Til The End Of Time: Loyalty Before Dishonor

By Mo'Nik

Michiko and Kaori Li are more than siblings, they are best friends. After losing their father, Michiko steps up as the man of the house to help their mother raise Kaori. Willing to make money by any means necessary, he dives head-first into the streets in order to provide. Akili, Kaori's first love and Michiko's childhood best friend, is loyal to Michiko and always by his side. Even though his relationship with Kaori is a secret from her possessive brother, his love for her runs deep. However, Akili isn't quite who he seems to be and when Michiko and Kaori finally discover his truth, it’ll be too late. Michiko is deep in the game, and when someone sets him up, he is sent to prison for life, leaving Kaori all alone with a thirst for revenge. Everyone in Michiko's circle is a suspect and Kaori won’t stop until she figures out who she can or can’t trust. Will she avenge her brother and live happily ever after with Akili? Or will she meet the same fate as her beloved brother?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Royalty Publishing House
• Release date: Feb 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9781648404887

Book preview

’Til The End Of Time: Loyalty Before DishonorTitle Page

Contents

Join Royalty!

Synopsis

Prologue

1. Kaori Li

2. AKILI

3. MICHIKO LI

4. KAORI LI

5. AKILI

6. MICHIKO LI

7. AKILI

8. KAORI LI

9. KAORI LI

10. MICHIKO LI

11. AKILI

12. KAORI LI

13. PEYDRO

14. SYN

15. KAORI LI

Get a FIRST Look!

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Pre-Order Your Copy Now!

Read More on the LiT Reading App!

Join Our Mailing List!

© 2018 Royalty Publishing House

Published by Royalty Publishing House

www.royaltypublishinghouse.com

---

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Any unauthorized reprint or use of the material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage without express permission by the author or publisher. This is an original work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Contains explicit language & adult themes suitable for ages 16+ only.

Royalty Publishing House is now accepting manuscripts from aspiring or experienced urban romance authors!

---

WHAT MAY PLACE YOU ABOVE THE REST:

---

Heroes who are the ultimate book bae: strong-willed, maybe a little rough around the edges but willing to risk it all for the woman he loves.

---

Heroines who are the ultimate match: the girl next door type, not perfect - has her faults but is still a decent person. One who is willing to risk it all for the man she loves.

---

The rest is up to you! Just be creative, think out of the box, keep it sexy and intriguing!

---

If you'd like to join the Royal family, send us the first 15K words (60 pages) of your completed manuscript to [e-mail]

Synopsis

Michiko and Kaori Li are more than siblings, they are best friends. After losing their father, Michiko steps up as the man of the house to help their mother raise Kaori. Willing to make money by any means necessary, he dives head-first into the streets in order to provide.

Akili, Kaori's first love and Michiko's childhood best friend, is loyal to Michiko and always by his side. Even though his relationship with Kaori is a secret from her possessive brother, his love for her runs deep. However, Akili isn't quite who he seems to be and when Michiko and Kaori finally discover his truth, it’ll be too late.

Michiko is deep in the game, and when someone sets him up, he is sent to prison for life, leaving Kaori all alone with a thirst for revenge. Everyone in Michiko's circle is a suspect and Kaori won’t stop until she figures out who she can or can’t trust. Will she avenge her brother and live happily ever after with Akili? Or will she meet the same fate as her beloved brother?

Prologue

K aori had a little friend, little friend, little friend. Kaori had a little friend who cheeks was pink as a rose.

Eight-year-old Kaori Li sang out her rendition of the nursery rhyme Mary Had A Little Lamb as she skipped down the sidewalk to the spot where she always met her big brother, Michiko, after school each day, which was only two blocks away from her school. Kaori and Michiko were as close as siblings could be, raised in a two-parent home by their African American father and Filipina mother. Willie, their Compton, California born and raised father, was a marine and currently stationed, ironically enough, at the same base that he had met Rosamie, their Republic of the Philippines born and raised mother, almost two decades prior. Willie and Rosa, as everyone called her, would always say that it was love at first sight for them. Soon after they met, he brought her to the United States, taught her how to speak English, and married her. Fourteen-year-old Michiko Li and Kaori were the products of their beautiful union. Willie allowed his children to keep his wife's family name, Li, instead of his, Johnson, so that they would always identify with and never lose sight of that part of their background and culture.

