Chapter 4 #2
I often wondered that myself. But I knew that it was pity.
I felt sorry for my mother. First, my dad had an affair and then started another family with that woman.
In recent years, my dad had been openly taking his mistress – instead of the official Mrs. Li – to events.
And last year, at his birthday party, Dad introduced his illegitimate teenage son to all their guests.
That was what triggered all the madness in Mom. She wanted to make sure that I, as the true heir of the Li family, would inherit the family business when the time came. I didn’t really want to meddle in my parents’ business, but I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Mom.
My phone buzzed and it was a simple good night message from the last woman I was dating.
Lucy Zhang.
The only one that didn’t bore me.
The only one that didn’t annoy the hell out of me.
The only one that I didn’t want to finish the to-do list with.
Because I didn’t want to prove my mother right. The list was a powerful one and I couldn’t see any man not falling for Lucy after going through the list.
This trip wasn’t just to escape Lucy. I needed a break from my mother. From my power-hungry family.
My thoughts shifted back to June. It still baffled me, why June would need two bedrooms when it was just her. I knew that she worked hard in her career and deserved anything she wanted in her life. But did she want a roommate?
After a short discussion with Clare and Dave, I had decided that I would use the yoga room. The duo would share the second bedroom – since they had to take turns keeping watch at night anyway, so they wouldn’t both be sleeping, or sharing a bed, at the same time.
I didn’t think that we should use June’s home office at all – there might be sensitive information or data about the business that she might not like anyone to know.
I personally wouldn’t let anyone into my workspace without permission.
My workspace was sacred and I hated it when people disturbed me when I was working or brainstorming business ideas.
Dave had sent instructions to my PI to find out as much information as possible about the residents living in the building.
To me, it was just a routine check. Ever since I was kidnapped, my parents had made it part of daily life to background check every single person that I might meet. Just to keep me safe.
You never think that it’s necessary until bad shit happens. Much like insurance.
I took a peek at June’s room and made sure that she had fallen asleep before calling Lincoln. I didn’t feel comfortable knowing that June might be awake while I talked about her in her own home.
Lincoln didn’t seem too bothered about my lack of communication over the last two years.
My best friend had visited China before and knew what it was like for me out there.
But Lincoln was convinced that if my mother knew about my little fetish and found me a sub, I would say yes to marrying anyone.
I laughed at the idea.
Lincoln couldn’t be more right about me – but that was years ago – what Lincoln didn’t know was that things had changed ever since I saw how in love he was with Chloe. How he had risked everything to find her when she was missing and did whatever he could to protect her.
When I told Lincoln how I ended up staying with June, he was not only shocked, but furious about the incident that happened this morning.
He wanted Mack to be violently tortured and I knew he meant every word.
Through his wife, Lincoln had come across some rather powerful people that he would otherwise never have had an opportunity to meet.
Chloe’s cousin turned out to be the only daughter of a dead legendary Mafia boss and she had the final say in everything in a very powerful organization.
Our conversation took a little over fifteen minutes and I was satisfied with what was being said – because I hated mindless chit chat.
I’d informed Lincoln about my return. Told him about my stay at June’s.
And told him that I would be taking over the big brother duties while he was miles away from her.
Somehow, I found it weird that Lincoln had never heard about Mack, or where June might have known him from. I was curious what other secrets June was keeping from her family.
But both of us had agreed whoever this Mack person was, he might come back or might have an accomplice or two. June shouldn’t be left alone right now and me staying with her was possibly the best way to keep her safe.
I laid on the Lululemon yoga mat trying to ease the headache starting to form due to my jet lag.
I hadn’t slept since I left China, and I was beyond exhausted now.
The kind of exhaustion where every nerve in your body is on strike, like they’ve decided that you will never ever find a position comfortable enough to fall asleep in again.
Perhaps a proper bed might help with that situation. But there was no way I would take the guest room. I owed my guys too much – they signed up to this shit job, risking their lives to protect me 24/7. Making sure that they were properly rested was the least I could do.
I could buy a mattress, or futon, and have it delivered. June wouldn’t mind, would she? Nope! That was too weird. What kind of guest brought their own mattress? Maybe that’s what some people do, but not me. No way.
A knock on the door disrupted my monkey mind and my failed attempt to nap.
“Sir, the building is secure now. Everyone came back clean,” Dave reported.
I sat up as Dave continued telling me everything concerning our security. Dave also took initiative in setting up security for Jenny, as his intel told him that the Law Family were scouring Europe at the moment looking for her.
We both knew that it was only a matter of time before they searched America.
When it came to Jenny, most people thought that she was the vicious one who would kick and scream in public when she went mental.
No one really understood that she had her triggers, and her husband had used that to control her for many years.
“See if you can find out what medicine she takes back home. And try not to alert anyone. I don’t really know what she takes. Maybe some sleeping pills, or Prozac.”
“Prozac? What Prozac?” June stood outside the door, her jaw now almost on the floor.