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Chapter Text

You duck under the arm of the Goon at the door and barge into the office without knocking or being announced. You don’t look at the occupant behind the desk or the rough-looking men in three-piece suits who surround him and his office.

“Whoa, whoa,” says a tall handsome man with short spikey hair. “You can’t just barge in here—“

“I need your help,” you announce loudly, ignoring the bodyguard of the one you came to see. Except you can’t make yourself see him, so you stare at the space just over his shoulder and hope he thinks you’re looking at him. But you just can’t make yourself do that.

“My help?” he asks, his voice deeper than you remember but still holds that sweet, calm quality that used to soothe you, now it sets your heart racing.

“You should help my husband,” you say, aware it’s a demand and that it raises the hackles of the men in the room who don’t know you.

But the man behind the desk knows you. It was years ago and so much has changed but you know that you can trust him. You know that he will help. No matter what. He owes you that much, goddamn it.

The men in the room all owe him their allegiance and so stare at you like you’re a bug. How dare you make demands of their Boss?

“I know that there’s no real reason for you to help me, but I want you to search your heart and find your empathy. I need you. So help me,” you say the words you planned.

You need his help and you don’t know what you’ll do if he says no. He’s your last hope. Your only hope. Your mouth is dry, your breathing is heavy and your heart pounds in your chest with every moment that passes in silence. You can feel his eyes on you, his focus… as he waits.

You take a deep breath, give in to his silent demand, and look at him. You swallow a gasp, refusing to let Kim Taehyung know the effect that he has on you, but if he was beautiful as a teenager, Taehyung’s drop-dead gorgeous as a man. It’s too much. Especially, since he was waiting for your eyes to meet his. Then and only then does he smile, at you.

“I’ve missed you,” says Kim Taehyung.

The room shifts as his men realize that you’re something more to their boss. You gulp because you knew that he would see you and maybe even help you, but saying he misses you? That you never saw coming. He’s never lied to you before… maybe he has changed.

“No, you don’t,” you tell him.

“How do I prove it?” Taehyung asks.

You’re confused by him. And his lack of true emotion or sign of what he’s feeling.

“Help my husband,” you say truthfully.

Taehyung laughs. You remember the sound. Now that you’re faced with him you think that you remember everything. All his little quirks and tells.

“What are you doing right now?” Taehyung asks you. “Your husband owes money to some dangerous men.”

You’re surprised that he knows that but you shouldn’t be. Of course, he knows. Of course, he’s keeping tabs on you. All these years later and he knows exactly what kind of trouble you’ve gotten yourself into. It’s embarrassing but you push forward. You need his help.

“You’re more dangerous,” you say because that’s what you’ve heard. That he rules the underworld.

“Are you truly asking me to handle this?”

“When you’re desperate sometimes you have to make a deal with the devil… and you were the closest I could find.” You tell him.

Taehyung smiles, “the devil. Think I like that nickname. You needed help and I was the first person you thought of?”

“You’re my richest friend,” you say with a shrug.

He smiles, “ok. Fine,” he says. “Tell him to come see me.”

“He’s outside,” you admit.

Something dark crosses over Taehyung’s face. “Really? Let you come in here and fight his battles?”

“I thought I could talk to my friend,” you say.

“Friend?” He asks then smiles. “Did you tell him I was your friend?”

“You’re not my friend?” You ask him.

“I’m your ex,” says Taehyung, as if you don’t know, as if you forgot.

“And now we’re friends.”

“Friends?” He asks again, tilting his head. “Never.”

You don’t know what to say to that. Does he mean… you decide not to follow that train of thought. You go to the door and open it for your husband.

Cole was handsome to you once, but now he’s just pathetic as he shuffles into the room like the loser he is. You would never come here if it wasn’t for Cole. You would never face this part of your past if your husband didn’t rack up gambling debts that neither of you can handle. He’s in the hole to loan sharks who have threatened to hurt not only Cole, but they’ve threatened to hurt you. You can’t promise your husband that Taehyung won’t get violent if Cole can’t pay him back, but you’re confident that Taehyung won’t hurt you to get to Cole.

“Thank you for your help, Sunbae,” Cole says bowing to Taehyung who just sits and stares at him blankly. You wonder what he thinks of the man you chose when you couldn’t have him. “My wife told me that you were a generous man and I can see that you are.”

Taehyung looks at you, it's piercing, slicing through all of your protective layers, right to your heart. Especially when he punctuates his stare with a question. “This is really what you wanted instead?”

Your husband stiffens, he’s pathetic but he’s not stupid. Every man in the room heard what Taehyung just asked you. This is really what you wanted instead… of me?The “of me” was unsaid but perfectly heard.

Your husband shoots you a look, his suspicions back on the rise. When you suggested borrowing money from the head of the Kim crime family, your husband was suspicious. Who gives that kind of money to a friend? Cole asked you so you assured him that there was nothing between you and the Boss of the Kim crime family. But that was a lie and now he knows.

“How much do you need?” Asks Taehyung, opening a desk drawer and pulling out stacks of cash.

