Page 59 of Serpent King's Prisoner

Alex gasped, clawing at my hand. The fear in his eyes told me he knew he’d pushed too far this time. But that didn’t stop the defiance that always burned there—a byproduct of living in my shadow, of bearing the weight of being Kenny Zhou’s less-favored son.

“Can’t...tell...” he wheezed, his pride fighting against his need for oxygen.

“Can’t tell me what?” I snarled, feeling the rage boiling in my chest. “Spit it out, Alex.”

“Someone...someone said they saw you,” he choked out between labored breaths. “Dancing with her. The night she disappeared. But the rumor was secondhand, I don’t know who.”

His eyes searched mine, pleading for some kind of understanding. I processed his words, the implication that I had something to do with a missing girl. It was a serious accusation, one that could unravel everything if left unchecked. My mind raced, but I kept my face impassive.

In our world, any sign of weakness could be fatal.

And if it came down to me or Abby…well, she would end up dead either way, if my father found out what I’d done.

And if the cops found out? Shit…we were all done for.

“Listen to me very carefully,” I said, my voice as cold and hard as the steel of a gun barrel. “If this is some kind of power play, you’re even dumber than you look.”

“I was just trying to—“

“What?” I muttered. “Bring more attention on our family? Because you know that if I go down, we all go down. You included. What, do you want to be king of the ruins?”

He stared at me, his eyes wide with fear, saying nothing.

“Alex,” I continued, leaning in so close I could feel the tremble of his body against mine, “I have no qualms about putting a bullet in my own brother’s head if it means protecting the family. Our blood may run deep, but it won’t stop me from doing what’s necessary. Are we clear?”

The threat hung heavy in the air, and Alex’s eyes widened in realization. He knew I meant every word. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, nodding as best he could within the confines of my grasp. There was no mistaking the seriousness in my tone, no room for doubt that I would follow through on my warning.

“Crystal,” he managed to rasp out.

I released him suddenly, stepping back and watching as he slumped against the wall, gasping for air. His friends remained silent, their faces etched with a mix of concern and relief.

“I want to remind you this is about self-preservation,” I murmured coolly, tucking my hands into my pockets to stop them from shaking. “You think it’s just about me? What happens when the cops start sniffing around? They won’t just find me; they’ll unravel everything. The Triad, our dealings...Ma and Ba, Justin and Lily.”

His eyes flickered at the mention of our family, as if it had finally sunk in. This wasn’t some sibling rivalry. This was about the empire our family had built, the precarious tower of cards that could collapse with one wrong move.

“Everything we’ve done, everything we are—it’s under threat, Alex. And I won’t let your stupidity be the thing that brings us down.”

Alex straightened up, his resolve hardening as he met my gaze. “I’m not the enemy, Nathan. But fine, I’ll back off. For the family.”

“Make sure you do.” My warning was a low growl, a promise of violence that hung between us unspoken.

Without another word, I turned on my heel and walked away, leaving Alex leaning against the wall, Neon and Javi watching me with wary eyes. As I exited Venom, the cool afternoon air hit me like a splash of water, sobering my rage-fueled high.

It was then that the weight of the situation settled on my shoulders, the possibility that this mess with Alex could spiral out of control. It wasn’t just about my survival anymore. Abby’s life was tangled up in mine, her fate linked to the decisions I made.

“Shit,” I muttered under my breath, thinking about her green eyes and the way she’d looked at me last night, full of desire and something close to affection. My chest tightened at the thought of losing that, of losing her.

But I’d known her for a few days…and even if I thought I was falling for her, it would pass.

I needed to decide what I was going to do with her.

And I needed to decide tonight.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Abby

Iwas scared.

But also bored.

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