The Grandmaster's Legacy (HOT Historical Suspense, Box Set)

by Taylor Lee

  Wyatt and Wan stepped away from Lei and Alex, joining the sheriff and his deputies. Alex moved a little closer, wanting to hear their conversation.

  “What can I do for you, Jim? That look on your face implies that you want more than the promise of a dance with Elena. At least I hope so. I can do just about anything for you except get you any quicker through that line to my daughter.” Wyatt’s grin was friendly but stopped short of his eyes.

  Sheriff Thompson spoke in a quiet voice, intended for Wyatt and Wan alone.

  “Where is Bai, Wyatt?”

  Wyatt reached in his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. He took his time lighting it, then blew the smoke up in the air. He looked hard at his friend. In a languid voice, he said, “He had some business to take care of. I expect him shortly. Why do you ask, Jim?”

  “There’s been trouble in San Francisco – serious trouble, Wyatt. There is a possibility that Bai is involved.”

  “Hmm, I see. Tell you what, Jim. When he arrives, I’ll be sure and let him know you asked after him.”

  The sheriff glowered at Wyatt and responded with a grunt. “You do that, Wyatt.” He turned to leave, then looked back over his shoulder, “I hope to hell he isn’t involved, Wyatt. This is a bad one.”

  Governor Sampson saw Wyatt and Wan talking with the lawman and walked over to them. “Is there a problem, Jim, you look mighty serious. Did Wan turn off the spigot to your whiskey?”

  Sheriff Thompson grimaced. With a last troubled glance at Wyatt, he turned and walked away.

  “Good old Jim,” the governor said with a grin. “Hell, he never can get that officious stick out of his ass, can he? Christ, he can’t even enjoy a party with the best booze and food I’ve ever had. You’d think he would be grateful to be invited to a gathering that includes everyone from Supreme Court justices to me – the goddamn governor of his state, for Christ’s sake!”

  He laughed uproariously at his own humor. Wyatt and Wan both nodded, but didn’t reply.

  The governor continued, “Much as I enjoyed dancing with the bride to be, I can’t help wondering where the groom is. Don’t tell me he got cold feet? But then again, it’s probably just as well that possessive son of a bitch isn’t here to see that crowd of men plastered three deep around that daughter of yours, Wyatt.”

  ~~~

  Elena smiled and held out her hand to Greg Forester, the next in line to dance with her. Greg was the governor’s chief of staff and had been an ardent suitor of Elena’s. He was as disappointed as any of the crowd of men who courted her in the days before it became obvious that they had been beaten out by the man no one knew was in the running. Had they known Bai was their competition, they all would have acknowledged defeat far sooner. In every circle, be it political, financial, or Tong related, there was one thing understood by all who knew him--Bai never lost.

  Greg pulled her close to him. His eyes were dark, his voice serious.

  “You know you still have time, Elena. You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. I know your father and grandfather are pushing you into this marriage…”

  Elena stared at him in surprise. Certain that he was joking, she said, “My father and grandfather gave up long ago trying to push me to do anything. Greg. You have no idea how much I love Bai. He is the most extraordinary man I’ve ever known. And ….without a doubt the sexiest!” She laughed at the blush staining the serious young man’s face, delighted that she embarrassed him with her outrageousness.

  At that moment, there was a rustle at the door to the courtyard. Elena turned to see a group of Chinese men stride in. She saw their cold eyes darting from side to side, missing nothing. They separated, leaving a path in the middle, allowing Bai to enter. The music stopped with an abrupt squeak. Silence settled over the room, broken by Elena’s luscious laughter when she saw Bai.

  Elena felt her face heat with excitement. Her tongue crept out of her mouth. Without thinking, she licked her full bottom lip, a nervous excited gesture as her laugh froze in mid air. She met Bai’s gaze and it was as though the ballroom receded. For a fleeting moment, there were only the two of them, their magnetic connection, their own personal force field of energy locking them together.

  Elena watched him fill the room with his presence. Within seconds, it was a different room than it had been moments before. Bai gave a slight nod to the orchestra leader, who had stopped the music in mid-note when Bai entered. With an embarrassed nod, the flustered man gathered his wits, turned back to his musicians, and raised his baton, urging them to play. Little by little, sound returned to the room. Conversations resumed. The clatter of silverware and ping of glassware were heard. One by one, dancers began to move again as Bai walked forward. He was holding one of his slim Bolivian cigars in one hand. He spoke graciously to the throng of important people lining the room, each of whom reached out eager to touch him, hoping to hear their names spoken.

  Elena’s stomach clenched at the sheer magnificence of him. His elegant suit in the latest men’s fashion was made for his lean, sinewy frame. The slim trousers accented his height. The patterned waistcoat, flared jacket, and ascot tie pushed the boundaries of high fashion to its limits. His white silk shirt contrasted with his darker skin, his coarse black hair. He was strikingly handsome. Every feature was an exotic mix of Oriental and European influences. The result was arresting. Only his amber eyes, gleaming like gold in the flickering lights, added a streak of danger marring the perfection of his face.

  The quiet, sophisticated aura that surrounded him made the glint in his eyes more threatening, more dangerous. He moved smoothly, every muscle taut, tight with the coiled power of a cobra ready to strike. Elena observed the powerful men reaching for his hand, eager for his acknowledgment. They looked soft in comparison.

  “Jesus fucking Christ,” Alex growled, his face flushed with angry disbelief. “Does he walk on water, too?”

  Wyatt and Wan exchanged a glance and Wyatt responded with a grin. “I haven’t seen him do that, have you, Wan? Then again, I’m not with him twenty four hours a day.”

  Alex was not amused. He met his father’s grin with a stony silence. His face tightened more when he saw Bai give Elena an imperceptible nod. With a slight flick of his hand he motioned to her to come to him. She smiled her glorious smile and moved eagerly toward him.

  Alex was furious and said in a harsh whisper to Wyatt, “What is that, an invisible leash he keeps on her that he jerks to make her obey?”

  Lei tugged on his arm. Her voice was soft, troubled. “Alex, please stop.”

