“Then, why did she fake her death? Why didn’t she take me with her?”
“That answer is very complicated, but I’ll say mostly to protect you from our father. He was nothing like Luciano or Alexandro. He was . . . hard. Chang Lee-Xiou was evil. Nina was afraid of how he would react if he’d known she was pregnant.”
The pain in her eyes couldn’t be hidden. “He was responsible for the death of my dad. My grandfather had my father killed.”
“Yes.”
“Had he known about me, would he have killed Nina too?”
“Probably.”
“So, she did want me? Now that Chang is dead maybe I can get to know her.”
I hated that I was going to have to be responsible for extinguishing that hope in her eyes.
“I don’t think that’s such a great idea.”
Cecily’s face scrunched up. “Why not? She’s my mother.”
“Her life is much different than it was back then. You could . . .” What the hell was I supposed to say? Your mom is a monster! She might even try to kill you just to get back at me. I was messing this up big time.
“I could what? I could mess up her life!” Her eyes welled up.
“Shit! That’s not what I was going to say.”
“Why don’t you want me to meet her? It doesn’t make any sense. Just because you don’t like me doesn’t mean she won’t.”
Frustrated, I ran my fingers through my hair. “Where on earth did you get a silly idea like that?”
“You’ve been trying to put me on a plane ever since I arrived. You’ve known about me for fifteen years, and you’ve never reached out either. The one time we met you tricked me into thinking you could be my mother to hurt Uncle Alex! What reason would I have to believe you care one bit about me?!”
“Cecily . . . that’s . . . I . . .” There was so much to explain, and I couldn’t find the right words.
Knock, knock, knock. Both of our heads snapped towards the door. I was so thankful for the interruption. I thought it was someone from my staff bringing lunch, but instead, Brody opened the door and walked inside. “Hey! Gina, sorry to interrupt but you forgot this upstairs. I could have sworn you said you wanted to show it to Cecily.”
I was going to KILL him.
Instead of handing me the book he gave it to Cecily. “I’m Brody Windham. I’ve heard a lot about you. I hope we get to chat a little later after your talk with your aunt.” He turned toward me, and I glared at him.
As usual, he ignored me. He walked over and kissed me on the cheek before winking and leaving the room.
Cecily held the book in her hand. “What’s this?”
I pressed my lips together trying to think of something to say. There was nothing really to say. She had the book in her hands. Maybe it would explain what my words couldn’t.
“Open it.”
She stared at me for a minute then looked back down at the album before slowly lifting the cover. Her eyes flew to mine at seeing the first picture. “Who is this?”
“It’s you. They are all of you.”
I sat quietly as Cecily spent the next twenty minutes going through the book. After she’d studied the very last picture, she turned watery eyes to me. She swallowed deeply. “I . . . don’t know what to say. I can’t believe you have all of these.”
“Cecily. I’m not very good at showing the people that I care about how much I love them. I’m not even used to saying the words. But, I need you to know, there is nothing I wouldn’t do for you. It’s just that my life is so crazy and honestly, violent, that I thought it was best to watch you from afar. Please understand that if I felt that I could make your life better by being in it . . . I would.”
Quietly, Cecily sat the book down on the coffee table. She turned to me and wrapped her arms around my neck laying her head on my shoulder. She whispered into the crook of my neck. “Thank you for this, Aunt Gina. It means more than you’ll ever know.”
Aunt Gina. Wow. There was nothing for me to do but put my arms around her and hug her back. I’m not sure how long we stayed that way. But, that nagging emptiness inside of me, for the first time in my life, didn’t feel so empty.
Chapter 18
Nina Lee-Xiou Manchetti
Members of The Family Council called an emergency meeting to discuss the two most recent vacancies; Eli Nakamura and Wei Chan.
It pissed Nina off that she was informed of the meeting and not included in the discussions about calling it. She smelled a coup within the ranks of the remaining members if she didn’t do something soon.
