Page 133 of No Greater Oblivion

“To talk. Calmly. Where are you?”

“At my hotel. I’m behind on a lot of things and spent the day catching up.”

“Can I meet you? I could be there in a half hour.”

Tension seeps through the phone as I await his response. Part of me fears he’ll reject my offer when a muttered, “Okay,” comes through.

“Okay…” I whisper. “Text me the address. I’m leaving now.”

We hang up and I head downstairs to grab a coat from the closet. When I step out into the brutal January cold. I’m reminded of why leaving New York wasn’t as life ending as I thought it would be. Winter in Barcelona is more like a mild spring compared to the arctic hell of Manhattan.

My phone vibrates in my pocket and I reach for it.

Alejandro: Here’s the address.

Alejandro: I’m in the presidential suite but we can meet in the lobby if you’d like.

I hit the address he sent but it’s giving me an error message which means he must’ve entered it incorrectly. He told me the name of the hotel but I can’t remember now. Might’ve been The North Star but I don’t want to run the risk of going in the wrong direction.

Me: Hey, I think you entered the address wrong. Are you staying at The North Star? I can’t remember.

A minute passes and no response. I’m so impatient I dial his number and lift the phone to my ear.

He answers on the first ring. “I was just⁠—”

“Dahlia.”

My blood freezes at the sound of Li Huang’s voice.

I spin on the balls of my feet and pretend to push my hair out of my face so he doesn’t notice the phone in my hand or when I slide it into my pocket.

“Li Huang!” I exclaim with mock delight. “Always a pleasure. What are you doing outside my house?”

Whatever brought him here can’t be good because he isn’t supposed to be back from his trip until this weekend. Does Rian know he’s here? Did Alejandro hang up on me or was he able to hear me say Li’s name and stayed on the line?

Li emerges from a black Mercedes and one his henchmen closes the door for him. He’s immaculately dressed in a long, blue-black wool coat with lacquered buttons and fur around the neckline. His shoes are leather, glossy, slacks dark and custom tailored. Most people don’t know this about Li but he dresses according to his mood and judging by the sharp, clean lines of his ensemble and the austere expression on his elegant face, he’s absolutely murderous—murderous and smiling as if he’s greeting a next door neighbor.

“What can I say? Thought I’d pay my dear friend a visit.”

“How nice of you. Unfortunately, I already have other⁠—”

A second man exits the car from the passenger’s side. Similarly dressed to the first in all black, both men approach me on the sidewalk, closing in on me so I have nowhere to go.

“Let’s take a ride.”

I keep my expression blank and pleasant. The forced smile is starting to make my cheeks hurt. “No thanks. And tell your lap dogs that if they touch me, I’m going to fuck them up.”

Li laughs with genuine amusement. “I’d love to see it.” He opens the back door to the sedan and waves with a gloved hand. “Come on now, I don’t have all night.”

My options are limited if not nonexistent. Contrary to common belief, I’m not completely helpless and given my height and stature, I could easily defend myself against the average-sized man. The first guard is almost the same height as me in these boots, strong but lean, and probably wouldn’t see a right hook and knee to the groin coming. As for the second, he’s about an even six-foot and has at least fifty pounds on the first, stocky and solid in build. He’d be a little more difficult and if the first isn’t disoriented enough from my attack, they’d both be able to take me down. And that’s if Li doesn’t pull a gun on me which I suspect he might. I don’t think he wants me dead—not yet, at least—but he isn’t above injuring me to prove a point.

The second goes to grab my arm and I smack his hand away. “Touch me and I’ll bust your teeth in. I can walk.”

He looks to Li for guidance and Li bows his head slightly, granting his permission. I approach the car myself and Li opens the backdoor, placing a hand between my shoulder blades to guide me instead. Another one of his power moves; weaponizing physical touch in order to intimidate.

“I can’t stay long,” I say, keeping my voice casual. “I’m assuming you need something from me.”

“Just the pleasure of your company.”