” Marlo exclaimed, jokingly.
      “Oh yeah, ‘make sure the ones that bring my stuff over is real cute.’” Ayame mimicked.
      Marlo shrugged. “Why not?” She asked, serious.
      Ayame rolled her eyes. “They’ll be here in about an hour. So, shall we decide where my room will be?”
      “Why your room first?” Marlo asked.
      “Because. All my stuff that was in my room and bathroom was in that storage. That’s all they can bring over today.” Ayame answered.
      “So if they workers are real cute you get to see them for almost every day for the next week?” Marlo asked.
      Ayame rolled her eyes. “I can almost guarantee they won’t be that great looking. Probably be really fat.” She joked.
      “Almost bald, with their cracks showing from their bagging pants.” Marlo played along.
      Ayame laughed. “And gray ass hair.”
      Marlo laughed and scrunched up her nose in disgust. “Gross! Once they show up I’m leaving.” She giggled.

3

      Gareas Elidd grumbled as he opened storage room 418. He turned on a flashlight and looked around. “Do you think this chick is the one?” He asked.
      Rioroute Vilgyna walked in behind him. “She very well could be. You could turn over a tarp and see a body at any moment.” He said as he walked in behind Gareas.
      “No you idiot. I mean the girl I met earlier. The one I could actually have a good relationship with.” Gareas said.
      Rioroute rose an eyebrow. “I thought you-.” He stopped in mid sentence. “Sense when do you care about your love life?”
      Gareas’s stomach churned. He knew what Rioroute was going to say but he refused to look back at his last relationship. “Sense I saw her.” He laughed pitifully, trying to not let Rioroute know what he was thinking.
      Rioroute smirked. “Well, she is pretty hot.” He said.
      Gareas rolled his eyes. “You’re married, remember?” He said.
      “Have you ever heard the saying ‘just because you’re on a diet, doesn’t mean you can’t look at the menu’?” Rioroute asked.
      Gareas sighed. “Phil will have your head served on a platter if she knew you called another girl hot.” He said.
      “Yeah, but she isn’t nearly as hot as Phil.” Rioroute smirked.
      Gareas laughed. “Keep dreaming. They both have the same body; nice legs, nice chest, but Ayame has the whole blonde hair and blue eyes thing going on.” He said.
      Rioroute smirked and before he even knew what happened he said, “Like Leena.”
      Gareas froze in his spot and his heart skipped a beat. He stood there for a second and swallowed hard as he shut his eyes to regain himself.
      Rioroute covered his mouth. “Oh, Garu, I’m so sorry.” He said quietly.
      Gareas was lost in thought as his mind drifted back to a fateful day only three years earlier…

