"Yes, just to deliver her," a younger male voice answers.

The old man lets out a cackle. "No girl's worth that much."

"Apparently this one has a very rich father."

Fear and unbelief shoot through my body because it sounds like they're talking about me. My sweat-slicked palms clench Jai's arm. My grip is going to leave marks.

Through the slats in the stairs, I can see the flash light bouncing and two dark figures walking by. One with a hop in his step, the other with a slow shuffle. Their bodies create long shadows on the cement walls. My heartbeat goes into overdrive as the older one stops right in front of us.

"And she thinks the girl is down here?"

"Not thinks. She's sure. Somehow they got wind she's with Jai Nan."

My heartbeat, my fear, my unbelief all pause. They are definitely talking about us, but who the hell is this she they are referring to?

"Jai Nan?"

"Xing's last student. The boy who was supposed to kidnap her," the younger man says.

Those last words clang in my head. Bounce between my temples as I try to understand. Slowly I absorb their meaning. I almost have to force myself to believe the person holding me is my worst enemy. Within seconds, fury explodes within me. I should be running from him. Shocked and angered, I twist and yell but the screech under Jai's palm comes out as a muffled whine.

"What was that?" the old man asks.

The beam of the flashlight erratically searches the corners. "It sounded like a cat." The light flashes across the stairs. And although Jai's grip around me tightens, I'm instantly still. The shine stops just inches from our feet before swinging to the nearest corner. After a few more swipes, the flashlight techno light display ends. "It must have took off."

The men start walking again and my body goes back into escape mode. I try to bite Jai's hand and wrench out of grasp. He holds me tight.

"It could take days. And others, they want the reward too," the old man rasps.

I try to elbow my captor, but his muscular arm has mine pinned to my sides.

The bounce of the light gets dim.

"I'll send four more..."

The last sentence is faint then the voices, along with the light, fade until we can't hear them. Though I try to kick and bite, Jai somehow pulls me out from under the stairs while keeping my mouth covered and my body straitjacketed.

He jerks me close and nearly presses his lips to my ear. "Stop fighting me." Yeah right! I try to stomp on his foot. He twists so I miss. "I know you're mad, but think about it Nivi." Think about this! I try to head butt him and he leans back. "I could have handed you over right now." Who says you won't! I buck and he holds me still. "I could have handed you over each time you slept in my apartment." Ugh! I try to bite his hand again. He clamps my mouth closed. "They did ask me, but I couldn't do it." Whatever! "You've been with me for two days!" I'm not going to be with you one more second!

The fact that he had so many opportunities finally sinks in and drains some of the fight out of me and I quit, for the moment, trying to get free.

"I'm going to let you go. You have to be quiet. Those men and others are down here looking." He lightens the tight grip on my mouth. "Okay?"

I nod. When he releases me, I push him away. "You're a liar!" I hiss and spin away from him. I'm on the third step up to the restaurant when he yanks me down. Again locked in his embrace, I struggle.

"Listen!" he whispers angrily. "Up there that chauffeur, Kevin, Mao, and who knows who else are looking for you. Down here, the rest of the Tong. Do you really want to go out on your own?"

My elbow pauses next to his stomach. I realize he's giving me a choice. And in reality, he's right. I don't stand a chance on my own. At the moment, he's my best chance of escape. Once I'm out of this particular mess, I'll ditch his lying ass for good. In defeat, I shake my head.

"Alright then. Stay close and quiet." He releases my face, grabs my hand, and pulls me out into the walkway.

Desperately trying to ignore the desire to run from him, I become his shadow as we slink through the dark. We move slowly. Hide, listen, move then repeat the pattern. Even in the dark, Jai knows every nook and cranny of the underground terrain. We crouch behind stacks of boxes, under stairs, beneath ledges, and press ourselves against walls. Numerous times, we have to stop and wait for people to pass. Each time, I'm sure the bang of my heart alerts them. And even though I want to run back up to the world of light and escape this crazy nightmare I've fallen into, I force myself to stay patient and glued to him.

