The Rules Series

by LaShawn Vasser

  Of course, Hahn and the rest of my security team had arrived and were in place to whisk me back to Xiou Manor.

  “Hahn, I would like for you to meet, Brody Windham. He’s been a godsend housing me and allowing me to use his plane on such short notice.”

  Brody and Hahn exchanged a handshake. “My head of security is Jamal Parker. He’ll be handling security for me during my stay. If there is a need to coord—”

  Like rain, a warm splash of liquid covered my face. The next few moments were surreal. Hahn dived on top of me knocking me to the ground. Rapid gunfire exploded all around.

  I turned to see Brody’s body lying on the ground with a gaping hole in his chest. I yelled out his name somehow managing to crawl over to him. I did my best to put pressure over the hole, but there was just too much blood.

  Hahn yelled over to Jamal. “Cover me. We’ve got to get to the car, it’s a beast and bulletproof.”

  Jamal yelled back. “I’ll cover you. GO!”

  Hahn tried to pull me away. “Take him. I can’t stop the bleeding. There’s too much blood! Take Brody first!”

  The chaos lasted for no more than twenty seconds but felt more like forever, trapped in a single moment. By the time the hail of gunfire ended, several of our guys had been hit but none worse than Brody.

  Jamal got into the vehicle with us and was doing his best to administer first aid. “How far are we from the nearest hospital? There’s a faint pulse, but if we don’t get him there soon. He’s going to bleed out.”

  The driver responded. “We can be at the nearest hospital in less than three minutes.”

  “Call ahead. They’ll need the trauma unit.”

  When we arrived at the hospital, emergency personnel met us as we drove up. They quickly placed Brody on a gurney and wheeled him into the emergency room. A doctor was issuing orders left and right. “Send him to OR room 1 immediately.”

  I wanted to be with him. However, a nurse stopped me from following behind. “You can’t be in here ma’am. I’m sorry. The doctors will take good care of him. I promise.”

  I turned to Jamal. “Do you have medical training?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you hurt?”

  “A flesh wound ma’am.”

  “Then go in that OR room and make sure nothing happens to Brody. If someone blinks wrong put a bullet in between their eyes.” I turned to the nurse daring her to try and block my request. She did what a smart woman would do. She moved out of the way.

  Hahn raised a brow. “You’re bleeding.”

  “It’s not my blood, it’s Brody’s. I need to know everything you know, and I need to know it now.”

  Chapter 19

  I listened to Hahn for the better part of an hour as he attempted to fill me in on what he’d found out over the last couple of days. At some point, I’d also contacted Lim because he came rushing through the doors.

  “Gina! Thank God you’re okay.”

  “I’m fine, but I’m angry, and that’s not healthy for anyone.”

  Lim hated when I was in this kind of mood, but I had every right to be. In the last week, there had been three attempts on my life.

  “My response needs to be strong and swift.”

  Hahn nodded in agreement. “The problem is we’ve narrowed it down, but we’re not sure which family is responsible.”

  I turned to Lim. “You might want to go grab a cup of coffee. I have some things to say that I’m sure you don’t want to be privy too.”

  He knew what I was all about and nodded in agreement. “Did anyone else want a cup?” Four sets of eyes stared blankly at him. “No? All right. I’ll be right back.”

  I waited until Lim was out of earshot then nodded for Hahn to continue.

  “Most likely Zheng was behind today’s firefight. He has the most to prove to the Council. We’re still not sure, but the attempt on your life in America could have been between Zheng’s or Ng’s family. But we’re sure it was one of the two. The problem is you can’t go after them directly not if you want to run The Family.”

  I tapped my blood stained fingers against the bottom of my chin. “Funny considering everybody on that Council knows everyone else’s moves. You can’t tell me they don’t know exactly who is trying to move me out of the way. If they expect me to curl up in some kind of ball and cry, they’ve got another thing coming. No. I can’t go after them directly, but I can take out the houses that Zheng and Ng built. Hit them so hard that the China National Space Administration can see them from the heavens.”

  Hahn nodded. “We’ve had eyes on the places all along. All our people need is the word go. However . . . Ng’s family is preparing for a party, there might be a lot of innocent people who’ll get hurt.”

  “I don’t give a shit about those people. Blow up everything. Don’t leave anything behind and that includes the cats and dogs. They wanted a war, so a war is what they are going to get. If you’re waiting for the word go—GO!”

  “I’ll make the calls and make sure everything is set up. In the meantime, I’ll leave Swift and Donner here with you. They’ll make sure you get to Xiou Manor safely.”

  *****

  Lim came back with two cups of coffee. “I figured you could use this.”

  “This is the third time in the last two weeks I’ve been covered with blood. Thank you, but I could use something a little stronger than coffee.”

  “I see Hahn is gone. Where did he go?”

  “Do you really want me to tell you?” The look I gave said, “absolutely not.”

  “No. I suppose I don’t. Is the guy in surgery the one whose house you were staying at in the States?”

