Mindy crouched to the body and picked up all the bullets.
“We've got to go—we've got to gonow.” Brendan’s hand clasped Aiden’s firmly. He pulled Aiden, but Aiden dug his heels in.
“She’s our ticket to safety.” Both of his hands clasped around Brendan’s. He looked into those wide, blue eyes. “I’ll tell you everything. I promise. Please, just trust me. You almost died.” He shivered at the thought. If he and Mindy had been a few seconds late, the assassin would have drawn his gun, pointed it at Brendan’s head, and fired. Brain matter would have exploded alongside a spray of blood, and Brendan's body would have slumped to the ground like a puppet with cut strings. Aiden squeezed his eyes shut, trying to shake the vision, but the closeness of it happening sent tears rolling down his cheeks. He grabbed Brendan’s hands even harder. “You almost died because of me…”
The idea of it broke Aiden to pieces.
A few seconds of silence passed, save Mindy’s rummaging of the body. Aiden expected Brendan to push him and run from the madness. Instead, Brendan wrapped his arms around his back, and the warmth of his body covered Aiden as it always did. “I was looking everywhere for you.” Brendan’s voice shook. “I couldn’t find you.”
Brendan suddenly tensed, and Aiden pulled away to see Mindy approach with a small plastic bag.
“What’s that for?” he asked.
“Can’t leave any bullets behind,” she said and pocketed it. She glanced at the buildings around them. “I love apartments near colleges. There’s so much partying and drinking that no one even blinks an eye when they hear suspicious noises.”
Without any further comment, she walked in the opposite direction of where they left the car. “Follow along, boys. You can catch the prince up in the car.”
“Prince?” Brendan asked.
“It’s what she calls you—that’s not where we left the car.”
“We’re not using the same car,” she said.
Her heels echoed against the road.
“You’re certain we can trust her?” Brendan whispered.
Aiden nodded. Cautiously, he linked fingers with Brendan, but the boy held immediately at his wary invitation. He looked to Aiden with complete faith, and Aiden was reminded again of Brendan’s fateful words to him.
Whatever you want.
Aiden wanted to live. He wanted to thrive. He wanted to ensure Brendan’s safety. With warmth surging through him, he held Brendan’s hand and followed after the mysterious woman who appeared when he needed help the most.
Chapter Thirteen
Zhu Zhu entered He Bao’s room without knocking, slamming the door behind her. He turned his face in the direction of the door, already prepping an act of fury only to relax at the sight of his sister. “Can I help you with something?” he asked as he closed his laptop, continuing to lie in bed.
“Look at this.” She held out her arm, and a bracelet dangled. The jewels sparkled in the light, and each gemstone was carved in a uniquely abstract shape. “It’s hideous.” She flopped onto the mini couch in his room.
“It’s expensive. That’s all that matters. A gift from your future groom?”
“That’s disgusting—don’t say it like that. Talks about marriage won’t happen until after college,remember? Ma made it very clear.”
“You don’t approve?”
Zhu Zhu stared at him. “And why would I ever approve of this?”
“Transactional relationships. We engage in them all the time. Ma engaged in it, Ba engaged in it, and everyone else engaged in it. I’m sure the Yang guy knows that. This is all just a show of understanding that alliance.”
Zhu Zhu shook her head. Laying on her back, she drew pictures in the air. Art that her mother insisted she stopped because they wasted her time and energy.
“Is this what you want?” she asked. Her hands gripped a nonexistent brush.
He Bao opened his laptop again. “It’s what Ma wants.”
“Yeah, but is this whatyouwant?” Zhu Zhu played with the gold studded earrings that cut into her neck with every swing. She briefly considered dragging them out of her ears with blood splaying and skin torn but her mother’s voice, lecturing about the importance of appearance and the lack of scars needed in such good looks, dissuaded her more than any pain.Like I’m a mannequin of some sort.
He Bao sighed, tossing his laptop to the side.