Jai's fingers curl around my arm at the sound of footsteps ahead. We move into a narrow opening. His hands on my shoulders direct me through a tight crevice. We walk forever between two walls until he flings a door open. Light, smoke, and the smell of tobacco pour out of the opening at the same time. Faces jerk toward us. Some are shocked, others angry. A hand clenched with cards points at us.

Surprised, I stumble back into the shadows.

Jai says something in Chinese then slams the door. He whips around, pulls me down a set of stairs, through a long tunnel, and up another set of stairs. We squat behind more boxes while he listens, again.

I can't help whispering, "Are they following us?"

He bends close. "I don't think so. They're just gamblers."

Running from the smoky room has thrown us off track, but after more tiptoeing, hiding, and waiting, we finally arrive at the cabinet.

Inside the apartment, I immediately shake his hand off my arm. "You've got some explaining to do." He has about five minutes, and if his explanation doesn't sound legit, I'm so out of here. Even with no money, no family, and nowhere to go. Though I'm seriously about to blow up, I'm not angry enough or dumb enough to realize he might have some much needed answers.

"Yeah, I suppose I do." He leans against the door and stares at me standing in the middle of the room.

I cross my arms. "Like now."

He taps the back of his head on the door and says, "Someone wants you kidnapped."

"Um, yeah that's a bit obvious."

"I was hired to do it."

I remember him at my apartment, outside in the morning, and then in the elevator where I tried to unsuccessfully flirt with him. Ugh, all while he was planning on kidnapping me. "That rope in the basket, it was for me?"

He gives me the tiniest nod as if not wanting to admit it.

My eyes narrow slowly while questions tumble out of my mouth as quick as I can form them. "You were watching me? Why would someone hire you to kidnap me? Who the hell are you? And who hired you?" Instinctively, I take a step backwards even though the only escape out is the other way.

Jai puts his hands up in supplication. "Nivi, remember I've had multiple opportunities to do the job, yet I haven't."

His dark eyes bore into mine demanding I trust him. My limited options-none-weigh on my chest. I let out the air I'd been holding in. "Okay, tell me why you haven't then."

He looks away. "The more I watched you, interacted with you, the more real you became and I just couldn't do it. So I just kept telling them I was waiting for the perfect opportunity." His dark eyes come back to mine. "I'm guessing someone saw us together when I brought you back from Sunset Park. They knew you were in Chinatown, knew I wasn't delivering, and sent the word out to find you."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

He sighs. "Would you have trusted me?"

I look away from him now because I still don't trust him. I suddenly feel drained and beyond confused. "I need to sit and you need to explain better."

After setting down two bottled waters, he sits across from me and slowly unscrews the cap on one before setting it in front of me. "I do a lot of work under the table for gangs here in Chinatown." He shrugs at my lifted brow. "It pays a lot more than a normal job. However, most of it is illegal."

On the way to my mouth, the water bottle pauses. "Illegal?"

"I courier money and deliver imported, untaxed goods mostly." He leans back on his metal chair balanced on two legs. "I've also been hired to rough people up who don't pay on time. And although I don't know for sure because I never look in the package, I've probably delivered drugs."

My chair clanks across the cement as I stand. "You're a criminal!"

For a second I see hurt in his dark eyes then they turn hard. He crosses his arms. "I do what's needed to survive."

We stare at each other-my gaze accusatory, his rigid-I take a deep breath. He's on his own. Who am I to judge his way of life? He takes care of four other kids. And what does it matter? I just need to find out about this kidnapping scheme. I pull the chair back to the table and slowly sit down. "This gang hired you?" He nods. "So who contacted them? Who wants me kidnapped?"

"They never told me who contacted them." I was afraid of that. My number one bet's still on Smith but they kept saying she in the basement. Maybe Smith has an accomplice? He lets the chair fall back on all four legs. "While you slept that first day, I did ask around. They've kept it quiet. No one seems to know."

So that's why he left me alone with Song. I drum my fingers on the table. "Why hire you?"

"Many of their members are known to the police. I've yet to have a run with the law."

"What were you supposed to do once you-you kidnapped me?"

"Just deliver you to them."