      Gareas kissed the top of Leena’s head. “Listen, I really have to go.” He said as he hugged her tightly.
      “Gareas…” Leena whined. “You promised to spend the whole day with me.”
      Gareas looked at her sadly and kissed her tenderly on the lips. “I know, but they just got a new led on my case. If I find out who did this then I will be promoted.” He said as he rubbed her shoulders up and down. “And that will be better for the both of us.”
      Leena sighed and then smiled. “Be careful out there.” She said.
      Gareas smiled and kissed her tenderly again. “I will.” He said before rushing out the door. He was just about to get into his car when the windshield shattered in front of him. Bullets flew everywhere and the sound of police sirens rang in his ear. He ducked a bit and opened the passenger door to his car. He reached under the seat and pulled out a small handgun.
      “Gareas!” Rioroute yelled from the roaring Porsh that stopped by him. He jumped out and kneeled beside Gareas behind his car. “His name is Duke Matters. He’s been running the whole operation under our noses.”
      Gareas cursed under his breath and suddenly heard the ping of bullets hitting the other side of his car.
      At that fateful moment Leena walked out of the house to see what had happened and her eyes grew wide when she saw the car parked across the way and four men dressed in dark clothing.
      Gareas’s eyes grew wide and he saw as the men reloaded their guns. “Leena! Get back in the goddamn house!” He yelled at the top of his lungs.
      He was too late. The loud sound of pistols firing rung deep in the air and so did the loud scream of Leena.
      Gareas jumped up and ran over to Leena, he heard the gunshots and felt a few bullets fly past him. More sirens could be heard as he knelt beside the bleeding blonde.
      Before the car pulled away Gareas felt a sharp pain hit him twice, once in the right shoulder and once in the left shoulder blade. He ignored the throbbing pain and knelt beside Leena as his eyes filled up with warm tears.
      Police cars pulled up and even more sirens filled the air in the distance. He picked Leena up in his arms.
      Leena had a pitiful smile gracing her full lips. “I guess, we really can’t spend the day together…” She murmured, blood spilling out of her mouth.
      Gareas’s eyes filled with even more tears and they ran down his cheek like a leaky drainpipe. “No, not today. B-but as soon as the doctors help.” He said.
      Leena shook her head slowly. “I love you Gareas Elidd. I want you to be happy…”
      Gareas swallowed hard and held his hand firmly over the bullet wound on her stomach. His hand was soaked in blood along with most of his clothes. “I-I will be if you stay with me!” He demanded.
      Leena shook her head one last time before her eyes rolled back into her head and she stopped breathing.
      Gareas snarled and shook his head, still shedding tears. “Don’t you die! I’m not ready for you to die!” He yelled.
      Many police officers surrounded him and Rioroute fought through the crowd. “C-come on Gareas…” He said.
      Gareas shook his head and held Leena closer to him. He knew he had to let her small fragile body go, but couldn’t. “I-I loved her…” He said as more tears fell. “D-don’t leave me…”
      Rioroute bit his lip. “Gareas?”
      Gareas didn’t answer. He held Leena’s body and pulled her to his chest into a hug before standing up and slowly setting her on a stretcher. “I-I will get him for this.” He growled as the paramedics wheeled Leena’s bloody body away from him. “Mark my word.”

      Rioroute waved a hand in Gareas’s face. “Hello? Any one home?” He asked. “Come on, we have a truck to load.”
      Gareas shook his head then nodded. “Yeah, sorry.” He said as he lifted one end of a large sofa.

4

      A loud knock was heard at the door and Ayame rushed to open it. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the green-haired man for earlier that day. “Yusuke?” She asked.
      Gareas smirked and he held a clipboard out to Ayame. “I guess it really is a small world. Glad I got to see you again.” He said.
      Ayame smiled, signed the paper that was attached to the clipboard and handed it back to him. “Same here.” She said.
      Marlo walked out of the bedroom and saw Gareas. “Woah, I guess that lady heard me.” She said.
      Gareas gave her a confused look while Ayame laughed.
      “Is this the-.” Rioroute began as he came up the stairs, but he stopped in mid-sentence when he saw Ayame. “Ms. Kaoru. How convenient.” He said with a smirk.
      Ayame smiled at him. “Please, call me Ayame.” She said.
      Marlo cleared her throat and walked up beside Ayame with a sweet smile. “Hi, I’m Marlo, Ayame’s best friend.” She said.
      Gareas nodded his head. “Yusuke Sonake.” He said. He hit Rioroute lightly on the chest to indicate that he was gonna introduce him. “Rei Kai.”
      Rioroute smiled. “Now that we’re all acquainted, do you think we should return to our job, Yusuke?” He asked.
      Gareas narrowed his eyes. “Yes, well, come and show us what you want done first.”

