Chapter One
He ignored the first doorbell. The second ring vibrated through the metal rimmed sink. Aiden dove to the ground, crawling. He hid behind the wall beside the front door. His hands still dripped of soapy water, clutching a gun hidden away in the black ottoman. He held his breath.
His stepmother approached the door as the doorbell rang a third time.
His hands tightened. He braced his body. He refused to even blink.
She flung the door open.
“Hello, Mrs. Hui! Can we talk to you about our Lord and Savior today?”
A beat of silence reverberated through the house.
Aiden sighed, relaxing against the wall. He pulled his hands out of the ottoman and pushed it away.
“I’m not Mrs. Hui. We Chinese people do not change our last names when we marry. It’s Ms. Yin for you. Or Yin Mei. Remember—our surname goes first, not later,” his stepmother snapped.
Aiden pulled himself off the ground and shuffled into the kitchen. He sunk his hands back into the sink of soapy water, finishing the rest of the dishes. He, and the rest of the family, had forgotten about the random wanderings of religious folks in their neighborhood.
Unexpected visitors were never good news—especially when one’s family was part of the mafia.
“Can they even convert anyone this way?” He Bao groaned, sauntering into the kitchen. Just as Aiden placed the last clean dish onto the rack, his stepbrother dropped a new dirty bowl into the sink. He stared at the dried soy sauce caked against the white porcelain. Swallowing his sigh down, he reached for the sponge and began scrubbing.
His stepmother slammed the front door shut and marched into the kitchen. “He Bao! Where’s Zhu Zhu?”
He Bao shrugged. “She’s still hiding.”
“Why?”
“I dunno.”
“That silly girl—I swear if she’s just hiding away so she can do her stupid drawings. He Bao, go get your sister. We have lessons tonight.”
“Zhu Zhu! Stop hiding! The weirdos are gone anyway!” He Bao stomped upstairs.
Aiden awkwardly finished washing the bowl He Bao threw in and left it on the drying rack. He kept his head low to sneak around his stepmother, but instead, she latched her hand onto his wrist. His heart sank.
“I am going to need you to reconsider your choices once more, Xiao Hui.”
“Ge said it’s fine.”
“Your brother doesn’t have time to think about you. You should not be selfish and help him. Take the time to think about what’s best for him and this family.”
She dragged him to the couch in the living room, pushing him down. With a sigh, she stroked his cheek. “Look at you. Pale as a ghost. Scared as a cat. Drop out of that silly little state college and enroll where our family has power. Your brother will thank you for it.”
It was at times like these that Aiden wished his brother still lived with them.
“You’re right. I’m weak.” He steeled his eyes to meet her, but he couldn’t hide his shaking hands in his lap. He gulped several times to force his voice to stop quivering. “That’s why I shouldn’t be part of the family business.”
His stepmother stared with brows furrowed. “Do you have no ambition to even help?”
“What if He Bao or Zhu Zhu doesn’t want to be involved?” The quivering returned.
“He Bao and Zhu Zhu are not like you.” She rose from the couch with shoulders squared. “They will be part of Infinite, just like me. Like your brother and your dad. They areyoungerthan you, Xiao Hui, and they understand that what’s best for the family is what’s best for them.”
With her nose stuck in the air, she marched off toward the master bedroom. “At least vacuum the house while I take He Bao and Zhu Zhu out for lessons.”
“Okay,” Aiden mumbled, shoulders stiff. He finally breathed at ease when he heard the garage door open and the engine of the car zooming away.
