Tempted Tigress (44 page)

"How much did you eat?" her father replied. "How much even of what was meant for Wan ended up in your stomach?"

"None," she whispered. "None at all." It was the truth, but she could see by Samuel's smirk that he didn't believe her. She looked to Zhi-Gang. He believed her. She could see it in the gentling of his mouth, the twist of his lips, and most especially in the fathomless darkness of his eyes. He saw she had given up the drug, that she had continued to resist despite the cravings that plagued her. He believed in her, and in his eyes she found the strength to play her role.

"Maybe just a little," she said with a cringe.

Samuel barked with laughter. "See!" he bellowed. "See what you have married."

"I'm careful!" Anna cried. "I only celebrate with the customer. Just like you taught me!" She dropped her voice. "I'm not an addict," she lied, knowing in her heart the magnitude of the lie. She was an opium addict, she would always crave the sweet heaven that it offered. But more than even that wonderful oblivion, she respected Zhi-Gang. His touch, his caress, his love—all were a hundred times more fulfilling.

She glanced at her lover, wanting him to see the truth in her eyes. She needed him to know that she wasn't lying, that she wasn't the fool her father suggested. But when she looked up, he wasn't there; He had crossed to her side. He enfolded her in his arms and dropped his face to her hair. He simply held her; and she closed her eyes, feeling his warmth, his acceptance, and his love.

In the background, she heard the guards shift in worry. But Samuel released her hand—probably to defend himself in case of a problem—and nothing happened except a husband hugging his wife. All the room settled into silence.

Anna lifted her gaze to meet Zhi-Gang's. "I'm sorry," she whispered, staying with the role she had adopted. "I don't long for it like I did before—"

"I know," he answered, and by the look in his eyes, she knew he did know—both the truth and the lie of what she said. "Now, go to the room while I finish with your father."

She knew what he meant. He was on the near side of the desk now. He would kill Samuel when she was out of the way. So she nodded, acquiescing. It was time she allowed him to do his job. She bowed her head in acceptance, but before she left she turned one last time to her pretend father.

"All I wanted was a father who loved me. You turned me into an addict for your own ends."

Samuel shook his head, his sneer all the uglier for the way it tilted his moustache. "Do not blame me, little girl. You've been running from the day I met you—from the orphanage, from Shanghai, from wherever you are to something else." He looked at Zhi-Gang, his expression clearly indicating the marriage was just another of her way stops. "I just gave you a direction, that's all."

Shock hit Anna. At first it was a simple recoil in her gut even as her head began to shake, denying his words. But nothing she said or did could change the truth of his statement.

Her gaze leapt to Zhi-Gang, looking for strength and comfort. "It's not true," she said. "He created the situation. He manipulated..."

Zhi-Gang frowned, but not in the way of a man who believed her, who was outraged on her behalf. He was confused by her denial. "I have always known you are a runner," he said.

It was the simple, bald truth.

Her breath shuddered in her chest. She
was
a runner. She had always run—from her nurse, from the orphanage, from Shanghai, and even from her entire life, every time she ate opium. Her hands clenched at her sides, and she shuddered from the stark reality.

"It doesn't matter," Zhi-Gang said softly. "Go upstairs. I will follow soon."

She looked at him, and the truth hit her even harder. Her lover was offering her exactly what she most wanted: another escape. She would run while Zhi-Gang avenged her. Then she would run to England. She might as well light up a pipe.

"No," she murmured, anger stiffening her spine. It was time she stopped running away. It was time she finished something.

Where she found such strength of character was beyond her. A scant few weeks ago, such thoughts would have sent her scurrying for her opium pipe. But now, looking at the breadth of Zhi-Gang's shoulders, the dark slashes of his eyebrows, and the kind understanding in his eyes, she knew she couldn't release her burden onto him. He was more than willing to take it, but she knew the darkness in his soul. She knew the pain he suffered for decisions he had made as a boy, and as the Emperor's Enforcer. She knew, and she would not add to his burden. She would not be another soul for him to carry. It was time she took responsibility for her own life, her own decisions.

She straightened, squaring her shoulders though her heart beat in her throat. "You know, this business always made my head ache," she lied. "The truth is, you will both end up at the same place no matter how much you dicker." She stepped easily into the role of bargainer. She knew better than anyone the terms Samuel would accept.

"Three girls a month," she suggested to Zhi-Gang. "Agreed?"

Zhi-Gang nodded. It was a curt dip of his chin, and in his eyes she read fear for her safety. He did not want her in the middle of the coming fight.

She smiled in reassurance at him. For the first time in her life, she was going to fight for herself rather than run. The thought was terrifying, but it was also heartening. She might die in the next few moments, but she would at least die after having been fully alive.

She turned to her adopted father. "Where do the girls go? Which brothels?"

"He can bring them—"

"No," she interrupted. "Which brothels, Father? Write down the names. I will ensure that the girls get where they need to be."

Her father narrowed his eyes at her. "Since when do you want to run girls?"

Anna let her gaze drop to the floor. "I have come to accept the world as it is. And I wish to please my new husband."

Samuel released a sharp bark of laughter. "You mean you are not so high and mighty about running girls when your opium supply is at stake."

She looked up with pretend insult. "I will take better care of them than Halfy! I will see that their life is tolerable, that all profit from their sacrifice." She could see that he didn't completely believe her, so she pushed on as quickly as possible.

"Halfy's gone, Father. We can make this a partnership, and you keep your profits. Who else knows your ways, who can run the brothels? Who else do you trust to oversee them?" She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "And I won't sample
this
merchandise."

Her father frowned. Zhi-Gang did, too. He didn't understand what she intended. But that didn't matter; he would understand as soon as she handed him the list of all her father's brothels. He would then know the names of all the hellholes that tortured girls, drugging them into prostitution. And he—the Enforcer—could decide what to do so that no one else suffered like his sister had.