  ~~~

  Bai overheard the remark and turned to see Alex with Lei, Wyatt, and Wan. It had been a number of years since he had seen Alex, but his resemblance to Elena was striking. It left no question that the young man glowering at him was Elena’s twin brother.

  Alex was not as tall as he and Wyatt were, but he had Wyatt’s broad shoulders, strong arms, and the poised stance of a Kung fu fighter. His coloring was radically different than Elena’s and Wyatt’s. His dark blond hair streaked with sunlight hung to his shoulders in careless curls. His eyes were dark brown and they were flashing with anger as he glared at Bai.

  Bai saw Wyatt’s influence in both of the twins. Elena had a feminine version of Wyatt’s high cheekbones and strong chin. Alex had claimed the masculine version. Alex was handsome, almost pretty. There was a softness, a hesitancy about him. He was missing the resilience that Bai had seen in Elena from the first time he met her. Alex looked sensitive, vulnerable, like he could be easily hurt.

  Seeing the barely controlled anger on the young man’s flushed face, Bai exchanged a quizzical look with Wyatt.

  At that moment, Elena approached. Bai reached out and pulled her to him. Elena’s eyes sparkled as she pressed against him. He leaned down and kissed her lightly on her cheek. His voice was soft. “Ah, cherie, ma belle femme. ‘Ta beauté que vous me couper le souffle vous me faites, me rend muet.’ Your beauty leaves me breathless, speechless.”

  She gazed up
at him, her eyes glowing. He met her eyes and his expression hardened, then quickly smoothed. In a husky voice he whispered to her, “I will show you how I feel about all of them--later,” he said with a slight nod to the crowd of men across the room that had faded back against the wall when Bai entered. Elena blushed and looked down.

  Recovering her composure and with a defiant lift of her chin, she put her arm around Bai’s waist and pressed her hip against his hard body, sparking a hot glow of lust in his eyes. He grinned at her sauciness. Easing his hand down the small of her back he gave her bottom a quick sharp pinch. She started and looked up at him blushing. A knowing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Leaning down he whispered next to her ear,

  “Later…cherie…later.”

