Chapter Thirty-Eight Nathan

Atext from Ba had summoned me, and I knew it meant business.

The air was thick with the scent of salt from the bay as I made my way to the Serpents' hideout, the heartbeat of our empire pulsing in the shadows of Chinatown. I felt the weight of the night's purpose heavy on my shoulders, a familiar burden that came with being Kenny Zhou's eldest son.

I pushed open the door to one of the many entrances to the tunnel system under Chinatown, the sound of it creaking louder than usual in my ears. My mind raced through the details I'd have to explain—how Abby and I had been hiding out, stealing moments laced with passion and whispers of a future I wasn't sure we could ever have.

She was mine now, no matter what it might cost me.

And it could cost everything.

The risk of bringing her into my world, into this life, gnawed at me. But I had taken precautions. The collar she wore, a delicate thing to any onlooker, housed a GPS tracker—a lifeline that kept her bound to me in more ways than one. Surveillance cameras dotted around the house fed live footage to my phone, a silent guardian against any move Ba might make against her.

It was the only way I could ensure her safety from the very threat that loomed over us—my own family.

I ran a hand through my black hair, pushing back the strands that had fallen into my eyes, my skin taut with anticipation. Every step toward Ba's office was measured, the click of my boots on the concrete floor sounding out my arrival. I was ready for the confrontation, ready to defend what I had claimed as my own. Abby was more than a fling, more than a simple affair—she was a fierce storm that had swept into my life, challenging the very foundations of my existence.

I was going to keep her—and if Ba wanted to argue, I was prepared to fight him on it.

Stepping into the Serpent's Den, the stench of cigarette smoke and old whiskey filled my nostrils. It was like stepping back into a world I had momentarily left behind—a world where power plays were made over a deck of cards and the clinking of cash.

"Look who decided to show up," Alex sneered from a corner of the room, his fingers dancing through stacks of bills with practiced ease. Neon and Javi flanked him, their laughter cutting through the smoky haze. "Bet you're in deep shit now, Fangs."

The three of them were high, little more than children playing gangster. I knew that better than most—but it didn't stop the churning rage in my gut. Alex was getting too cocky for his own good, and if it meant any danger to Abby, there would be hell to pay.

I ignored the taunt, my gaze fixed on the closed door at the end of the hall. This was it—no turning back now.

A coiled serpent was painted on that door in bold strokes, a title that demanded respect and fear in equal measure. My hand hesitated on the knob before I turned it, bracing myself for the wrath of the man who had sired me.

"Ba," I greeted, keeping my voice steady as I entered the dimly lit office.

"Sit down, Nathan," he said without looking up from the papers strewn across his desk. His tone was deceptively calm, but I knew better. The air was charged with an unspoken threat, the kind that preceded a storm.

"Alex tells me you've been busy," Ba began, finally lifting his gaze to meet mine. His eyes, so much like my own, bore into me with fury that could ignite the very air between us.

"Busy enough," I replied, not giving away anything more than necessary. This was a delicate dance—one misstep, and I'd be tumbling into an abyss.

"Busy putting your cock in something."

"Is that what this is about?" I shot back, feigning ignorance. "I didn't realize my personal life warranted such interest."

"Cut the crap, Nathan!" The controlled mask slipped, and Ba's rage surfaced. "You think I don't know? That girl's disappearance last week. You're responsible."

"Maybe I am," I conceded, tilting my head in challenge. "What of it?"

"Everything we do has consequences, son," he hissed, the words slicing through the tension. "The Serpents can't afford distractions, especially not from within our own ranks. And the attention on us…it isn't safe. Running drugs and weapons, washing money…that's one thing. But kidnapping? A white girl? A civilian? Are you stupid?"

I opened my mouth to answer him, but I had nothing.

He continued, tired, irritated. "Nathan, I don't care who you kill, but don't let it slip outside of our operation or you become a liability."

"Understood," I said, though my mind raced with the implications. Ba knew more than I had anticipated. If he connected the dots back to Abby, her life could be forfeit. I couldn't allow that. Not now.

Not when I had just admitted to myself that she meant more to me than just a plaything to use.

"Stupid," Ba spat, the word sharp as a knife—because clearly, he wasn't done laying into me. "You were stupid to think you weren't being watched."

I stiffened at his accusation, a jolt of anger surging through me. "What do you mean, ‘watched'?"

"Did you really think I would let my own blood run rampant without keeping tabs?" Ba leaned back in his chair, his gaze never wavering from mine. "I've never had to surveil you before, Nathan. But ever since you started getting out of control, I've had eyes on you."

"Out of control? That isn't fair, Ba." The words left my mouth before I could censor them, a mix of frustration and betrayal bubbling inside.

"Fair?" Ba's laugh was devoid of humor. "Since when does our world care about what's fair? I have people following all of you—your mother, Alex, Justin…even Lily. Power is a dangerous thing; it can make even family turn on each other."

"Is that what this is? You're scared I'll come for your throne?" I challenged, standing up straighter. My blood boiled at the thought of being spied on by my own father, the paranoia now justified.

"Scared? No." Ba's lips twitched into a cold smile. "But cautious. Sometimes power becomes so intoxicating you'll kill your own family for it. And I won't let that happen. Remember, son, everyone has something to lose."