  I crossed my arms across my chest. “Yes. He flew here with some crazy idea of protecting me, can you believe that? I think that’s a first. A man in my life who isn’t on my payroll that wanted to protect me. Yet, like a cloud of bad karma, I’m standing outside of a hospital room, praying he doesn’t die, because he has a hole in his chest because of me.” I threw my head back, closed my eyes, and exhaled. Once I felt I had my bearings, I focused on Lim. “Why are you here? It’s obvious there is something important you want to tell me but aren’t quite sure how. Just give it to me straight.”

  “I got a call from Nina’s lawyer. Her status as being alive has been reinstated and recognized by the Chinese government.”

  “That was fast but not unexpected.”

  “No . . . no it’s not. They would like to make a deal.”

  I whipped my head around. “What kind of deal? She’s entitled to half of Chang’s estate. Give it to her if it will make her crawl back underneath her rock.”

  “That’s not all she wants.”

  “There’s nothing else left to give. What could she possibly want?”

  “She wants Xiou Manor and a seat on the Council.”

  “What? How am I supposed to make that happen? I’m not even on the Council yet.”

  “With both Chang and Mr. Wong gone that opens up two seats. Nina is expecting you will win the votes you’ll need for leadership, and she wants you to convince the Council members of The Family to give her a seat. Now that the rules have changed, if you win, technically she can be seated.”

  “Set up a meeting with Nina. Just us. No lawyers. There’s a restaurant across the street. Tell her to meet me there in thirty minutes.”

  Chapter 20

  When Nina arrived, I was already sitting at the restaurant waiting. It wasn’t packed. There were only a few people dining. Mostly, the only noise in the restaurant was the television hanging on the wall broadcasting the news. My eyes turned from the television to stare intently at her.

  I didn’t change clothes or even wash Brody’s blood off of my hands and face. I wanted her to see what living this kind of life could bring to her world.

  Her steps were tentative the closer she drew towards me.

  “If you can’t stomach the sight of blood how the hell do you plan to occupy a seat on the Council?”

  Ni
na took a seat. “That’s always been your problem, Gina. You’ve never known how to handle anything with finesse. You’re like a bull in a china shop.”

  “Just how would you know that? You haven’t been in my life for fifteen years. What do you really want Nina? What will it take to make you go away?”

  “Lim was informed of my demands.”

  “You want half of Chang’s estate. Fine, you can have it. You want the manor? You can have that too, but I refuse to help you get a seat on the Council. I draw the line right there.”

  “Then we don’t have a deal.”

  “So, now what?”

  “Now it’s time for me to go to the United States and beg my daughter for forgiveness.”

  “You’re using your own child against me?”

  “I’m using what leverage I have against you.”

  “You do understand; the moment you step foot into her life, you put her in jeopardy especially if you want a seat on the Council?”

  “I don’t see why it has to come to that.”

  “You’re still that naïve little girl, but now you’re much more dangerous because you put your own daughter’s life at risk to be a part of an organization that you A, don’t have the stomach for and B, never wanted any part of.”

  “Much has changed over the last fifteen years.”

  “Nina, you do realize this puts us on opposite sides of the fence. If you insist on your demands, you’ll become an enemy to me.”

  “I’m a stranger to you, Gina.”

  “No. You were a sister that I loved dearly and held up as an example. A guiding light of the goodness that I thought was still possible even with Chang’s blood pumping through our veins. If you cross the line and become my enemy; I will cut you down without so much as an afterthought.”

  “I figured you would resort to the baser elements of your nature. So, I’ve planned for that. I have several safe deposit boxes scattered throughout the United States. In the event, anything happens to me, or I should suddenly disappear, they are to be hand delivered to one Ms. Cecily Manchetti. She’ll learn the truth about everything.”

  I shook my head. Not in disbelief but in the sheer madness of it all. How could she do this to her own child? Then again, how could Chang do what he did to us? I glanced up at the television then back to Nina. “I won’t fight you over everything you asked for. You’re entitled to half, so you should get half of Chang’s assets. I’ll even give you the Manor. Whatever familial connection we had, just understand, you’ve severed it. You’re a grown ass woman. The days of me thinking I need to protect you are over. So, if you want a seat on the Council of The Family, if I am installed as Chang’s replacement, I’ll work to get you a seat. You win. Just know whatever comes with sitting in that chair . . . you’re on your own.”

  A satisfied grin appeared on her face. “Do you know how long I’ve waited to hear those words? To hear you say, ‘I won?’ ”

  I stood up to leave. But before I left I just had one more thing to say as I burned her with my gaze. “That’s an interesting fireball on the news.”

  Nina turned around only to see Xiou Manor burning to the ground.

  “I hope you enjoy the spoils of your win.”

  *****

  When I made it back to the hospital, Brody was still in surgery. I couldn’t sit still and paced the waiting room anxiously waiting for word. There was zero point in trying to pray for him. Those prayers would never be heard considering everything I’d done up to and including today.

