by Taylor Lee
Any concerns Nianzu might have about Bai’s state of mind evaporated when they walked in to the meeting room. He turned and gazed at his beloved friend, the man who was the recipient of twelve respectful bows. It was as though a cloak of grace had settled over Bai’s shoulders. Nianzu watched with pride as Bai greeted each of the leaders, all of whom were there because Bai requested their presence.
By the end of the meeting, two things were clear. The Brotherhood would not be formed this evening, if ever; and war between the Rongue Ri and the Sing Leon was more likely, if not inevitable.
“You were fucking amazing, Bai. I will never forget Gui Li’s face when you said, ‘Sir, it takes more courage to end violence than to be violent.’ Damn, I think even he had the grace to be embarrassed.”
“Ah, Nianzu. So true. But do not forget. Before the meeting Feng got to every man there tonight with a stark warning--join the Brotherhood and you are the sworn enemy of the Rongue Ri.
“Ultimately Gui and the others are correct. It is easy for us, for me, as the leader of the Sing Leon, to talk about non-violence. I head up the fucking most violent Tong in the country and I personify that violence.”
“But Bai, no one there said they were opposed to the Brotherhood. Hell, how could they? You took them back to the roots of the Tongs and reminded us all of the founding principles -- kindness, righteousness, wisdom, and bravery. Goddamn, when you told the story of the Four Brothers I thought Nui Sima was going to cry. He said he hadn’t heard those principles articulated since his grandfather died. Hell, Bai, there were more than a few teary looking eyes when you finished your appeal. I was damn proud of you.”
“Thank you, Nianzu. But the message is clear. Two weeks ago, it looked like we were going to prevent a Tong war and the timing for the Brotherhood seemed auspicious. Since I killed Wichi Fan, none of the minor Tongs are willing to step forward until I clean up the mess that I made. In other words, they all need to know that I can and will take on Feng Zhang, or they aren’t willing to follow me.”
He was quiet for a moment, adding, “The challenge is clear. I fight the war the Brotherhood was intended to prevent or the Brotherhood is dead. A hell of a choice, wouldn’t you say?”
They rode for several miles in silence. Finally, Nianzu spoke, his voice breaking. “Bai, you haven’t said it, but I will. If Elena and I hadn’t gone to the saloon, tonight would have been the beginning of the Brotherhood. Instead, tomorrow we begin to plan the war that you spent the last two years trying to prevent.”
Bai’s sigh was audible. “It is what it is, Nianzu. It fucking is what it is.”
Nianzu didn’t know which hurt more, the anger behind Bai’s words or the crushing disappointment. He knew he would never forgive himself for having caused both.
~~
Chapter 29
Elena finished her bath, impatiently watching Francine brush her hair.
Francine’s voice was filled with wonder. “Miss Elena, you have the prettiest hair I’ve ever seen. I know for sure all the men agree. All I ever hear is them talking about the fiery haired woman.”
“Thank you, Francine. I think people like it because they are surprised by the color.”
“No, Miss, I think it is more than that.” Francine smiled and blushed.
“What else?”
“At least the men—they like it because it is so – how do you say it – fantaisiste, wild!”
“Hmm, you may be right about that, Francine,” Elena said, thinking about how Bai wanted her to put her hair down and how he kept burying his face in the loose curls. “Francine?”
“Yes, Miss.”
“What does chatte mean?”
“Miss Elena!” Francine turned bright red and jumped back, her hand to her mouth. “Miss Elena, you mustn’t ever say that! Nice ladies don’t say that.”
“But, what does it mean? Is it like pussy?”
“Miss Elena!!”
“Oh Francine, don’t be a ninny. Do you think I am a child? That I don’t know anything?”
Francine’s eyes widened. She looked at Elena as if seeing her for the first time.
Elena giggled to herself. Even though she didn’t speak Chinese, she understood enough to know that some of the women in the kitchen were talking about her when they came from Bai’s chambers carrying his bed linens. She also heard Angel and Francine whispering, then they both blushed and stopped talking when she came in the room.
She gave Francine a sunny smile and continued with a wink, “I don’t want to shock you but tell me, if I asked someone to touch my chatte, am I saying it correctly? Would he know what I mean?”
Francine turned an even brighter shade of pink but appeared to have given up being shocked. She said in a pained voice, “Yes, Miss, I am quite sure he would know what you meant.”
“And if I wanted to use some special French names for his …”
“Miss Elena!!”
“Oh, for God’s sake, will you stop saying that and just help me?”
~~~
For the next half hour, Elena sat with pen and paper and a blushing Francine and made a phonetic list of French names for his beautiful cock.
Elena waited until she was sure that Francine had left for her quarters, then tossed aside the cotton nightgown Francine had laid out for her. She went to her closet and instead brought out a beautiful silk nightgown and robe Lei had given her months ago, but that she had never worn. She put it on, smiled at her reflection in the mirror, and shivered thinking about what Bai would do when he saw it. Making sure no one was in the garden, she slipped out of her chambers and ran through the cool dark night to Bai’s chambers. Her eyes and body were dancing with excitement and anticipation.
