Page 119 of Blackwood

And leaning against it? Well fuck me sideways. Tall, tan, and shirtless, because apparently dress codes don’t apply when you’re rich and insane. Just dark jeans, combat boots, and a full dragon tattoo curling across his chest and shoulder like he thinks he’s in a Marvel movie.

Asian guy. Lean, inked, and lounging like the devil himself. He’s grinning like he already knows how this ends.

“Who the fuck is that?” I mutter, already annoyed.

Bella steps out of the van all lethal curves and controlled chaos. My fucking chaos. She walks straight up to him like it’s nothing, like she owns the ground under her red stilettos.

He doesn’t even blink. Just says, “About time,” and pulls her right into him.

What the actual fuck?

She stiffens. “Not now, Laing.”

Laing.Laing? What kind of name is that? Sounds like the villain from a sushi-themed Bond movie.

He leans down, lips at her ear, and whispers something I can’t hear. Which only makes it worse.

My jaw clenches. Fists too. I’m about two seconds away from stomping over there and breaking every rib that fucking dragon’s crawling over. I don’t care if he’s CIA, NSA, goddamn Mortal Kombat. He touches her like that again, and I’m putting him in the ground.

“Chill, dude.”

Knox. Of course.

Not now Bestie.

He steps up next to me, calm as ever. “You don’t want to touch that.”

“The fuck I don’t,” I growl, eyes locked on where Laing’s still got his hand on her hip like he owns her.

“Lex. Seriously. I know we just met but, if you care about her—and I’m assuming you do, based on the whole‘licking her neck and declaring eternal possession in front of a van full of people’thing—then don’t fuck up her missions.”

“He touched her.”

“He always touches her,” Knox shrugs. “Creepy, flirty, and unfortunately… extremely useful.”

I glance at him, ready to argue. He cuts me off with a flat look. “You storm over there and punch him and derail whatever op we’re doing tonight? That’s ego, Barinov. And Bella doesn’t have time for ego.”

I swallow the fury rising in my throat, watching as she finally pulls away from Laing and says something sharp enough to wipe the smug grin off his face.

I exhale. “I don’t like him.”

Knox taps me on the shoulder. “Nobody does. But until she tells him to go? We’re stuck with his ass.”

I narrow my eyes. “Who the hell is he?”

“Laing Wei. Head of the Red Silk Triads out of Hong Kong. Took over when his father was killed. Brutal, brilliant, and tough as shit.”

My head snaps toward him. “He’s Triad?”

“Yeah. Usually stationed in San Francisco, but lately…” He trails off. I follow his line of sight. Bella, still standing way too fucking close to Tattooed Dragon-Dick. “…he’s been hanging around New York more.”

“Wonder why.”

Knox smirks like he knows damn well why, and I swear to God I nearly punch him just for that look.

Instead, I mutter under my breath, “This night just keeps getting better.”

Knox clocks my glare and leans in. “Don’t worry, man. Bella plays him just like he plays the rest of the world.”