Page 31 of Because You're Mine

“Your father doesn’t care what happens to the bitch,” snarled the man from the deck.

Allie knew it was a mistake the second the words left the man’s mouth. She squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head against the hot metal railing seconds before a bullet entered his brain. She bit her lip to keep herself from screaming in horror.

“Li Wei is finished. If I survive this day, I will be taking over his organization when Jay Le Croix has buried him.” His son spoke with deadly authority. Allie tired to flinch away from him when he approached her on the deck.

Ignoring her reaction, he took her arm and dragged it around his waist. He wrapped a strong arm around hers and pulled her off the deck, making sure she was leaning heavily against him. He led her through a door and into the shaded interior of the boat. Allie sighed in relief as the cool air caressed her heated skin and the pain in her head lessened by a degree. Her eyes widened in curiosity and terror as they passed tables of what could only be drugs and drug sorting paraphernalia. The tables were empty of people, having probably been cleared out for her presence. She also saw stacks of bills and a money counter. The dingy room with the fluorescent lighting could have easily been a scene straight out of a movie.

“I would not look too hard, little girl. The plan is to get you out of my father’s mess alive, if possible. I would prefer if you not take my secrets with you,” her captor’s amused voice said over her head.

Allie gasped and quickly unglued her eyes from the neatly stacked rows of white powder bricks. He chuckled at her discomfort and held her upright in one arm while punching in the code to a locked door with his other hand. He opened the door to a small, run down office that was clearly only used for basic business purposes. He helped Allie sit on the couch, where she curled into herself with a sigh of relief.

He strode over to the desk and leaned against it, crossing his arms over his chest. Allie eyed the tail of a dragon tattoo that popped out against his muscular bicep. He caught her eye and said, “I am Feng.”

She nodded slightly and shifted in her seat, trying to get comfortable. Between the itchy fabric of the old couch, her concussion and his flat, relentless gaze, it was difficult. He watched her with a little more interest than Allie was comfortable with. As though he wanted to know what made Allie tick. His next words confirmed his thoughts.

“I did not understand before, but now I start to see why a man who has made his name in the underbelly of this city and all down the coast would throw aside his lucrative trade for a morally superior woman.”

Allie frowned. Was he insulting her? Damn it. Between her naive self and her concussed head she couldn’t tell if he was making fun of her. He must have have seen some of the confusion written on her face.

“The drug boss relentlessly pursues and falls in love with the addictions worker?” he supplied. When he saw understanding in Allie’s eyes, he continued. “This is why my father is so angry. Your boyfriend has been steadily refusing his usual contracts with the intention of retiring from the drug trade.”

Allie gasped and pulled herself up straighter. “I… I didn’t know. I mean, I always suspected that was how Jay got so powerful, but I didn’t know he wanted out… because of me.”

His black eyes searched her face intently. “Yes. Very few of us discuss business with family. It is safer, of course. Involving family, as you have become involved… it is unusual.”

Allie understood. She should never have been taken. Jay took precautions of course, but involving loved ones within an organizational dispute was like declaring war. It was extremely rare. And it wouldn’t go unanswered. Any move against family would be avenged with swift and bloody results.

“Why is your father angry with Jay?” Allie asked quietly. “Why would he break the rules this way?”

“Li Wei has had to renegotiate his docking contracts with other yards, which will cost him millions. He is stuck in the old ways and not willing to look forward and try new methods, as I have many times suggested. He has been losing money for some time, since before Le Croix fucked him on the contracts. Instead of dealing with the losses, he has decided to take revenge and damn his organization in the process.”

Allie stared back at him, her eyes round. She was learning way more about organized crime than she ever wanted to. Her head gave an extra painful throb and she moaned, closing her eyes as the room tilted and dipped. She leaned back and curled her legs up, burrowing into the rough texture of the couch.

“Soon this will be over for you,” he said quietly.

Allie nodded slightly, feeling oddly safe in the small, cool office with him. He was unquestionably the deadly next-in-line of a criminal organization, but he had a still, calm element about him. If he said he would help her get out of this situation alive then she would choose to believe him. She had nothing better to do at the moment than place all of her hopes in this Triad’s basket until Jay showed up.

A sudden banging at the door made Allie cry out and clutch her head in pain. Her captor snapped in annoyance and jerked the door open to reveal an irate Hershel. She was pleased to see his suit looked slightly more wilted, though his stupid sunglasses were still in place. The look Feng gave Hershel spoke volumes on his feelings about the other man. Hershel had only enough self-preservation to somewhat moderate his angry tone.

“I… I want to discuss the bonus Li Wei promised if I delivered the woman,” Hershel announced, clearing his voice a little.

“What exactly, do you think to discuss with me?” Feng drawled.

Allie tensed, wondering if she was about to witness another close range shooting. Did Hershel not see what happened to the other guy that pissed Feng off? God, she was going to need so much therapy after today!

“And why the fuck aren’t we moving away from Jay’s yacht any faster. He’ll be on top of us before we can get out of here. You’re underestimating him if you don’t think he’ll come after her. He never let’s her out of his sight and when he does he never has less than five men on her. We lucked out today. If he catches up to us, we’re all fucking dead,” Hershel said angrily.

Allie closed her eyes and burrowed her face into the crook of her arm, certain Hershel was about to die. But Feng only laughed.

“And you underestimate me,” he said coldly, “if you assume I would share my plans with someone like you. Now tell me about this bonus?”

Allie lifted her head back up, curious in spite of herself. This conversation was like being forced to watch a train wreck. Only the train had no clue it was in the process of derailing.

“Li Wei promised me $50,000 on top of my usual salary if I could deliver the girl within three months. I did what he wanted.”

“Congratulations,” Feng said.

Allie didn’t think he was being sincere.

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