She sat in the armchair beside the fire dozing, her silky nightgown clinging to the damp curves of her body. She waited for him all evening, not sure when he would return, and sprang up eagerly when she heard Bai and Nianzu’s voices in his office next door.
Minutes later, he came through the doorway between his office and his chambers. By the time they reached Los Vistas, Bai had forgotten the role Nianzu had played, forgotten Nianzu existed. The anger, the disappointment, the hope, the fear, and ultimately the fury – all the emotions he had felt throughout the evening came down to one person—Elena.
Seeing her there, safe, beautiful and oblivious -- his relief turned to rage. He knew he was angry at many things other than her, but it was her he wanted to punish. Punish her for the worry she caused him, for the fear he felt, for not listening to him. And he wanted to punish her for being here when he had been terrified she’d be gone.
“Why are you here?” His voice was cold, hard. He didn’t hide the anger he was feeling.
She rose when he entered a shy, excited look on her face. When he spoke, she stepped back, surprised, then paled at the anger in his voice.
“What…what do you mean?”
He saw the hurt in her eyes and heard the fear in her voice.
“Why aren’t you in your chambers?”
Her eyes widened with surprise. She took an audible breath then asked, “What happened, Bai?”
He glared at her.
“A better question is what didn’t happen?”
He strode over to his cabinet, took out a bottle, and poured himself a large glass of bourbon. He tossed back half of the fiery amber liquid, something he rarely did. He loosened his collar, lit a cigar, and sunk down in one of the armchairs by the fire. He took a sip of bourbon and several puffs off his cigar, searing her with a harsh glare.
“Since you inquired, something that I’ve been working on for nearly two years fell apart tonight.”
“I’m sorry, Bai.”
“You know what, Elena? You should be sorry because you had a lot to do with it falling apart.”
Her face flushed and her eyes darkened. She studied him for a moment, then asked in a quavering voice, “Because of what I did at the saloon?”
“Yes, because of what you did at the saloon.”
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He ran his hands through his hair, an irritable gesture.
“Oh Christ, it probably wasn’t going to work, regardless of what you did.”
He sat in his chair, staring at the fire for what seemed like hours, then walked over to the fireplace with his drink in his hand. He stoked the fire and threw on several more logs.
He turned back to her and took a sip of his drink. His expression was stern, hard.
“This isn’t going to work, Elena.”
“What isn’t?” Her voice was quiet, her face pale.
“This,” he said, gesturing toward her. “You and me.”
She looked at him in surprise. Her lips quivered but she took a breath and continued looking at him. Her voice was soft, tremulous. “It seemed like it was working last night… and this morning.”
Her eyes were dark, her face was astonishingly pale. At least she didn’t look like she was going to cry. He shook his head and stared back at the fire.
“I love you, Bai.”
He whirled on her. “Please, Elena.”
His voice was harsh, angry. More than anything, he was disgusted.
“You have no idea what you are saying. You are such a child. You think you can make everything go away, make everything all right if you say you’re sorry. Or if you say something sweet or look beautiful or wiggle your ass!”
He glared at her.
“Do you think I am your father or your grandfather? Well, I’m not, Elena. I’ve watched you manipulate them for weeks now. Just so you know, it disgusts me.”
She grew paler. If anything her eyes opened wider, but she didn’t answer.
He looked away, then said with a snort, “Christ, I can’t even fuck you.”
“Why not?”
He was surprised at her matter of fact response. His voice dripped with distain. “Because in the event you don’t know, your cunt is not ready for the way I intend to fuck you.”
She flushed and looked down for a moment, then said, “Oh.”
Bai thought, Christ, I have to show her why this won’t work. She has no idea who I am, what I am. What this little child-woman needs is a lesson, she needs to understand what she is up against.
“Then again, why not, indeed?” he snarled. “Come here, Elena.”
~~~
She stared at him in surprise and stepped back when he put his drink down on the mantle. He stood with his back to the wall and opened his white silk shirt, nearly to the waist. Elena gasped at the sight of his hard muscular chest with the fine black hair trailing down his stomach to the top of his trousers. He rolled up his shirt sleeves and unbuttoned the top buttons of his pants. She stared at his erection, visible from across the room, and choked at the anger in his eyes.
“I said, come here.”
He ran his hand through his dark tousled hair. With a sardonic grin, he pointed to a place in front of him. “Here, kneel here.”
She trembled then took a deep breath and walked over to him. She bit her lips nervously, then sunk to her knees where he was pointing.
“Take it out. Take my cock out of my pants.” His voice was curt, commanding.
She swallowed hard, her eyes focused on the huge bulge in his trousers. Her fingers were shaking, but somehow she managed to get the buttons of his trousers undone. Trembling, she looked up at him imploringly, but he just puffed on his cigar.
“Now, Elena. Take it out now.”
