Page 32
I stop and raise a brow. “Maybe three thousand.”
“Don’t give me that look, it reminds me of your brother,” he says exasperated.
“Don’t you think it’s weird he and Tian always know where we are? Or do you secretly like it having your own personal stalker?” I ask, poking him in the stomach.
“You won’t be laughing after today,” he answers, but seems to regret saying the words the moment they leave his mouth.
“Don’t remind me.” I grab him by his collar, pushing him against the wall and he smirks. “Moon knows where you are all the time too. They only do it to keep us in check before we do something to dishonor the family. That’s what pisses me off the most,” I say, letting him go.
“True, we do have a track record.” Eliot laughs that quickly turns into a frown. “They’re both really possessive, don’t you think?”
“I’m just collateral to Tian,” I snarl, while he smirks. “He only does it because Moon asked him to.”
“You sure about that?” he retorts smugly, and I narrow my eyes while baring my teeth at my best friend.
“Relax,” he says, his smile falling a little, “no matter what happens I’ll protect you.”
Why does it sound ominous?
“Let’s go have some fun, before they end both of our lives,” he huffs, sauntering down the stairs. I catch up to him, and he throws an arm around my shoulder.
“Eliot,” I whisper, eyeing the bruises on his neck, “are you really okay?”
“Don’t worry about me,” he says, trying to make light of the situation. “I’m fine.” He rubs a hand over his face. “Let’s get fucking drunk to piss them off. I know a guy who owns a bar not far from here. Nothing is going to happen, I promise.”
He kicks the door of the stairwell open, and the thick warm Shanghai air assaults me.
“Let’s fucking go, and forget about everything,” I tell him, raising my fist to the sky, his smile turning bigger. “They won’t even miss us.”
He clasps his hands together. “The place I’m taking you to also has a rooftop, and no Moon and Tian. This is what we both want, isn’t it?” he asks, waggling his brows.
I wrap an arm around his waist, kissing his cheek. He runs his fingers over my forehead. “Don’t worry, hun, I’ll protect you from him,” he promises as we start to walk. “Let’s forget about it tonight.”
I know Moon probably made him swear with his life not to tell me who I have to marry. I won’t press it anymore and gamble with his life no matter what.
What happened on the roof with Tian was probably some bet he lost with my brother. I watch Eliot’s expression change from thoughtful to angry while we walk to his car; he parked on the side street next to Moon’s black monstrosity. I’m going to get drunk tonight and forget about the asshole who will never be my husband.
“What?” El asks as he opens the car door for me.
I point to Moon’s car. “I saw you looking.”
He flips me off, pushing me into the seat. “You need to get drunk.”
“And forget about the end of my life,” I add as he gets in next to me and starts the car, driving down the crowded Shanghai streets toward our last night of freedom.
1 ABC: American-born Chinese.
Ten years ago, Shanghai
Dash and Tian
I look around the room, the soft hum of the boat engine sounding like a treat. I can hear laughter from the other family traveling through the open door. My head still pounds from the party El and I went to last night. We just got back, and I’m already in hell. Mostly because Moon and Tian were standing outside smoking when we tried to sneak back into the compound. The way they looked at us makes me shiver all over again.
“We’re not related by blood, Jade,” Tian’s brother, War, says. Boss looks bored and Seeky gives me a small reluctant smile. Mi Jin hasn’t looked up from his phone the whole time we’ve been here, and Moon is nowhere to be seen. I know we fucked up by going out, but can he be chill about it. Nothing happened. We’ve been on this fucking boat for an hour already, some monstrosity the head of the family rented, or we own it, no idea. I don’t care because I’ve got more important shit to focus on. I’m about to find out who they pawned me off to.
“That isn’t the point. This is not some marriage market you can sell me off to,” I tell them, raising my voice.
The door opens wider, and in walks Moon, with my adoptive father right behind him.
