Chapter 36

You need to tell him the full story, my inner incubus states immediately as we watch his retreating figure, her hands resting sternly on her hips. He has to know what he's getting himself into by loving you.

Hey, now, he didn't say he loves me...I warn her but my subconscious chips in rudely,

What if he falls out of love when he learns the full story? My subconscious argues, looking at me pleadingly as I avoid her gaze by looking down at my knotted hands on my lap. Not only have we already put him and Danny in danger by being with them but we won't be able to protect them if it boils down to a situation like that. He even drugged us for Christ's sake! What if we're asleep when someone attacks?

We don't even know exactly why he drugged us, my subconscious adds softly, reminding both my inner incubus and me that Alexander left out that piece of information. He must have had a good reason. Men like Alexander don't do things without reason.

Blinking a few times as a bowl of warm shredded chicken congee with a century egg that is cut into quarters sharing the space of the small plate with some sliced red apples and bacon slices. A small smile pulls at the corners of my lips as I use my fork to poke the clear jiggly black membrane of the familiar breakfast item from my pre-teen years.

"Janie, food is meant to be eaten and not prodded," Theo snorts with his mouth half-filled with half-chewed food about two seats away from me.

"Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to talk and eat at the same time?" I retort, glaring at him.

Raising his hands up in surrender, the cheeky smile on his greasy lips doesn't faze as he continues to stuff his face. Biting the inside of my cheek, I glide the ceramic spoon on the surface of the hot porridge, blowing on it to prevent burning my tongue.

How about we set a deadline for ourselves? My inner incubus suggests after a brief amount of silence and a few mouthfuls of the flavorful porridge. Isn't that how we've saved so many children before? We always set a deadline to get the deals done.

That was before we had a price on our heads, my subconscious snaps, crossing her arms. Besides, it's not like we'll remember it anyway, not when we have to look out for kidnappers at every other corner of the street.

Good point...

"Janette?" Someone across the table calls me suddenly, causing me to drop my spoon into the bowl.

"What?" I gape, looking at Alexander confusedly. "Huh?"

"I said, I won't be going into the office until later today so I'll be able to take you sightseeing while we're here."

Oh...

"That's nice..." I trail off not really comprehending the meaning of his words since I only took in and processed the first part of his sentence, my eyes returning to gaze at the spoon that I had replaced inside the bowl of porridge. "I guess you'll be able to catch up on some sleep..."

My heart skips a beat when his fingers that he places under my chin gently nudges my face upwards so that I have no choice but to look at him. The sounds of the breakfast goers and my bothers' ceaseless chattering melt into white noise the longer Alexander holds my gaze with his.

"What?" I breathe shakily, turning my head to the side effectively breaking our eye contact. "Is there something on my face?"

"You think too much," He responds softly, leaning back into his seat. "I don't mind staying in the hotel until it's time for me to go to work and there is also the function later this evening but I do want to give you a chance to tour Taiwan with me, perhaps we could try out some of the food here? Taiwan is known for stinky toufu."

"Maybe some other time," I reply, turning to face him at the mention of stinky toufu, my nose scrunching up at the thought of the smelly delicacy. I brought some back for Todd and Vincent before after I had done a deal for another of the heads of the Triads...let's just say they had trouble leaving the toilets; the best part is they didn't even eat it."I'm not sure you'd like stinky toufu...I heard that the toufu actually lives up to its name very well..."

"It does," Alexander grins goofily at me, eyeing my facial expression amusedly. "I had it the last time I came here. Thankfully it doesn't taste as bad as it smells. Are you up for the challenge or would you rather eat something tamer like giant pork meatballs in soup?"

Weighing my options against one another, I give him my best apologetic smile, "I think I just want to stay in the hotel today...I've been meaning to video call Danny since the last time he saw me was before the dinner with the Whites'."

