Page 32 of Because You're Mine

“Yes… well… I want her,” Hershel announced, his greedy eyes gleaming as he pointed at Allie.

She tensed, ready to again cover her eyes when Feng pulled out his gun and disposed of this ignorant dick. But once again, he did not. Allie sighed, unsure if she was relieved or disappointed at Hershel’s lack of deadness. Feng caught her eye and winked before turning his attention coldly back to Hershel.

“You could not handle a woman like her,” Feng said dismissively.

This, of course, infuriated Hershel. “I will take her as payment. Call Li Wei and tell him. He won’t refuse my request.”

Feng stared at him with such chilling intent that Allie was certain Hershel’s demise was imminent. When Feng spoke, his voice was a low growl. “I know how you do your girls, perverted child. Soon, your time will come. That is a promise.”

Allie shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. Hershel’s jaw opened as he processed Feng’s words and the intent behind them.

“What is this, a fucking threat?” Hershel asked incredulously.

When Feng didn’t say anything, Hershel reached for his gun. Allie rolled into a tight ball on the couch, hoping she wouldn’t get hit by a stray bullet. She needn’t have bothered. Feng easily disarmed Hershel and kicked him onto his knees, wrenching his arm behind his back and over his head. For good measure, he broke two of Hershel’s fingers, drawing a scream of pain from the man underneath him. Feng nodded in Allie’s direction, indicating the extra measure was for her benefit.

Allie gave him a strained smile and decided she was extremely glad Jay kept her well insulated from this area of his world. She also hoped very much that Feng was correct and that Jay was getting rid of his illegal assets. Allie considered herself a tough woman, but this was a bit much.

Feng opened the door and handed Hershel off to one of his men. Another approached him and they spoke quietly while Allie strained to hear. She realized they were speaking in their native language anyway and collapsed back on the couch. Running her fingers over the fabric, she decided if she made it out of this alive she was going to buy Feng a new couch in appreciation of his ambiguous friendship. Because his current couch looked like something even crazy old lady cats wouldn’t throw up on.

Her eyes fell on something on the floor. It was Hershel’s gun. It must have fallen during the fight and Feng hadn’t picked it up again. Allie glanced at the door. Feng and his man were standing just to the side; neither would see her if she went for the weapon. Without a second thought, Allie slid off the couch and crawled quickly toward the weapon. Just as she was about to stretch out and reach for it, Feng crouched on the other side and scooped it up off the floor. Allie gasped and scrambled quickly back, cowering against the side of the couch.

Feng stood and strode over to her. Allie flinched as though he was about to hit her. Instead he dropped the gun into her lap. Her mouth hung open as the heavy metal weapon hit her thighs. She looked up at him in confusion.

“If it will make you feel better then keep it,” he said, his dark eyes piercing hers.

She nodded warily and clutched the gun tightly, careful to keep her fingers off the trigger. She had no idea how to use it, but if push came to shove she was going with point and shoot.

“Le Croix has arrived and my men are attempting to negotiate with him,” Feng told her. “He is very angry so it will take a few minutes, I think, before he is willing to listen to reason.”

Allie’s heart leapt in excitement and blood rushed in her ears as reaction to his words flooded through her. She had to breath through a wave of dizziness and concentrate on his next words.

“I believe his plan was to come in with… what is saying… guns blazing? I think he was going to kill everyone and bring you out. Like True Romance. You see this movie?” he asked.

Startled, Allie laughed. “Yes. Patricia Arquette and Christian Slater.”

“It is a good movie.” He seemed pleased she knew what he was talking about. His eyes held satisfaction as he watched her holding tightly to her gun.

Their moment was interrupted by a man yelling down the length of the corridor for Feng. He turned dark eyes on Allie and said calmly, “It looks like Jay Le Croix may be willing to talk.”

He stood and walked toward the door. Looking back toward her, he said, “You shoot anyone that comes through this door that isn’t me, Jay or one of your own people.”

She nodded, understanding. Until Feng had his organization under control, no one within was trustworthy. She hoped he would be okay. She wished he’d taken her out to see Jay so she could plead for his life. She understood why he hadn’t. The atmosphere on the deck would be fraught with tension as they negotiated. Things could go terribly wrong and if they did lives would be lost. Neither Jay nor Feng would want her to be caught in the crossfire.

Allie pushed herself off the floor and onto the couch, dusting her hands off in disgust and resettling the gun in her lap. Feng needed someone to sweep the floor of his office more often. She giggled and shook her head a little. Seriously, Allie? She thought to herself. The big, bad Triad boss needs a housekeeper for his dusty floating drug barge.

She jumped and squeaked in fear when she heard the sound of someone unlocking the door. She hadn’t heard shooting, did that mean the negotiations had been successful? Or did it mean the office was sound proofed? Where was Hershel? Was he free and did he have access to the office?

Allie lifted the gun in both hands and pointed it at the door, putting her forefinger lightly on the trigger. She shook hair out of her face and forced herself to breath steadily so her arms wouldn’t shake too badly. The door opened to reveal Jay and Feng standing together. Allie dropped the gun, letting it clatter on the floor, and gave a cry of relief. She opened her arms and Jay rushed forward, dropping to his knees in front of her.

Tears ran down Allie’s cheeks as she clutched his head to her breasts. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her forward and buried his face in her stomach. She bent her head over his and wrapped her arms around his shoulders and back, touching as much of him as she could. In that moment the years melted away and she knew she would love Jay forever. She only had one future and it was with the man kneeling in front of her.

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