Past 

14| "When aggression and envy meld." 

All hell breaks loose when the sheer anger explodes in Taehyung's blood.

That's what happened, Taehyung all right senses had been wobbled and rotated without even him realising. The jealousy and wrath madly rushed in the roots of his brain.

Taehyung was seeing red, the toxic thoughts had painfully fogged his brain by the sight of Ji-hoon touching Nina's lips as if he could do that, the mere idea was eviscerating his insides open. No, Ji-hoon couldn't do that, he was a nobody and he shouldn't cross his line standing on Taehyung's territory. Ji-hoon had no right to inveigle her, touch her or kiss her as if she belonged to him. 

Taehyung growled out like a battered animal, a smirk coiled his ruddy lips on hearing a clump of severe groans from Ji-hoon whose head was lolling on the dirt and nose was bleeding profusely, his one eye was ballooned shut by the vigorous punches. Taehyung emitted out a charmless cackle, the undertone was dark and venomous as nightshade. 

"How dare you to touch her!" Taehyung bared his teeth, the potent veins around his neck unfolding out as he grabbed Ji-hoon's shirt collar like a dog on a leash and swung his fist hard as he could on his face, the blood spurting out of his mouth. 

"You thought you could entice her right in front of my fucking eyes? Just because she is roaming around with you, doesn't mean you can have her." Beholding the sight of Ji-hoon limp, vulnerable and coated in blood, choking in his groans and defenceless whimpers sent utter bliss to Taehyung's being, he found it so amusing, even satisfying.

The male was enjoying that scene and he knew it was sick to get pleasure from it, he shouldn't do that. Taehyung should control his impulse that was slipping through the gap of his fingers as well as his ceaseless fists. 

"She is mine and too bad, she has nothing to do with your sorry ass, fucker. Nail this shit in your brain, Nina belongs to Taehyung and Taehyung alone!" The golden-eyed male spat in outrage, a cold sensation twisting from his chest to his throat.

"Taehyung!" His all anger melted, fading away from his being, the black clouds around his heart eased when her honeyed voice surged in his ears. 

"Stop, please. Don't be like this." A brittle beg and the fragile grip around his elbow was enough for Nina to pull him away from the pass out, beat to death Ji-hoon. 

Taehyung straightened his spine and got effortlessly yanked away, not because Nina pulled him with her whole strength but because he wanted it, her one-touch mellowed the upheaval moulding inside him. Damn, it was scary to feel something like this for someone to whom he vowed to not give any importance. 

"Why are you doing this? What are you gaining by doing all of these?!" Taehyung didn't answer, he just stared at Nina's panicked expression. Her chest was tossing up and down in a feverish rhythm, she was appalled and her lashes were not ready to stop flickering.

Taehyung wouldn't accept but he adored when her lashes flicker, he loved that confusing, innocent expression that she pulled around him — and she was like an open book for him with delicate pages, begging to be read, begging to be touched by him.

"Stop." Taehyung's face softened, he didn't like the fearful shiver outweighing her being, she was a pristine beauty and too fragile from being crushed by the pressure. "Red, calm down." Taehyung's one palm cupped her cheek, his touch was tender, almost careful knowing she was going to shatter into hectic sobs as Nina swatted his hand away in genuine disdain.

"You are always like this Tae, always." Nina's lower lip wobbled as she took her steps back. Taehyung's eyes ticked, he didn't want her to go away. Her eyes flickered at Ji-hoon as she moved toward him in the urgency to help the bruised male but Taehyung was fast to grab her arm and yanked her closer to him, his hold was possessive. 

"Don't go to him or you will regret it." A growl ripped from his throat, a buzz of warning in it. 

This earned a bitter scoff from Nina, her brows arrogantly skyrocketed to her forehand as she tipped her chin up to glare at the towering beast over her. Heck, her one look was so fierce that he could easily sear by it without any regrets, he wanted to bury himself in the core of her soul to infect her entirely like an uncured illness. The freakish, wanton desire was shoving him on the edge of insanity.

"Oh, what will you do huh?" Nina shoved his chest, challenging him to answer. "Will you humiliate me? or you will steal my things or you will send your devotees to bully me? or will you hit me too?" Nina screeched out, she gritted her molars. Taehyung's glare honed at her last words, his patience was dropping down on the floor, he didn't want to lose it.

"You know I won't, Nina! I won't hit you." Taehyung snarled in empire burning wrath, his voice was thick and raspy as he gripped her chin— oh so softly and rubbed his thumb on the delicate curve of her chin.

"Then what will you do?" Nina slapped his hand away, her heart was beating in her throat as she couldn't help but challenge him to utter the next word.

"I'll take you in my room with the thought of punishing you. I'll blindfold you, then I'll tie you on my bed for committing the filthy stunts and the rest I'm leaving in your imagination and oh by the way you will love every moment of it ." He shamelessly poured out his unfiltered statement. His nasty thoughts were wafting in his head but it gracefully tumbled down, tight-lipping her. 

"Fuck you, bastard."

"Careful for what you are asking Princess." A lenient smirk dusted his ruddy lips, as he arched his brows hidden behind his locks.

"Why don't you stop?" Her eyes wavered, her cheeks scorched by the anger surging under her skin as she felt something mellow stirring in her stomach.

"Stop what?"

"Stop confusing me, stop making the fool outta me, stop ridiculing me, stop hurting me and tell me why you are doing this." Nina barked, jabbing her finger on his chest. Both were so engrossed in their argument battle that they forgot that Ji-hoon was whimpering on the ground, clutching his one eye.

