Page 29 of Mercy in Betrayal

“Never had it?”

“No.”

“Your life is about to change, little bird.”

“Can we see Doyers Street, too?”

“Doyers? Why do you want to see that?”

“It’s famous! Or infamous. Did you know that when the Chinese mafia was in power, a number of murders took place there in its famed ‘Bloody Angle.’” I shiver.

Enzo lifts an eyebrow. “Do tell,” he murmurs. “Like a cute little fucking professor.”

I give him a quelling look. “Research is important. Anyway, there’s this bend in the street that allowed hitmen to take their targets off guard. Many of the murders were especially brutal, with the use of hatchets.”

“Mmpf.” He rubs the stubble on his jaw, looking off to the side. “Why don’t we look at the stalls? They’re a good tourist attraction. Chinatown is famous for this stuff.” He gestures to a stall we’re passing, where a vendor sits among miniature Buddhist ornaments interspersed with tiny statues of the Empire State Building and yellow taxi cabs.

With another pointed look, I stop to look and touch every item. I pretend not to notice when he pays for something and slips it into his pocket.

Enzo is a big softy, but I won’t make fun of him for it.

We stop for dim sum next in a tiny little place called the Joyful Plate. It’s actually several dishes, little dumplings, and other delectable oddities I’ve never had before that melt on my tongue. A low moan escapes me at the unusual flavors, and I reach for another before realizing I’m stuffing my face as though I haven’t eaten in days and draw my hand back.

“What are you doing? Eat,” Enzo commands, voice gruff.

I wipe the corner of my mouth with the tip of my finger. “I’m being a pig. It’s so good.”

Enzo narrows his eyes and picks up a dumpling. “Open.”

“What? No.”

“Open your mouth, little bird.”

Staring at him, my lips part of their own volition. He moves the dumpling between them, waiting until I bite down dutifully and watching the movement of my mouth on the treat before he pulls the remainder away and finishes it himself.

“That wasn’t so hard.”

My breath hitches.

We leave shortly after, continuing our stroll through Chinatown. Night has fallen in earnest, but the streets are brightly lit by blinking signs and continually changing traffic lights. People move with and against us in a steady flow, but Enzo keeps me on the inside of the sidewalk, tucked securely against his side.

In spite of the noise and chaos, there’s something strangely peaceful about it.

“What next?”

Enzo’s question cuts through my musings, and I glance down at the phone in my hand. I’ve had my GPS on the entire time, making note of where we are and what businesses and sights are nearby.

“I don’t know,” I say. “You tell me. I want to do something…different. Reckless.”

He looks at me thoughtfully. “You’ll have to give me more than that, little bird.”

Taking a deep breath, I try to put my feelings into words. “For once in my life, I want to be crazy. To climb out of the box they’ve put me in…out of the cage.”

His head tilts. “They?”

I look away from his penetrating gaze. “My brother and his wife. They’re protective.”

He doesn’t question my explanation further. His finger brushes my cheek, rough and tender at the same time. “So you want to fly.”

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