Hey Kaori, she heard a familiar voice yelling from behind her but it wasn't Michiko. Wanna come over my house and play?

The familiar voice was a boy in her class that was always bothering and picking at her. She low-key couldn't stand the little boy but her mother used to always say "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Kaori could hear her loud and clear, as if she was standing right next to her.

I'm sorry Londell, I can't. I gotta do my homework.

Londell obviously didn't like being told no by the girl who, unknowingly to her, he had a crush on. He shoved her to the ground, getting the pink, purple, and white floral print dress that she was wearing dirty.

Ouch! Kaori yelped as her knee scraped the ground and blood began to trickle from it.

The little boy, who was the same age as Kaori, kicked dirt onto her as she attempted to get up from the ground, pulling the long, barrette decorated pigtails that crowned her head at the same time. Tears flowed from her slanted, Asian eyes as she looked around for her brother, whom she was sure was close by and looking for her since she hadn’t made it to their meeting spot yet, which was just a block away from where she encountered Londell.

Michiko! Kaori spotted her brother and personal security guard.

Within the blink of an eye, Michiko was grabbing the little boy by his neck and dragging him across the pavement and away from Kaori. He delivered punch after kick after slap as Londell begged him to stop. Michiko Li played sports, video games, and with his friends; the one thing that he didn’t play with or about was his little sister. He was very overprotective of Kaori Li as his father raised him to be a protector and provider in case he would ever have to step up and become the man of the house, or for when he would eventually become a husband and father himself, whichever came first.

I’m sorry man! I’m sorry Kaori! Please tell him to stop, Londell pleaded with Kaori as the much bigger boy pummeled him with more kicks and punches.

Michiko wasn’t going to stop until Kaori was satisfied. She stood back and watched for a few seconds longer before she finally gave in to the little boy’s request.

Let him go Chik. He won’t be messing with me anymore I’m sure.

Michiko did as Kaori demanded, leaving Londell bloodied and bruised in the dirt just as he had done his sister, like she was trash. He grabbed his sister’s hand and walked away, but not before spitting on the boy as he lay on the ground in the fetal position.

Next time that lil’ clown even looks in your direction, you tell him I’m not far away. Understood?

Kaori nodded her head that she understood her big brother’s instructions. This wasn’t the first time that Michiko beat up a kid for bothering his beloved little sister, and they were both sure that it wouldn’t be the last. He was so overprotective of his sister that he forewarned her about dating, saying that any man she got involved with would have to be approved by him. Michiko wasn’t going to let Kaori just settle for anybody; any man that she dated had to equal up to Willie Johnson, period. Even his best friend, Akili, would never get a shot with her, if he ever had anything to do with it.

What up fool? Akili greeted his best friend, Michiko, as they approached the corner store that was in route to their neighborhood. Michiko and Kaori stopped at the store every day after school to get their favorite candies and snacks before going home and Akili often met them there. Akili and Michiko had been friends since before Kaori was even born, with them both being six years older than her. They did everything and went everywhere together and if you saw one, you more than likely saw the other as well.

Hey Kaori, Akili greeted Kaori next.

Fool, I told you she can’t talk to boys, not even you, Michiko reminded the boy who was almost like Kaori’s brother too since he was always around.

It gotta suck having you as a big brother. Akili shook his head in disbelief.

Nah, I’m the best big brother anybody could have. I’m trying to keep her from getting hurt and played by no-good boys who grow up to be no-good guys like you, Michiko stated, jabbing a finger into his homeboy’s chest.

Whatever man, Akili retorted.

