41. Chapter Forty-One Abby

Chapter Forty-One: Abby

T he rain had started to pour by the time we got into Nathan’s car at the harbor and started our drive. The sun was rising after a long, unending night…and we were going back to the beginning.

We’d spent the rest of our ride with my dad making calls–reaching out to women from the teahouse, tracking down Xinyi Lin and her people. They were injured, they’d lost a few folks…but they weren’t broken. None of us were.

We were all intent on putting an end to Kenny Zhou’s reign of terror.

Coming back to 118 California was oddly like coming home–and even if that meant the Stockholm Syndrome had settled in deep, I let it comfort me. We took the utility elevator up to the apartment, then we punched in the code to let ourselves in.

Justin and Lily had tidied up before we left the last time, but it wasn’t nearly as tidy as Nathan liked it. I saw him take in the scene–a blanket strewn across the couch rather than folded, cat hair on the furniture, dishes still on the drying rack beside the sink.

He sighed and I patted him on the back.

“Next time, leave better check-out instructions,” I said with a plastered-on smile.

He huffed out a laugh. “I’ll try to remember that if I land in prison again.”

I sat down on the couch and looked around, taking in my surroundings. This was all so fucking surreal. I’d been chained to this couch not too long ago…thought I was going to die.

Now, I was pregnant with my captor’s baby.

I was in love.

And I was going to kill his father.

Life is funny sometimes.

Nathan came and sat next to me, then passed me a plain black flip phone. I frowned and looked up at him, and he shrugged. “It’s a burner that can reach my father,” he said. “I keep a stash of them here.”

“It’s so easy to forget you’re a gangster,” I said, shaking my head. “So…we call him?”

“Text,” Nathan said. “People don’t call him; he calls them.”

“Okay–and what do I say?”

“Tell him…” Nathan paused. “Tell him you want to talk. He’ll call.”

I stared at him, tilting my head. “Should we make up a story? Say you’re dead, maybe–”

Nathan shook his head. “We need to save our lies to the bitter end,” he said. “He’ll see through them. Until this is done…we need to be as transparent as possible.”

“Okay,” I said. “Okay.”

Nathan reached out and gripped my shoulder. “You’ve got this,” he murmured.

I flipped the phone open and the screen glowed blue, illuminating both of us. Then I sent the text, keeping it simple.

Let’s talk.

Sending that text felt like a death sentence–like jumping into shark-infested waters. “Now what?” I asked.

“Now we–”

The phone erupted into a shrill ring, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. I answered without hesitation, my voice a shaky blend of wariness and resolve. It was Kenny on the line; his tone dripped with venomous triumph, sending chills down my spine.

"Abigail," he sneered, "So you came crawling back.”

Those words…they made me want to puke. I’d promised myself I would keep my composure…but I couldn’t.

“Not crawling,” I said. “We want back into the fold…with dignity. It’s time for this feud to end.”

Kenny huffed out a laugh, and I could almost picture him sounding the same way when Nathan was a kid–abusing his children, his wife. “I always knew you were a viper. I should have taken you in my office when I had the chance."

His words made my blood run cold. Fear twisted my stomach into a tight knot as I thought about what he was capable of.

"No,” I started, but Kenny kept talking.

“We discussed this, Abigail,” he said. “Nathan didn’t prove himself; you got him out. And now, you belong to me…especially after you betrayed me.”

“I didn’t…”

Nathan stepped close to me, his hand reaching out as he waited for me to pass him the phone. Kenny was still talking.

"Abigail, you don't seem to know who you're dealing with. Even now. I can’t wait to show you," he taunted, his words dripping with condescension.

Nathan’s eyes narrowed. “I’m going to kill him,” Nathan said, loud enough for Kenny to hear.

"Put my son on," he demanded, the command clipped and precise. I glanced over at Nathan, his black hair disheveled. He must have been tugging at it, stressed. He gave me a curt nod, and I pressed the speaker button, allowing Kenny's cold voice to fill the room.

“I’m here,” Nathan said, somehow still calm and collected.

"Ah, the prodigal son," Kenny sneered. "I hope you're enjoying your time with Abigail. Get your dick wet while you still have one…”

Nathan remained silent, his brown eyes never leaving mine. I could see the anger simmering beneath his calm exterior, but he didn't let it show beyond balling his hands into fists. Instead, he simply listened, waiting for whatever twisted game Kenny wanted to play.

"Your father is not someone to be trifled with, Nathan," Kenny continued. "You'd do well to remember that."

