Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
L et me work. I will get in touch with you later.
You better. He cut contact, and she felt mildly bereft. Was it strange to want that connection?
Emily strolled leisurely down the bustling city streets, the rhythmic hum of traffic serving as a backdrop to her thoughts. Despite her Uncle Ming’s eagerness to meet with her, she took her time navigating the crowded sidewalks, allowing herself a moment of respite amidst the chaos of the urban landscape.
As she walked, Emily observed the eclectic mix of people bustling past her. Some clutched drinks or were laden with shopping bags, others dressed in sharp suits and carried sleek briefcases. They were the upstanding citizens of the town, their polished exteriors masking the complexities of their lives.
Emily felt like a lone figure amidst the sea of faces. Her own life was so divergent from the conventional norms of society. She had never quite fit into the mold of the upstanding citizen, and as she made her way through the city streets, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of detachment from the world around her.
Emily approached the high-end Chinese restaurant with a sense of apprehension. Once a place of cherished memories from her childhood, the sight of the golden lanterns adorning the sign only reminded her that her childhood had been a lie.
She pushed open the ornate doors and stepped into the elegant establishment. Emily’s gaze swept over the opulent surroundings, taking in the rich Chinese decor. Intricate tapestries adorned the walls, their vibrant hues complemented by the soft glow of overhead lanterns. They cast a warm, inviting light over the space.
The air was thick with the aroma of exotic spices and sizzling dishes, mingling with the murmurs of conversation and the clinking of silverware against fine china. Emily couldn’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia as memories of family dinners flooded her mind, though now tainted by the lies that had hidden beneath her family’s smiles.
Her attention turned to the servers gliding gracefully between tables, their slim black dresses accentuating their graceful movements as they attended to the needs of the restaurant’s discerning clientele. Each one wore flawless makeup and carried themselves with an air of professionalism that spoke to the establishment’s reputation for impeccable service.
She looked completely out of place in her yoga pants, but nobody would say a thing as her uncle sat in the back at his private table and motioned her to join him.
As Emily took her seat, she couldn’t shake the sense of unease that lingered within her. In this elegant sanctuary of fine dining and sophistication, she found herself grappling with the complexities of her own identity. Her brief conversation with Logan had her questioning everything she thought she knew about the world.
Her uncle wiped his double chin. He was overly fond of his own establishment’s food, and it showed. “Emily, you look well, all things considered. ”
“I’m tougher than I look,” she said in a deadpan voice. There was no need to pretend they liked each other anymore. This was her last job.
Uncle Ming motioned to one of the attractive servers. “Jing, get Emily the sweet and sour soup.”
Emily wanted to tell him to go to hell. That soup had been her and her mother’s favorite. “I’m not hungry.”
He almost sneered at her. “You will eat.” His phone rang, and he picked it up and listened for a few seconds before he slapped his hand on the table and began swearing in Chinese. He spoke too quickly for Emily to understand the conversation. Her skills were rudimentary, and after her mother died, her father stopped teaching her his language.
Her family always spoke in English when she was around. They had many opinions about her birth, and they wanted to make sure she understood them.
The waitress brought her the soup, and she took a sip while Ming finished yelling at the person he was speaking with. He slammed the phone down with another curse.
“That was my contact. There is limited information on Dark Industries. I know you have infiltrated that building before, but the security on the top floor is... unconventional.”
“What does that mean?”
“My contact is unsure what it is. There are no worries or outward signs of a security system.”
“Then it is hidden. I have had to find the source on many occasions. What has you so twisted up about this job?”
Ming stared at her. “Dark Industries owns the building. I was unaware of that fact when I sent Mito in. I committed to this job and must complete my obligations.”
Emily had wondered why Ming was willing to let her go. He was in a no-win situation. He likely thought the penthouse at Dark Industries was an easy mark when he made his comment to the buyer. Now, he had to deliver, and since he already lost his best man, he was willing to sacrifice his best thief. She would complete the mission or die, and he knew it.
“Tell me about the item I am procuring. Perhaps the nature of it will give us some hints about its security measures.”
Ming huffed. “There is nothing else like it in the world. Nobody can figure out how it was created.”
“What is it?”
“A purple pearl.”
Emily frowned. “A freshwater pearl is hardly rare. They come in a variety of colors.”
“This is not a freshwater pearl. It looks like one, but it is the size of a small orange, and the exterior seems... alive.”
“What?”
“The light within swirls and moves. I saw it but I can’t accurately describe it. Some believe it’s some kind of egg.”
“Then it isn’t a real jewel.”
Ming leaned forward. “I don’t give a fuck if it is real. The buyer believes it is and will pay one billion dollars for it. You do this, and you are out. That is the agreement.”
She should have known Ming was getting a hefty payday, but a billion dollars for a pearl that may or may not be fake? That was unheard of.