Akili came from a single-parent home, being raised by a young mother, and didn’t have home training like they did, and the sense that he did have was given to him by Willie and Rosamie. He was always in and out of trouble in school, getting suspended and even expelled once. He made his own rules and didn’t follow others. And he talked bad about girls. Akili would never be good enough for Kaori, Michiko’s best friend or not. They all purchased their items and left the store to finish walking to their respective homes.

Magandang hapon ma, we’re home, Michiko and Kaori greeted their mother good afternoon in her native Filipino tongue as they walked through the door of their immaculate four-bedroom, three-bathroom townhome. Rosamie was a model wife and mother, just as Willie was a model husband and father. She ran a tight household with dinner being served at the same time every night and her family, Willie and their children, never came home to an untidy house. She washed, ironed, and folded all of their laundry every week, cooked their favorite meals, and packed their lunches every day. Whoever Michiko and Kaori married would have some very high standards to meet.

Mommy, Kaori called out once more, hanging her backpack and jacket on the coat hanger by the front door; that was one of the rules.

They didn’t hear Rosamie’s voice but instead heard what sounded like sobbing coming from her and Willie’s bedroom, which was the only bedroom on the main floor.

Ma, what’s wrong? Why are you crying? Kaori inquired as she and Michiko entered the large master bedroom that had one of the three bathrooms in it.

Rosamie clenched a framed picture of Willie tightly to her chest as she rocked back and forth on the edge of the bed that she shared with her now late husband. She had been in that same spot since she got the news of her husband’s demise, trying to figure out how to tell them the terrible news. She was so consumed with her thoughts that Michiko and Kaori surprised her. She didn’t want them to see her like that but now that they had, she had to just tell them.

My babies, she spoke softly as she always did and smiled at them. Please, come sit next to me. She patted the empty space beside her as she used a wad of tissue to dab at her red and puffy eyes. She stared straight ahead as she began to speak again, not making eye contact with Michiko or Kaori; her broken heart wouldn’t allow her to. Your father loved us more than anything in the world. She smiled as if she had just reminded herself of that fact. He worked so hard to make sure we always had whatever we wanted and needed. Willie Johnson is the greatest man I ever met. Another tear fell down her cheek that she didn’t bother wiping away this time. She turned to face Michiko and Kaori finally, seeing the look of confusion covering their young faces, making it harder for her to deliver the news of their father’s death. Michiko, baby, it’s time for you to step up and be the man of the house like your father always taught you.

Why Ma? What happened to Dad? Michiko started asking questions immediately, now thinking that he knew what was going on.

Kaori must’ve figured it out as well, between their mother crying and Michiko asking what happened to their father, because she started crying too. More tears flowed from Rosamie’s distinct eyes before she started to speak again.

He won’t be coming home baby. She looked down at the used wad of tissue that was balled up in her hands trying to avoid seeing the hurt, pain, and confusion that she knew painted Michiko and Kaori’s faces.

Why won’t he be coming home Mommy? Kaori quizzed, her eight-year-old mind still not fully comprehending what had happened and what was going on.

Rosamie couldn’t take it anymore, the torture of holding the information in that she received; it was literally eating her up inside.

He’s dead Kaori. Your father won’t be coming home because he is dead. The tears became heavier as they started to fall full force again.

Now the sobs of Rosamie, Michiko, and Kaori filled the large space in the bedroom and probably the entire house. Seeing her children’s pain from the news made her hurt even more; she didn’t know what she was going to do from that point forward. Her husband and children were all that she knew; they were her entire life and everything that she did revolved around them.

What happened to Dad? Michiko wiped tears away with the sleeve of the hoodie he wore and used the same sleeve to wipe his little sister’s face as well.

He fell sick, they say, with some kind of virus. As soon as he got sick, he got worse right away and they couldn’t do anything for him, Rosamie did her best to explain what happened to her husband and life partner.

She was sick to her stomach with worry about whether he suffered in pain or not, and if he wanted to talk to them one last time knowing that he was ill and dying. It was all too much for her but she had to keep it together for Michiko and Kaori.

"What are we going to do Mommy?