3. Chapter 3

Chapter three

Chen

C hen stood in the corner of the room and checked his watch. They had gotten word that their prisoners were coming in less than ten minutes. He looked up and slipped his hands into his pockets as he leaned against the wall, ankles crossed. His brown gaze panned over to Yìchén, who stood beside his father, Da Han. He studied the young man and wondered what the best approach to training him would be. Surely, he would need to test the boy's skill in physical combat as well as weaponry. That was a given. What he was concerned about was how to handle the mental lessons. He'd have a better understanding of which direction to take based on how Yìchén handled what was going to happen tonight .

The basement door opened and Da Han's soldiers entered, dragging Wang Lu Mujin into the room. Stephen Yeoh trailed the man dressed in a black turtleneck, cargo pants, and boots. He was the triad's Incense Master. In addition to those duties, he was also their lawyer, fixer, and assassin and had been with the family for twenty-six years. At thirty-eight years old, he was one of the triad's highest-ranked members. Chen nodded at Stephen, a show of respect, and the man bowed his head to return the gesture.

"You ask and I deliver," Stephen told Da Han with a bow, the way to acknowledge the hierarchy.

"Every time," Da Han said with a satisfied smile as he watched his uncle get dragged past him, struggling and cursing.

There was a black bag that had been placed over the man's head and his ankles and wrists were bound with a black rope. The guards slammed his body into the chair that was bolted to the floor none too gently. Wang grunted from the impact, his body slumped forward, and the guard pulled him back and began to tie him to the chair itself.

The other people in the room present to witness the torture and death of Wang Lu Mujin were Da Han's wife, Mèng Yáo, and his brother, Tian Yu. Everyone present was either sitting or standing around in places that would give them a good view of the action.

Chen watched as Da Han glared at the man bound to the chair. He knew this was going to get bloody. Wang Lu Mujin had committed the unthinkable and had betrayed his family. Killed his own brother and had tried to kill Da Han. The look of pure hate in Da Han's eyes was evident, almost radiating off the man like heat from a furnace.

"We've put the other three in the next room, Mr. Mujin," one of the guards said.

"Good, is anyone watching them?" Da Han asked.

"Yes, sir," the guard replied .

Da Han nodded, then pulled out his cell phone. Chen wondered who he was calling.

"Are you here yet?" Da Han asked the other person on the line. "How much longer?"

Chen realized at that point, Da Han was calling his younger brother, Yu Fei.

"When you get here, don't do anything. I want to see for myself how your men can handle business," Da Han said. "Fine. Bye." He ended the call and slipped his cell phone back into his pocket, then walked over to his uncle and lifted the bag from his head.

The man's face was bruised here and there and he blinked several times as he looked around frantically. He turned to glare at the man standing in front of him and his lips twisted into a snarl. "Da Han," he growled.

"Disappointed I'm not dead like my father?" Da Han asked as he stared down at his uncle.

"Very," Wang said, then laughed. "You don't deserve to be the Dragonhead."

Da Han leaned forward. "And do you think you have what it takes to lead? Everything the Jade Dragon Triad has become is thanks to my father. You spent your years in his shadow and resenting your very inadequate existence in the brightness of his greatness. That is why you killed him."

Wang stared hard at Da Han, his grimace deepening as his nephew's words hit their target... his pride. "Why are you here when you should be in Beijing?"

"I'll return, but first, I have to handle a domestic issue." Da Han straightened and adjusted his suit. "Nothing you need to concern yourself with. You'll die this night and it won't be fast. If your weak heart gives out, old man, I have a defibrillator there to bring you back from the dead. You'll go to hell when I'm ready to send you there."

Wang turned in the direction of where Da Han said the defibrillator was and sure enough, it was in the corner and two guards were standing by it. He returned his scowl to Da Han. "You think I'm afraid of you?"

"Yes. Why else would you be so cowardly? Running and hiding after your failed attempt to wipe out my father's lineage. You asked me why I was here. It's because I face my enemies head-on. I won't run, I won't hide, but I will win." Da Han swung hard with the back of his hand, striking his uncle across the face. His uncle grunted, blood and two teeth flew from his mouth and sprayed across the gray cement floor.

Wang spit more blood onto the floor and then looked up at Da Han with a bloody smile. "Look at how all of that power went to your head. You know what they say, absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Da Han chuckled. "Power only corrupts those too weak to control it. I assure you, Uncle... you would have never been able to handle this position."

Wang snarled. "Hàorán will run this family better than you."

Da Han looked ahead and half snorted, half laughed. "Hàorán? My aunt's son? You always did favor him. Should I put a bullet in his head and be done with any possible upstarts?"

