by Taylor Lee
Before she could finish her convoluted sentence, Gabe stopped her. He put his finger to her lips and shook his head.
“Same rules apply, Princess, as at the waterfall.”
She stepped back. For a short moment she was confused, then understanding flooded her causing her cheeks to heat.
She stammered, “How dare you threaten me! I… I am not a child and if you ever—” She was horrified at the shivery sensations she felt remembering his threat.
He grinned at her. “Princess, there isn’t a thing I wouldn’t dare do to you. And yeah, there’s enough bad things going on around here that you and I are going to come to an agreement. When I tell you to do something, I need you to do it, do you understand?”
Ana couldn’t believe her ears! Did he really think that he was in charge of her? That he could tell her what to do and she would obey him like a trained horse, or a dog? Good God, even her father never gave her orders. And now this impossible man thought he could control her? Just because he was accustomed to women doing his bidding? Oh no. That would NOT happen with her. She drew herself up to her full height, frustrated that she didn’t even reach his shoulder. Damn, why did he have to be so tall, so big — all over.
She got control of her shaky emotions and said in as strong a voice as she could muster, “You are an arrogant bastard. Do you really think you can order me around and I will do your bidding? Like… like all the other women falling at your feet?”
Gabe frowned. He seemed genuinely puzzled.
“Now I don’t know where the hell that came from. But, honey, once again I need two minutes with you without arguing. As I said a minute ago, the waterfall rules apply. Do you understand?”
His expression was stern, and his voice was soft, threatening. It scared her.
“I asked you a question, Ana. Do you understand?”
She tossed her head and shrugged. Without answering, she went to her dressing table and plunked down on the velvet tufted stool, refusing to look at him.
He met her gaze in the mirror and frowned,
“I will take that for a yes.” He was quiet for a moment then asked, “Where are the notes, Ana?”
She whirled around to face him, not hiding her shock.
“What? That’s why you dragged me up here. No, carried me like a disobedient child… embarrassed—”
He broke into her outrage.
“Ana, be quiet. Your father will be here any minute. Where are the notes?”
She paled, glaring at him. He was surprised to see tears well up in her eyes. His frustration choked him. Dammit. He didn’t have time for her histrionics. He needed the notes now. Something was burning in his gut. Something he was missing. He needed to get with Gunnar and especially with Eagle. He had to know what Eagle had come up with. What clues. He was convinced that Ana’s notes held at least some of the keys. They had to.
“The notes, Ana.”
When she turned back to him, her tears were gone. Instead she looked resigned as if she had accepted a difficult reality. Without speaking, she walked across the room to an adjoining sun room. Two of the walls housed floor to ceiling bookcases filled with hundreds of leather bound books. Gabe remembered Chao saying that Ana had read every book in his library. Apparently, that was only the beginning. Still not meeting his eyes, Ana pulled out a book that looked like all the rest. It was leather bound with the title and author’s name embossed in gold. “Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte.” When she released the clasp and spread open the book, he was surprised to see the pages had been removed, torn out. Inside were a number of trinkets and a stack of crisp folded sheets of paper. Ana handed them the notes without looking at him or speaking to him. Putting a room of distance between them, she walked over to the window and gazed at the garden below.
Gabe’s hands shook. He resisted the impulse to spread the notes on the desk, to pour over them, decipher them. But he knew Chao would arrive at any minute.
He was troubled by the rigid set of Ana’s shoulders. Her refusal to speak to him — hell, even to look at him. He decided to use the tools that had served him well with angry women all his life. His humor laced with an irresistible touch of arrogance never failed. It worked every time.
He inched closer to her. His voice was teasing, insinuating.
“Now that wasn’t so hard, was it, Princess? Two minutes, no arguments. I do believe you are trainable after all.”
He sighed with relief when she whirled on him, her eyes flashing. Before she could strike, he threw kerosene on the fire.
“I’m surprised, Princess, that you cut up Miss Bronte’s fanciful romance. Not what I expected from a little girl who’s lived most of her life in the make believe world between the covers of books, especially one filled with agonizing unrequited love and the like.”
