Wet: Overflow (3 page)

Masato wasn’t wrong but Lulu wouldn’t admit that. It would be like admitting she’d known Hotsuma wasn’t the one having sex with her. She hadn’t known. She’d thought Hotsuma had decided to be adventurous. She whispered, “What do you want? Why did you… what do you want?”

“I want what’s mine.” He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. “You.”

She pulled out of his hold and swatted his hand away. “I’m not yours.”

“Aren’t you? According to the marriage license you signed, you’re married to Masato Mizuno. I am Masato Mizuno. I’ll overlook your infidelities with Uncle up until this point.”

“I haven’t been unfaithful.”

“You haven’t? Really? Do you think Uncle will say the same when I tell him in detail what just happened here?” He moved his body close to hers. “How do you think he’ll react when I tell him how you screamed with pleasure when I pounded your pussy and your ass at the same time?”

“Shut up!”

“Hit a nerve?”

She shoved him back, happy her hands made contact instead of going through him. “He’ll know you tricked me.”

“Fair enough. Neither of you knew I was still around. He’ll probably overlook your pleasure at another man’s hands in his own home as mistaken identity. It’s not like there are any other men made of water wandering around this hotel.”

Lulu was done with this conversation. She pushed the shower curtain aside, snatched up her towel, wrapped it around her body, and left the bathroom.

Masato called after her, “Oh, hey, since you’re probably on your way to tell Uncle about my dastardly deed, you won’t mind if I inform the family about my reappearance, right?”

She stumbled to a halt and swung around to face him. “What?”

“The family. They deserve to know I’m alive and well and able to live apart from Uncle. I’m sure they would find the news quite promising.”

“What does that mean?”

Masato left the bathroom so he stood near her again. “You know exactly what it means, Lulu. The family hasn’t raised a magical hand against Uncle to separate him from my body because they don’t want to chance negating the
ageman
powers. I’m betting everything will change when they realize I’m awake and able to do this.” He held his hands out from his sides. “The family wouldn’t waste time putting Uncle back in his prison, I’m sure.”

“You can’t,” Lulu rasped. She had to swallow to wet her parched throat before she could speak in a normal voice. “You can’t tell them.”

“Why not? It’s only fair. You tell Uncle. I tell the family. Everyone is on the same page.”

“It’s not fair. Hotsuma doesn’t deserve to be imprisoned for the rest of eternity just so the Mizuno family can prosper. He’s already proven he won’t run away.”

“Oh, so you won’t mind us being split so long as he’s free? But I’m thinking he will mind not having a body anymore, because I plan to get mine back. You don’t just steal what’s mine and think I’ll be okay with it.”

“None of this would have happened if you had just set him free.”

“None of this would have happened if you had minded your own fucking business and left him alone. I shouldn’t have been so roundabout with my warnings. I should have had your ass booted from Onsen the second I learned who you were.” He sucked his teeth and paced away from her. “Dumb shit that I was, I thought I could handle the situation. Then you and Uncle go and steal my body.”

“That’s not what happened.”

“That’s not what was
supposed
to happen. But it did. Now I want what’s mine.” He grabbed the front of her towel in a tight fist and hauled her in close. “Everything that’s mine.”

“I’m not yours. I don’t care what that license says or what the world thinks. I married Hotsuma Mizuno, not you.”

“Let’s see what the family thinks after I tell them I’m alive and well.”

“Don’t. You can’t.” She had to find a way to stop him without alerting the family. They would love an excuse to try and put Hotsuma back in his prison. Without the threat of losing the
ageman
powers, Hotsuma was vulnerable.

“Why can’t I? It’s my duty to inform them of something this big. Actually, it’s Uncle’s duty once you tell him.” His expression changed to a knowing one. “Unless you’ve decided not to tell him. That’s also an option. If this little secret stays between us, I see no reason to tell the family.”

“You… you said you want your body back.”

“And I’ll get it, but I’m patient. I’ve already laid low for six months. I can be convinced to wait a little longer.” He loosened his grip on her towel and then tugged at it.

Lulu tightened her hold, keeping him from pulling it open. “You’re not serious?”

“Oh, yes I am. You were better than I ever imagined, and there’s so much more fun we can have in the water. I’m willing to put off getting my body back to explore all the possibilities of my power.”

“Fuck you, you bastard. I hate you. You tried to kill me.” She clutched the shoulder where Masato had shot her. “Even if I didn’t hate you, I still wouldn’t do it.”

“You were fucking up my life, you little bitch. How did you think I would react? I got desperate and used the options open to me at the time. Failing wasn’t one of them. The family doesn’t forgive. I would have been as good as dead if I had let you free Uncle.”

“You were the head of the family.”

“A puppet king in a cardboard kingdom. Every Mizuno knows the real power belongs to my brother, not me. Atsuji is in Japan while I’m exiled to the US. He’s supposed to be my second, but he’s really the power behind the throne. I had to beg him to send that priest that fucked me over. If I didn’t know any better, I would think Atsuji did this shit on purpose to get rid of me.”

“And you think he’ll put you back in your body and Hotsuma in his prison if you tell him you’re awake.” She shook her head in a pitying gesture. “If anyone shouldn’t want people to know the truth, it’s you.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart. If putting me back in my body forces Uncle out, they’ll do it in a heartbeat. The family is desperate. I’ve heard the talk Uncle refuses to acknowledge. Hotsuma is mortal. The same issue that plagued us before is back again. If he dies, his powers die with him.” He gestured to her. “Unless you pop out a kid that turns out to be an
ageman
. But I’m betting that won’t be possible since you’re a nullifier.”

She hadn’t thought of that. Why hadn’t she thought of that? History was bound to repeat itself now that Hotsuma inhabited a mortal form once more.

