“What now?” The euphoria I had been feeling quickly evaporated.
“Zheng managed to get another vote. He now has two votes on the Council. But, get this . . . there is someone else who has acquired two votes.”
“Who? Who else on the Council would challenge me?”
“The whispers I’m hearing is it’s not anyone on the Council. That’s not the worst of it. Mr. Ng has pulled his support from you and has decided to abstain from voting. He will only vote with the majority when it’s reached.”
“That bastard! That means we each only have two votes with only one really available for the get.”
“Right. And, Gina, strong arm tactics are not going to work. There’s a Council meeting in two days. You need to be there. Everyone who is vying for that position will be.”
“That means I’ve got to get my ass back to China ASAP.”
“It’ll take me a day or so to get your alias together for your passport and other id’s.”
I paced back and forth as I pressed my fingers to my forehead. “I don’t have time for that.” I continued to pace trying to think of something quick. “Okay. You work on that from your end, and I’ll see if I can work something out on my end that will get me home faster.” I disconnected the call.
“Shit. Shit, shit, SHIT!”
Brody walked into the bedroom with a couple of glasses of orange juice. “I take it your morning hasn’t started out the best.”
“I’ve got to go home.”
“That wasn’t exactly what I wanted to hear. When?”
“Now. I need to be on a plane, yesterday. The problem is somebody would like to kill me. If I try to get on my own plane, that’s putting an X on my chest. I don’t really want to do that. I can’t get home on a commercial using an alias because that’s going to take a day or so to arrive.”
“Take mine.”
“Take your what?”
“My plane. It’s registered to me so there shouldn’t be a problem. By the time you land and check in through customs, you’ll be long gone. Your security will be there right?”
“You would do this for me without even asking what’s so urgent?”
Brody put the juices on the table then sat down pulling me with him. “Truth?”
“Nothing but.”
“I’m not crazy about dating a gangsta. If I had my way, I’d get you to leave all that madness behind. Who knows after more than just a couple of incredible days, maybe that could still happen. Realistically, what are my choices? Spend some time getting to you know, flaws and all, or let you walk out of my life. I’m not willing to do the latter.”
I heard him; I just couldn’t believe it. Brody was willing to accept me as I was flaws and all. My throat felt thick. I couldn’t speak to express what I was feeling. I gently pressed my lips against his. He had no idea the gift he’d just given me. “Thank you.”
“Contrary to what you might believe, sweetheart, I’m a man in politics. Not all of my associations are above board.”
Quickly, Brody managed to twist our bodies so that I was lying underneath him in the bed. His smile was contagious as he dropped kisses on my lips and gently bit my neck. “Before I let you go, I’ll need two things from you.”
I giggled like a school girl. “What’s that?”
“Promise me you’ll be careful, and I’ll need to fill you up one more time for the road.”
*****
Brody linked his hand in mine as we sat in the back of his limo. I was getting ready to go into a warzone, yet I couldn’t seem to keep the goofy smile off of my face. The closer we got to the private airstrip the quieter we both became.
“I spoke to my investigator before we left the house today.”
I tensed. “Really? Why?” I would have told him anything he wanted to know.
“I wanted to get as much information regarding the eight families as I could. Gina, they’re a lot more lethal than I imagined.”
I turned my head to look out of the window so that I didn’t have to see the disapproval in his eyes. “So am I, Brody. I don’t always get to keep my hands clean.”
Quietly he spoke. “I know.” He picked my hands up and brought them to his lips. “But, there’s more good in you than you believe. I want you to know that. You don’t have anything to prove to anyone except for yourself.”
“That sounds like a Hallmark card.”
“Maybe. But it’s true. The security team that’s following us are former US Special OPS. They’re going to get on that plane and stay with you until you can link up with your own people, but—I don’t want you to get on that plane. I want to see where things can go with us.”
I closed my eyes. “Don’t ask me that. You can’t ask me that.”
The car pulled up on the tarmac. “I know and I won’t, but I have made the decision. I’m not letting you get on that plane alone. I’m coming with you.”
My head snapped around to see if he was serious. “No. I will not put you in danger. I will not let my enemies use you against me or hurt you.”
Brody opened his car door and got out. Then looked back inside at my stunned face. “As long as you handle your business then there’s nothing to worry about.”
Chapter 18
I couldn’t count the number of times Brody and I made love