Ana sniffed. “To the contrary. I find books about tall dark handsome men who are arrogant to boot, extremely tiresome. The only thing more tiresome is such men in person.”
Gabe threw back his head and roared.
“Damn, Princess, you never miss a beat, do you?”
At that moment, he heard Chao coming up the stairs. He shoved the notes in his trouser pocket.
Chao knocked on the door and entered, a soft smile on his face.
“I’m glad to hear laughter coming from this room. After that rather unusual scene downstairs, I wasn’t sure what to expect.”
He walked toward Ana, but she held up her hand stopping him. Once again, Gabe thought he saw tears in her eyes.
Chao frowned and said in a gentle voice, “Ana, I know you have had a difficult day. Madam Ling is on her way here. She will bring something for your pain and also something to help you sleep.”
Ana shook her head. Then to Gabe’s surprise, as if she was too tired to argue, Ana nodded in agreement.
Her voice was soft, flat. “Yes, father. It has been a difficult day. But Gabe is right about one thing. I do need to rest. It is better if you both go, leave now. I am confident you and Gabe can figure out who is doing these terrible things to our family without my help. But, please hurry. I want to this to end. I want it be over — all of it.”
Gabe and Chao exchanged a glance, both frowning.
Before Chao could answer, Gabe broke in.
“Chao, will you excuse Ana and me for a moment? I’ll meet you in your office shortly.”
Chao looked to Ana. When she simply turned away and stared out the window, he acquiesced. “I’ll be in my office, Gabriel. Good night, Ana. We will talk in the morning, dear.”
Ana nodded and spoke without turning around. “Good night, father. Don’t worry about me. I am fine. Just tired.”
~~~
After Chao left, Gabe stared at her slender figure. She looked small, vulnerable. Unfamiliar emotions coursed through him. He knew the reasons Ana was upset, but he didn’t want to discuss them. No, for once he didn’t want to try to convince her of anything, he only wanted to hold her. He moved closer to her, close enough that he could smell that spicy exotic smell that drove him crazy, played havoc with his senses.
Her response was immediate.
“Don’t touch me.”
Gabe stepped back and let his hands fall to his sides. Touching her was all he wanted to do. But he knew she was right. He shoved down the anger and frustration that had plagued him since the episode in the barn, barely two days earlier. It was as though in that short time his life had turned upside down. And the fucking cause of it was a haughty young woman. A beautiful little Chinese princess.
He was spared further introspection by Ana.
Her voice was cold, distant.
“Why did you do that to me?”
He resisted the easy way out. He could’ve pretended he didn’t know what she was talking about. But he chose to be direct.
“Because you were being dishonest.”
His answer surprised him. In a flash, he realized that that was why he had done it. Why he had touched her, driven her to whimpering, trembling pleas. Open
ed her to sensations he was sure she had never felt before. He’d needed to hear her say that she cared as much as he did that he come back to her. But then he’d stopped. Not because he wanted to. Because he had to.
She whirled on him.
“What do you mean, I was dishonest?”
She was still angry, but her fierceness was gone. The flush in her cheeks confirmed that he had struck gold.
“You said you didn’t care if I came back. Since you were unwilling to speak the truth, I encouraged your body to speak for you.” He raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “And it did, quite eloquently.”
She flushed that deep rosy pink that made him wild, made him want to see if that same heated color tinted other parts of her body when she was aroused. He knew it did. When he had teased her he had seen her arousal, smelled it. Her lush body was an erotic treasure trove, just waiting to be explored.
“Stop looking at me like that!”
“Like what, Princess?”
“Like you think all you have to do is touch me or tease me, and I will fall in your arms like all those other women. I’m not like those other women!”
He frowned.
“By those ‘other” women,’ I assume you are talking about my indiscretion in the barn?”
She sneered. “Among countless others. You do have a most impressive reputation, Gabe; one I’m confident makes you a hero among impressionable men and women.”
