Next morning she moved about this vast mansion whose silences increasingly frightened her for they brought home to her that she was intruding into a world not prepared for her. She came upon him in the kitchen, where the window let in the sun so softly that it cast shadows on the floor. He was sitting at the table, sipping coffee, his eyes flicking up momentarily and into hers for acknowledgement.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," he greeted, a smile playing on his lips as he motioned for her to sit beside him.

She blinked, slightly disoriented by his easy familiarity. Still, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and the sight of the plate of food waiting for her was oddly comforting.

"Is this for me?" she asked, sliding into the chair next to him, her curiosity piqued.

He nodded, watching her as she contemplated the breakfast spread before her.

"Tyler," he said over his shoulder, his voice shifting into something more commanding. "Now that Handful is awake, find her a change of clothes.".

Tyler nodded quickly and stepped out of the room; and then, for a second time, she was alone with him. She began poking at her food, not knowing how to break the silence that had come between them. Silence stretched like a rubber band, thin before he cleared his throat.

"So, Haneul, are you sleeping okay?"

His voice was light, full of teasing tones, but she could discern that there was an edge of curiosity underneath it.

Small talk? Really, Jungkook? she let herself think as she put on a hint of a smile and began biting back a heavy sigh.

Well, she said, attempting to be nonchalant, "once I got beyond the part where you were sleeping next to me, I slept pretty well."

He grinned back, sinking into his chair. "So. Am I a snorer?"

She didn't want to laugh. She glared at him. "Thank goodness not."

I wonder what we'll discover the next time I have you in my bed, he teased, his eyes not leaving hers.

She rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips despite herself. "Oh, next time, huh? Smooth, Captain. Real smooth."

That wink just slapped her in the face out of nowhere, and a flutter of warmth went down her arm. I shouldn't. But maybe, just maybe, I don't hate this guy as much as I thought. Her stomach twisted in ways she couldn't quite understand.

It was just in time, too. Tyler was about to disappear once more when he returned with two outfits. He held them up, beaming in all the grandeur of it all, raising an eyebrow playfully at her.

"Lady's choice," he said.

She considered the two options, stroking the fabric between her fingers before scooping up the first one and disappearing to try it on. As she whirled back into the room, Jungkook's eyes grew bright.

"You're looking beautiful, Haneul. But do you like it?" There was something sincere about his tone, a softness she hadn't heard from him yet.

"Like it?" she repeated the words, not knowing what else to say.

"I did say I'd take you shopping. Count this your first. gift," he said with a careless shrug.

She mumbled something inaudible under his attention.

How about trying on the second one before you make up your mind?" he suggested; his eyes still warm but now tinged with amusement.

She headed off to try on the second outfit, this time lavishing praise on the rich feel of the clothes against her skin. "Wow," she breathed to herself, stepping back into the room. "I look. cute. I don't think I've ever worn anything this rich before."

Jungkook's face softened and he leaned forward. "Get used to it. So, which will it be?"

She gazed at him questioningly, still undecided. "Jungkook, which one do you like?"

He smiled, curling his lips, and smirked. "Why? Do you want to wear the one I liked?"

"No., she stuttered. "I just can't settle. Both are amazing.".

His eyes crossed over her again but this time gentle and unassessing. "Well, you were fine in both. But I like cute girls, and the second makes you look like a cutie."

His words reached her heart for a beat, having never expected him to be so blunt. "So, it's the second one then. Thanks, Jungkook.".

As she sat back down, she seemed to bloom with renewed confidence, as if the dress had only added another layer to her strength. She gazed at him, but still, part of her was ruminating on how he always seemed to be so effortlessly in control.

The rest of the breakfast went by pretty much in relative silence, Jungkook tapping away at his phone until he finally stood, tugging on his jacket.

"Haneul, I have things to attend to," he said, his tone more businesslike now. "If you need anything, call Tyler. He'll assist you."

Tyler, still lurking nearby, offered her a grin. "Of course. As long as you don't give me a hard time like the boss here."

She raised an eyebrow. "A hard time?"

Tyler's grin widened. "You should know... I'm not above tying you up again."

She laughed, the sound bubbling out of her mouth unexpectedly. "Bring it on, Tyler."

Just before Tyler could get a word out, Jungkook's voice cut through, sharp and commanding. "Tyler."

Her laughter died down as she caught the way Jungkook's eyes narrowed. Interesting. she thought, realizing that Jungkook didn't like her flirting with his staff.

"If you two are done," Jungkook said coolly, "Tyler, tell John to bring the car around."