      Ayame looked around her bedroom and smiled. “Beautiful. Exactly how I remember it.” She said.
      Gareas wiped his head on his arm. “Great. So give us the storage number and we’ll come back within an hour.” He said.
      Ayame shook her head. “Nonsense. You shouldn’t have to keep working. You can have a break, you know.” She said.
      “We don’t get paid for breaks.” Rioroute said.
      “You do now.” Ayame said matter-of-factly. “You boys hungry?”
      Rioroute’s eyes lit up and the thought of food ran through his mind. But before he could answer Gareas called it off.
      “No, we really have to get going. But we’re off at eight tonight. Perhaps I could treat you to dinner.” Gareas said to Ayame.
      Ayame smiled and blushed slightly. “That would be lovely.”
      Rioroute narrowed his eyes at Gareas. “We should be going.” He said sternly. He started for the door just to realize he wasn’t being followed. “Why do I bother?”
      “Actually, make that nine. Then I can make it something fancy.” Gareas said as he shook Ayame’s small hand.
      Ayame nodded. “Nine works too.” She said taking her hand back from his.
      Gareas smirked and nodded before finally following Rioroute out the door and back to their truck. He climbed in the passenger’s seat but didn’t bother with the buckle as Rioroute got in the driver’s seat.
      “Finally gonna date again?” Rioroute asked softly as he pulled out onto the street.
      Gareas sighed. “The problem is she sees me as ‘Yusuke Sonake’.” He said, looking out the window.
      “And let’s pray the rest of the world does too at this moment.” Rioroute said. “Just think, once we bust this case, you can tell her the truth, and don’t have to worry about screwing up.”
      Gareas smirked. “And you can finally make it back home to Phil. God knows she worries too much.” He said.
      Rioroute smiled. “Yeah, that’s my girl.” He said.
      Gareas rolled his eyes. “Have you yet to notice that we’re not a single step closer to finding this guy and we’re still staying at a hotel?” He asked.
      Rioroute rose an eyebrow. “Your point is?”
      “We should get an apartment.” Gareas said.
      Rioroute’s eyes grew wide but then he finally realized what Gareas was doing. “So you can be next to Ms. Kaoru, right?” He asked devilishly.
      “No, so we can stop sleeping in a goddamn hotel.” Gareas said simply.
      Rioroute rolled his eyes. “Whatever…” He mused.
      “It’s true. There’s something you don’t know Rioroute.” Gareas said.
      Rioroute rose an eyebrow. “And that is…?” He asked.
      “She’s the girl I told you about. The one from grade school. The one that I picked on all the time.” Gareas said.
      Rioroute laughed. “You must be loosing it. That was way back in Japan. What the hell would she be doing in the USA?” He asked.
      Gareas shrugged. “But that’s her. I can’t believe I’ve actually gotten to see her again…”

5

      “God I wish I could have been there!” Marlo exclaimed as she watched her friend prepare herself.
      Ayame was dressed in a sexy silk dress with a slit clear up the side of her left leg, a pearl necklace, and her hair was pulled up into a bun with only two curly strains of hair hanging over her face. She put on dark mocha lipstick and slipped on a pair of heels. “How do I look?” She asked, turning around to let Marlo see her back.
      “One word. Hot.” Marlo said. “I can’t believe they called me into that meeting! I wanted to see the look on your face when he asked you out on a date!”
      Ayame rolled her eyes. “It was nothing unusual.” She said as she sprayed a small amount of vanilla-scented perfume on her neck. “But he’ll be here soon.”
      Marlo heard a knock on the condo door. “Now, perhaps?” She laughed.
      Ayame smiled and walked to the door and opened it. “Can I help you?” She asked when she realized it wasn’t Gareas.
      A man with gray hair, bald on the top of his head, and a little heavy around the middle stood at the door. “You wouldn’t happen to know where I could find a Ms. Ayame Kaoru, would you?” He asked.
      “I’m Ayame Kaoru.” Ayame said. “Is there something wrong?”
      The man shook his head and held out his hand. “My name’s Jean Gray. I have come to you about the trial next month. With Mr. Matters.” He said.
      Ayame sighed. “I’m so sorry. Now isn’t the best time, I’m actually on my way out-.” She began before Jean cut her off.
      “I’m his defense attorney. This is urgent.” Jean said.
      Marlo walked up behind Ayame. “I’m Marlo White. I’m Ms. Kaoru’s assistant and if you would like to speak with her, you have to come to me first.” She said.
      Jean looked at Ayame and back at Marlo. “But Ms. Kaoru is right here-.”
      “Yeah, but as she stated before she was on her way out. Please, come in and you can talk things up with me.” Marlo said, winking at Ayame.
      Ayame stepped behind Jean and lipped a ‘thank you’ to Marlo.
      Marlo nodded and walked into the condo, with Jean behind her.
      Ayame was still facing inside the condo when she felt two strong, yet soft hands on her shoulders. She shut the door and turned around to see Gareas, a smile spread across her face quickly. “Hey Yusuke.” She said, giving him a hug.
      “Did I come at a bad time?” Gareas asked. He was dressed in a back tuxedo with his hair in its usual crazy spikes.
      “Oh, no. Just someone for one of my cases; Marlo will take care of it.” Ayame said as she hooked Gareas’s arm in her own. “Shall we?”
      Gareas smiled and nodded. “Yes we shall.”

