“I am a shadow rider. I can’t kill unless it is in the defense of my life, the lives of those unable to defend themselves or when I bring justice to those escaping the law. Killing you would go against everything I hold sacred. The very code my life is built on. You’re too good a man. I can’t trade one life for another.”

He almost sagged with relief, and the part where she thought him a good man felt great, but then he realized he was sagging because he almost went down. Alarm spread across her delicate features. She stepped forward and circled his waist with her arm, fitting under his shoulder. He didn’t pretend he was all right, because frankly, he was going to fall on his face if he didn’t let her help him.

“You should have stayed in the hospital, Ricco,” she murmured, placing one foot carefully in front of the other, leading him toward the master bedroom. “I can call Emilio and ask him to bring the car around.”

“Not going to happen,” he said. “It’s just a fucking headache. The scan said I was fine. I still get the headaches and once in a while blurred vision. One of those bastards kicked me in the head.” So much for impressing her. She’d had to come to his rescue. “Did I thank you for saving me tonight? For saving Nicoletta?”

“I don’t need thanks.” She sat him on the edge of his bed and bent to untie his shoelaces. “Who is Nicoletta? Where does she fit in?” She tugged his shoes off. “Get out of the jacket and shirt.”

“Don’t think you’re going to get out of the contract you signed with me just because you’re a shadow rider,” he said decisively, pouring his bossy tone into his voice. He shrugged out of the jacket, flung his tie onto a chair and began to unbutton the shirt. “After we find your brother, I’ll expect your full attention.” He tossed the shirt aside and lay back, trying not to wince as his shoulder and back encountered the mattress.

“We? You’re willing to help me find Ryuu?”

“You’re mine, Mariko. The moment you said yes and signed that contract, you became mine. No one threatens you or your family.” He closed his eyes. “We’ll find him. My family specializes in that sort of thing.”

“Roll over. I have to see your back. You’re already black and blue around your ribs. Are you certain they aren’t fractured?”

With a groan, he complied, turning onto his belly, making himself completely vulnerable to her. If she wanted to kill him, now was the perfect opportunity. Right at that moment, he wouldn’t have cared.

“I took a couple of hits,” he admitted. “But nothing’s broken. My head’s the worst.” He didn’t know why he admitted that to her. He never would have told Stefano or his other brothers. Maybe Emme, but she would probably have ratted him out to the others.

Mariko’s hands were on his shoulders, light, barely there, a whisper of movement across his back, almost as though she brushed away the pain. There was no white heat, nothing to indicate she had any healing powers, but something eased in him – whether it was pain or just happiness that she didn’t take advantage and kill him, he didn’t know.

“You haven’t said anything about my coming here to kill you.”

“I suspected you were a rider and you were here for that purpose. I informed my family just in case you or other riders were after them as well. But I gave you several opportunities and you didn’t take them.” He turned his head to look at her over his shoulder. “You let me tie you up. You’re a shadow rider. Control is everything. I can’t imagine how difficult that was for you.” He didn’t try to keep the admiration from his voice. To him, that moment had been such a humbling gift. He would treasure her surrender for his entire life.

“I wouldn’t allow any other to do such a thing, but for some reason I don’t understand, I trust you. I don’t expect to live through this, so I wanted, before my death, to experience my culture. Your art. And it was beautiful.” The admission was made in a low tone.

He rolled over, suppressing a groan as his head felt like it had exploded. “Why do you think you aren’t going to live through this?”

Her hands went to his bare chest, fingers following the long path of the blade that had left three distinct scars. “He has to kill me. Whoever has my brother would have no choice. I’m a rider. He knows I’m one, or why choose me? My home is in Japan. You’re here. Still, he chose me. He would always be looking over his shoulder if he didn’t kill me.”

“And you have no idea who kidnapped your brother?”

She shook her head. “My brother is a genius.” There was pride in her voice. “A software company in the United States offered him a job and to pay his way here and even help him find a place to live. He left very excited. I drove him to the airport myself. I received this message the next day.”

“Was it mailed to you?” He couldn’t sit up. His head was pounding beyond belief. Every movement sent more bile churning in his gut.

He wanted this woman more than he ever thought possible. Not just with his body, and there was that – an urgent, constant demand, no matter the circumstances – but with everything in him. He loved the way she moved. He could watch her all day. He found himself listening for her soft, musical voice. He’d just met her, yet he thought more about her, day and night, than he’d ever thought about the many women he’d been with throughout his lifetime.

Ricco realized he was in danger of falling hard for a woman capable of killing him. He especially loved that about her. She was soft inside, soft outside, but he knew she had a backbone of pure steel. She moved like the wind, or water flowing over rocks, a gentle breeze moving so quietly and softly most people might not even notice her, not until it was far too late.

“You’re beautiful.” He made it a statement because it was true.

She frowned, and he found that adorable. “Thank you. I want you to remember that you’re suffering from a very severe head injury.”

He couldn’t help himself, he laughed. It hurt like hell, but amusement welled up out of nowhere, shocking him because it was genuine. He laughed with his family, but he never felt it.

“Why are you laughing at me?”

“Because you’re adorable. I’m very glad I’ve tied you to me for the next six months. That gives me time to convince you to stay with me.”

She sighed. “Ricco, you really have to go to the hospital. I can tell that you have a concussion.”

“How is that?” It was true. He couldn’t deny it. He knew he had a concussion. The doctor had said so. His head wouldn’t stop pounding and if he didn’t move his head, he could focus, otherwise his vision was impaired.

“Your way of thinking is really messed up right now and not at all like your normal way of thinking. You don’t want a woman in your life for more than a night or two. It’s a way of life for you, changing women the way other men change their shirts.”