Page 3

Kai

W hoever did this to us will pay.

This had to be an inside job.

I’d doubled the security for Jenny, terrified her husband might find her.

The extra team that I hired came with glowing reviews and high-level recommendations—from politicians, mayors, senators, and even unnamed foreign dignitaries.

When they dropped their most impressive reference—a former President of the United States—they were outraged to discover I had no clue which one they were talking about.

Well, sue me for not memorizing every single U.S. President.

For all I knew, the entire thing could’ve been fake. These days, it wasn’t hard to fabricate anything. There were professionals who wrote glowing reviews in exchange for cash—and others who specialized in writing scathing ones to ruin their competitors. Trust no one—especially not on the Internet.

Even people could be fake.

Asian social media had been buzzing with rumors that Catherine, Princess of Wales was dead and had been quietly replaced by a doppelganger.

Something about the prince’s obsession with a new mistress and his eagerness to be rid of his wife.

Could it be true? Who knows. But if they could fake a royal, they could fake anything.

“Can I get you any tea or coffee?” Jessica, the flight attendant, leaned in closer to my seat, batting her thick black lashes.

Fake. Nobody on the planet came with eyelashes as thick as rabbit fur.

Her platinum blond hair, with visible tracks, was also fake.

I wondered what else about her wasn’t real.

“Just water,” I answered.

Jessica was trying to be helpful—trying to make the flight easier and distract me from the mess I was in. She’d said as much the second I stepped on the plane. I wouldn’t say we had history, but we’d definitely had our share of good times. That was over now. Right now, I needed to focus.

Because the only woman I wanted was stuck in a hospital.

Dr. June Bennet—the world’s greatest fertility doctor, according to every magazines and medical journal that mattered.

She was busy fixing someone’s life, making their dreams of having a family come true, maybe even saving their marriage.

Meanwhile, I was here—failing to protect that people I cared about.

When she finished her procedure, she’d find the note I left on the desk. A promise—I’ll be back soon.

I should’ve texted her. Something simple. “I’m okay. Don’t worry.” But every time I tried, my finger froze. She’d ask questions that I didn’t want to answer. I couldn’t lie to her. And call me a coward, but I didn’t want her to worry—not about me, not about Jenny, not about Lucy.

“Sir, do you want the whole team at the airport when we land?” Clare’s voice cut through my thoughts, softer than her usual tone.

She’d been apologizing repeatedly since Jenny and Lucy were taken.

If I hadn’t told her to shut up, she would probably still be apologizing.

I’d deal with her later—right now, I needed her focused.

I’d already left Dave behind to keep watch over June.

“I don’t want the whole team. Just the Range Rover.”

“Are you sure?” As always, she questioned my orders.

“Yes.”

A beat of silence. Then, carefully, she asked her next question. “What is your plan? If I may ask.”

I tilted my cream leather recliner back, my gaze fixed on my own hand. I couldn’t bear to look at her, couldn’t stand to.

“What could you possibly do with that information, huh?” My voice came out low, cold—venom laced through every word.

I knew she couldn’t have predicted what happened. No one could have. Jenny and Lucy had been taken in broad daylight—right outside one of the most high-profile hair salons in New York. A place crawling with the rich and famous and their bodyguards and security. We all thought it was safe.

The Japanese owners were probably still pissing themselves after my phone call—after I swore to sue their asses for losing my pregnant cousin and her best friend, two heirs to the most powerful billionaire families in China.

I’d been too easy with Clare. Too relaxed. Her bubbly, outspoken personality—completely wrong for a bodyguard—had made Dave’s life easier. And after everything he’d done, everything he’d sacrificed to keep me safe, I wanted him to have a break before he finally retired.

Look where that got us.

There was no way Clare didn’t know I was still angry—at her, at the whole damn thing. And I wanted to keep it that way. It was the only time I’d seen her this professional, this polite, and I had to admit—I kind of enjoyed it.

For once, there was no smart comeback. She just nodded and walked away, leaving me at peace with my own thoughts.

The truth? I had no plans.

I should have left for Shanghai the moment I heard about Jenny’s abduction.

Instead, I wasted time. Precious time.

I stayed in New York, getting my affairs in order—splitting my team and assigning each member to handle different tasks.

