44. Chapter Forty-Four Nathan

Chapter Forty-Four: Nathan

I t was high time we took down my father.

Abby, Alex, Jack Kensington, Xinyi Lin, and I huddled around a table in the back corner of the teahouse, a map of San Francisco spread out like a battleground before us. Xinyi leaned in, her eyes sharp as she traced routes with her finger, while the rest of our ragtag bunch whispered about the stakes.

I pointed to a cluster of marks on the map.

"Each one of these spots," I said, tapping the paper, "is a front for the Serpents' cash flow. If we start burning them, one at a time…my father will have to split his forces. He won’t have a choice—and he’s already alienated so many of his people that it will leave him exposed."

Abby sat close, her knee brushing against mine under the table, tension lining her face. "So we make him think we’re dismantling his op…while we dismantle him."

"Exactly." I looked around at the faces watching me. "Money is the lifeblood of the Serpents’ operation. We choke that off, my father has no power anyway. He’ll sacrifice his own safety to protect his business."

Time ticked by, measured in the soft clinks of teacups and the low murmurs of strategy. Abby's hand found mine, squeezing tight enough to send a message without words.

"Clock's ticking, Nathan," Xinyi muttered. "We need to move fast."

I nodded, feeling the weight of every second slipping through our fingers. "We'll get this done. We have to."

"Let's just hope it's enough," she said, her voice steady but her eyes telling a different story.

We were wrapping up, finalizing the last details of our plan when a shuffle of footsteps caught my attention. We all turned to look and found Abby’s dad walking in, escorted by two Triad women. He had that look of confusion people get when they walk into a room and forget why they came in, only this time it was because he'd just walked into something way out of his norm.

He was a cop…but now he was an accomplice.

Just for tonight, I hoped.

"Abby," he said, voice steady but eyes scanning the room, taking in the arsenal laid bare on the tables. "You called?"

“What is he doing here?” Xinyi hissed.

Andrew Lin didn't break his gaze from the older man as he stepped closer. The tension in the room spiked like we were back at square one, nobody sure what move to make next.

“I called him,” Abby said. “Don’t worry. He won’t rat us out.”

She got up, then, and moved toward her dad. In an instant, her arms were around his neck, squeezing tight. I stood and watched them, trying to figure out how Abby’s dad could help at this point.

"Hey, Sprout," he said, voice gruff but his arms squeezing her tight.

"Hey, Dad," Abby breathed out.

They parted, and Abby beamed up at him, that spark of hers burning bright. "Dad, remember when you married off Sarah and Tom? You were the officiant."

He scratched his head, looking puzzled at the question. "Yeah, sure do. That was a hoot. But why—"

"Are you still able to do that here? In California, I mean?"

"Got my license renewed just last year." He gave her a curious look. "Why are you asking, Abby?"

I caught the look in Abby's eyes, that fierce determination that always told me she was about to dig her heels in.

And at that moment, I knew exactly what she was planning.

"Nathan, you know I love you, right?" Her voice was steady, sure, even in this chaos.

"Of course, I do," I said, my response automatic. But I could see where this was going, and it made me nervous. "But we can't just—"

"Listen to me," she cut in. She moved back toward me, taking my hand. "We've been talking about getting married. I don't need a big wedding, Nathan. Not now."

"Abby, we should wait. Plan something beautiful, something you deserve." The words tumbled out, but they felt hollow even to my own ears.

She shook her head, her grip on my hand tightening. "I don't need beautiful. I need you. I want to be your wife before tonight, before whatever happens. That's all I want."

I looked at her, really looked at her, seeing the raw honesty there. It wasn't about a wedding; it was about us, about making damn sure we were tied together in every way that counted when we stepped into the fray.

"Okay," I said finally, the word thick in my throat. "Okay, let's do it. But you gotta promise me something, Abby."

"Anything," she replied, her eyes locking onto mine.

"Promise me," I started, swallowing hard against the fear lodged in my throat, "that after all this is over, we'll have a real wedding. The kind with a dress that makes me lose my breath, and a party that our friends can trash in celebration."

A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips, and it was like a shot of courage straight to my heart. "If that's what you want, Nathan, then yes, I promise."

"Good," I said, letting out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. We didn't say it out loud, but we both knew the unspoken truth hanging between us

Tonight might be all we had left.

Alex gave a nod, and Jack followed suit, a smirk on his lips even when it felt like the world was ending. The Triad women, all business in their manner, gathered around us, forming a circle that felt like a shield against the world outside.

"Alright, let's do this," I said.

Abby stood in front of me, her hands finding mine. Her touch was steady—the same hands that could fire a gun with deadly precision now trembled slightly, holding onto something far more important.

"Abby, you know the life we're in. It's messy and it's bloody, and it doesn't promise tomorrow," I started, locking eyes with her, "but I swear to you, every day I'm given, I'll spend it loving you, protecting you, honoring you. You're my partner in crime and in life, and there's no one else I'd rather have by my side."

Her lips quivered into a smile, and she squeezed my hands back. "Nathan, I remember the first time I saw you—you were all sharp edges and guarded eyes. And now…after the craziest love story I could possibly imagine, here we are. I promise to stand by you, to fight for you, and to love you, even when the odds are against us. Because if we go down, we go down together, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

The words hung heavy between us, unvarnished truth in a room full of allies who understood the weight of them.

It was an oath not just of love but of survival, and everyone around us bore witness to it.

Xinyi stepped forward, her presence firm yet gentle as she faced us. I hadn’t expected her to participate…but this was a role my mother should have played, taking us into this next chapter. She spoke in Mandarin, the rhythm of her words flowing like a quiet stream through the tense air of the teahouse.

"May your union be as enduring as the mountains and as abundant as the sea," Xinyi's voice was soft but it carried weight, every syllable a wish for our future.

"May happiness fill your days and love guide your nights. In honor of Nathan's mother, and the traditions that bind us, I bless this marriage."

The room hung on her blessing, and I felt each word settle around us like a cloak. As if with her prayer, Xinyi was wrapping Abby and me in protection, in hope.

She finished with a nod, her eyes meeting mine, offering silent strength.

Abby's gaze found mine, and I pulled her close. Our lips met, and damn, it was like everything else fell away. It was just her and me, and this kiss that spoke more than vows ever could. Her lips were soft against mine, desperate.

We parted, breaths mingling, eyes locked. There was no need for words; the kiss said it all.

We were in this to the end, together.

"Let's live like there's no tomorrow," Abby whispered, her forehead pressed to mine.

"Tomorrow will worry about itself. Tonight, you're my wife," I replied, my voice low and steady.

We took a moment, holding onto each other, trying to carve this feeling deep into our memories. This wasn't just a pause in the chaos; it was something real, something ours.

And whatever came next, we had each other.

The future was out there, waiting on the other side of tonight.