With a haughty toss of her head, she stepped away, as if she couldn’t bear the sight of him.
Now Gabe understood. He’d wondered about her reaction to his moniker. Now it was clear. And yeah, he had to admit, there wasn’t a gambling joint west of the Mississippi that hadn’t heard tales of Angel, the Ace Angel. And, hell, every brothel in an even larger territory was as familiar with the storied legend as the gamblers were. If anything, the tales from the brothels spoke to an even more prodigious talent than poker.
Gabe stared at her back. Without touching her, he could feel her anger, her hurt. Nothing he could say would make a difference. The truth was the truth. Fortunately, she didn’t know the half of it.
She turned to face him. His chest constricted when he saw the tears on her cheeks. Her voice was small, proud.
“Why did you do that to me, Gabe? Tease me? Torment me? To let me know that I am just like all those other women, a plaything?”
He shook his head.
“Princess, you are a lot of things. Some of them I’d like to beat out of you. But the last thing you are is like any of those other women.”
He didn’t wait for her response.
“Good night, Ana.”
He strode to the door and closed it firmly behind himself.
Chapter 17
The haunted look in Chao’s eyes was almost as painful as the hurt in Ana’s. Damn. Chao had been his most important client for over five years. He had introduced Gabe to the wealthiest men in the Chinese community, and many in the white underground as well. But they had more than a business connection. Gabe admired Chao. He had fought his way up the San Francisco Chinatown hierarchy from a hatchet boy, to head up the largest and most influential Tong in the country. As much as he was admired for his extraordinary business acumen, the skills he learned as a poor orphan kid in the hellish streets of San Francisco’s Chinatown served him well. His ruthlessness was at the center of his success. The bodies in his wake proved that, bodies too many to count.
Ruthlessness aside, what impressed Gabe most was Chao’s quiet dignity, his extreme loyalty. Being Chao’s friend was a privilege, one he never wanted to undermine. Now in the space of little more than a day, Chao’s son was seeking relief from a beating Gabe gave him, and his daughter was in her chambers likely crying because Gabe had assaulted her. Hell, he thought with a grimace, he may as well get it out on the table
He took a large swallow of whisky and leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees. He faced his friend and spoke plainly.
“Look, Chao. We’ve known each other for years. You are one of the most important people in my life. And you’re in trouble. Big trouble. For the ugliest of reasons. In some crazed way, this attack on you and by extension on Ana and Kai, seems to be as much about your race as your business. You know, Chao, I would never—”
Chao put up his hand and shook his head.
“Stop, Gabe. Words are not necessary. I know the danger I’m in, and where your loyalties lie. Whoever is after me has chosen to attack me on my most vulnerable front, my son and daughter. Gabe, after my wife died, I thought I had no reason to go on living. Those two young people proved me wrong. Now because someone hates me at such an elemental level, they are willing to kill my children.”
Gabe’s gut heaved. Chao was right. The people after him weren’t going after Chao directly, stealing his business or undermining his standing in the Tong. They were going after his children. The back of his neck itched the way it had earlier when he was intent on getting Ana’s notes. Gabe knew he was closing in on an important clue, but it was elusive, a bird out of reach. Damn, he needed Eagle. First he needed to talk to Chao. He couldn’t put off any longer,
“Chao, about Kai and… about… Ana.”
Again, Chao put up his hand.
“Gabe, I am not happy that my son was in a fight last night, that he was hurt physically. That he was badly beaten. But the man who did it didn’t beat him down. According to his Kung Fu master who watched from the sidelines, Kai learned several lessons that Master Han has been trying to teach him for some time.”
Gabe couldn’t hide his surprise. “You knew? Damn, Chao, why do I think I can put anything over on you?”
Gabe shook his head, remembering the fury in the young man, how he fought blindly, unable to still his anger. He wanted to explain to Chao, although it was likely from Chao’s calm demeanor that he was as aware of his son’s emotional turmoil as Gabe was. Before he could speak, Chao continued.