  He pulled her closer to him. Together they moved to speak to each of the important guests who were pressing forward to greet him. After several minutes of polite conversation, Elena saw Alex and her face lit with pleasure.

  “Oh, Bai, quick, look who is here!” she gushed, excitedly grabbing Alex’s hand and pulling him forward to meet Bai. “Alex, darling, come here. You remember Bai?”

  Bai nodded to the young man and bowed respectfully. He smiled and his voice was cordial, but he didn’t miss the hostility radiating from Alex, seeing what Elena didn’t see.

  “Enchante, mon plaisir, Alex. I haven’t seen you in – what has it been? Ten years? You are a grown man. I’m honored that you came back for the wedding. Your presence means everything to your sister.”

  He extended his hand, but Alex stepped back, his face tight with anger, and refused to shake his hand.

  Elena looked startled. “Alex, what’s wrong?”

  Bai smiled slightly and let his hand drop. Looking hard at Alex, he held his gaze until the younger man looked away.

  Elena pressed forward and grabbed hold of Alex’s arm. She pulled him toward her. She whispered to him, “Alex, what is it? Is something wrong? This is Bai.”

  Alex removed her hands from his arm. Glaring at Bai, he said in a strained voice, “I’m quite aware of who he is, Elena. Apparently more aware than you are.”

  Wyatt and Lei both moved forward between the two men with a warning look at Alex. Wan stood quietly in the background.

  Bai nodded to them all, acknowledging the tension in the group, then turned away to greet a group of business leaders who had come from New York.

  ~~~

  Elena stared at Alex. “Alex, I don’t understand. What are you saying...?”

  Lei took hold of Elena’s arm. “Let’s give Alex and Bai a chance to work through a couple of things, Elena.”

  She nodded to the governor and the group of people with him who, overhearing Alex’s harsh words, had turned in surprise to watch the scene. Lei smiled at them, linked arms with Elena, and moved toward the governor.

  “Governor Sampson was just commenting on your herb garden, Elena. I told him you have more medicinal herbs in your garden than the University of San Francisco has in their botanical research center. I promised him that you would give him and Ginny a quick tour.”

  Elena stared at her, then back at Alex and Bai. Turning to the governor she said in a bright voice, “Of course, governor. Any excuse I have to visit with you and Ginny is always welcome. Shall we find her now and go out to the garden? Bai gave me the garden as a gift. It is astonishing. I have yet to catalogue all of the herbs.”

  ~~~

  Bai watched them leave, then excused himself from the conversation with the New York businessmen and walked back to face Alex. Wyatt interposed himself between the two men and the rest of the crowd, using his body and presence as a buffer. Wan stayed where he was, gazing at his son and grandson, his stern face troubled. Alex continued to glare at Bai, oblivious to the concerned looks from his father and grandfather.

  In a gesture Alex had seen his father make all of his life, Bai reached in his pocket for his gold cigarette case with the embossed wolf’s head. He took out a cigarette, lit it, and blew the smoke up in the air. When the smoke cleared, he looked at Alex through half closed eyes.

  “Alex, may I presume that you are not happy that Elena and I are going to marry?”

  Alex snorted.

  “How can you tell?’

  A slight smile tugged at the corner of Bai’s mouth.

  “More than likely by your rudeness, your rather insufferable rudeness.”

  Alex responded with a tight grimace.

  “It is ironic, at best, to hear the word insufferable come from your lips, Bai.”

  Seeing the disdainful smile on Bai’s face, Alex lost what little control he had. In a harsh whisper only his father and Bai could hear, he growled, “I don’t care about your custom clothes, your goddamn accent. I don’t give a fuck if you speak five languages or ten and the governor of California wants to suck your dick. You think you look and act like a goddamn banker. You may have fooled my sister, but you don’t fool me. I know who you are, what you are. You’re nothing but a two bit criminal. You’re not worthy of being in the same room with my sister -- much less marrying her!”

  Wyatt stepped forward, his face and voice hard, “Alex, stop…”

  Bai put up his hand and shook his head.

