Adrik
When I claimed her, that was it. I made her mine and betrayed her. She longed for a story that wasn't mine to narrate, so I did the only thing a man like me would-I sent her back. Little did I know the secret she was keeping. The worst of all...
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I'm sitting in the chair Fyodor once sat in. In that seat, I could see every face or movement of the men around the table.
Today, one thing was different. Jiang 'Lóng'Baoli, leader of the triad syndicate in Hong Kong, sits with his daughter, Genji Baoli, to his left hand and son, Xiang Baoli, to his right.
Across from the family is a pissed-off Alexei killing Genji with his glorious stare ten times over. He should be anything but pissed off. I'd run for the hills and never return with a fiance like that.
Genji sits with her red lips down-turned, which I'm starting to believe is a permanent face for her. She did little to hide the colourful ink on her skin with the sheer red dress. Her black hair cascades down her back, and she drags her pointed nails over the table, making threatening codes that Alexei has no idea about.
If I remember my Chinese correctly, she was drawing images of him hanging from a tree and bleeding to death on a full moon—a promise of a deadly marriage.
"With this marriage, I'm offering territory in Russia, and as you know, Alexei will be taking after his father's work in the business." The subject opened his mouth but was smart enough to close it.
"Ah, yes, Mr Mikhailov. I've heard of your new law; no sex or human trafficking—"
"Is there a problem with that?"
"Ah, not at all. I, as well, am starting to put an end to that." He nodded. "It's getting too messy, and instead of paying their expenses, these clients prefer having their heads noosed by ropes."
That was the thing with Jiang. He was a man who earned his title by skinning men alive and performing rituals that a dragon with fire was the last thing they saw and felt before death.
The man had politicians of every country on his friend list, and no one could touch him even if they tried. His hand landed hard on his daughter's moving one, and her nail flew off, making the room silent.
I never questioned Jiang's discipline methods because they were not my concern, but something tells me Genji was no different than me when it came to receiving punishment. She didn't wince or react but with a smile. Her finger bled, and no one did anything about it, even as it dripped onto my fucking table.
Alexei eyed me with a clenched jaw. If his father's eyes twinkled with amusement, he was looking at the wrong man.
That was simply for politics, and if he shoved his fucking immaturity to the side, Genji might not kill him. That woman was a deadly weapon with her sword and no doubt she killed men for her father. He'd never say it, but only the wise could piece shit together.
"And Alexei, you're good with finances? My daughter works with—" He catches himself and clears his throat. "She works online with sales." That means Genji does online fraud. Alexei, on the other hand, knows a thing or two about scamming and finances.
