Page 53 of Punished
“No buts.” Chen bared his teeth at him. “It. Never. Fucking. Happened. Do you understand?”
Yìchén nodded and Chen released him, then put the car into drive and headed home.
The car ride back was silent and that was what Chen needed to get his bearings. When he met his boss again, there could be no sign that he’d just taken his son over the hood of his fucking car in a public parking lot. What the fuck was he thinking to be so damn stupid?! He avoided looking at Yìchén as they drove back home, and he hoped that he had gotten his message across.
The last thing he needed was for Yìchén to expose them.
Da Han must never know.
Chapter twenty
Jun De
“What?” Da Han yelledthrough his cell. “How the fuck did you let your guard down this badly, Tian?” There was a pause as Da Han listened. “Don’t get smart with me,” he said before he paused again and it would seem that Tian Yu was also giving his older brother a few words. “Fine, Chicago and New York were both attacked. How did they even know about them?”
Jun De watched his boss pace the space in his office. Da Han carded his fingers through his silky black strands, a snarl on his face that made Jun De wonder just what the hell went wrong.
“How many are dead?” Da Han asked, then waited for the reply. He sighed heavily, his head back as he stared at the ceiling. He put the cell back to his ear. “Put extra security on the hospital...Good.”
This night had started off with promising news for Da Han when he’d received word that the head of the Castiello Family, Rico Castiello, had been shot several times by his assassin, Stephen Yeoh. They were still waiting on confirmation if the mob boss had survived his injuries. Rico had gone into hiding and Stephan was searching for him to finish him off if he was still hanging on. And also, the update that Chen had located Yìchén and was bringing him home had Da Han in good spirits.
But the phone call Da Han was on right now changed all of that. It would seem that his men just faced a huge attack in retaliation. One the Dragonhead hadn’t expected. Da Han ended the call and tossed his phone across the room. It landed on the sofa.
“What happened, sir?” Jun De asked.
“Fuck!” Da Han spat the curse word out with all of the frustration he was feeling. He turned to him. “The fucking Castiellos bombed three of our businesses, killed twenty-six of my men and injured fourteen.”
“Shit,” Jun De hissed and uncrossed his legs, then leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Which businesses?”
“The ones that we have under shells. How the fuck they found out that those businesses belonged to me, I don’t know,’ Da Han said.
Jun De knew the businesses in question must have been operating as hideouts for his men. Therefore, they could have been discovered if those men were tracked, or if the Castiellos had a very skilled hacker in their family.
“So, they attacked in Chicago and New York, what about Orlando, sir?” Jun De asked.
Da Han shook his head. “Li is playing it smart. Considering he’s in the viper pit. With both Castiellos and three large Lords chapters in the state, his strategy can’t be ours.”
“That doesn’t mean Enzo Castiello won’t strike first,” Jun De said.
“I’ve sent Li plenty of men and he has his sister, but I will allow him to handle his situation as he sees fit. Only he knows exactly how much danger he’ll be in if he makes the wrong move,” Da Han said.
Jun De sighed, but nodded, understanding his boss’ meaning. “Sir, do you think it’s time you called Mr. Saotome for reinforcements?”
Da Han threw him a look that proved he didn’t appreciate the suggestion. “Do you think I can’t handle them? That the Jade Dragon Triad needs the help of the Yakuza?”
Jun de rose from the chair and bowed. “No, sir. I apologize if my concern came across that way. I know that you can handle them.”
“Good,” Da Han said sharply.
Jun De straightened and noted Da Han checking his watch.
“They should be back by now,” Da Han said about Chen and his son. He grabbed his cell from the sofa and dialed his right-hand. “What’s taking you so long? I need you here now,” he said once Chen answered.
Jun De was only hearing one side of the conversation but knew what was said based on Da Han’s responses.
“I’ll tell you what happened once you get here. Come straight to my office.” With that, Da Han ended the call and looked at Jun De. “These fucking assholes... how dare they fuck with my money.”
Jun De remained silent, because he knew there was nothing he could offer his boss in the way of strategy. His job was to be a bodyguard. Not to give suggestions to the boss on how he should go about conducting his affairs. That was Chen’s job and even Tian-Yu's.