"Yes, sir."

Jungkook checked his phone again, the tiniest frown creasing the corner of his lips. Something in his demeanor shifted, became distant, even cold. He pushed it into his pocket, his movements fluid as ever. She couldn't help asking him then, "So. where are you going?"

He looked at her, that smirk creeping back up to his face. "You wouldn't like to know."

She tilted her head, intrigued. "Try me.".

He leaned in just a little, voice low and teasing. "I'm going to a strip club."

Her eyes opened really wide. A laugh shot out of him at the look on her face. His smirk deepened; his eyes darkened with amusement. "See? Told you, you wouldn't like it. Definitely not your thing."

She skipped a beat, but not from fear. Oh, Jungkook. it'll take more than that to scare me.

"I'm coming with you," she blurted out, surprising herself more than him.

His eyebrow arched in curiosity, and his voice softened to a whisper. "What's the angle, Doc? Trying to tame the devil?"

She gazed back at him, her eyes unwavering. "No. I want to join the devil."

His smile grew bigger, and for an instant, something shifted between them—something neither could nor would name.

Joonkook's air of playful mischief disappeared for a split second as intensity thrived in his eyes, probing to see if she paused.

Her nod being sufficient, his sneer returned this time much more sharp-edged as if that was the response he had been expecting.

"You're more than welcome to join the club," he said low and almost provoking.

"The club?" she asked. Confused, yet intrigued.

He rose to his feet, smoothing out the jacket which, coming over him this way, had always fitted a little too loose, his eyes seeming glinting with something she couldn't quite put her finger on. "Oh, you'll find out soon enough."

After that time passed quickly. They both freshened up, dressed, and left the house. They headed towards the strip club together. The ride was silent, charged with unspoken tension, and with her heart pounding not from fear, but from the thrill of the unknown. The farther they went, the more possibilities untangled before her. A part of her wanted out of this game, a way out of this danger. But another part—which she wasn't ready for her to acknowledge—felt pulled in on him, on everything he stood for.

At last, neon lights bristled with cruel colors, flashing and spinning with harsh brightness that contrasted the night into something darker. The entrance to the club is guarded by big, meaty men who bowed respectfully as one passed by. Within it, the music thumped through her chest, sultry, rhythmic, and reverberating through the room.

Jungkook walked ahead with an air of confident stride as people seemed to greet him with familiarity and a certain degree of admiration. She could sense that he did not come to this place as a guest; he owned it and all that lay within. She hung back observing, feeling like an outsider in his world, but there was something about the way he stood upright and the way people fawned over him that stirred a little something within her. This was his kingdom.

Her eyes drifted out to the stage, where a stripper tediously was slowly stripping down, unmantling her costume. The eyes of everyone in the room were on her moves, but Haneul's glance kept going back to Jungkook.

A voice cut through her thoughts as she whispered, "Jungkook!" and the stripper at the front turned around with a wink, her kiss blowing directly at him, her smile too easy, too intimate.

Jungkook smirked, his eyes flicking over to Haneul for one second before he was leaning closer to her, voice teasing and low. "She's good, isn't she? My best earner."

Haneul swallowed the knot in her throat, looking at the dancer. "I can see why. She's stunning."

To her astonishment, Jungkook reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. An intimate gesture, almost too familiar, she didn't pull away. His breath brushed her cheek as he whispered, "So are you."

Her heart was racing, but she fought to keep calm. "I wasn't fishing for a compliment, Jungkook.".

"I know," he said smoothly, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "But it's true. Why don't you hang out here at the bar for a while?"

She opened her mouth to reply, but before she could utter a word, he motioned over a waitress with a flip of his wrist. "Waitress! A drink for the lady."

The waitress sauntered over with a bright smile. "You got it, sugar."

Jungkook straightened, smoothing out his jacket as if preparing for a battle. "I have business to attend to," he said, his voice getting heavy. "Not fun."

Her eyes flickered over to a table of men, shadowed and yet their menace palpable.

He didn't wait for her to respond before grabbing her hand and planting a long, dragging kiss on the back of it. "Don't worry, Doc. I'll be right back.".

She turned round to see him walk away from her, her racing pulse not only because of his touch but because of the uncertainty about what was going to happen next. She came back around to the stage as one of the dancers began to dance in lieu with the music. The air was heavy, charged, and for the first time since Haneul had been brought into Jungkook's world, she felt a strange sense of control. Maybe, just maybe, she could play this game after all.

But just as she was letting her guard down, Jungkook's voice made her jolt. "Having fun, sweetheart?"

