“I thought you said she pretended to be you for a little while so that you could figure out how to disappear and live your life away from the madness.”
“Yes, she came to the States, but it wasn’t to help me. She had no idea what I was planning. She arrived in Chicago because Chang told her to. The only way I could get rid of her, so that I could disappear, was to lie and tell her that I was pregnant. I knew she would want to fix the situation so she wouldn’t have to choose between Chang and me. My lie was supposed to buy me some time. Unfortunately, the lie became a reality.”
“You mean you weren’t pregnant by Luciano Manchetti when she came to the States?”
“No. I faked it. He was a good guy and I liked him, but no I wasn’t pregnant. I thought his family had enough money and connections to protect us. I quickly learned they weren’t ruthless enough to keep him or me safe from Chang, so I did what I had to do with the help of Joseph. Understand this, for as much as Gina claimed to hate our father; her loyalty was always to him. I can’t even begin to explain how much she wanted to be like him. In her own perverse way, she’s still trying to be like him and because of that, I could never trust her. I knew someday it would come down to me versus her.”
“What about your daughter?”
Nina shrugged. “What about her?”
“Do you ever think of her or have the desire to find her?”
“No. When I closed that door, I kept it closed. I’ll only reopen it if Gina forces my hand.”
Nina gave off the perfect picture of calm, but her eyes drifted off into some unknown place. During that unguarded moment, Jonah could tell there was much more to the story than what Nina had just said to him.
Her faraway gaze came back to rest upon his face. Jonah stared at her wondering if he was wrong. Maybe she did have the stomach for this life after all. “We should get going. Our window of opportunity is small, and the guys are probably getting antsy.”
“Then, let’s go. Let’s get this done.”
Chapter 3
Gina Lee-Xiou
I stepped into Brody’s hospital room almost twenty-four hours ago to the sounds of beeps, chirps, and machines working overtime trying to keep him alive.
He was still holding on. I watched like a hawk as a nurse entered his room and wrote some things down on a chart. I didn’t take my eyes off of her until she’d finished updating her information and left.
Brody’s chest was bare from the waist up except for the bandages covering his wound. How was it possible that I’d only recently ran my hands all over his body and placed hungry kisses everywhere including a chest that would have made Adonis jealous. I’d even put my lips on the area that was now covered with bandages.
I closed my eyes as I remembered the husky smell and feel of him. I was quickly transported back to when we had lain in bed and explored every inch of each other. Brody’s kisses were so potent that the mere thought of them evoked a reality that didn’t exist in the here and now. Powerful—no, explosive—was the only word I could use to describe it. No man had ever come close to sending me on a high that I’d had with Brody.
My memories were more vivid than they had a right to be at this moment. I was afraid to admit that we connected on a deeper level than just physically, and it became more and more difficult as I realized it was possible Brody might never wake up.
The invisible strings that drew us together were so strong and immediate that I had to ask myself if it were possible to have imagined the entire thing. Subconsciously, I wondered if I was creating something in my mind that didn’t truly exist.
If there was such a thing as bliss, I touched it even if only briefly. There wasn’t a wattage invented to measure the energy between us.
I closed my eyes as I remembered how my body burned every time his lips crashed down upon mine or came into contact with any part of my flesh. I hoped that he felt the same way when my lips tasted his naked skin or when my tongue traced the tattoo on his upper arm. As soon as I opened my eyes, those memories faded. Sometimes, reality could take a cruel twist of fate.
Now, his skin was so very pale. It was hard to believe that not so long ago, lips that once kissed life into mine now lacked any hint of warmth or color. My chest tightened at the sight of him. I wondered how it was possible to feel such a wealth of emotion after only being with him for a short period.
He’d been so strong earlier, and now I wasn’t sure, as I sat in the chair next to him, if he would make it through the night. Come on Brody. You’re strong. Don’t you die on me!
I took his hand in mine. This was my fault.
I leaned over and whispered softly into his ear. “I’m sorry. I’m sure you know I don’t use that word often, if ever, and when you wake up, if you tell anyone, I’ll deny it.”
I shut my tired eyes for a moment. I should have known better than to let my guard down and get involved. Brody and I were supposed to be about explosive sex and nothing more. Then he went and got all alpha male and decided at the last minute to come with me to Guilin. If it was too dangerous to tell Hahn where I’d been staying, then it was too dangerous to let Brody follow me home.
Frustrated with myself that I allowed the intoxicating feeling of being taken care of get the better of me, I wallowed in it. I was completely immersed in it and just wanted to bask in the feeling for a little while longer. Nothing that happened with Brody had been planned, but if I had any doubts about not getting involved with him, this situation proved all the reasons why.
It made me weak worrying about him, and I only had forty-eight hours to resolve cataclysmic issues before a decision was made regarding the leadership of The Family Council. If anything, the events of today made me want the position more. No one would challenge me once I’d established power.
I rolled my shoulders to release some tension. It didn’t work. There was no time like the present to contact Brody’s parents, so I pulled my cell phone out of my back pocket. It was time to make that dreaded phone call to Mr. and Mrs. Ethan Windham.
