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he anticipated run and the short…term obligations…say the next six months…the bank is required to pay。〃 Nangi； concealing all emotion from his face and voice； took a mental deep breath。 It was sink or swim now； he knew。 〃Thirty…five million dollars； U。S。； payable no later than twelve hours after signing。〃
Liu was silent for a moment。 Beneath the sounds of the quiet surf they could hear the small； forting clinks as the women worked in the kitchen。 Liu required of all his women that they be able to cook； and cook well。 He tapped the side of a nail against his pursed lips。
〃You drive a hard bargain。 That is a not inconsiderable sum。〃
〃You ought to know；〃 Nangi said； gambling。 〃You're the one who got me into this。〃
Liu managed a smile。 Nangi took that as a sign that the Chinese could not contain his pride and he thought； I'm leading him in the right direction。
〃Perhaps； after all； something of the sort could be arranged。〃 Liu nodded as if in final decision。 〃Yes。 I believe that we might be able to deduct that much from the first of the payments to the keiretsu。〃
Oh； no； you don't； Nangi thought。 〃The thirty…five million is over and above the purchase price； totally independent and non…recoverable。 I don't want the bank's financial operations tied to the keiretsu in any way。 Ultimately that would hamper our profit potential here； as well you know。〃
Nangi's heart thudded wildly as Liu considered the proposition。 His hooded eyes revealed nothing。 Nangi knew that this was his chance： an immediate bailout； an infusion of desperately needed capital in exchange for a third interest in the keiretsu。 Troublesome but not crucial。 Between them； he and Sato could veto anything the munists wanted that they did not。 Besides； working with and not against the munists in their own country would bring its own rewards。
Liu； for his part； was taking somewhat longer than Nangi judged he needed to make the decision。 He was as still as a statue； his parchmentlike skin glowing in the light。 At length he stirred； as a constrictor will when it has roused itself from a long somnolence and is preparing itself to feed again。
〃It can be done；〃 Liu said。 〃In that event； however； we would require that you sign over to us a somewhat larger portion of your keiretsu。 Fifty…one percent。〃
Nangi showed none of the terror that gripped his heart in that terrible frozen moment。 Fifty…one percent！ Jesus； Joseph； and Mary； he thought。 Sato and I will lose control of our own pany！
〃I should not be making this offer at all； you know。〃 Liu's voice had turned plummy。 〃My government does not easily cast that much money on the； er； international waters。〃 He leaned forward。 〃But I see that you are much like your pany and that pleases me。 Together we can make a fortune here and in your country。〃 He stood up。 〃It has been a long day for us both。 I trust you are as famished as I am。〃
He smiled down at Nangi。 〃This offer is one of a kind。 I would caution you about that。 Six P。M。 tomorrow is the deadline。 And that is absolute。〃 He lifted a hand； the perfect host。 〃And now to the food。〃
During dinner Nangi spent more time watching Liu's woman than he did his host。 Liu took this as a good sign。 It signified to him that Nangi was a first…class lecher and he giggled to himself； made secure。
〃Let's go inside。〃
She shook her head； her long dark hair straying across his cheek and shoulder。 〃I want to be out here。 We're elementals now。 It's where we belong。〃
Nicholas felt her soft and yielding against him； his mind was numb with disbelief。 She was someone else's wife。 And that someone else was his friend。 They had shared drunkenness； secrets； they had sworn to be bound together。 That part of his mind…the rational part…quailed as her naked flesh slid over him。 And what of Justine？ Wasn't there a matter of honor where she was concerned？ He knew that his love for her was undiminished； untouched by this moment and what it held。 An internal shudder wracked his soul。 He should stop this； rise up and walk away into the sanctuary of Sato's house。 But he did nothing of the kind。 Justine was a faraway flame； bending in the windstorm of his current emotions。 He breathed a prayer to her even as he drew this creature more tightly to him。
He could not help himself。 His body yearned for Akiko as if she were food； drink； oxygen to fill his lungs。 He could no more disentangle himself from her than he could still his pulse。
Akiko's yellow and green kimono lay behind her buttocks in hills and valleys of its own； the folds holding deep shadows as if they were secrets。 Both of them were enfolded within his kimono…Sato's kimono。
Her flesh was hot and moist。 Her nails clawed at him； her small white teeth bit at his hard flesh as if that； too； were a sexual act。 Neither of them wanted it ever to end and so their feverishness was tempered with an almost painful holding back。
Their restraint caused Akiko to whimper and moan。 He felt her smaller body trembling uncontrollably against him； when his hand first made contact with the already soaking mount of her sex； her hips convulsed inward again and again； her eyes closed； and she gripped him until her fingers went white。
Around them the mist seemed to congeal and darken。 The sky could no longer be seen and the air had grown heavy and dank as if with the incipience of a storm。 Abruptly； thunder rumbled brokenly； and early morning seemed to turn into dusk。
Akiko was arched against him； trembling； her thighs open； her hands stroking lovingly his back and buttocks。 Her tongue licked the hollow at the side of his neck。
Then an animal cry broke from her and she moaned； 〃I must。。。 I must。。。〃 Twisting herself around until her hot mouth engulfed him； inching down him until her lips enclosed the very root。 He wanted to do the same to her； but even with pinpoints of ecstasy sweeping through her she had the presence of mind to deflect him； keeping the insides of her thighs away from his eyes。 She could not afford to let him see what lay there； grinning with power。 For that would end it all。 Yukio would be gone forever and nothing either of them could do would bring her back again。 He would know。。。 and he would try to destroy her。
So she sucked more heavily on him； reaching up to enclose the totality of his sex； using every technique she had learned to bring him pleasure。 He gave up his grip on her； surrendering。
But； oh； how she longed to feel his lips and tongue on her as she was on him。 In her mind's eye she imagined it and shivered。 Then she felt his fingers returning to the core of her and she sighed inwardly； feeling her sex like the heavy pulse of a second heart。
It began to rain as she reluctantly let him go。 Immediately he moved atop her； his wet sex grazing her thigh and belly as he did so。 Gently she took hold of him； guiding him。 His mouth came down over one dark nipple； then another； back and forth。 She could not slow her breathing。
Thunder cracked overhead； approaching； and the rain picked up。 There was virtually no wind and the rain came almost straight down； striking the smooth pebbles all around them in a muted roar。 They could see nothing clearly but themselves。
Akiko rubbed him against