“And that’s assuming he can even get you pregnant. He may be in my body, but I’m thinking the spell that switched us might have fucked up the plumbing because you two have been going at it multiple times a day sans condoms for the last four months with no results.”

Her hand went from her shoulder to her belly. She hated hearing Masato voice a worry she’d had hours before. It upset and angered her at the same time.

“How long do you think the family will wait before they start tossing spiritually powerful
Japanese
women in Uncle’s direction so he can try to impregnate them? Sure, it didn’t work before, but times change. It might actually take this time. And Uncle is very duty bound. He’ll feel obligated to fuck each one of those beauties -- I’m sure there will be many, and they will be gorgeous since no one wants an ugly kid -- just to satisfy the family so they don’t lash out at you.”

Lulu wanted to cover her ears. She wanted to block out Masato’s words but the truth wouldn’t be denied. The family didn’t like her. They made no secret of that. If she didn’t get pregnant, or if that child wasn’t an
ageman
, they might try to imprison Hotsuma again or worse.

Masato said, “If one of those women does what you can’t, a divorce will follow soon after. You won’t get a cent. And then, of course, there’s what’ll happen to Voda.”

“What about Voda? They have nothing to do with this.”

“I told you, the family doesn’t forgive. Voda holds blame in this whole scenario too. They sent you to Onsen, after all. The family hasn’t touched them because Uncle is standing in their way. He’s exerting the power I never could and making even Atsuji fall in line. He’s a true head of the family. The only way to save Voda from the family’s wrath is to make sure he
stays
the head.” He shrugged. “I couldn’t give a shit about Voda. If they tank, that’s one less rival to steal Onsen’s customers.”

“You heartless bastard. You know Voda didn’t send me to Onsen to set Hotsuma free. That was a fluke, a stupid coincidence.”

“Details. The outcome is all the family cares about.” He ran his finger over the edge of the towel, tugging at it again. “I, on the other hand, am not up for all that drama just yet. If I have the proper distraction… say, finding out all the things the water can do to your body and how you’ll react when I do them…”

“I hate you.”

“So, is that a vote for putting everything out in the open and getting the ball rolling on the re-imprisonment of Uncle, your divorce, and the downfall of Voda?”

Her shoulders slumped, and she let her hands drop to her sides. He’d won and he knew it. She had no choice. She didn’t have the power to go against the Mizuno family to protect Hotsuma and Voda. She probably never would. There was only one thing she could do.

Masato pulled the towel open and let it drop. His gaze roamed over her body as he licked his lips. “Oh, yes. I can be very distracted with you. But not yet.” He glanced at the bedroom door. “Looks like Uncle is on his way back.”

Lulu couldn’t stop her sigh of relief but she bristled when Masato laughed.

“That’s not a reprieve, sweetheart. You’ll be seeing me again. When you do, I’ll have you screaming with pleasure just like earlier.” His laughter got louder as he walked back into the bathroom.

She snatched up her towel and wrapped it around her body before running after him and slamming the door shut.

Hotsuma entered the bedroom and frowned at her. “Lulu?”

She forced herself to smile. “Sorry. I tried to swing the door closed and misjudged my strength. Did the phone call go okay?”

A haunted expression crossed Hotsuma’s face. “Fine. The family is stressing about nothing, as usual.”

“Get some sleep. You look tired.”

“You too.” He opened his arms.

Lulu crossed the room and embraced him with all her strength. She welcomed the feel of his arms around her, blotting out the memory of Masato and what he’d done. “I guess we’ve both had a busy day.”

“Yes, we have.” He sighed and gave her a squeeze before releasing her. “Tomorrow will be even busier for me.”

“Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. I am familiar with hotel management.”

“Yes, you are, and you know I will. For now, I can handle it. But thank you.” He kissed her forehead and then walked to the bathroom.

Lulu wanted to cry out for him to stop. She held her breath when he opened the door and walked in. When no angered yelling started, she assumed Masato had left.

Masato.

A whole-body shiver made her clutch her towel. She needed to find a way to deal with him that didn’t involve sex.

The next few days had Lulu too paranoid to use her own shower. The hotel’s public bath and her excuse of slumming it to assess customer satisfaction became her refuge. Hotsuma thought she had the hotel’s best interests at heart, and Masato wouldn’t dare touch her while surrounded by people. So far her bet had paid off. Sure, she had to share a shower with a bunch of other women, but at least she didn’t have to share it with Masato.

She didn’t know how long he would allow her to keep avoiding him, though. She needed to come up with a better solution before this one backfired on her and led straight to the outcome she wanted to avoid. That better solution couldn’t involve sex. But Masato didn’t want anything else from her.

A sigh escaped her lips before she could stop it.

“What’s wrong, Lulu?” Hotsuma stopped typing on his laptop and looked back at her.

“Nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. You’ve been frowning and looking worried about something for the last week.”

“You’re one to talk.”

“My anxiety is because of the family. You know that already. What has you so worried?”

“I’m worried about the family too. What if they’re still searching for a way to put you back in your prison?”

“I almost guarantee they are. Even if they find a way, they won’t use it. They can’t take the chance of using more magic on me after what happened the last time.” He left his desk and crossed the room to her side. After placing a kiss on her forehead, he said, “I know being married to me isn’t the blissful dream we thought it would be. I’m sorry.”

She gripped his hands. “Don’t say that. Don’t be sorry. I love you, Hotsuma. You know I love you. I don’t want a dream. I want you and everything that comes with you. I can’t help worrying about the family. I know they aren’t happy with you in Masato’s body. I know they are livid you married me.”

“I told you, that has more to do with you not being Japanese
from
Japan than you being black.”

“Yeah, but I’m betting they would be less pissy if I was a Japanese-American.”