17. Chapter Seventeen Abby

Chapter Seventeen: Abby

I felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest.

The door slammed behind me, a dull thud that echoed through the tense silence of 118 California. I could feel my family’s eyes on me, each pair laced with concern and fear, but none more so than Justin's. He crashed into me with an embrace that was too tight, too desperate, as if I might vanish if he didn't hold on hard enough.

"Abby," he breathed out. "You're okay."

I nodded, my arms around him, returning the fierce hug. "Yeah, Justin, I'm here."

Pulling back, I scanned the room, taking in the sight of the Zhou family. Alex stood like a sentinel in the middle of it all, his face hard to read, but his body language screaming for information. He had that look, the one that said don't mess with me, but his eyes betrayed the worry gnawing at him.

Javi and Neon flanked him, sitting lazily around him and playing a game of cards. I heard Jack whistle something from the kitchen, a Duran Duran song I couldn’t place. Derek was talking to him about something I couldn’t quite hear.

"Alex," I started, but before I could continue, I caught sight of Lily. She seemed small, almost lost in that big couch, her dark eyes glued to me.

"Lily, you good?" My voice was gentle, just loud enough for her to hear.

A nod, a faint smile. "I'm fine, Abby. Almost came right back after you were…taken. But I had work to do, so I did it." Her gaze didn't waver, but I caught the tremble in her hands.

"Good," I replied, my heart aching for this family in turmoil. They were tied up in knots of loyalty and blood, each one with their own secret battles. And here I was, in the middle of it all, standing among them as if I truly belonged.

I knew one thing for sure. At least we all loved Nathan Zhou.

And that, I was pretty sure, mattered.

“So what happened?” Lily asked.

“Long story, but Kenny wanted me to see him,” I said. “Those were his men.”

Lily nodded. “I get it. What did he say?”

"He wanted an update on Nathan," I said. "I convinced him to have his men intercept Nathan during his transport."

Lily drew a sharp breath, her hands clasping and unclasping at the hem of her top. Alex stayed quiet, his focus laser-sharp on me, as if trying to read between the lines.

"Did he say how?" Alex pressed.

"Details were murky," I confessed. "He was more interested in…other things."

A shudder threatened to break through my composure, but I willed it away. I couldn't afford to show weakness—not here, not now. Not when they needed me to be strong for Nathan, who, despite his capability for ruthless violence, had shown me who he really was. I wouldn't let them see how deeply Kenny's threats had cut, or how they made my skin crawl. The image of him, leering with intent, flashed across my mind, but I pushed it aside. No, this was about saving Nathan—and our unborn child.

"Alright," Alex finally said, breaking the silence that had settled over us. "We'll figure out the rest as we go. We always do."

There was that damn legendary recklessness. “We need to do better than that. If your dad does get him out, we need to figure out a way to extract him from Kenny’s grip right away.”

“I think she’s right, mate,” Jack piped up from the kitchen. “You need a better plan.”

Alex groaned. “If I wanted to know what the British thought, I would ask the Queen.”

Jack smirked. “The King.”

“What?”

“The Queen is dead.”

"Hell of a time to mention it," Alex grumbled.

"Look," Lily interjected, "I'm just glad you’re back. And I have news, too—Xinyi Li told me they're working on something for Nathan."

The way she said it, with a flicker of hope in her eyes, made my heart skip against my will. It was dangerous to let hope creep in, but I couldn't help it.

"Tell us," I urged.

"I didn’t just stay in the curio shop like you told me too. After I was sure I wasn’t being followed, I went to see her. And it went well, I think. Xinyi has connections that even Kenny might not expect." She hesitated, biting her lip. "Unfortunately…she had the same thought–to get Nathan out while he’s being transported. So Ba can intercept the convoy, then we’ll intercept Ba.”

"Intercept Ba?" Alex raised an eyebrow. "That's ballsy even for Xinyi."

"Desperate times," Lily murmured, her gaze fixed on some distant point.

"Okay, so we track the vehicle from a safe distance," I suggested. "Keep our heads down and wait for the right moment."

"Sounds like a plan straight out of a spy movie," Jack commented, leaning against the door frame, arms crossed.

"Life's turned into one, hasn't it?" I replied dryly.

"Let's gear up then," Alex said, his tone all business now. "We stick to the shadows, move fast, and stay silent. We react to whatever comes our way."

"Right," I agreed, feeling the absence of the weight of the gun that was normally hidden on me. I'd been trained for this, but nothing could've prepared me for the tangled web of loyalty and betrayal that came with infiltrating the Golden Serpents. Or falling for their would-be king.

"Remember, we can't afford to screw this up," Lily warned. "Ba will kill us…and he’ll make it hurt. But he definitely won’t spare Nathan.”

I nodded, suddenly feeling like I needed to throw up. I made my way to the bathroom. I needed a sanctuary, however brief.

My hands clung to the porcelain sink, knuckles turning white as I stared at my reflection in the mirror—a woman caught between two worlds.

And then there was the life growing inside me, thriving against all odds in this den of vipers. My fingers traced the still-flat plane of my abdomen, a silent promise to the child who knew nothing of treachery or honor—only the steady rhythm of a heart that fought for justice.

If Nathan was here…fuck, I didn’t even know what he would do. But his absence made me ache.

"Get it together, Harper," I whispered to myself, steeling my nerve for the night ahead.

I splashed cold water onto my face, pushing away thoughts of vulnerability, focusing instead on the man who had bound himself to my fate. Nathan—his very name conjured images of his smile, of the way his arms felt wrapped around my body.

"Damn you, Nathan Zhou," I murmured, "for making me question everything."

But there was no indecision.

Not anymore.

My allegiances were only to Nathan…and to my child.

And if I had to kill every single guard in that convoy to get my baby’s father back to my side, where he rightfully belonged, then I would sure as fuck do it.

FBI badge be damned.