Just as I was about to dial the number, another one came through.
I answered. “Gina.” Then glanced over at Brody while listening to the voice on the other end of the line as I checked my watch. “I can be there in twenty minutes.”
Chapter 4
Nina Lee-Xiou
Ang Woo’s home looked as if it had been caught in the cross fire of a war zone. When Nina walked tentatively inside, she couldn’t help but tiptoe carefully over broken furniture, glass, and lifeless bodies that were strewn about everywhere. Quickly, she covered her nose and mouth. She’d never seen such gruesome images in real-life only in movies.
It had been a bloodbath with pieces of human flesh and blood splattered against the walls and floor. There didn’t seem to be any space that hadn’t been touched by the carnage. Her involuntary reaction to vomit was strong, but too many eyes were on her. Too many people questioned her ability to do what was necessary to get the results she needed, so Nina kept her gag reflexes in check.
Initially, she remained behind in the van with only one of her hired guns while everyone else did the dirty work until they gave the all clear to come inside the house. Securing the place took longer than what she would have expected. The sitting and waiting were the worst. It was beyond draining; for all Nina knew minutes could have been hours. She was both relieved and anxious to get this over with.
Almost immediately after entering the premises, Nina was handed a telephone to call Mr. Woo. His wife, Shar, had been dragged, screaming, into the living room by her hair. Her arms were pulled painfully behind her back. She was terrified and had good reason to be. Unfortunately for her, she married the wrong man. Shar looked like a raccoon as her mascara stained tears streamed down her face, while she sobbed and pleaded for her life. It was a waste of time.
Nina’s demands were met with what she had expected—anger filled rants, blathering, and stuttering. The reality was that Mr. Woo was utterly helpless.
Good.
She needed him to be since he was all that stood in the way of her being named to lead The Family Council. If Ang valued the lives of his daughters, he’d better follow orders.
Once Nina finished her call, she handed the phone off to Jonah. When she moved to leave the kitchen, he cautioned, “Watch the blood,” as he wiped down the phone for fingerprints. The wave of nausea hit her all over again. He didn’t have to tell her twice.
Nina was careful as she stepped over Mrs. Woo’s lifeless body, so as not to walk into the pool of dark sticky red liquid that poured out from the wounds in her head and chest.
“Where are the girls?”
“They’re not here.”
Nina stopped dead in her tracks and turned completely around. “What do you mean they’re not here? They were when we arrived.”
“They were here, and now they’re not. Someone must have tipped them off when we entered the property. Maybe they exited through a panic room or something.”
Somewhat panicked, she wrung her hands together. “I’ll lose whatever advantage I have if we don’t find those girls. You’ve got to know Mr. Woo and his people, or even the police are already on their way.”
Jonah nodded. “I know. That’s why we’ll complete another quick search of the property, but then we need to get out of here before anyone shows up.”
*****
Gina Lee-Xiou
Darkness finally fell over Guilin as I sat with Hahn in the black Mercedes waiting for our opportunity. I was getting impatient.
“Are you sure he’s going to be here?”
“I’m sure. Our guys have been following him all day. They are in place and ready to go.”
I nodded. “Good.”
Hahn pointed over towards another dark sedan pulling up to the house they’d been watching for about an hour. “Wait . . . that’s his driver coming up to the house now.”
As soon as the car came to a stop, both Hahn and I got out of the vehicle. Our clothing blended in well with the darkness.
The driver didn’t stand a chance. He had no idea what hit him when he stepped outside of his car. After a crushing blow to the side of his head, he fell to the ground, and two bullets were pumped through the nose of a silencer into his body. At the same times as Hahn was taking care of the driver, I opened the rear door and slid into the back seat.
“Ang Woo.” The look of shock on his face was amusing as I pointed my revolver at him. “I’m sure you know it’s never a good idea for you to travel without bodyguards. It makes shit like what’s about to go down way too easy. Hand me your gun.” He looked as if he were debating what to do. “I won’t ask you twice.”
Ang knew I wouldn’t ask a second time. He wasn’t stupid, so he did as I requested. “What are you doing here?”
I could see the whites of his eyes. It was funny how a man who was responsible for so much butchery had a genuine look of fear on his face. I was somewhat surprised considering he was the very definition of cold-blooded, everyone on the Family Council was in one way or another. “I’m pretty sure you already know why I’m here. I need your vote.”
He shook his head no. “This is not the way we do things, Gina. You cannot threaten our members or have someone removed who might get in your way. We’re protected by the rules of the organization. This stunt you’re pulling will automatically disqualify you.”
“Who’s going to tell them? You?” I laughed a little. “You know as well as I do that I’ve never played by the rules.”
“Your father would be so disappointed.”
I lowered my weapon and sat it on my lap. “Good thing I’m not the sentimental type who actually gave a damn about what Chang thought. Smart tactic, though. I’ll give you credit for trying to appeal to my feminine sensibilities.”
Ang exhaled as if resigned to having to explain something to a small child. “Gina, the Council must vote for the best person we think can lead this organization into the future.”