Loose ends that didn’t matter as much as Jenny’s safety.

I told myself it was necessary, but deep down, I knew the truth—I was stalling.

And worse, when I should’ve been on a flight halfway across the world, I found myself standing in front of Mack.

I didn’t even know what drove me there. Fear? Maybe. Or the gnawing need to confirm he wasn’t involved. I could have sent Dave to do the dirty work, but I needed to see Mack’s face when I asked the question.

Did you take her?

The bastard smiled like I was some fool playing a losing game.

“I don’t know your cousin,” he said, leaning back against the cold concrete wall. His face bruised, swollen—still held that smugness I couldn’t stand.

I wanted to believe him. I did. Something about the way he said it—too calm, too casual—itched at the back of my skull. I pressed harder. Asked again. Then he dropped the bomb. “You’re asking the wrong questions. The real mystery is June.”

My heart slammed against my ribs.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

He licked the blood from his lip, eyes gleaming like he knew he’d hooked me. “She’s been keeping secrets from you. Big ones.”

I lost it. My fist connected with his face before I even realized I’d moved. One punch. Then another. Harder. And harder. I hit him until my knuckles split, blood dripping warm and slick between my fingers. Still, he laughed—low, hoarse, defiant.

Secrets. What the hell was he talking about?

For all I knew, he was just saying that to mess with me.

I’d had enough of incompetent, annoying people for the day. Anyone who dared talk to me during this flight would be testing both my patience and my temper. I shut my eyes and leaned back. Pretending to sleep had always been the easiest way to get people to leave me the hell alone.

I knew the Chens had been looking for Jenny—I just didn’t think they’d bother searching New York.

Last I heard, they were chasing ghosts across Europe.

I’d made sure of that. My guys planted a dozen false leads in Paris—restaurant reservations, fake addresses, even parcels addressed to Jenny.

It was hilarious imagining Chen’s men combing through boutique hotels, only to find boxes of overpriced shoes bought with the credit card he’d given her.

That little trick should’ve kept them chasing their tails for a while. Someone must have tipped them off, there was no way in hell Chen figured it out on his own.

I didn’t want to leave New York. Not when Mark—or Mack, or whatever the hell his name really was—still locked up in a garage on the outskirts of the city.

I didn’t know the full story between him and June.

I was waiting for her to tell me when she was ready.

But I knew one thing—he wasn’t afraid to hurt her.

When the police released him without pressing charges, it was clear he had friends in high places.

I wasn’t about to sit back and wait for him to try again. So, I took matters into my own hands.

I had him snatched off the streets before he could get anywhere near her.

My only concern was how long it would take before his powerful friends came looking for him.

It wouldn’t take much to connect him to June—and from there, to me.

When that time came, I could call in my own powerful friends, including June’s brothers.

But until I knew exactly who I was up against, I wasn’t making any moves.

For now, I trusted Dave to keep her safe. He’d spent most of his life protecting me—valuing my safety above his own. There was no one better.

The Shanghai skyline greeted us with a gorgeous golden sunset as we touched down.

On the tarmac, two black vehicles idled, waiting for us. Clare had ignored my instructions and called in a second car. I let it slide. She knew I was too tired to care. And she was right—having backup was the smart move.

Jessica and the new blond stewardess bowed as I stepped off the plane. Without a second glance, I headed straight for the Range Rover, Clare trailing behind me. I raised a hand, gesturing for her and the rest of the team—two others—to take the second car.

“ Ni hao, boss.” Mario greeted excitedly, his jaw grinding on a piece of gum.

The cocky troublemaker had been working for me for nearly ten years.

His job? Causing problems for anyone who crossed me.

Today, he wore a black vest that did nothing to hide the ink on his arms—a bold symbol of his clan, or whatever they called the mafia in New York.

The tattoos, combined with his unruly energy, made him look even more dangerous than he already was.

He pulled open the back door for me.

I gave him a brief nod as I slid inside, letting him shut the door behind me. Normally, I’d return his greeting with a sarcastic “ Buongiorno, ” mimicking a bad Mario impression. But not today.

“To Chen’s residence.” I ordered as he settled into the driver’s seat.

A slow, wicked grin spread across his face. “Love the smell of trouble.”