Page 92 of Serpent King's Prisoner

“Smart,” he murmured, almost admiringly.

We stepped out of the car, and the cool evening air was a sharp contrast to the heat that had built up inside. My legs stiffened as we approached the door to my apartment building, the weight of Erika’s potential reaction pressing on me more than Nathan’s unpredictable presence.

As soon as the door swung open, Erika launched herself at me, her arms wrapping tight around my frame. “Abby! Where the hell have you been? You can’t just disappear like that!”

“Sorry, babe,” I apologized, patting her back. “It was...complicated.”

“Complicated doesn’t even start to cover it!” she scolded before rounding on Nathan with a ferocity that looked totally out of proportion with her small stature. “And you!” she snapped, poking a finger into his chest. “You think you can just take her and not tell anyone?”

Nathan regarded her with a tilt of his head, an unreadable expression on his face. “She’s safe, isn’t she?”

“Safe doesn’t mean unmissed, you giant oaf!” Erika retorted, hands on her hips. “You…really hot oaf…”

I hid my smile at the sight–Erika, all five feet of fury, taking on Nathan Zhou, whose reputation alone could make grown men tremble. But here he was, nodding respectfully at her chiding. It was almost endearing.

“Point taken,” Nathan conceded, and I used their exchange to slip away towards the bathroom under the guise of needing a moment to freshen up. It bought me the precious seconds I needed without Nathan’s prying eyes following me.

I only needed a few moments. If I wasn’t careful, Agent Matthews would come for me and blow my cover so I needed to get in touch with him…but I also needed insurance.

I needed something to protect myself with.

I reached the drawer under my medicine cabinet where I kept my emergency burner phone and a utility knife. The chilling touch of the utility knife against my fingertips brought a sense of familiarity, a steely resolve running through my veins. I took a deep breath, catching sight of my reflection within the small cabinet mirror. The woman staring back at me looked calm, her eyes holding a determined glint. My father’s words echoed in my mind, their weight growing heavier with each passing moment.

“Sprout,” he’d said, his rough hands tousled my hair when I was still Abby Harper, not the undercover agent I’d become. “Remember, when the stakes are high, that’s when you dig in your heels deeper.”

I shoved the phone and knife into my bag first. With swift movements, I gathered my essentials, disguising them among mundane toiletries in my bag. Each item felt heavier than it should, burdened with the gravity of what they represented–survival.

“Abby?” Nathan’s voice was closer now, just outside the bathroom door.

“Coming,” I called out, ensuring my tone held a hint of annoyance. I hoisted the backpack over my shoulder, feeling the concealed weight of secrets and self-preservation against my back.

“Sorry about her,” I said as I reemerged, gesturing toward Erika who was now fluffing cushions aggressively on the couch. “She worries.”

“Understandably,” he replied with a shrug. “She cares about you.”

Erika didn’t trust Nathan, and she was not going to leave us alone. I could tell. She pretended to check on the plant on the windowsill, eyeing us out of the corner of her vision with a profound lack of subtlety.

Nathan walked up to her. “What’s going on?”

“It’s wilting,” Erika said. “I keep watering it and…”

“You’re overwatering her,” Nathan said softly, smiling at the plant–then speaking directly to it, throwing me entirely for a loop. “You’re fine, aren’t you? You just need a bit more light.”

His gentle tone, so different from the hardened criminal persona he usually wore, surprised me. I watched him move the plant a few inches, adjusting its position towards the window.

“This is a moth orchid, they’re a little fussy. They prefer indirect sunlight, so keep them near the window but away from direct rays. And they like humidity, so water less frequently, but plenty each time,” Nathan instructed, his voice calm and knowledgeable. His hands were surprisingly gentle as he adjusted the plant’s position. “How long have you had it?”

“A couple of months,” Erika replied, her voice softening a touch, clearly intrigued despite herself.

Nathan nodded as he pulled away from the plant, his fingers lingering on the leaves. “She’ll be fine. Just change your watering routine and she should perk up in no time. If she’s still giving you trouble in a week, stop by Grant Avenue Floral and ask for Mr. Lao,” he told Erika without looking away from the plant. “I’ll have him set aside some fertilizer for her.”

Erika looked taken aback by his kind offer, her eyes wide as she watched him. I felt a pang of something–jealousy? No, that wasn’t right. Regret, maybe. Regret for the circumstances that kept us on opposite sides. I dealt my feelings swiftly and silently away.

“Well, thanks,” Erika managed finally, her scowl softening slightly. “I’ll take care of her if you take care of Abby.”

Nathan smiled. “You got a deal.”

As I watched them from a safe distance, my heart pounded against my chest. Erika–so fiercely concerned, yet giving in to Nathan’s charm, and Nathan...he was an enigma. A monster one moment, a gentle soul the next. I didn’t know what scared me more.

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