That statement took Knox back a step.

“Anyway, Beck is with the House of Kenji. At first I figured my fast dismissal of him would be a deal killer for Master Kenji. But I talked with Beck, and he isn’t holding a grudge. He said he understood my reasoning for cutting ties immediately.”

Knox made a time-out sign. “You never told me about Beck’s connection to Okada, Ronin. All you did was shitcan him and move on. So how did that come about?”

“Another fucking stellar move on my part.” Ronin looked at Shiori. “Maggie Arnold, who runs the Okada branch in Seattle, is Beck’s mother.”

“Jesus.”

“She contacted me years ago and asked if I’d meet with him, and I hired him. That’s why I thought he’d been spying on me from the beginning.”

“Now I get why you lost it.”

Shiori held up the notebook.

DID BECK KNOW WHERE YOUR OTHER INSTRUCTORS ENDED UP?

Ronin closed his eyes briefly. “Beck does know because he’s the one who recommended Gunnar and Lang to me, which is why I suspected them. Gunnar accepted a transfer to Brazil for his job and has been training with the Gracie program. Lang returned to New York. He hasn’t heard from Brody.”

Silence descended.

That’d been a hellish few months, even though Knox had benefited from Beck, Gunnar, Brody and Lang getting cut from the program since Knox had moved up to Shihan status.

Where would he be if Ronin had acted rationally? Being named Shihan had given Knox a full-time paid job in the dojo. He’d received a huge salary bump with the position.

“How’d we get so far off track?” Ronin asked.

Shiori turned her notebook around.

JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE YOUR HEAD IS.

“My head has been one-tracking it until I saw you with my own eyes to ascertain that you were okay.”

She mouthed, “I’m fine.”

“You’re better than I expected.”

“She’s still needs to take it easy,” Knox pointed out.

“I know. So as far as I’m concerned, it’s best you stay with her to make sure she’d doesn’t overdo everything. I’m back. I can cover classes. Everything else can wait.” He stood.

As soon as Shiori got up, Ronin hugged her again. “You know Amery will be over to fuss at you, right?”

Shiori nodded.

“Take care.” He kissed her forehead. Then he looked at Knox. “Walk me out.”

Not a request. Ironically, it was the same tone and inflection Shiori used in Mistress mode. “Sure.” He squeezed Shiori’s hand when he walked by.

Outside, Knox faced off against Ronin. Ronin braced his hand on the top of his Corvette; Knox leaned against the passenger door of his pickup.

“I don’t know whether to be pissed off you’re fucking my sister, or relieved.”

Knox said nothing; he just waited to see how this would play out.

“I thought when she left Okada she’d left it for good. Not so. She’s been working for the company the entire time she’s been here. Did you know that?”

“Not until she told me a few months ago, but I assumed you knew.”

Ronin mimicked Knox’s pose, defensively crossing his arms over his chest. “That sounded accusatory.”

“It was. She’s your sister. She’s been here for almost a year. How did you not know what’s going on in her life? Yeah, I get that you’re a newlywed and you’ve had health issues, but Shiori has stepped up at Black Arts. She’s stepped up for Black and Blue Promotions. You’ve taken advantage of her. At least I get paid to handle that shit. She doesn’t. So between doing all that, she’s also at your mother’s beck and call, flying all over for Okada business . . . and you knew nothing about it. She deserves better than that.”

“You her champion now?”

“Yes, because she needs one.”

“Look, Knox, I realize I fucked up monumentally where my sister is concerned. That seems to be a pattern with me. I ignore her, get pissed off at her, have a reconciliation with her, and then the whole cycle repeats.” He looked away. “It sucks. I suck. I spent too goddamn much time thinking when I was in Japan about all the stuff in my life I wanted to change.”

“And?”

“The changes are coming whether I want them to or not.” Ronin’s gaze flicked to the house and back to Knox. “What about you two? Are you just hooking up?”

Knox was used to Ronin’s deflection. This time he handed it right back to him. “We’re together.”