Shanice Wilson, born and raised in Harlem, moves to Atlanta for her new job. The company sets her up in a lovely cul-de-sac in an almost deserted part of the suburbs.
Nate Dylan is the president of the Dead-Eye Angels MC. He rides with his buddies...
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Song: Atomic Punk - Van Halen
The morning unfolds, casting a gentle glow upon Shanice's healing face as she awakens, still groggy from the terrible ordeal she endured just days ago. The diligent doctor we've secured hovers, monitoring vitals, inquiring about Shanice's pain management. When she takes her leave, I waste no time settling beside my daughter. Her skin, pallid and fragile, triggers memories of Serenity's battle with leukemia, flooding me with maternal anxiety. Heavy IVs course through her, and the fatigue manifests in her eyes, stubbornly resisting the urge to open.
At the far end of Shanice's room stands Jin, arms crossed, a sentinel against unforeseen threats. Yet, his eyes speak something different — reluctance. I understand his apprehension, his duty as a Dragon overriding his desire to be with his family. As the doctor closes the door, Shanice musters the strength to inquire about the events leading to her abduction.
"The chauvinistic oaf named Bryan Andrews held you captive, darling." I gently caress Shanice's head. The name sends a shiver down her arms. Nevertheless, I encourage Shanice to share the unsettling details, seeking to untangle the web of her encounter with that horrid beast.
Shanice lays a closed fist to her mouth as she coughs. "I was getting dinner from a Dominican spot on Magnolia Street when the server offered me a free tamarind juice for the long wait."
Passing her a glass of water with a straw, she sips the cool drink and continues, "When I got to my car, I started to feel groggy, and before I could start the engine, someone clocked me from behind." She closes her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Then I woke up in that building with that animal staring me down." Tears wet her cheeks as she recounts the countless days she was held captive and comes to the realization. "I could have died." Her big brown eyes, similar to my own, gaze at me.
"You're free now, baby." I fold my arms around my only child, the fragility of her body a vivid reminder of what she went through. "Your father and I mobilized the Dragons as soon as you failed to show for Thanksgiving." Tears glisten in my eyes as I admit my profound worry, but I swiftly wipe them away before my emotions betray me.
Shanice stiffens in my embrace. Of course, she would. Shanice is a stubborn thing. Ever since her spat with Jin, she's been on a fool's errand, attempting to give Jin something she could never accomplish: an organization as powerful and influential as the Dragons.
Compelling and composed, I narrate the exhaustive search, the pivotal moment she was found, and her return home.
"Jin found you outside the building, your body beaten and bruised. Luckily, he found you on time or—" I turn away, unable to imagine what would have happened to Shanice if that boorish biker hadn't found her. But my daughter doesn't need to know the finer details of her rescue.
Skepticism clouds Shanice's eyes, a fleeting uncertainty I dispel as I tighten my grip on her hands. I turn to Jin and utter a heartfelt "thank you" for rescuing my daughter.
A glimmer of gratitude sparkles in Shanice's eyes as she looks at Jin in the far-end corner.
"Sweetheart, it's time for you to rest. I'll return with lunch within the hour," I whisper.
Nodding in Shanice's direction, Jin follows me out, deftly closing the door behind him. A momentary hush falls as I lift my hand, signaling Jin to withhold his words.
"Do you want to be the next Oyabun of the Asian Dragons? Then you'll do as I say and make my daughter happy." Jin begins to protest, but a sudden stillness envelops him. He takes a measured pause, the weight of my offer sinking in. I am the only person who can change my husband's mind. A flicker of doubt crosses Jin's face, but I also recognize the eyes of an ambitious man. He wants back what he worked so hard for and was ruthlessly snatched away.
Yet, there's doubt. Jin also has someone whispering in his ear — Ichika, his son's mother. The woman whom Shanice unwittingly let ruin her happiness. But I've known Jin since he was a child taken in by my husband when his parents were assassinated. Jin's ambition is his greatest strength but also his weakness.
"And if you bring my daughter back to New York, I'll make you my successor. You'll be the leader of both the Asian and Black Dragons," I add. "Now go keep my daughter company."
With renewed resolve, Jin reenters, a mosaic of concern and elation playing across his features, carefully concealing the intricacies of the pact that has just transpired.
I will do anything to bring my daughter back home, even if I must deceive her.
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