Wang's eyes widened then. "You wouldn't dare—"

"Wouldn't I?" Da Han snapped. "If I get so much as a whisper of him attempting to take what belongs to me, I will send him and his mother to the very same hell I'm sending you. Mark my words."

"Don't you touch him!" Wang yelled.

Da Han laughed and then looked at Chen. "Does Hàorán know that I've captured his favorite uncle?"

"Not yet, sir," Chen said. He'd been watching the entire exchange and knew the intricate feuds that were going on within the family. Hostilities between blood relatives, but that was always the case. This was the first time in over thirty years that one member attacked another. He was aware Da Han was one to strike first if he knew a threat was brewing. It didn't matter if they were family or not. And after this incident with his uncle, his cousin's life may very well be ending soon.

Da Han turned back to Wang. "I want eyes on him and if you find anything suspicious, bring him to me."

"Yes, sir," Chen said. He pulled his cell phone out to contact their people in China to give them the boss' orders.

"There is no love lost between us, Uncle," Da Han said, then he walked over to his wife and kissed her. They kissed for a while and when he finally broke it off, he turned to his son. "Yìchén, torture him." He sat down in one of the chairs and his wife sat on his lap, straddling it, both facing their target and his son.

Yìchén's mouth parted as if he wanted to say something, maybe even to protest, but then he closed it. He turned to Chen and the expression on his face let Chen know the boy was terrified. He didn't know what to do.

"What are you waiting for?" Da Han asked.

Wang laughed. "Your son is weak. Just look at him, he's about to piss his pants or puke. This is what you produce, Da Han, failures. That is what your lineage is."

Da Han laughed as he held onto his wife. He rested his chin on her shoulder and smiled. "Insults are all you have left, Uncle. And they are empty as your honor."

Chen walked over to Yìchén, because the boy did look as if he was either going to puke or piss himself. He cut a glance to Da Han and wondered if this was the right time to see if his boss was going to allow him to train his son as he saw fit. He decided to test the waters when he grabbed Yìchén by his shoulders and spun him around to face his uncle.

"This man tried to kill your father. He would have killed you and everyone you love. He killed your beloved grandfather. Are you really proving to everyone here that you don't have the balls to take your revenge?" Chen asked him.

Yìchén swallowed hard, his hands shaking with a mixture of nerves and terror. "Wh-why do I have to do it now?"

Wang spit at his foot, then sneered. "You punk."

Chen leaned in close to Yìchén's ear. "Either you begin punching him, or I'll punch you."

Yìchén turned sharply toward Chen, eyes wide and mouth open. "You wouldn't!"

Chen arched an eyebrow. "Oh, I would and your father will watch me do so. I'll make a man out of you, boy. Do not challenge me."

Yìchén's chin lifted ever so slightly.

The challenge.

He was daring Chen to back his words with actions, because he truly believed his father wouldn't allow it.

"Will it be him or you?" Chen asked.

"You won't do it," Yìchén taunted, then smirked.

Chen took a step back, and then the smack of his backhand across Yìchén's face echoed throughout the room.

"Oh!" Yìchén cried out as he staggered back, his cheek blazing from the blow. He touched it and felt the heat of his flesh against his palm. He looked up at Chen. "How dare you—"

"Will the next blow be for him or you?" Chen asked again, cutting Yìchén's rant off.

Yìchén glared at Chen, then turned to his father, who was watching with an interested expression. Yìchén wondered if his father would allow Chen to beat him if he didn't torture his uncle. Even if he wouldn't, did he want more of what he'd just experienced? The pain and humiliation were torture in itself.

Chen watched the young man before him weigh his options. He'd tested the waters himself with that backhand slap. He wanted to see if Da Han would say anything. He also wondered if Da Han would have objections to his actions once the two were in private. He supposed he'd find out. But for the time being, he had to whip Yìchén into shape. His father wanted Wang tortured and by Yìchén's hands.

Chen pulled out a pair of brass knuckles from his pocket and held them up for Yìchén to see. "Will these go on my hand or yours?"

Yìchén's nostrils flared in his rage as his chest heaved. He snatched the knuckles from Chen's hand and slipped them on his right hand. "Don't you touch me again," he snarled.

"Follow my orders, and I won't have to," Chen warned.

Yìchén wanted to say more, but too many eyes were on him, judging him. He'd already been made a fool of once; he couldn't take being laughed at or looked down on. Especially not by the men who worked for his fucking family. He turned to his Uncle Wang, who was smiling at him, mocking him with a shit-eating grin.