My fingers dig into my temples. This is so going nowhere. Jai quietly watches my frustration. His dark eyes look worried and concerned, which actually annoys me. At this point I don't want him caring about me. I have to get away from his dark gaze so I can actually think. I stand. "I'll be back in a minute." At least in the bathroom, I'll be able to escape the concern in his dark eyes. Concern that I refused to be swayed to trust.

Chapter 20*Snow.

In the bathroom, I rinse my face and brush the cobwebs from my hair with trembling hands. Leaning against the back of the door, I try to calm myself, but half a million dollars on my head makes inhaling air difficult. Along with being in the home of my would be kidnapper. What I need to do is just go. I have enough money from my mother's life insurance to live off for a few years, if that's what it comes to. It pains me to think of leaving my father even with our complicated relationship. After the way he acted today, I don't see another option. First, I need to get the hell out of Chinatown. And tomorrow as soon as the banks open, that's what I plan on doing. Not even close to calm, I open the door and the argument from the main room spills into the hallway.

"Screw that! Just give her to them," Juan says.

"Why should we have to leave just because of her?" Song asks.

As I walk in Chang says, "You two are being wussies."

Minus Scooby, the whole gang's huddled around the table. Ugh, if only I could leave right now, but with those guys searching for me down here, I'm staying put. For now.

"I don't want to mess with the Tong either..." Ping notices me in the doorway. "Unless it's for a good cause and this is a good cause," he says while puffing out his chest.

His eyes on me cause everyone to look my way. The hate in Juan and Song's gazes has me forcing myself not to roll my eyes. Jai's face shows no emotion while Chang appears amused.

I cross my arms. "Don't worry. I'll be leaving as soon as possible."

"Tomorrow," Jai says, tearing his gaze from me. "We'll all leave tomorrow."

Juan's eyes round. "With her?"

Jai crosses his arms. "You'll leave with Song. Chang and Ping together. And I'll go with Nivi."

"Why?" Song gasps.

"Because I was supposed to kidnap her, because I'm in the middle of this, and more importantly, they know she's with me."

"Then get away from her!" Song snaps and Juan vigorously nods his head in agreement.

"You think they'll leave me be?" Jai asks with a raised eyebrow.

From the fall of her face, Song understands his meaning. "You should have just done the job."

My eyes round on her. Wow. The girl's so desperate after Jai she'll recommend kidnapping.

Jai ignores the comment. "You two can stay with Feng Lu. Chang and Ping you can stay with one of your friends for a few days."

"Where are you going?" Ping asks.

While I'm thinking far, far away from all of you, Jai says, "It would be better for you not to know."

"We've stayed low. No one knows we all live together," Chang says.

Jai shakes his head. "Someone always knows."

"This is stupid!" Juan yells and stomps past me. The little bastard doesn't miss my foot.

Hopping and holding my injured toe, I ask Jai, "Can we talk privately?" Everyone looks at me again. I eyeball them back, but along with the hop, my stare's probably not too successful.

At Jai's sideways nod, they filter out of the room.

Once they are gone and doors are finished slamming, I say, "I think they're right. I should leave, alone."

"You look tired."

"You don't have to take care of me," I say through my teeth. "I can go across country on a bus or something."

He raises a brow. "Whether you think so or not, I'm in this just as deep as you are. Do you really think they're not going to come after me now?" I don't answer. I know they are. My leaving isn't going to take the pressure off him. But why should I care? And I so don't trust him, especially with that huge lump of money hanging over my head like an anvil.

Jai pulls the fridge open. "You hungry?"

"No." I shake my head and lean against the wall.

"You looked whipped." He dumps food onto a paper plate and tosses it in the microwave. "There are more jogging pants in the trunk at the end of the bed. Go to sleep. Tomorrow we'll figure out what to do."

He just keeps talking. Just keeps making plans. I can't help wondering why. "Why are you helping me?"

He turns, crosses his arms, and leans on the microwave cart. "Don't worry about my helping you. It's all about me," he says as the aroma of meat and savory spices fills the room.

"Oh really, how is putting yourself in danger helping you?"

His expression turns hard. "I've been taught to follow a code of honor and righteousness. Use my skills to protect others and promote peace. I haven't been honorable of late."