  Speaking of that, Hahn sent me a text. It stated:

  It’s done. Found out who was behind the games in the US and on the tarmac.

  I responded back.

  Who?

  Hahn responded.

  US…Zheng.

  My fingers couldn’t type fast enough.

  Did you call off the party at Ng’s?

  Yes. No fireworks at his house.

  Who was responsible for the tarmac?

  Before Hahn replied, I looked up from my cell to see the physician walking out of the operating room followed by Jamal. Everyone who’d been waiting stood up a little straighter.

  The looks in their eyes said everything I didn’t want to hear.

  He took off his medical cap. “Ms. Lee-Xiou?”

  I could barely get the words out, but I squared my shoulders preparing for the worst. “Yes?”

  “We need to contact Mr. Windham’s next of kin.”

  My eyes did something they hadn’t done since the night Laurette left Xiou Manor. They filled with water. When my cell phone buzzed, I looked down at the screen using it as an excuse to prevent anyone from seeing the tears well up in my eyes. I also saw the name of the person responsible.

  Nina.

  *****

  MY DANGEROUS REFLECTION

  By

  Londyn Vasser

  MY DANGEROUS REFLECTION © 2016 LaShawn Vasser writing as Londyn Vasser

  All Rights Reserved

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblances to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons living or dead are entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved.

  *EXPLICIT ADULT CONTENT*

  WARNING

  This novel is considered romantic fiction with erotic elements or erotica. This is for mature audiences only. This book contains adult profane language, mild violence, and strong sexual content.

  Dedications & Acknowledgments

  There are so many individuals who have helped me on this journey, and I would like to thank you for the support you’ve shown. Melissa Harrison—you are my SHERO. Tiffany Alston and Lisa Brown—you LADIES ROCK!

  As always, I’d like to send a special thanks to my Mr. and my MUSE for life. I cannot thank you enough for all the love and support you give me. You are truly my inspiration. To my children who allow me to do what I love virtually guilt free. I am because you are. Loves you all to pieces. Finally, I’d like to thank YOU, the readers. Your support makes this journey never feel like work.

  Prologue

  The Early Years

  Laurette had just put her six-month-old twins down to sleep. She was tired but couldn’t contain her excitement. She was finally going to be able to spend some quality time with Chang. He’d been gone for two weeks on business and came home this afternoon. It was a little disappointing though that he’d been holed up in his office for most of the evening. Still, she tried to understand given the massive size of his empire.

  The hour was late, but Laurette was going to break one of his golden rules and interrupt. Hopefully, he would welcome the reprieve, and they could end the night making love. How did the saying go? One could always ask for forgiveness later.

  As she walked down the long dark corridor, she couldn’t help but smile inwardly. Her life had changed so dramatically over the past year and a half. She’d met the man of her dreams, and he’d swept her clean off her feet. Life had been hard living in the slums and working as a maid at the hotel where they’d met. Who would have guessed that bringing extra towels to his room would have changed the path of her life so much?

  Chang’s English was broken, but when his eyes met hers they said everything words couldn’t. It only took him a week to convince her to leave everything she knew and follow her heart. Laurette didn’t even pack a bag. She just left New Orleans, Louisiana, and moved to Guilin, China.

  If it had been left up to Chang, they would have married as soon as his private plane landed, but Laurette had a di
fferent idea. She wanted her wedding day to be perfect, which meant not being almost nine months pregnant on their wedding day. Laurette managed to convince him to postpone their perfect day. But now, she was more than ready to become Mrs. Chang Lee-Xiou. All they needed was for his work schedule to calm down so they could resume the planning.

  When Laurette arrived at his office, it was strange that Lou, one of his security guards, wasn’t standing outside his door. He was always there. Her timing couldn’t have been more perfect. This way she could surprise him. Laurette placed her hand on the doorknob and turned.

  The door crept open. The smile on her face froze, and her knees almost buckled. The man before her looked like Chang, but it couldn’t have been him. This man’s face was twisted. It didn’t look human, and the unhinged stare in his eyes was terrifying.

  A shirtless man knelt on his knees in front of him. His mouth was taped, and his hands were tied and bound with rope. His back had been beaten so badly that it looked like raw meat. The worst came when someone handed Chang some sort of knife, and he drove it into the temple of the man’s head. The lifeless body crumpled to the floor.

  It was Laurette’s sharp intake of breath that drew Chang’s attention. She covered her mouth with her hand to keep the bile from rising up and vomiting it out.

  Laurette backed away from the room almost tripping over her feet to get away. Chang’s only reaction was to watch her go. He picked up a napkin from off of his desk to wipe his hands as he took a breath.

  Chang turned to Lou. “Clean this mess up, while I go deal with Laurette.”

  *****

  It had been several months since Laurette witnessed the unfortunate situation in Chang’s office. At least, that was what he called it. Her pious attitude was driving him insane.