“That should make choosing me a lot easier. And, if that truly is the case, I ought to be able to rest easy knowing that I can count on you for your support.”
“Look, the bottom line is I can’t tell you who I’m voting for until the meeting.”
“Mr. Woo, you might not make it through the next five minutes. What makes you think you’ll make it to the meeting tomorrow if I don’t get some assurances? But, let’s say by some miracle you do, you and I both know that Zheng is an idiot, and he’s weak. It’s an insult to me that we’re even both in the running. You also know a vote for him is really a vote for his father. He is his puppet master. Xei is holding on to too many outdated traditions. He can’t take this organization out for coffee let alone into the twenty-first century.”
“What you call outdated traditions have kept the Family Council running smoothly for the past one hundred years. Let’s say for argument’s sake that all of what you said is true, I haven’t promised Zheng my vote either. I’m sure you know that you and he are not my only options.”
“Yes, I heard there is a third person. It doesn’t matter. I’m here tonight to secure your vote. I don’t want to have to hurt anyone but you know I’m not above doing it.”
Mr. Woo gritted his teeth. “I won’t kowtow to your threats. But know this, if you kill me—your dreams of heading the organization will go up in smoke.”
I waved him off. “I wasn’t planning on killing you.”
“Then who? My wife?” He laughed. “You’d be doing me a favor.”
I raised an eyebrow. “No. I wasn’t planning on killing her either. Everyone knows you don’t care about her. Now, your mistress on the other hand . . .” My voice trailed off. “How long have you been sleeping around with her? Twenty years?”
Mr. Woo paled. “You wouldn’t?”
My eyes narrowed. “In a heartbeat. We’re sitting outside of her house, what do you think? I wouldn’t be breaking any of the organization’s rules either. Not a hair on your tiny, little head would get touched. However, I’d have that woman cut up into a million little pieces and sprinkled like fertilizer over your wife’s award winning gardens. I’m sure she would more than appreciate that.”
I pointed to the white house he had planned to enter earlier. “As a matter of fact, my guys are already inside waiting for a signal from me. Do you love your mistress enough to save her or will you be saying your final goodbyes?” I crossed my legs and swung the one on top from side to side. “Your choice. I hope you choose wisely.”
He attempted to mask his horror at the prospect of what I’d suggested but was unsuccessful. “Gina? You can’t be serious? You wouldn’t do something like this.”
My patience snapped. “Gina, what? Gina, Why?” I mocked. “Why not? You’ve done much worse. Don’t looked so surprised that a woman can be just as ruthless as you. I know what it takes to run this organization. I watched my father for years. No one is more prepared than I am for this role. If I were Chang’s son, I’d already have it.”
Mr. Woo’s cell phone had been sitting on the seat between us when it buzzed. An image of his wife’s face came up on the screen.
“Awww . . . speaking of the devil. Wifey is calling you now. You know you should really answer it. As a matter of fact, I insist and put it on speaker.”
Hesitantly, Ang reached for his phone, and as instructed he answered it then put the call on speaker.
“Ang!” His wife was hysterical. “Some people are here . . .”
The phone was snatched away from her, and another voice came on the line. “Good evening, Mr. Woo.”
We could hear his wife screaming in the background. “Who is this!? Why is my wife screaming!?”
“I suspect it’s because things are a little unpleasant for her right now.”
“I swear if you hurt her!” His voice dipped. “Do you have any idea who I am?”
“Yes. I know exactly who I’m talking to.”
“Apparently, not. Otherwise, you would know I’m not the one you want to play games with.”
Ang clenched his teeth and calmed just a bit. He seemed angrier that someone would dare invade his home than he was about what was happening to his wife. He spat fire. “What do you want?”
“Not much just your vote tomorrow.”
“This is not the way to get it.” Another piercing scream could be heard in the background. “I swear if anything happens to my wife—”
“Unfortunately, she’s just a means to an end.” The loud bang of a gun going off silenced Shar Woo’s cries. “If you don’t want your daughters to be next and suffer the same consequences as your wife, then you know who you should vote for at the meeting.” The line went dead.
Ang yelled into the phone. “Hello! Hello!” His pleading eyes turned to me. I nodded.
“Keep it on speaker. But, don’t make any sudden moves. It would be a shame for both husband and wife to die tonight and make your children orphans. Hell, it might even be a family funeral the way this night is going.”
Mr. Woo glared at me as he dialed another number. As soon as someone picked up the phone, his words tumbled out of his mouth. “Someone’s at my house. I heard gunshots. I think my wife might be hurt or worse. Round up my kids, make sure they are okay and get them to the safe house. They threatened my daughters . . . my daughters! I don't know where my security is but go find out what the hell is going on! I promise you, just as sure as I breathe when you figure out who did this, they will beg me to kill them.”
I sat quietly and listened. I didn’t speak until after Ang disconnected the call. “Apparently, you cared more about your wife than you thought. I think whoever option number three is for the leadership role just made my task here a lot easier.”
The Rules Series Page 12