Elena’s arm . “Let’s give Alex and Bai a chance to work through a couple of things , Elena.”
She nodded to the governor and the group of people with him who, overhear ing Alex’s harsh words , had turned in surprise to watch the scene. Lei smiled at them , linked arms with Elena , and moved toward the governor.
“G overnor Sampson was j ust commenting on your herb garden, Elena. I told him you have more medicinal herbs in your garden than the University of San Francisco has in their botanical research center . I promised him that you would give him and Ginny a quick tour.”
Elena stared at her , then back at Alex and Bai. Turning to the governor she said in a bright voice, “Of course, g overnor. Any excuse I have to visit with you and Ginny is always welcome. Shall we find her now and go out to the garden? Bai gave me the garden as a gift . It is astonishing. I have yet to catalogue all of the herbs. ”
~~~
Bai watched them leave , then excused himself from the conversation with the New York businessmen and walked back to face Alex. Wyatt interposed himself between the two men and the rest of the crowd, using his body and presence as a buffer. Wan stayed where he was, gazing at his son and grandson, his stern face troubled . Alex continued to glare at Bai , oblivious to the concerned looks from his father and grandfather.
In a gesture Alex had seen his father make all of his life , Bai reached in his pocket for his gold cigarette case with the embossed wolf’s head. He took out a cigarette, lit it , and blew the smoke up in the air. When the smoke cleared , he looked at Alex through half closed eyes .
“ Alex , may I presume that you are not happy that Elena and I are going to marry ?”
Alex snorted .
“ How can you tell ?’
A slight smile tugged at the corner of Bai’s mouth.
“ More than likely by y our rudeness, your rather i nsufferable rudeness .”
Alex responded with a tight grimace.
“ It is i ronic , at best, to hear the word insufferable come f rom your lips , Bai .”
Seeing the disdainful smile on Bai’s face, Alex lost what little control he had . In a harsh whisper only his father and Bai could hear, he growled, “I don’t care about your custom clothes, your goddamn accent. I don’t give a fuck if you speak five languages or ten and the governor of California wants to suck your dick. You think you look and act like a goddamn banker. You may have fooled my sister , but you don’t fool me . I know wh o you are , wh at you are. You’re nothing but a two bit criminal . Y ou’re not worthy of being in the same room with my sister -- much less marrying her!”
Wyatt stepped forward, his face and voice hard, “Alex, stop…”
Bai put up his hand and shook his head.
“It’s all right, Wyatt. Let the boy vent. He apparently needs to have his temper tantrum. Perhaps when he has had a chance to kick and scream and hold his breath, he will be more able to have an adult conversation.”
Bai turned to join the group of people who were pretending they weren’t interested in the conversation but had edged closer . Alex’s face was red, his eyes flashing. He moved toward Bai , his voice filled with fury . He spoke loudly enough for those around them to hear .
“I f anything happens to my sister because of who you are , y ou will have to deal with me .”
Bai turned back to him and his eyes narrowed . He said in a c ool clipped voice, his accent heavier, more apparent.
“There are those among us, Alex, myself included, who think it is less likely for anything to happen to Elena because of who I am .”
The guests who were close to them had now given up any pretense of no t listening and pressed forward, staring at the angry young man confronting t he Frenchman.
Alex brushed at the angry tears on his face and said in a harsh whisper, “I don’t care if you are a grandmaster. I may be only a k ung fu master , but I have been studying in C hina with the best . N ot only
She nodded to the governor and the group of people with him who, overhear ing Alex’s harsh words , had turned in surprise to watch the scene. Lei smiled at them , linked arms with Elena , and moved toward the governor.
“G overnor Sampson was j ust commenting on your herb garden, Elena. I told him you have more medicinal herbs in your garden than the University of San Francisco has in their botanical research center . I promised him that you would give him and Ginny a quick tour.”
Elena stared at her , then back at Alex and Bai. Turning to the governor she said in a bright voice, “Of course, g overnor. Any excuse I have to visit with you and Ginny is always welcome. Shall we find her now and go out to the garden? Bai gave me the garden as a gift . It is astonishing. I have yet to catalogue all of the herbs. ”
~~~
Bai watched them leave , then excused himself from the conversation with the New York businessmen and walked back to face Alex. Wyatt interposed himself between the two men and the rest of the crowd, using his body and presence as a buffer. Wan stayed where he was, gazing at his son and grandson, his stern face troubled . Alex continued to glare at Bai , oblivious to the concerned looks from his father and grandfather.
In a gesture Alex had seen his father make all of his life , Bai reached in his pocket for his gold cigarette case with the embossed wolf’s head. He took out a cigarette, lit it , and blew the smoke up in the air. When the smoke cleared , he looked at Alex through half closed eyes .
“ Alex , may I presume that you are not happy that Elena and I are going to marry ?”
Alex snorted .
“ How can you tell ?’
A slight smile tugged at the corner of Bai’s mouth.
“ More than likely by y our rudeness, your rather i nsufferable rudeness .”
Alex responded with a tight grimace.
“ It is i ronic , at best, to hear the word insufferable come f rom your lips , Bai .”
Seeing the disdainful smile on Bai’s face, Alex lost what little control he had . In a harsh whisper only his father and Bai could hear, he growled, “I don’t care about your custom clothes, your goddamn accent. I don’t give a fuck if you speak five languages or ten and the governor of California wants to suck your dick. You think you look and act like a goddamn banker. You may have fooled my sister , but you don’t fool me . I know wh o you are , wh at you are. You’re nothing but a two bit criminal . Y ou’re not worthy of being in the same room with my sister -- much less marrying her!”
Wyatt stepped forward, his face and voice hard, “Alex, stop…”
Bai put up his hand and shook his head.
“It’s all right, Wyatt. Let the boy vent. He apparently needs to have his temper tantrum. Perhaps when he has had a chance to kick and scream and hold his breath, he will be more able to have an adult conversation.”
Bai turned to join the group of people who were pretending they weren’t interested in the conversation but had edged closer . Alex’s face was red, his eyes flashing. He moved toward Bai , his voice filled with fury . He spoke loudly enough for those around them to hear .
“I f anything happens to my sister because of who you are , y ou will have to deal with me .”
Bai turned back to him and his eyes narrowed . He said in a c ool clipped voice, his accent heavier, more apparent.
“There are those among us, Alex, myself included, who think it is less likely for anything to happen to Elena because of who I am .”
The guests who were close to them had now given up any pretense of no t listening and pressed forward, staring at the angry young man confronting t he Frenchman.
Alex brushed at the angry tears on his face and said in a harsh whisper, “I don’t care if you are a grandmaster. I may be only a k ung fu master , but I have been studying in C hina with the best . N ot only
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