Emily kicked herself for the comment. She didn’t care if the pearl was worth two bucks. It was priceless to her. Its acquisition bought her freedom.
“Of course. That is an excellent deal. For both of us. Is there any other information on the penthouse floor? Guards or encrypted key cards.”
Ming nodded. “The only security we know of is the guard at the elevator. Monster of a man who doesn’t smile. He gives me the creeps, and that is hard to do. ”
Emily was surprised Ming was speaking so candidly about the heist. They usually communicated in code, but she noticed a few men in black suits walking around with bug detectors. Her uncle was done playing by the FBI’s rules, it seemed. At least while he was in the midst of his largest score ever.
“Do you know who owns Dark Industries?” she asked.
“Lothos Dark. I met him once. You breech when he is away from the business.”
“Where does he live?”
“I don’t know. We found his name in the land titles registry, but there are no other properties listed under his name. He is like a ghost. If he didn’t own this building, I wouldn’t know he existed on paper.”
“Many criminals avoid public records of any kind. The question is why he allowed his name on this building. It is fairly new.”
“Yes. They finished construction on it last year,” Ming said.
Emily took another sip of her soup. It was the last time she would have it. At least from this restaurant. “Do you have my documents ready?”
Ming had told her when she started working for him, he had a legal document holding her to her father’s debt. He said he would give her a letter of release, and she wouldn’t do squat without it.
Ming pulled an envelope from his inside jacket pocket. He unfolded the letter and signed it in front of Emily.
Her name was laid out with the conditions of their agreement. Hand over the pearl to Ming’s son, and her debt was paid. Emily would never be asked to return to the family again.
Ming was an asshole and a criminal, but he had a reputation for keeping his end of a contract. If he said he would do something, then he would. Sure, he would stab you in the back the next time you met and likely try to steal back the item he sold you, but while he was under contract with you, he stuck to the deal.
She picked up the pen Ming had used to sign the document and added her signature below his. It was done. She either died tonight or bought her freedom.
“I will do some more recon on the building tonight. If I can see a hole in their security, I will breach.” She stood up without further comment. There was nothing to say. If things went right, this was the last time she would see her uncle.
Emily emerged from the restaurant with the taste of uncertainty lingering on her tongue as she stepped out into the cool mid-afternoon air. She navigated the crowded streets with practiced ease, her senses attuned to the subtle rhythms of the surrounding city.
It wasn’t until she had walked two blocks that her intuition alerted her to the presence of a man trailing behind her. Though she had never seen him before, his resemblance to her uncle’s henchmen was unmistakable. They were all muscular, Chinese men in their thirties, each possessing a formidable aura of martial arts expertise.
She paused momentarily, feigning interest in a purse displayed in a nearby window, all the while using her peripheral vision to watch the man’s movements. His calculated demeanor betrayed his intentions as he stopped, pretending to wait for the traffic to clear before crossing the street.
Emily felt a surge of apprehension as she realized that her uncle was following her. It had been years since he had taken such a direct interest in her activities, and the implications of his sudden surveillance left her with a sense of unease.
Did Ming honestly believe that she would stoop to stealing from him? Despite her prowess as a thief, Emily knew that no amount of money was worth the consequences of crossing her uncle. With his almost unlimited resources and unwavering determination, Ming posed a threat that she dared not underestimate.
All she wanted was out of this life. Hell, she would rather work as a waitress at a greasy diner than pull another job for Ming.
Every job was harder than the last. She often wondered if he was trying to test her. To see how good she really was. Or he simply wanted her to die. It was likely a bit of both.
There was no stopping the man from following her. She didn’t want to alert Ming she was onto him, so she picked up the pace and jogged home. He could sit outside her building and wait. And she would be sure he saw her leave.
The doorman in the lobby smiled when she entered. “Good day, Miss Liu.”
Emily smiled back. “Hey, Martin.” She made her way to the elevator and went up. After entering her apartment, she took out the camera and flipped through a few pictures before downloading them to her laptop.
She made her way to the bathroom and peeled off her clothes after turning on the water. She needed a shower and a nap. Recon would not go quickly when she had so little information to start with.
She stepped into the shower and allowed the water to soothe her body. Her mind reached out before she realized what she was doing.
Logan?
Yes, beauty.
She smiled as the water traced her slim form. Who knew dragons loved to flirt?
Only with his chosen.
She stilled in the water . Did that mean he chose her?
Yes. The word echoed in her mind as she grabbed a towel. She wrapped it around herself, went to the bedroom, and threw on a long T-shirt.
She climbed into bed and closed her eyes. She had taught herself to sleep when needed.
Maybe when my life belongs to me, I will choose you too. She drifted off to the feeling of fingers running over her hair.