Criminal Love

15. What If...

After 3 months of working tirelessly at the gallery to make it look like a legitimate business, it is time for the grand opening.

Nonetheless, the team has also been working hard at infiltrating the art dealing world. Dylan has contacted most of his former associates, and in a few days the couple will go to Key West to gather more information about who's been stealing Picassos all over the national territory; they need to get invited to The Russian's Fourth of July Celebration at all costs because he is the man behind each one of the forged copies found at the robbed locations.

Yue is at home getting ready for the launching event. Once more, Dylan took her shopping because he said it is mandatory to wear new clothes on special occasions: it gives you the confidence and oomph required to carry yourself with posture and poise.

Yue has learned to agree with him: clothes do make the man, or the woman, in her case.

As soon as Yue is ready, she opens the door, expecting to see Dylan as usual. He warned her to be on time, otherwise he threatened with a less than believable tone that he would leave without her, because, even though the situation may be somewhat phony, Dylan values what the gallery represents for him. If it all goes well, he plans on keeping it as his own business after he finishes cooperating with the FBI. He would like the Wang Gallery to operate and generate a proper income for him and perhaps a future family, although sometimes the thought of what's to come scares him a lot.

Yue knows Dylan's reputation in the art world is on the line with this event, he would never be late for it. Yet, he is not there to see that she was punctual for once. An inkling tells Yue there is something off about Dylan's tardiness.

As she waits for him to come out, Yue decides to eavesdrop, getting close to the door as discreetly as possible in case someone sees her. What she overhears surprises her: Dylan is arguing with someone who sounds like another man, and his voice seems irritated. She unashamedly presses her ear and face to the wooden surface to listen better, and it emerges that Dylan is heatedly arguing with the other person.

What is going on in there? Yue doesn't recognize the other voice, but it triggered an unpleasant twinge in her gut. She lowers her eyes and checks her small purse, opening it wide. She glimpses at the gun she is carrying: it's loaded and ready, just in case.

Knock, knock.

Dylan is startled by the noise. He immediately realizes how late it is. That must be Shen Yue.

"Dylan, where are you? Are you ready? We have the opening!" she shouts, holding the gun in her hand inside the bag.

In the apartment, Dylan cautions the man who's with him: "Joel, don't even think about it. Leave her out of this! She has nothing to do with us."

"Is that the chick you're dating? Ha! I wanna meet her!"

Yue hears someone approaching the door quickly and steps back with a decisive glare and the hand still in the purse, clutching the weapon.

"I told you not to..." Yue hears Dylan exclaim uselessly.

"Hello!" A Chinese guy that resembles Dylan a little -only older- opens and checks her up from head to toe with sinister eyes.

This guy is creepy...

"Joel! Eyes off my property!" Dylan darts to the door and stands between Yue and his brother, extending his arms to the sides, acting as a shield. "I told you to leave her out of this! She has nothing to do with you!" Dylan angrily replies, his voice up an octave.

"But maybe she's the means to getting what I want!" Joel tries to peek behind Dylan.

Dylan fiercely slams his hands on the frame. "Damn it! I told you I can't help you! Why are you making this so hard on me?! I'm on parole." He tries to calm down a bit and takes a deep breath when he notices Yue is flinching at his exasperated tone. "Again: I have a tracker on my wrist, and I need to be on my best behavior, try to understand," Dylan explains once more, with his hands still stretched across the entrance, keeping Joel away from his precious señorita. "If I break the terms of my release, I'll go back to jail, and I won't be of use anyway!"