I clench and unclench my hands to get rid of the numbness. It makes the cuts open, and it fucking hurts like hell. But I don't give a shit. I'm glad it hurts.

"You alright, boss?" Taehyun keeps fucking asking me the same damn question every hour. No. I'm not alright. "I'm fine." When I register what I've answered, I snort a laugh. That's what he'd say.

I take a seat at the desk in the corner of the office. It's on the opposite side of the room, across from the pool table. It's a sleek looking glass desk with steel trimmings. I don't think I've ever sat here. My fingers tap along the glass top, waiting for our next drop. It's so fucking tedious. So damn boring. I don't need to do this shit. I've got more money than I'd ever wanted and nothing to spend it on. What the fuck did I even use to do sitting here?

"Boss?" I look up with a scowl and then feel like a prick. It's not his fault. But then again, I am a prick. I take in a deep breath and manage to sound normal. "What?"

"Just wanted you to know you still have those requests."

"What requests?" I ask.

"To sell out if you wanted to." My forehead pinches in confusion. What the fuck is he talking about? He answers before I have to ask. "I know you said to stop bringing it up, but I just thought you might like to know."

That's when it clicks. Give my business over to those thugs? I'm always getting shit offers. They don't want to pay the right amount to take my clients, and they'd ruin the shit anyway. They don't know what they're doing like I do. "Pass." That's an easy decision.

Taehyun gives me a tight smile and nods. "Just thought maybe you'd rather do something else now." He takes a seat on the sofa, staring at the field. A few players are outrunning gauntlets; fucking sucks to be them. Do something else. Like what? Just run the books for my Pops? That'd be boring as hell. I never really wanted to do anything other than make a name for myself. Get laid and get paid. That was my motto for the longest time. But now I don't fucking want it any more. I don't want this. Maybe I will sell the business. Maybe he'd want me then.

I shake my head and rap my knuckles across the glass table-top; no, he won't. It doesn't change a damn thing about who I am. I know it and he knows it. But I'm the boss's son. He tried to keep me out of the life, but I demanded my way in. You can't leave the family. Sure as fuck not when you're the boss' son. My chest hurts just thinking that. I'll never be the kind of man Hannie deserves. I was born into the mob. There's only one way out, and I'm not ready to die.

A knock at the door distracts me from my morbid thoughts. I sigh and click my phone. Ten a.m. Too fucking early. This day needs to get going, so I can get home. I'll figure out a reason to be there when the time comes. I just don't want to be here.

Taehyun opens the door and my pop's voice booms through the hall. "Taehyun?" I raise my eyes to watch, although I don't lift my head. Pops pats him on the back and gives him a warm smile. But it's off. He's waiting to hear about Yeji. I know he is. Something's going on between the two of them. Not my business. Not unless he hurts her. Then I'll make it my business.

"Good to see you, boss." Taehyun makes eye contact and returns the smile. Ballsy. Taehyun is most certainly ballsy. He's been a friend of mine for years, and I sure as shit couldn't do this business without him. But I don't like that he's sneaking around with my sister. And I sure as shit know that Pops doesn't like it. He better give it up soon and put a ring on her finger.

"Hey Pops." I lean back in my seat and then stand to greet him. "Didn't know you were coming."

We share a quick hug and I motion to the liquor, but he shakes his head. He takes a casual seat on the sofa and I relax in the spot next to him. He's come here a few times, usually because we're meeting up for a family event... or a family event. But I always know about it ahead of time.

"What's going on, Pops?"
"I just wanted to make sure you're doing alright." He looks me in the eyes and I almost look away. I lean forward and rest my elbows on my knees and set on my clasped hands. I took a moment to answer him. I don't know what to tell him. I'm not okay.

I settle on what I hope is the truth. "I'll be alright."

"That was intense, Minho. Never seen you like that." I gaze at the floor and take a deep breath in, followed by a long exhale. "Yeah, well." What does he want me to say? My memory flashes back to a few nights ago, to my fists beating the piss out of them. They were tied down when I got there. Just like they tied him down. I saved the one with the dragon tattoo for last. I wanted to make sure he knew what was coming. I wanted him to watch the rest of them die. BTS was second last. No one gave a fuck that I took the lead. I needed to. I had to. For him.

"Soobin went to see him the other night. Jisung." Hearing his name brings me back to the present. "It's Hannie. And I know." His brows raise in surprise and his lips turn down. "He called you?" he asks.

"No, I went over there. Just to tell him he was safe." My gut churns and my heart freezes in my chest. I wanted to go up there and talk to him, to convince him to just give it a chance. But I'd be a fucking asshole to do that to him and Baekhyun. They deserve better. So I stayed in my car. Thinking about what a prick I am for wanting him. "I saw him walk up, and I waited."

"Well, what'd he tell you about it?" Pops leans into me. I shake my head. "Nothing." I swallow the lump in my throat and lick my lips before sitting back in my seat. "I didn't talk to him."

"Ah." Pops looks to the left at Taehyun and then sighs. "Well," he turns back to me, "he didn't give away anything. So he's cleared. I told Jack to back off."

"What the fuck is Jack saying now?" My blood heats and anger stirs inside of me, hearing that shit. Bake off? He better fucking bake off. "Nothing, Minho." Pops puts his hand on my shoulder. "He's just paranoid as fuck. He's happy now."

I searched his eyes and nodded. "He better be fucking happy. He may never be mine to claim, but he's off limits."

"I don't understand, Minho." He lowers his voice and looks at me with a sad expression. "Is it because he has a kid? He's a good little guy, and he's-"
I rear my head back to look at him. "That's not it. That's not at all."

"I don't get it, Minho. What the hell's a matter with you?" It's been a while since my father has talked to me that way. I chewed on the inside of my lip, not wanting to say it, but he asked. And he's the boss. "He's got to protect his son. He can't be messing around with me."

"I didn't say anything about messing around, Minho. I saw the way you two looked at each other. What you did for him. I know what he means to you. And you're just going to let him go?"

"I have to. He can't live this kind of life." I wave my hand in the air and sit back with a heavy weight on my chest. My hand runs down my face.

"Then give it up. If you think he's worth it."

"Give up the familia?" I can't believe what he's saying. He purses his lips and sucks in a deep breath. "That's not what I meant. Get outta this here. Lie low. Get a boring ass day job with your degree. Do what you gotta do."

"Do what I gotta do?" I swallow hard. I don't like subtleties. I'd rather be smacked hard in the face with a blunt answer. "I can't tell you any more than that, son. I will say Sunday dinner will always be at our house with the family."

"What's that have to do with anything?"

"Just make sure he knows that's a condition. The only condition." The only condition. I stared at my Pop's for a moment. He gives me a smile and rises, fixing his suit jacket. "Your Ma liked him. That's a huge victory there."

"I don't think it's as easy as you think, Pops." I stand up and give him a quick hug with a film grip. "If you want him to be yours, then you take him; what's so hard about that?" He smirks at me and then turns his back and leaves. I watch the door close shut. If only it could really be that easy.

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Hello everyone, as I have to go to bed early tonight because of work, here are the chapters for today. Have a nice day and Happy Easter🐰❤️💕