"Did your balls finally drop, boy?" Wang asked, then laughed.

"Shut up!" Yìchén yelled, then swung. His brass-knuckled fist connected with Wang's jaw, making the man grunt a little.

Wang groaned, then spit blood onto the floor. He turned back to his nephew. "Is that all you're made of? I've had whores smack me harder when riding me," he taunted.

"Put more of your back into it," Chen instructed. "I thought you knew how to fight. That's what you told me, and yet you can't even throw a proper punch."

Yìchén yelled and swung, but it wasn't on Wang. Chen took the blow against his jaw, the impact making him take two steps to the side, but he didn't waver. He caressed his jaw, then smiled, his gaze turning back to Yìchén.

"Oh, I'm going to have fun training you," Chen said and the predatory stare in his eyes was full of so many emotions he felt. He wanted to claim the boy, to make him feel pain, to break him down and build him back up again. He started to have his way when he caught a glimpse of Da Han's furrowed brow in his peripheral. Immediately, his shields snapped back into place. For a second, he'd fucked up and let his mask fall off. For in that moment, everyone in the room, if they were paying attention, saw what lay beneath his cool, calm exterior. His beast.

"Are you all right?" Da Han asked.

Chen nodded. "Yes, sir. I'm fine. Like Wang said, it lacked strength."

"You son of a bitch," Yìchén cursed.

"Yìchén!" Da Han snapped, gaining his son's attention. "You're disappointing me."

"Just have one of your men do it," Yìchén begged.

"You are one of mine," Da Han snapped back.

Chen stepped up to Wang. "Pay attention," he told Yìchén, then punched Wang hard, using the muscles in his body to deliver a blow that sent two of Wang's teeth scattering across the floor along with splatters of blood.

Wang Mujin groaned and coughed, his entire head throbbing from the pain of that powerful blow. He looked up at Chen. "You... always... were an asshole," he said between pants.

"Hit him like that," Chen said, ignoring Wang's insult. All of his focus was on training Yìchén.

Yìchén took a deep breath because he knew if he didn't, his father would punish him, and being cut off from the wealth and luxury he grew up with would be unbearable. He punched his uncle again, hating the fact that he had to hurt someone he'd once loved and trusted. The person who would sit him on his lap and tell him stories as a child. He punched him again and again, and each time, his anger rose because he was forced to do it. But more so because his uncle had put him in this predicament.

Wang Mujin's face was covered in blood, more teeth were broken or knocked out, and his nose was also broken by the time Da Han called it off. Yìchén's clothes were decorated with the blood of his enemy, just the way Da Han wanted. Yìchén's rage was beyond the call of their voices as he wailed blow after blow. Chen had to pull Yìchén back from attacking Wang.

"Fuck you!" Yìchén yelled at his uncle as he thrashed in Chen's powerful embrace.

"Calm down," Chen told him as he held the young man close to his chest, limiting his movement with a technical hold.

Eventually, Yìchén began to settle, his rage-filled curses fading as he slumped against Chen's chest. All of his adrenaline draining away.

"That's it, calm down. You did good," Chen praised.

Something clicked into place in Yìchén's mind hearing the compliment coming from the man who had him conflicted. One part of him was terrified of Chen and wanted nothing to do with him. The other part wanted to be consumed by that terrifying man until there was nothing of him left. He looked up at Chen, his eyes glazed over as if he was still in a daze.

Chen nodded. "Very good, Yìchén. For this is how you deal with your enemies. No matter who they are. Your hands should be covered in their blood. There's hope for you yet."

"Hope?" Yìchén whispered.

"Yes," Chen said, then released him, but made sure Yìchén was steady on his feet before he completely let him go. "Now, observe." He turned Yìchén around so he could see what was going to happen next.

Yìchén turned to see Jun De walking over toward Wang. Da Han had given his bodyguard a command during the time Chen had been dealing with him. Yìchén stood back beside Chen to do as he was told. He looked down at his hands covered in blood, his clothes as well, and a wave of dizziness washed over him and he stumbled.

Chen caught him, then let him lean against his body. "Do not fall," he whispered in Yìchén's ear. "Lean on me."

Something was going on in Yìchén's body as he leaned on the man who stirred so many passions within him, but at the moment, lust was rearing its sinful head. Yes, lean on Chen, he would. Anything to be this close to him.

Chen knew exactly what he was doing. He knew full well what feelings the boy had for him. He'd use them to his advantage too. He had plans for Yìchén. By the time he was done with him, he'd be just as badass as Li was. For now, he put his interest in Jun De, as he wanted to see what the new bodyguard was made of.