"Is that all you have to say?" Nathan finally replied, his voice icy. "You want me to tell me how tough you are? Okay. You’re tough. Satisfied?”

Kenny chuckled darkly, and I shuddered at the sound. This was a man who enjoyed every second of the control he wielded, and it terrified me to think of what he might do next.

"Aw,” he said. “I’ve always found your little rebellious streak…a little endearing. It’s foolish, of course, but it made me think that you were the right choice for heir. You’ve always had that in you. That Zhou stubborness.”

“Thank you for your support,” Nathan gritted out. “Now are you ready to talk?”

Kenny went quiet, a soft laugh trailing off…

“I’m listening.”

“Look,” Nathan said. “The Vipers…there was a strike on their base. They’re done, over. I know when to give up…and I want to talk concessions.”

“You think I’ll take concessions from the son who stabbed me in the back? There are no concessions I want other than your whore in my bed and your head on a platter–”

“I didn’t betray you.”

“But you did!” Kenny sppat–and there was no more negotiating. “I know your little whore’s secret. Let me share something with you both. You see, I've got a few friends in high places. My reach extends beyond the criminal world, straight into the heart of the FBI."

We’d known that…and I guess we should have known Diane had told him I was FBI by now.

It still put us on the back foot in this fight.

Nathan's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "What do you mean?"

“Agent Hayes told me that Abigail is an agent weeks ago. I thought we could turn her…but I see now her loyalty is to you. And you…you knew, didn’t you?”

Nathan didn’t say a word.

“This whole time I thought Alex was the failure; Justin came out wrong, Lily was too soft. But you , Nathan? You were my greatest creation, and you were the first to turn your back on me.”

“You’re a monster, and I am not your creation,” Nathan said, starting to lose his temper.

“It doesn’t matter anyway,” Kenny went on. “I still know how to hit you where it hurts.”

We both stiffened.

Shit .

"I have Knuckles in my kill room right now." Kenny laughed, a cruel sound devoid of any warmth or humor. "You didn't really think I'd let him get away with all that he’s tried to do? With touching my woman?”

"Leave him out of this," Nathan snarled, his anger barely contained. The muscles in his neck strained, as if fighting an internal battle to maintain control. “This is between you and me–”

"Or what?" Kenny taunted, his twisted amusement evident. "You'll come after me? I'd like to see you try."

"Listen carefully," Nathan said, his voice steely and resolute. "If you harm Knuckles, there will be consequences."

"Is that so?" Kenny replied, each word dripping with malevolence. "I’m shaking in my boots, little boy. You should let him die. He deserves it.”

“You don’t get to say what he deserves,” Nathan said. “You don’t get to say anything.”

My heart raced in my chest, the rhythm matching the rain streaming down the window as I held the phone out to Nathan.

Kenny laughed.

"That’s not all I have, either,” Kenny said. “Your sister’s here, too…if you can find her.”

My grip on the phone tightened until my knuckles turned white, and I could see Nathan's composure shatter at the mention of his younger sister. His jaw clenched, and his fists balled up at his sides as he fought to maintain control.

“You have her?” he asked. For a second, I thought Nathan sounded exactly like he probably did when he was a teenager and spoke to his dad. Worried. Afraid.

“Yes,” Kenny replied. “And don’t think I’m not going to do whatever it takes. You remember what I did to your mother, don’t you?”

"You sick bastard," Nathan growled through gritted teeth. "You touch her, and I swear—"

"Save your threats for someone who cares," Kenny interrupted, unfazed by Nathan's anger. "You know what you need to do. The choice is yours."

“You wouldn’t dare--”

“Don’t act like you don’t know me, son. If you’re not here tonight, by midnight, I’ll kill Knuckles,” he said. “And it’ll be slow.”

“Stop–” Nathan said.

“And then…well, with your mother dead, I need something to entertain me,” he said. “Lily grew up to be a beautiful girl, didn’t she? Looks just like your mother.”

Then the line went dead.

Nathan didn't say anything for a long moment, his eyes closed as he clenched his jaw. The room was silent except for the rain tapping against the window and the occasional rumble of thunder. Suddenly, he threw his phone against the wall, the device shattering into pieces.

"Fuck!" He roared, kicking over a nearby chair.

“Hey, we—”

Nathan turned to look at me, eyes ablaze. “I’m going to cut his fucking head off,” he said. “I’m going to tie him down, cut three of his limbs off, then cut ucking head off and put it in front of his body as I finish dismembering himb.”

I winced.

Nathan stopped pacing for a second. “You’re not going to talk me out of it?”

“No,” I said. “I’m going to help.”