Thirty-One
Monday, December 20
Parrot Tree Marina
Eva awoke to a pounding headache. She was sitting in a chair, her ankles bound, her arms tied behind her. She struggled against the ropes. It was no use.
And then she heard laughter.
Julian.
Her vision slowly cleared, and she found herself sitting across from the Dragon at his dining room table. Her mother sat at Julian’s side, similarly bound, a look of sheer terror in her eyes.
Julian shook his head. “Really, dear. Did it have to end this way? Remember the first time we dined here? We could have been partners.”
As he took a sip from a china teacup, Eva realized there was someone sitting right beside her. She turned to see Nguyen at her side, grinning with his gold teeth.
He suddenly slapped her so hard her neck whipped back aroun