“Nina, I think we should put your plans on hold until everything dies down.”
“No. That’s not an option. We need to go full steam ahead.”
Jonah thought Nina was making a mistake and moving too fast. “Obviously, it’s your call, but it has only been a couple of months since you were made leader. And, much too close to Eli and Wei’s deaths. Suspicions are high.”
“I don’t care. They can’t prove anything.”
Jonah rubbed his chin. “Do they need to? It’s not like the Council is a law abiding organization.”
“I need people on that Council loyal only to me. And, if you think Ang and Gina aren’t plotting right now to string me up then you’re not as smart as I thought. Anyway, why aren’t you chomping at the bit to get a little revenge against my sister? They knocked you out and left you on the side of the road.”
“Don’t get me wrong. She and I will have our time to face off. In the meantime, I think it’s best to cool it, but again, it’s your decision.”
Nina waved her hand back and forth. “Gina is so preoccupied with mourning the loss of her boyfriend that she’s weak. This is as good a time as we’ll get to take her out.”
“True, but her home is a virtual fortress. How are you going to get to her? She’s been locked behind those gates ever since that Windham guy died. There’s no way we can get in there and do what we need to without a small army. Raising one is sure to draw attention and even more suspicion.”
Nina folded her arms, then rested her chin on her fist. “We’ll need to figure something out when it comes to her, but Ang . . . I want that taken care of just like we planned.”
“Consider it done.” Jonah pulled an envelope off of a side table in Nina’s suite. “Oh, I forgot to mention, a messenger sent this over for you this morning.”
She reached for the large manila envelope. “Who’s it from?”
Jonah shrugged. “Not sure.” He couldn’t resist a little teasing. “All I can say is it’s not a bomb, and it’s safe to open.”
“That’s good because I wouldn’t be too surprised if someone tried to put ricin in it.”
“The guys and I have you covered. Look, I’ve got a couple of things to do before we leave for the meeting. I’ll catch you downstairs in twenty minutes?”
She’d only been half listening as her focus and curiosity got the better of her. “Hmm . . . oh. Okay.” Nina glanced up just as Jonah was walking out of the door. She couldn’t help but wonder who would send her mail, and by messenger to Guilin? No one knew she was there.
As soon as the door closed behind Jonah, Nina studied the nondescript package even more. There weren’t any markings on it not even postage which meant someone hand delivered it to her hotel. After flipping the envelope over just to ensure she hadn’t missed anything, she ripped it open.
Inside was a copy of the New York Times. Nina pulled it out to discover that someone had turned to a specific page and circled an article in red. The headline read: Jules Ming Sherman Exhumed for DNA Identification.
After a moment of shock, Nina flung the paper across the room. Gina knew. This complication was going to make things almost impossible to manage.
*****
Gina Lee-Xiou
“Will Mr. Windham be joining us for lunch?” Brody was right. Cecily hadn’t stopped talking since they’d cleared the air.
We sat in my sunroom eating. “Maybe for dinner. I
wanted us to have a little alone time. It’s not often, my niece comes for a visit.”
Cecily beamed. “No, it’s not. I like him, though. He seems cool. You smile a lot when he’s in the room.”
I couldn’t help the smirk that appeared on my face. “Really now? I guess he does make me smile from time to time.”
Cecily put down her fork and leaned back in her chair then patted her stomach. “My goodness. I am so full. I can’t eat another bite. Your cook is sooooo good. What was it we were eating?”
“Yoshi is fantastic. She’s been with me a long time. What you just ate was traditional Guilin rice noodles.”
“I’d love to make this when I get home. I don’t know much about my Chinese heritage. I guess I can put this dish down as something I do. What are the ingredients?”
“You don’t have to wonder anymore. Anything you want to know, just ask. For example, these noodles are made from oil and rice flower. The noodles are cooked in broth and served in a bowl of soup made from pork, beef, garlic, peanuts, peppers, and radishes. It’s one of my favorites.”