Well, that's an unbelievable lie, my inner incubus scoffs, rolling her eyes at me. You know if you wanted to lie you should try harder. Remember how your story never checked out last night making Eugene suspicious of you?

First of all, Eugene is the leader of a crime syndicate! Of course, he'd be quick to detect a lie and act on his suspicions; there is, after all, no room for error in judgement in that part of the world. Secondly, Alexander is just a businessman, sure he has a brilliant mind but he doesn't have the inbred instincts of a cartel leader, I snap at her.

"Alright then," He responds as he finishes eating the remainder of his breakfast. "How is your arm?"

Ah...I actually forgot about that...In fact, I don't think anyone last night noticed it either...Glancing in what I hope is a discreet way to where the bullet scraped my arm, the once bright red bandage is now a rusty looking brown, subtly moving my arm from side to side, I am delighted to find that I don't feel any pain.

"It's fine," I mumble, resettling my eyes back on him. "I think I'll take off the bandage later and wash the scratches."

Giving me a soft sound of acknowledgement, he does nothing to continue the conversation between us, allowing me to turn my attention back to my subconscious and inner incubus who have begun to bicker once more about our situation and my food.

It is clear that he wants to know more about us so why can't we give him what he wants? My inner incubus grumbles, pursing her lips in irritation. Why else would he take time off of work today? He did say that we would continue exchanging information after breakfast. He must have planned beforehand to not go to work until later today.

Maybe he just wants to rest or perhaps the work that needs to be done today is beneath him? After all, he did bring twelve of his employees... My subconscious argues. How did you even get the idea that he wants to continue that conversation from his words?

Glancing up from my porridge at my subconscious's words, I watch Alexander peel away the paper below his steamed bun, tearing a small piece of it with his fingers, the steam of filling inside the bun rises mesmerisingly up to the ceiling and then his eyes meet mine.

My cheeks warm as he continues to hold my gaze, his lips spread out in an amused grin as he pops the torn piece into his mouth, chewing it slowly. The laboured thumps of my heart in my chest has my chest visibly jumping in time to the beats.

"Excuse me," an excited looking teenage girl appears on the side of our table, causing us to break the awkward eye contact. "I couldn't help to ask but are you, Alexander Holt?"

Alexander's amused grin from before disappears and replacing it is a formal, business smile as he responds to her reservedly, "Yes, I am."

Producing a brown paper envelope from her tote bag that hangs on her shoulder, she passes it to him, saying, "I'm a recipient of your company's science and technology scholarship, I really owe the life I have now to you, Mr Holt. A blond guy in a suit with blue eyes pointed you out to me and asked me to give you this envelope. He said that he's a friend of yours."

Science and technology scholarship? Looking between the girl and Alexander, I feel my heart soar with pride as she takes a picture with him, thanking him over and over again. So...he does have a heart for kids...hey...then why does he call Danny an 'it'?

Once the girl leaves, Alexander takes a look into the envelope, taking out its contents which are about ten pieces of rectangular papers. His face knits itself into an angry scowl as he flips the papers behind each other, eyeing them with growing rage.

Dragging his seat back, he curtly informs my brothers and Todd that he'll be catching up on some sleep and that unless there is something absolutely necessary that he needs to know about urgently, they shouldn't have to call him. Without waiting for their response, Alexander gently guides me out of my seat and leads us out of the restaurant.

His grip tightens on me as I lag behind him, unable to keep up with his long strides. The elevator door closes in front of us and he lets go of my arm to roll up and tuck the brown envelope into the back pocket of his pants.

The second the elevator doors open, Alexander has me thrown over his shoulder with a tight grip on the back of my thighs as I hang upside down. Stuttering nonsensical protests as he takes us to our room.

"Alexander, wha-"He shuts me off with a kiss, hard and brutal. Our teeth clack together, and he twists his fingers in my tangled bed hair that I didn't get the chance to comb through before breakfast to hold me in place while he assaults my mouth with such force that I'm certain my lips will bruise.