“Kai is an excellent fighter, Gabe. Master Han is one of the most accomplished Kung Fu masters in all of San Francisco. He honored me by coming here to work with my daughter and my son. He is not a humble man. Imagine my surprise when he told me this morning that in ten minutes you taught my son more about being a warrior than he had been able to instill in four years.”
Gabe didn’t pretend to false modesty. It wasn’t one of his strong suits. He had a knack for seeing beneath the surface of the men he encountered, whether at the poker table or the battlefield. The tells were always there. You just had to know where to look, and let the guy show himself. He nodded to Chao.
“Master Han taught Kai well. His skills are well honed. And, hell, the guy is strong. Physically, he is stronger than I am. His anger is his downfall… but then you know that, Chao.” The older man nodded in agreement. Gabe continued.
“He reminds me of my partner. We call him Eagle. There is more anger buried in Eagle’s psyche than any man I have ever encountered. Over the years that we have worked together, I have watched him learn to control that anger and become ten times the fighter he was before. Eagle is a scary man, Chao; more so now that he is under control.”
“You taught him that, Gabe. No, don’t deny it. I know you. I’ve watched you. I’ve lost thousands of dollars to you at the poker table. Your ability to read the mind of your opponent, to focus on his strengths and weaknesses at the most challenging of times is your gift, Gabe. It is the essence of Kung Fu. It is what I hoped you would help my son see.”
To Gabe’s surprise, Chao stood and formally bowed to him. Decorum required that Gabe bow in return, acknowledging Chao’s compliments. Both men were quiet for a moment and Gabe took the opportunity to stoke his determination to have what he knew would be a hard conversation, a difficult one. He needed to talk with Chao about Ana. He didn’t know where to start. Or for that matter where to go, to end. He took his time preparing the fine cigar that Chao passed his way. When he finished and settled back in his chair to smoke, he focused on Chao. To his surprise, Chao was watching him,
a glint of amusement in his eyes. Damn, that look wouldn’t last long when he said what he had to say. There was nothing to do but begin.
“Chao, about Ana—”
Once again, Chao held up his hand. He puffed on his cigar for a moment and took a sip of his cognac. Chao nodded several times, then blew a puff of rich cigar smoke in the air. Flicking the ash against the silver ashtray at his elbow, he met Gabe’s gaze.
“Ah, yes. Ana. The beautiful, enticing, willful Ana. So smart that she is frightening, isn’t she, Gabe?”
Gabe couldn’t hide his surprise at Chao’s description of Ana, which was astonishingly accurate. Chao ignored him. Instead, he leaned back in his chair smoking thoughtfully, as though considering an intriguing puzzle. After a long moment of silence, he spoke carefully.
“In her way, Gabe, Ana is as intuitive as you are. She honed her skills in the quiet of the canyons. Days and nights in the meditative school of nature. What she has not done, not had the opportunity to do, is to test those skills on other people, except for a chosen few like her father and her brother and a handful of the people who work my ranch. Like Clem, like Master Han and Jing, the closest thing Ana has to a mother.”
Gabe thought he knew what was coming. This was Chao’s way of warning Gabe to leave her alone. To stay away from his precious daughter.
Chao’s eyes narrowed, studying Gabe.
“You might study those relationships, Gabe. They are instructive. Whether it is Clem, Kai or me, the people Ana focuses her energy on are completely at her mercy. She steals our power to resist her, as easily and skillfully as you siphon off your opponents’ monies at the poker table.
Gabe was thunderstruck.
“Wait, Chao. Stop. Are you… are you warning me? Warning me about your daughter?”
Chao smiled and gave a disingenuous shrug.
“I feel it is only fair, Gabe. I know Ana. You are just meeting her. You are my dear friend. Perhaps with this warning you will be able to ward off the pull of her beauty, her spirit, her damnable stubbornness. But then again, as those of us who have succumbed to her power can tell you, there is no place we would rather be than in her thrall.”