“Were you and my mother close?”
Her question was so random it threw me off guard. This was one of those moments I needed to tap dance. I put my elbows up on the table and cupped my face in my chin before answering. I did my best to keep my voice lighthearted. “At one time, only our mother could tell us apart.”
“That must have been so cool to grow up together. You know Braylee just had a baby, but we’re fifteen years apart so I’ll never get to have a sister sister. Where is Brody from? He sounds American.”
“Sisters can be such a pain. There are definitely advantages to being an only child. Brody is American, and he’s visiting from Washington.”
“Does he speak Mandarin?”
“Not very well. It’s funny to hear him try.” I switched speaking from English to Mandarin. “Do you?”
Cecily responded in my language perfectly. “Yes. I knew my mother was part Chinese and spoke Mandarin several years before I told my dad and Uncle Alex. So, I made sure to learn the language. They teach it at my school.”
I was impressed. “You’re very smart and nosey I see. You speak it very well. Are you fluent in any other languages?”
Cecily responded “yes” in each language she spoke. “French, Spanish, and Italian. My best friend is Italiana”
“Pretty impressive.”
“How long have you and Mr. Windham been dating? Do you think you’ll get married?”
I could have spit out my tea. “Oh wow. Umm . . . we are in the early stages of dating so . . .”
“Do you cook for him?”
I frowned and shook my head. “Absolutely not. Why would I want to do that? I pay people to cook.”
“I love to cook.”
“Really?”
“Yes, our chef, Claudia, teaches me how to make stuff, but southern dishes are her favorite.”
“What’s your specialty?”
She pointed to herself. “Me? The good old-fashioned American hamburger and french fries. Hey . . . maybe we can cook it tonight? Brody might like that.”
“If you want. I can have Yoshi go out and buy the ingredients. Speaking of the devil, here she comes to bring us our Zongzi. No one makes rice pudding like her.”
Cecily licked her lips. “Mmmm . . . it looks good. I’ll have to find room for that.”
I was probably enjoying my time with Cecily more than she was. “Yoshi, we are going to have hamburgers and french fries for dinner tonight. Please go to the market to make sure we have everything for an authentic American dinner.”
Yoshi grinned and nodded.
*****
After lunch, I took care of some Xiou Incorporated business, then found Brody sitting on my bed on his phone. Papers were splayed out all over it. He decided to wrap things up after he noticed me come inside. “Right. Let’s connect tomorrow. However, call me as soon as you’ve got some answers.”
I climbed on the bed, pushed him back, and lay in his arms.
Brody held me.
“Good lunch?”
“Very.”
One moment, I was in the crook of his arm and the next I was underneath him. “You might like the sitting position, but I think I like you underneath me best. I don’t know, I’m still trying to figure it out.”
I kissed him on the lips. “I like any position you can twist me into.”
He growled, and I felt the vibration down to my toes. “You seem happy. I like that.”
I raised back up slightly into a sitting position and placed my hands flat on his chest. It also brought my sex closer in contact with his. The feeling was so delicious that for a second, I forgot what I was going to say. Then, I remembered. “She talked me into cooking hamburgers and french fries for dinner.”
Brody placed gentle bites all around the side of my neck. “You eat that kind of food?”
“No. But, Cecily will only be here for tonight. She’s leaving in the morning. If she wants burgers and fries, then dammit we’ll eat burgers and fries.”
“Okay. Burgers and fries it is.” He laughed. “Keep the toilet paper handy.”
I laughed too as my cell phone rang. “Why is it every time I have you exactly where I want you, the damn phone rings?” I sighed. “It’s Romelo at the security gate. I can’t ignore it. “What’s up, Melo?”
“I’m here with Hahn. He suggested I call you right away.”
I didn’t like his tone. “What?”
“Hahn was looking for Cecily. They searched the house and grounds but . . .”
“But, what?” My heart sank.
“She left with Yoshi to get groceries about a half an hour ago. She said you gave her permission.”
