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“Where’s Ghost’s body?” I asked about the monster who tortured me and my mom. “I heard he died. Is it true?” My voice grew, and it surprised me.

I shivered as the memory flooded my vision.

“You little shit. Tell me where your mom is hiding the key.” Ghost holds a branding tool. I recognize it from a TV show. “Tell me!” he shouts.

He’s wearing a clown mask. Fear grips me. I hate clowns.

He comes closer to me and tilts his head. I race toward the door, but then he stabs me with the tool, and my skin sizzles.

I thought the anger had subsided after all these years, but it had lingered like an awful toothache that came and went as it pleased.

“Grandpa never wanted to talk about Ghost whenever I asked.” I swallowed as my throat went dry. Grandpa probably felt guilt for not being able to save my mom or help me.

“He’s dead.”

The confirmation loosened the knots in me.

“Ghost is in the past.” Calvin’s firm voice anchored me to the present.

“How did he die? Why didn’t Grandpa tell me?”

“It took time to locate Ghost. He went rogue and murdered another member’s daughter. His father, Rattlesnake, had begged your grandfather to be lenient. That didn’t happen. Eventually, Ghost was caught, tortured, and tossed into the sea.” Calvin looked at me. “After your mom’s death, no one from The Triad could disturb you and your father.”

I thought Grandpa had resented me and my father. He had wanted Mom to marry a Chinese business executive that would benefit The Triad, but Mom loved my dad. Dad was Vietnamese American, and he wasn’t part of The Triad. Grandpa had never reached out to me or Dad after Mom died. It was like my mother was the only connection he had to us. When she died, our relationships severed as well. But I supposed he cared about us in his way.

“King Viper wanted to protect you. The less you know, the better.”

Grandpa was a ruthless man, which was how he’d become The Triad tycoon for The Taipans until his death from a heart attack eight months ago. Knowing that I was related to a ruthless gang leader wasn’t something to be proud of. It was a shameful family history that I never shared with anyone. No one would have wanted to be friends with me. They’d have thought I’d send someone after them if they wronged me.

“He would’ve wanted you to attend his funeral,” Calvin said, not knowing the truth.

Ihadattended the funeral, but from afar. I didn’t want anyone to recognize me. My appearance would have stirred up too much uncertainty.Why is she here? Does she want The Triad’s money?The last thing I wanted was a target on my back.

“It’s better that way,” I said. “Where’s Ghost’s father? He must hate me.”

“Rattlesnake died two months ago from a gunshot wound. He’s made a lot of enemies.”

I wanted to know who was left if their members kept dying like this, but I refrained from asking.

“How are your wounds?”

I blinked at the question. “They’re still there.”

“You could’ve removed them. Some plastic surgeons can?—”

“Some wounds are worth keeping, Calvin. They remind me of the evils humans are capable of.”

Calvin didn’t say anything. He knew the malice that existed in the world he lived in. Did he ever have a good night’s sleep? Did he ever feel guilty for killing people?

“I’m not here to talk about the past,” I said. “I’m looking for a nine-year-old girl named Aimee Chen. She was abducted eight months ago.”

He leaned on the table. “And you think we have her?”

I couldn’t read his face. “Do you?”

His lips curved. “That’s a dangerous question, Vivian.”

Calvin served The Triad, which meant he had to be careful of what he told me.