Caught In The Shadow [Jenlisa]

Chapter Thirty-Seven -

Lisa

I swirled my scotch in my glass, but didn't take a drink. My thoughts were with Jennie. Felipe had gone upstairs, despite my best efforts to stall him and get there first. Fifteen minutes had passed and I hadn't heard a gunshot, or any screams. Good news, but my worries were far from dispelled. I wanted my wits about me if things suddenly took a turn for the worse. In many ways, they already had.

My mind felt ravaged over how to deal with Jiyong. Our relationship had always been complicated, but it remained the closest I had to family or friendship. Jiyong had been my salvation and so many other things over the years...and now I contemplated killing him.

I knew I couldn't run away with Jennie. Jiyong would hunt them down to the ends of the earth and while I could take care of myself, it was no life for Jennie. She deserved better. I had considered separating myself from her, but I knew if Jiyong couldn't find me, he would find Jennie again and use her to get to me.

Jiyong deserved his revenge. Jennie deserved to live her life. That left me thinking about what I deserved: nothing. I'd fought so hard to live, to survive, and I didn't relish the idea of ending it all, but I would...for Jennie, I would. I'd lived a meaningless life that would culminate in me destroying every meaningful relationship I'd ever had. At the very least, I thought, I could have meaning in my death.

"What has you so troubled, Lisa?" Jiyong asked in Arabic, now they were alone. He had sent Jay away once he'd regained consciousness, and Felipe had used the opportunity to excuse himself from the room. Nancy remained, but she seemed unaware of her surroundings as she huddled on the floor and supported Jiyong's legs on her back.

I gestured toward her with my drink, "Is that really necessary?"

Jiyong smiled, "No, but she's here, so why not make use of her? Answer my question, what has you so troubled?"

My heartbeat accelerated and heat traveled down my spine, but I attempted nonchalance, "Things are moving quickly now. I keep going over things in my mind."

"Yes, it's been a long battle. I don't know which of us has sacrificed more to see Vladek suffer. The auction is only the first step. It will be up to you to earn his trust, but it will be worth it when everything he has belongs to us, even his very life," Jiyong said. He took another drink of scotch and I noted it was his third.

"Yes," I replied, but my tone hinted at my unease.

"You've been strange these last few months, Lisa. I would have thought you'd be happier to have your vengeance so close at hand," Jiyong said. He sounded irritated.

"Why can't I just kill him, Jiyong? I would do it. Gladly and in front of everyone, I would kill him. We're wealthy men. We don't need his company, or his money," I said and instantly regretted it.

"It's not about the money, Lisa! It never has been. I want it because it's the only thing he loves as far as I can tell. If you knew of the things he's sacrificed for his precious billions, it would be all you could do not to find him now. Tonight! He has no wife, no children. He trusts no one! And he has taken everything from me. Death is not enough. Torture is not enough. I thought you of all people would understand!"

Hadn't I said something similar to Jennie? It seemed like ages ago, the night I'd rescued her from the bikers and informed her of her fate. She'd asked me why?

'"I have obligations, Kitten." I swallowed deeply. "There's a man who needs to die. I needed you...need—" He paused. "If I don't do this now then I'll never be free. I can't walk away until it's done. Until he pays for what he did to Jiyong's mother, to his sister, until he pays for what he did to me." Lisa stood abruptly, her chest heaving. She ran angry fingers through her hair and fisted her hands at her nape. "Until everything he loves is gone, until he – feels it. Then I can let it go. I'll have repaid my debt. Then, perhaps...maybe."'