Meanwhile, Samuel was obviously thinking hard. "I thought you were a married woman now. That you had no interest—"

She sighed loudly. "Enough, father. My husband understands that I have no wish to spend all my time in backwater Jiangsu. And we both want the money that can be made in Shanghai. Do you not trust me to do this? To let me take Halfy's place?" She waited, her breath held as Samuel judged her worth—or lack thereof. And then he followed where she was leading.

"You are rushing to get to the celebration," he said.

She flushed, her eyes dropping to his left jacket pocket. "I'm not rushing," she said.

He reached into his jacket and pulled out the wooden case. In it lay the glass hypodermic. It landed on the desk with a muted thunk. From his other pocket he drew out a small bag that held opium. She could smell it in the air, taste the smoke on her tongue, even feel the sweet drug as it slipped into her bloodstream. She had just resolved to stand strong against her father, to act instead of run, and yet here she was, already weakening at the sight of a bag—a simple velvet bag.

"Should we start?" Samuel asked. "Do you want to celebrate now while your husband and I finish the last of the negotiations?"

"Yes."
No
! She took a deep breath and spoke a truth she had never voiced. "As long as you control the opium, father, you control me." She glanced sideways at Zhi-Gang. "And him. Therefore, let me run your trade in girls. Pay me in opium." She allowed herself to stretch her hand forward toward the velvet bag. "We can both get rich off the trade."

Samuel's hand shot out to grip her wrist. The bag contained a great deal of opium. He would not allow her to get to it. Not yet. Not until he had the deal he wanted. Beside her, Zhi-Gang stiffened. He wanted to protect her; she could feel his need like a wave that surrounded and supported her. With him here, she felt strong enough to face her father, to do what needed to be done.

"How many brothels? How will I run your trade?" she pressed.

"How much opium do you want?" Samuel asked.

She shrugged. "We can sell thirty pounds a month." An exorbitant amount, and it was roundly scoffed at by all in the room but Zhi-Gang. She had expected no less, even hoped for the reaction, as the two guards visibly relaxed with their laughter. They knew the rhythm of dicker, then celebration. Their services would not be needed, and so they relaxed, thinking they would simply be observers.

"Not so ridiculous an amount," Anna began. But Zhi-Gang stepped forward.

"For three beautiful girls? Twenty-five pounds a month. No less. There is a great hunger for opium in Jiangsu."

Samuel relaxed his grip on Anna's wrist and turned to Zhi-Gang. The two men engaged in a heated back and forth, apparently both enjoying the exercise. And as the negotiation continued, Samuel relaxed even more. He allowed Anna to take the velvet bag and the wood box.

She wasted no time. It only took her a moment to find the other necessary implements in the cabinet behind the desk. Then she was heating the opium and filling the needle with practiced movements. Behind her, Zhi-Gang had stepped closer, but not close enough to strike—she still stood somewhat between him and Samuel. There simply wasn't a lot of room behind the desk.

"I need the list, father," she muttered as if fully entranced with what she was doing. "The list of all your suppliers of girls. Not just the brothels. I might as well run all your shipments."

Samuel glanced at her. She barely noticed, so careful was she being with the flame as she heated the opium. But she realized he was checking the steadiness of her hands. If she trembled at all, he would believe she was untrustworthy, still an addict.

But she had been weeks off of the drug now, thanks to Zhi-Gang. Her hands were rock steady. She glanced at Samuel. "Did you want the first taste?"

It was a calculated choice. No addict would offer that; they would say there was enough for both of them, then would take that first taste. She was proving she was not the fool he'd believed. In truth, the words were unnervingly difficult to say, but she forced them out with a smile.

Samuel shook his head, seemingly pleased. "Give it to your husband first."

Zhi-Gang declined.

"More for me," Anna said—and at that point her hand did tremble, for the hunger hit hard. Would it be so bad to just take a little? For show? It might even help their cause.

She deftly maneuvered the hypodermic needle, drawing up the potent liquid. Pure opium injected directly into the veins gave joy like no other. Then she glanced at Samuel, her words off-hand: "I need all of Halfy's records, father. I have to go over them to understand who brings girls for how much opium."

"Of course, of course," Samuel said with a casual wave. "All in good time."

Anna set the bag of opium back on the table. She tossed aside the stick that had heated the spoon that melted the powder. She set everything down except for the needle, which she kept gripped and aimed for her arm.

"Have I ever done something you didn't expect, Samuel? Ever?"

He blinked, surprised. A slow smile slid over his features. "You have been an excellent daughter."

"I assume that means no. I have always done as you expected, always performed up to expectations. Even beyond, I think."

His smile grew. "Of course. I was nervous when you ran off, but... you have done very well for yourself."

"For you," she corrected.

He nodded. "Yes."

"Then let me do this now. Let me show you how valuable I can be. You can supervise everything I do, but let me show you how profitable running girls can be. Tell me where Halfy's records are."

Samuel glanced at Zhi-Gang, then back to her. "You searched but couldn't find them?"

She nodded.

"That's because I have them. Here." He pointed to a leather satchel beneath his feet. "Halfy couldn't write worth a damn. Kept it all in that idiot brain of his."

Anna nodded. "So you had to keep his records. I will be a much better manager."

Samuel smiled. "Yes," he said as he bent down. Anna watched him haul the satchel up and flip open the cover. Inside were the thick books she remembered from a day long ago. She remembered Samuel writing her name in that book, and how proud she had been at the time. These indeed were the records Zhi-Gang needed. The books held enough information to end a large chunk of illicit trade—drugs, child prostitutes. Which meant it was finally time to end Samuel's hold on her for good.