She jumped, nearly spilling her drink. "Whoa! Don't creep up on me like that."

He laughed as he sat down beside her. "Sorry, didn't mean to creep up on you."

"Did you take care of your business?" she inquired with a casual air.

A flicker of darkness crossed his face before he smiled at her again, but this time it didn't reach his eyes. "You could say that."

Something in the tone made a shiver travel down her spine. "What was everybody here for?

Jungkook leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on the stage. "The thing about strip clubs," he began slowly, "is people come here for two reasons. They're getting off watching someone strip for them. or they're getting off on being paid to take their clothes off. It's the thrill—the anticipation."

Her throat tightened. "Oh."

He looked at her; his gaze was razor-sharp. "So, which one are you, Doc?

She froze, caught off guard by his directness. "What do you mean?"

He tilted his head to one side, looking down her neck, his eyes dropping lower, so she was completely conscious of the heat creeping up into her cheeks. She tossed the remaining drink, turned her face away from his sight. He looks like he wants to rip my clothes off right here, she thought, her heart pounding. And the worst part is, I might just let him.

"So?" he asked, his voice soft but demanding.

"Neither," she said, her voice harder than she felt. "I think the whole strip club scene is laughable."

Jungkook's smirk returned at that, and he leaned forward, his warm breath against her ear. "Trying to convince me you're a good girl, sweetheart?"

Her heart stuttered in her chest, and before she could open her mouth, Tyler stepped forward, tapping Jungkook on the shoulder with a concerned look. "Boss! We need you."

Jungkook's playful demeanor dissipated into thin air. "What is it?"

Tyler leaned in and whispered something, and she couldn't hear it. Whatever he was saying, though, had taken away the smirk from Jungkook's face. His face turned deadly serious as he stood, grabbing her hand by mistake.

"What's going on?" Haneul breathed, her voice trembling slightly.

"We are leaving. Now," he said, his grip tightening as he dragged her toward the exit.

-----

Back at the house, things were tight. Jungkook tramped across the floor as his phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the screen and grunted something before looking back at Tyler.

"I have to take care of this," he said jerkily. "Tyler. take good care of her."

Tyler nodded, his features inscrutable. "No worries, Boss. I got her."

Jungkook stepped out with his back as he stormed out of the door, leaving Haneul by herself with Tyler. She took slow breaths, her brain working overtime.

Now's my chance.

She steeled herself to keep her voice level as she turned toward Tyler. "So, Tyler. what's the plan?"

Tyler smiled brightly, paying no heed to the tension in her voice. "Good question. What do you want to do?"

She wanted to bite her lip, but her mind was racing for a way out. "I am starving. can't you throw something together?"

Tyler nodded then turned toward the kitchen. "Gladly. I'll see what I can do.

She reacted in the split second he had his back to her. She reached up for a vase on the shelf to her right and swung it down on the side of his head as hard as she could. The impact was muffled, not even a thud, but Tyler goes down onto the floor right away.

Her chest is pounding against her ribs as she moves to kneel beside him, checking for a pulse. When she can feel the steady beat beneath her fingers, she felt relief. He was unconscious, but alive.

Thank God, she thought. I didn't want to add murder to the list.

She looked around the room, her eyes snapping toward the door. Not losing another moment, she took off for the door, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she flung open the door and sprang into the night.

But as she glanced about the huge estate, her heart sank. The estate was so big that she could not even tell where the entrance might be. Panic was rising within her just as a stifled cry from ahead came to her ears.

Oh no. what's happening now?

She crept forward and peeked around the corner, one in front of her. There Jungkook stood with the gun pointed at the man on his knees. It was that tense because the man begged for his life.

"Please, Mr. Jeon. I swear, it wasn't me!"

Jungkook's voice was cold, deadly. "Your mistake almost cost my son his life. I don't tolerate betrayal."

"I didn't do it! I swear!"

Jungkook's finger twitched on the trigger.

Oh god, she thought, her body frozen with fear.

Just as she was about to move, a loud bang sent reverberations through the air. The man crumpled to the ground, his blood pooling around him. Haneul's breath caught in her throat as she pressed a hand to her mouth, her vision swimming with tears.

He's dead. He really did kill him.

She stumbled back, her legs went out from underneath her, and she thudded to the ground. There was a noise coming from deeper in the room.

"Who's there?" called a voice.

Jungkook's breathing shuddered as he locked onto her. "Haneul?"

OH NO I AM CAUGHT

TO BE CONTINUED...

Word count: 2687
©Novelist_Susanna
12/10/2024