He was threatening her.

I had just found her, and he was threatening her, and I couldn't…

"Speaking of losing," Ba's voice took on a grimmer tone, his eyes narrowing, "while you've been preoccupied with this woman, our enemies have taken action. Two Serpents laundering ops—torched while you were putting your cock in some whore."

My jaw clenched at the news, my mind racing to grasp the situation even as I stifled the impulse to set him straight—with violence, if necessary. "How did I not know about this?"

"Because you were too busy playing house with that girl." Disappointment laced his words, an invisible weight pressing down on my shoulders. "You let yourself get distracted, Nathan. And in our line of work, distractions can be fatal."

"Ba, I—" I started, but he cut me off with a sharp gesture.

"Listen to me," he said, and the room fell silent except for the subtle hum of electronics from the corner where Alex, Neon, and Javi still counted cash. "I fear they are closing in on us, drawing tighter like a noose. And you, my son, have given them an opening."

"An opening?" I echoed, my mind spinning. This wasn't just about business; this was about survival.

"Enemies smell weakness from miles away," Ba continued, his voice hard as steel. "If they see you distracted by some woman, they'll think we're vulnerable. It's only a matter of time before they strike at something—or someone—you can't afford to lose."

I felt a surge of anger at his implication, the blood in my veins turning to fire. "Maybe you're right," I growled, taking a step closer to him. "But she's not just some woman."

His eyes narrowed, and I could tell he was weighing his words before he spoke again. "You should have killed her…or maybe I should."

The air in the room seemed to freeze, my heartbeat thundering loud in my ears. "You lay one finger on Abby, and it's the last thing you'll do," I snarled, the words ripping from my throat before I could swallow them.

Silence descended like a guillotine, slicing through any pretense of civility. Ba's eyes locked onto mine, probing, calculating. For a moment, I wasn't sure if I'd gone too far.

"Is that so?" he said finally, his voice low but dangerous. "And why would you risk it all for her?"

"Because I love her." The admission slipped out, unbidden and raw. At first, I thought I'd used the words as a shield, but as they hung between us, heavy and undeniable, I realized they were true.

I loved her.

In my own fucked up way…I loved her, and I had to protect her.

"Love?" Ba scoffed, a chuckle scratching the back of his throat. His amusement was like ice on my skin, but I didn't flinch. "Nathan, you amuse me. I've been trying to set you up with Triad women for years—someone who would bring honor and strong alliances to our family. And here you are, falling head over heels for a white American waitress."

I clenched my fists at my sides, feeling the dragon inked into my skin coil with restlessness. "You should've given me better options," I said firmly.

"Romance," he tutted, shaking his head. "Now is not the time for such distractions."

"Maybe not," I conceded, forcing myself to meet his gaze. "But think about it, Ba. What do you always say? Keep your enemies close and secure your legacy. Abby could be more than a distraction. Marrying her could give you what you've been after all along—me settled down, starting a family."

Ba's eyes narrowed as he mulled this over, the silence stretching thin between us. "Heirs. White heirs…" he muttered, the word hanging in the air like smoke. "Yes, that would satisfy some conditions…but can she handle being a Serpent's bride?"

"Biracial heirs. You didn't get this far by being stuck in your ways, Ba. And Abby's stronger than she looks," I said, my voice low but certain. Under any other circumstances, I wouldn't have dared challenge him. But he'd just threatened her and I was doing my best to hold back from beating him into a bloody pulp.

I had never laid a finger on my father. I wasn't insane.

But if he threatened her again...

And he was wrong. I had seen Abby go through hell—hell I had put her through—and she'd still come out with a smile on her face.

She was resilient, frighteningly so.

"Fine," Ba finally said, the ghost of a smirk playing on his lips. "But you're missing the point, son. While you've been distracted, there's been trouble. We have a rat, and it's time you got your head back in the game. You need to root out this traitor before they destroy everything we've built."

My heart hammered against my ribs, knowing full well the stakes had just shot through the roof. The Golden Serpents weren't just a criminal empire; we were an intricate web of loyalty and deceit, where one wrong move could bring death knocking.

And now, Abby was woven into this deadly tapestry.

"Especially now that you have something to lose," Ba added, his voice laced with a warning as sharp as a knife's edge.

I swallowed hard, the taste of dread bitter on my tongue. I had put a GPS tracker around Abby's neck, disguised as a gift—a collar to keep her safe. But the truth gnawed at me like a hungry rat: it wasn't just for her safety. It was for mine, too.

Because if she was ever taken from me, I'd burn the world to ashes to get her back.

"Understood," I managed, my mind racing with the gravity of my next moves. "I'll find the rat."

"Good." Ba nodded, satisfied. "Because remember, Nathan, in our business, love is leverage—and now, I have leverage over you."

The unspoken threat hung between us, a dark cloud threatening a storm. I needed to protect Abby, even from my own father if necessary. But first, I had to sniff out the betrayer in our midst, all while keeping the fa?ade that nothing had changed.

I left the den with a new weight on my shoulders and a resolve as cold as steel. Abby was mine, and I would do whatever it took to keep her safe.

No matter what or who I had to face—even if it meant standing up to the Serpent himself.