"I'm doing this because. . ." Taehyung paused. If she wanted to know then he would tell her. "I'm selfish, territorial and fucking possessive over something that is mine, you are even welcome to call me crazy, I give no fucks." His every word clashing out of his mouth was like a shred of irons, sharp and pointy.

" I'm—" 

"You were always mine, ever since my eyes caught you, ever since I first tasted you. You are my vicious temptation, even your soul is fused with my filthy one. This is not my fault, who told you to saunter in my life, who told you to throw yourself at me four years ago. This is not my fault that I can't resist you, but one thing is darn clear that I'm gonna get you whether you like it or not. I'm not gonna allow you to break our bond. And you breathing around him even seems wrong to me, you seem wrong to stand beside him." Nina could see the dangerous spark of animosity in his gorgeous, golden eyes, the devil was smirking behind them. 

Taehyung's eyes broadened beyond their capacity when Nina grabbed the back of his neck, yanking him she kissed him hard, rather aggressively and he liked it, her teeth harshly gnawing the thick layer of flesh and muscles, Taehyung absolutely loved it. Nina chuckled in his mouth, as he swallowed the sound of her voice— it was pure seduction. It caught him off guard, it assassinated him inside. Her arms circled his neck as Nina stared at him through her thick, long lashes.

"Yours." She breathed out, her one word was like a mawkish verse for him. Taehyung's lips parted, a confusion crossed his face when Nina's face and body faded away in his arms.

Taehyung was astonished, his chest was heavy and soon he realized he was imagining all of these. It wasn't real, but it felt so real and the darned kiss, it meant more than it should have. It was vivid and intimate and fearsome, blowing the air out of his lungs. 

"I'm losing my mind now." Taehyung grumbled gaping holes in their heads to the distance. 

Ji-hoon wasn't kissing her, he leaned to her to flick her forehead. Nina had pushed him aside as Ji-hoon playfully pulled her hair, chuckling afterwards earning a slap on his biceps. They weren't kissing but that doesn't mean it didn't lacerate Taehyung's chest— Heck, Taehyung wanted to claw his eyes off, he couldn't stand seeing them together. The sight of them having fun together was pure wretched, snapping something under his chest.

Their laughter swerved in his ears like acid, with a snarling sensation streaming through his body Taehyung turned to walk inside his mansion. The male quietly walked to the kitchen finding it all empty, his pissed expression smoothed as he ambled toward the countertop.

"Seems like I have to snatch your attention, Princess." Taehyung grabbed the knife from the stand, the shine of the blade resembled his eyes crooked glint as it one swift-mo, he dragged the sharp edge of the knife over his palm. 

"Thought it would hurt, pfft." Taehyung didn't flinch, he just simply gawked at the fresh blood flowing through the ghastly cut, smooth and vibrant motion as he called one of the maids who was in the foyer, cleaning the paintings. 

"Sir, Your han—" The woman's mouth hung open, she flashed a worried glance at the male. Taehyung cut off her words with his well-practised, tactful smile. The subtle crinkle around his eyes was apparent, as the arch of his cheekbones deepened.

"Send Nina to my room. Thank you." He smiled at her, it horrified the woman. How could his smile be so luminous after getting a deep injury? Taehyung rolled his eyes, noticing the woman didn't make a single move, she was mindlessly rooting in her place and gaping at the blood trailing to his fingers.

"If you have relished the sight, go and send Wang to my room." Taehyung's voice was tranquil but the throbbing pulse of his jaw and narrowed eyes reflected the sheer annoyance.

"I need her." With hushing phrases trailing in his head he hastily walked toward upstairs, letting the blood drops meander behind him. 

+++

"You can't stop smiling, what happened? You seem the cheerest person in this world." Nina squinted her eyes at Ji-hoon, who had a boyish smile nestling the corner of his mouth, his hair was dazzlingly messy and he flashed her a lazy gaze, admiring the way warm sunlight slinked under her glassy skin and tangling with her red strands of locks pouring down to her shoulders.

"You are the reason." Ji-hoon wanted to unleash his timid thoughts loudly, yet he controlled the urge. He would let her know soon, the boy was just waiting for the right time and before that he wanted to make her fall for him.

"Something." Ji-hoon winked at her, as Nina rolled her eyes at his cockiness.

"Ah what could possibly make you so happy?" Nina waggled her brows at him, she blinked her doe-eyes at him when he flicked her forehead again.

"I'll let you know soon." Ji-hoon scrunched his nose, he pushed his hair back with his fingers. "Come to my piano competition next week. I'll be happy to see you there and this is my first time participating." Nina's heart skipped a dangerous beat, she knew Taehyung was one of the contestants too and one of the best pianists among the students and if she wasn't wrong, he always won.

"Uhm, I'll see—" Nina had no reason not to go yet she felt uneasy by his request and her gut feelings was wrenching and screaming at her to say no and before she could politely refuse Ji-hoon the maid tapped her shoulder to gain her attention. 

"Nina come with me for a second, please." The maid's eyes flickered at Ji-hoon's face whose brows were knitted as Nina nodded.

"Okay, I'll see you later then." Ji-hoon nodded, waving at her as Nina walked a few steps with the maid. " That brat wants to see you. . . in his room, and he isn't in his greatest mood." The maid spoke with a sour expression as Nina swallowed thickly. 

"In his room?" Nina thought herself, the startling sensations ringing in the back of her throat