She forced her hands to stop shaking. With a determined sigh, she reached up and pulled his pants down his thighs. His cock sprung out hard, long, and thick. She started, but managed to keep from jumping back in fright. Instead, she closed her eyes tight squeezing back tears and buried her face in the wiry hair on his groin.
She heard him gasp and felt his cock twitch beside her face.
His voice was harsh, unrelenting.
“Suck it.”
“This?” She asked incredulously, pointing to his pulsing cock.
“Yes, damn it. What the fuck do you think I am talking about?”
She tried to cover her panic and keep her voice calm. “I…I don’t know how.”
“You are such a child,” he said in disgust.
She sat back on her heels, trying to ignore the huge fleshy hard thing in front of her face and frowned. She said in a crisp, annoyed voice, “No, I’m not a child! I just haven’t done it before.”
“Well, bebe, you better learn, because you’re going to be doing it a lot.”
“Why?”
“What the hell do you mean, why?” His lips twitched.
“Why will I be doing it a lot? Is it something you like?”
“No, I don’t ‘like’ it. I just want to watch you try to get all of this in your mouth and suck me off and, then swallow every drop of my cum and see if you choke to death in the process.”
“Has that ever happened?”
“Jesus Christ, has what ever happened?”
“Has someone choked to death?”
“Not to my knowledge.” He shook his head, a grin tugging at his lips.
“That’s reassuring,” she said tartly. “At least if you don’t know, that must mean someone didn’t die in the process at your instigation.”
~~~
Jesus, she was not to be believed. Little by little his anger lessened, replaced first by surprise at her sauciness, then by desire.
“Elena, open your mouth. I think I have found the best way to make you stop talking.” He grabbed her hair and tipped her head back, bringing her face close to his groin.
“Are you going to come in my mouth? Is that how you do it?”
“If I want to.”
He fought back a grin. He couldn’t help it; the feisty little scamp had him almost laughing when he was getting ready to fuck her mouth!
“And…if you do, what do I do with the stuff that comes out of you?”
“Be quiet, Elena. Do as I tell you.”
She frowned. “I need to understand.”
He shook his head in mock anger.
“I said, be quiet.”
She ignored his command.
“If you come in my mouth, does that feel good? I mean, do you like the way it makes you feel? Is it anything like coming in my pussy?”
He looked at her beautiful sensuous mouth. It was tight, maybe as tight as …He closed his eyes and groaned. His legs trembled as he shuddered.
“Jesus God, Elena.”
Still sizing up his cock, Elena tried to delay. Seeing how big he was, she knew how unlikely it was she could get all of him in her mouth. When she heard his passionate groan, she pushed back against his thighs and looked up at him in wonder. His face was taut, flushed. She saw it was with passion not anger. She also saw the desire in his eyes was now more intense than his anger had been. To her amazement, his cock seemed to be getting even bigger, harder.
Seeing the strain on his face, she looked at his cock with growing interest.
“Can I do whatever I want with it?”
She reached out tentatively and touched him. She smiled to herself when his cock twitched.
“No, damn it. For once can you do what I tell you to do?”
“Fine! Well, at least in the beginning,” she sniffed.
“No, damn you – always!”
She ducked her head and smiled. “We’ll see.”
“Suck me -- on the end first. Lick the slit.”
She was startled, surprised at the pearly substance on the tip of his cock. She tentatively stuck out her tongue and took a quick lick. For a moment, she hesitated, then reached out and sucked off the rest of the pearly liquid. She was surprised, intrigued by the salty, earthy taste.
When she put her mouth on him, it was as if she had shocked him. His strong thighs shook; he gasped, his face was tight with fierce anticipation, need. She turned back in appreciation to the amazing organ that she held in her hands and began to rub up and down the length of it.
He groaned and widened his stance, then pulled her closer to him. In
harsh guttural tones he instructed her, guiding her hands and mouth with his hands and voice. He held her hair tightly bound in one fist to keep her head in place.
The more she touched him, the more of him she wanted. To her surprise, she loved the feel and taste of him in her mouth. He groaned and his legs shook.
“I want to come deeper, cherie. Can you take me? Ah, mon petite amour, say yes.”
He tipped her head back and drove deep into her throat, his cock impossibly big.
When she choked, he said, “It is okay, fillete, take a breath. Breathe easy, petite fille. You are okay, oui, cherie?”
She kept sucking, instinctively dragging him in and out of her mouth. She pressed the length of him between her tongue and the roof of her mouth -- sucking and releasing while her hands moved rhythmically up and down his shaft.
“Holy, fucking Christ, Elena! What are you doing?”
She wasn’t sure, but she knew she loved doing it -- especially when she saw what it was doing to him. Sweat poured down his body. The musky male smell that drove her wild was harsher now, stronger. She drank it in, shivering with delight. She loved the salty, tangy taste coming out of him and drove her tongue deep in the slit on the end of him wanting more. He gasped as a hard shudder shook his body.