“That little shit! She set me up. Call Yoshi and tell her not to let Cecily out of her sight. In the meantime, get a couple of security guards over to that store like YESTERDAY!”
Chapter 19
Cecily didn’t think her plan would work, but it did. She was able to sneak out of the house with Yoshi without alerting Gina until they were past the gates. Once they arrived at the market, it was easy to give her the slip.
It had to have been fate when Cecily found a file on the coffee table that contained her mother’s location in it. At first, after accidently knocking the file onto the floor and the contents spilled out, the news clippings of businessmen who’d died didn’t catch her attention. But, the picture of Nina had. The file contained few other details aside from her location. Cecily knew good and well that Gina was going to put her on the first thing smoking out of Guilin tomorrow. She had to take her chances since it might be her last opportunity.
A taxi dropped her off right out front of the Shangri-La Hotel. She stood for a moment just staring at it. What if her mother didn’t want to meet her? What if she did? Her palms were more than a little sweaty.
There was no point in standing outside daydreaming. She’d hoped and prayed for this moment. It was here and the time was now.
Cecily took a deep breath and walked inside. She strode right up to the front desk. Her Mandarin came in handy.
The front desk clerk smiled. “May I help you?”
Her voice didn’t want to work, but she managed it. “Yes. I’d like to see Nina Lee-Xiou.”
The clerk’s face froze. “I’m sorry. We don’t have a guest here by that name.”
“Umm . . . maybe it’s under Nina Manchetti? She’s here under one of those names. Please check your computer again.” Cecily hadn’t seen her look the first time. But, it was obvious she knew who Nina was. Her reaction gave it away. “Please ring her, and tell her it’s Cecily Manchetti.”
While the clerk checked her computer, Cecily’s cell phone rang. She’d only turned it back on to call her Uncle Alex but forgot to turn it off. When she glanced at the caller ID, it was Gina. Instead of answering the call, Cecily switched it off.
The hotel clerk fumbled around as she pressed a few buttons on her computer. Then, she turned
anxious eyes back to Cecily. She blinked rapidly. “Sorry. We don’t have a guest here by that name.”
Cecily hadn’t come this far and got this close to give up. If she had to sit in the lobby all day and night waiting for Nina to come through, she would. Fortunately, that wasn’t necessary. Two big hulking men appeared out of nowhere on each side of her.
One of them spoke to the clerk. “Ms. Lee-Xiou will deal with this situation.” The woman nodded and gave them a tight smile and quickly walked away.
Cecily knew it was incredibly stupid to follow two strange men around in a foreign country; she’d seen all the Taken movies, but since she had already made her fair share of dumb mistakes for a lifetime, surely, one more wouldn’t kill her . . . she hoped.
Words hadn’t been invented to describe what she felt when she stepped away from the front desk and spun around, only to come face-to-face with her mother.
*****
Nina Lee-Xiou Manchetti was standing just a mere few feet away. At the sight of her, Cecily’s eyes widened to the size of a half dollar. She didn’t, wouldn’t even blink for fear that if she did, her mother would disappear. She stood as still as a statue. No one would have even been able to see the rise and fall of her chest because she wasn’t breathing.
How long had Cecily dreamed about this very moment? Utter disbelief, being suspended in air, floating on a cloud all wrapped into one still couldn’t describe it. She couldn’t help but wonder if this moment was real?
Cecily studied every bit of Nina’s features; the dark hair that was a little shorter than Gina’s, brown eyes, and caramel skin. The resemblance to Gina was truly uncanny, but the likeness to herself was indescribable. The final piece of the puzzle of her life finally fell into place.
Nina’s face was motionless too; like a toffee-colored, porcelain doll. It lacked any expression. There was no hint of a smile at the edges of her lips or warmth in her eyes. Dread filled Cecily as she thought maybe her mother wasn’t ready for a reunion. If that were the case, Cecily would work really hard to change her mind—if Nina gave her half a chance.
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