      “So what do you do for a living?” Gareas asked as he sipped at his white wine. He locked his green eyes on Ayame’s blue ones and for a sudden moment wanted her more then anything, but quickly dismissed that thought.
      “Well, I’m an attorney.” Ayame answered, also sipping her white wine.
      “That would explain that man.” Gareas said.
      Ayame just smiled and looked down at the table, but immediately returned Gareas’s gaze. “Yes, he was there for a case I have next month.”
      Gareas nodded. “I didn’t know you had so many visitors that happen to be defending the person you’re prosecuting.”
      Ayame shook her head. “He was probably the fifth person, out of all my cases, to come to my home to talk of a proposition. Most likely a plea bargain.”
      Gareas nodded and once again just stared into Ayame’s flaming blue eyes.
      “What about you? For what I saw today, it can’t possible pay for this.” Ayame said, referring to the restaurant.
      Gareas just chuckled and set his wineglass down. “I go from job to job. All my money comes from my rich uncle who had died several years back and left all his money to me.”
      Ayame smiled. “Oh, lucky bastard.” She joked.
      Gareas nodded his head with a smile. “That I am.” He agreed.
      “You know Garu-.” Ayame began before she cut herself short.
      Gareas’s eyes grew wide. “E-excuse me?” He stuttered. A million thoughts rushed through his head at that moment. Does she know? Does she work for Matters? Does he know? He thought.
      Ayame shook her head. “I’m so sorry. You just remind me so much of someone I used to know.” She said.
      Relived, Gareas smirked. “A boyfriend of yours?” He asked.
      Ayame chuckled and shook her head. “Oh God no. He was probably the worst tempered little boy I have ever known.” She said.
      Gareas shook his head slightly. Now I know what she thought of me…       “But I wish he was…” Ayame finished. “But that was a long time ago. You know a childhood crush. We had been in the same class together first through eight grade before he moved.”
      Gareas was slightly shocked. “You liked him?” He asked.
      Ayame shrugged. “It was so long ago I can hardly remember.” She said.
      Gareas smirked. “Yeah you did. But why if he was the worst tempered boy you have ever met?” He asked.
      Ayame shrugged. “Maybe because I know those little acts of hate really just meant he liked me. God knows I acted the same way back because I liked him.” She said before shaking her head. “You really don’t want to hear about my past, nothing exciting.”
      Gareas smiled. “I like it more then you know.” He said.
      “How so?” Ayame asked.
      “Because I remind you of a boy you used to like.” Gareas said.
      Ayame smiled back at him and noticed they were both leaning closer and closer to each other. After what seemed like eternity their lips touched and she slowly opened her mouth just a bit.
      Gareas let out a shaky breath and right before he let his tongue slip from his mouth his pager went off. He closed his eyes tight and groaned. “This is not happening now…” He mused.
      Ayame pulled away and back into her own space with a smile.
      Gareas looked down at his pager and his eyes grew a little wide. “We should go.” He said quickly, standing up.
      Ayame gave him a confused look. “W-what? What about the bill?” She asked, trying to buy time.
      Gareas held up a small folder and set it down on the table. He took Ayame’s hand and led her to the door. “Wait for me in my car, I’ll be right out.” He said, stopping by the payphones.
      Ayame, still a little confused, nodded and walked slowly out to his car.
      Gareas pushed a quarter and a dime in the payphone and dialed the number that was flashing on his pager. “What is it?” He sort of snapped.
      “We found a body that was definitely the courtesy of Matters.” Rioroute said on the other line. “Garu, it’s Ayame’s friend…in her condo.”