  “It’s all right, Wyatt. Let the boy vent. He apparently needs to have his temper tantrum. Perhaps when he has had a chance to kick and scream and hold his breath, he will be more able to have an adult conversation.”

  Bai turned to join the group of people who were pretending they weren’t interested in the conversation but had edged closer. Alex’s face was red, his eyes flashing. He moved toward Bai, his voice filled with fury. He spoke loudly enough for those around them to hear.

  “If anything happens to my sister because of who you are, you will have to deal with me.”

  Bai turned back to him and his eyes narrowed. He said in a cool clipped voice, his accent heavier, more apparent.

  “There are those among us, Alex, myself included, who think it is less likely for anything to happen to Elena because of who I am.”

  The guests who were close to them had now given up any pretense of not listening and pressed forward, staring at the angry young man confronting the Frenchman.

  Alex brushed at the angry tears on his face and said in a harsh whisper, “I don’t care if you are a grandmaster. I may be only a kung fu master, but I have been studying in China with the best. Not only that, I’m twenty years old and in my prime. You’re a fucking old man. I’ll take you on any time, any place!” he boasted, glaring at Bai.

  Bai turned to see Elena approaching. She was pale, trembling. It was clear from the pained look on her face that she heard what her brother had said.

  Bai took her hand and squeezed it hard. He smiled at her. “Ah, bien. My lovely fiancée has returned.”

  He bowed low and brought her fingers to his lips.

  “May I have the honor of this dance, Elena?”

  She looked over his shoulder at Alex with an aggrieved expression. Bai tugged on her hand and she turned back to him. Seeing the challenging look in his eyes, she gave him a tenuous smile.

  “I would love to dance with you, Bai.”

  He grinned at her and gave her a quick wink, then went to make a request to the orchestra leader.

  As he passed Alex, he said, in a soft voice, his eyes gleaming, “Later, boy, later. Tonight.”

  ~~

  Chapter 5

  Bai stepped back from the orchestra leader, took off his jacket, and handed it to Nianzu with a wicked grin.

  “Will you be my second in this dual, Nianzu?”

  Folding Bai’s jacket over his arm, Nianzu winked at him and stepped to the side.

  Bai smiled to himself, thinking this would be an erotic duel between lovers. It would not be fought with pistols, knives, or swords. Rather, their weapons would be the thrusts and parries of their aroused bodies.

  He rolled up his sleeves, revealing the promise of strong muscular arms and shoulders. He strode across the room in h
is fitted black trousers. He felt like a toreador stepping to the middle of the arena, confident all eyes were upon him. He nodded over his shoulder to the musicians and the soft sensuous sounds of Latin music whispered across the ballroom. He sought out Elena and the dance floor cleared as he moved toward her. Reaching for her hand, he bowed low with a rakish grin.

  “Shall we dance, cherie?”

  A hard tremor shuddered through Elena’s body when he eased his hand to the small of her back and led her to the center of the ballroom. His eyes twinkled. With a charming grin, he pulled her close to him. Urged on by the pulsing music, he stepped back and held out his hand, palm up. Elena hesitated, then her eyes darkened and she nervously bit her bottom lip. A shy smile tugged at her lips as she placed her hand in his.

  They moved slowly at first, allowing the music time to flow through them. He steered her across the room in large graceful circles. His hands cradled her hips, her hands rested on his shoulders. Even with her four inch high heeled slippers she came just to his shoulder and had to tip her head back to meet his eyes. As she gazed up at him, her eyes shining with excitement, the music changed. The tempo increased and the beat began to pulsate, a sultry invitation.

  He gave her a little push, putting distance between them. Elena stood in front of him and began to sway from side to side. Her eyes sparkled, her face flushed. Bai moved inches away, mimicking her movements and held her gaze. He slowly snapped his fingers then lightly stamped the heels of his lizard skinned boots, a devilish smile tugging at his lips. Her hips moved from side to side. As his fingers snapped faster, she twitched her hips in response. With a cheeky grin, she moved away from him, her hips gyrating to the snap of his fingers, the click of his boots. Her hands snaked up over her head, high in the air. Her hips switched in time to the music, her body coiled and twisted, a tantalizing writhing column.