Your husband looks torn; either he will take the money or his pride will get the best of him and he will take your hand and drag you out of here. Away from a debt to the mob and a debt to your ex.

In the end, Cole’s greed means more than his pride. He hurriedly grabs the money, sliding it into a duffle bag.

“Thanks, Sunbae,” your husband says, his voice dripping with thankful sincerity.

“I didn’t do it for you,” says Taehyung. “I did it for your wife. For her, I would scorch the earth. Get out.”

He swivels his chair and Taehyung turns his back on you. Your husband’s face is red as he turns with his duffle bag of dirty money and leads you out of the office. You jump when the door slams behind you.

“You let me go in there unprepared,” your husband hisses at you. “I’ll never forgive you for this.”

Inwardly you sigh. You knew that he wouldn’t take it well if he figured out that you used to date Taehyung. But it was so long ago. You can barely say you mattered to Taehyung and when you did matter to him you were both just kids.

Your husband stews the whole ride down in the elevator from the executive floor to the basement parking garage.

“You let me walk into that bougie ass office without the slightest fucking warning,” he rants. “I want to burn this fucking money but I can’t and that makes you so fucking happy doesn’t it?”

“Of course it doesn’t,” you say to him.

The elevator doors open on the parking lot level and you feel a frisson of unease race up your spine as you follow him toward your car. You’re alone down here with a pissed-off and embarrassed spouse. He was already on edge and you fear that Taehyung pushed him off.

Suddenly he stops, Cole grabs you by both shoulders, he leans in and stares into your eyes. He’s livid and his rage pours off him in waves.

“Tell me the truth,” Cole hisses, his warm angry breath blows into your face. “You fucked him didn’t you, you whore?” Your husband asks, shaking you hard, then he lets go of you, winds up his fist, and moves to punch you.

You flinch. Your hands go up to protect your face but nothing happens. You open eyes you didn’t even realize you’d closed to find Taehyung standing behind your husband holding his fist in his hands.

The two men stare daggers at each other, as Cole tries to pull his arm out of the mob boss’ grip, but Taehyung holds on to Cole’s wrist and begins to twist.

“It was bad enough that you married her,” Taehyung says twisting Cole’s wrist until you hear a snap and Cole screams. “Unthinkable that you would actually hit her. Have you done it before?”

“No!” Cole lies as Taehyung breaks his wrist.

“I think you’re lying,” says Taehyung. “You were about to hit her in my building, in public where anyone could see and I’m supposed to believe it’s the first time?”

“I don’t hit my wife,” says Cole.

You say nothing. Just watch as Taehyung lands his fist in Cole’s gut, your husband crumbles over at the force of Taehyung’s punch. Taehyung’s not done, he punches Cole three more times; twice in his face and one more time he lands a fist in Cole’s stomach. Cole crumbles on the pavement in a heap. Taehyung kicks your husband when he’s down, then steps over Cole’s crumbled form.

As he steps toward you, Taehyung pulls down his sleeves and straightens the lapel of his coat. Then he holds out his hand to you.

“Come with me,” he says.

“But… my husband,” you begin to argue, as Cole groans weakly on the floor.

“Fuck your husband,” Taehyung growls with a frown. “I followed you out here with every intention of stopping you from leaving again. Only to see him raise his hand to you. I don’t know what a marriage is if you’re coming to me for money and this son of a bitch hits you but it can’t be good.”

“It’s the marriage I have,” you tell him. “Your father made sure of that.”

“My father is dead. I’m in charge now. And I get whatever I want now and the minute you walked into my office I was sure… what I want is you.”

He reaches his hand out for you again.

“You don’t even know who I am now,” you tell him.

“I am willing to learn,” he tells you.

“You have no idea what I have done to survive,” you tell him.

“I think I do,” he says nodding to your husband who still lies in a broken heap at Taehyung’s feet. “But I want to hear all your stories and if need be I am willing to forgive.”

“You-“

“Stop arguing,” Taehyung orders in a voice that allows no argument. His boss voice. The tone he uses to control a criminal empire, he now uses to control you.

“Take my hand and come with me,” demands Taehyung, holding his hand out to you.

“Go with you where?”

“Anywhere and that’s the treat. Come with me, because you’re intrigued. Come with me because you feel the spark that flows between us, the fire that still burns. Hell, come with me just to get away from your husband. I don’t care about your reasons, I’ll take whatever I can get. Just take my hand.”

You can’t resist, you don’t want to. So you take Kim Taehyung’s hand and let him take you away.

And well, that’s when the danger starts.

Chapter Text

You’re sitting in the back of a limo with Taehyung. Your heart hammers hard against your chest, because you can’t believe it. This can’t be happening. It’s been years since you knew him and he just talked you into leaving everything for him.

“This is crazy,” you say.

“Why crazy?” He asks

“I just left my husband,” you say, still surprised and shocked it happened.

“Seems the sanest thing you’ve done in a long time,” Taehyung says.

“He is not perfect, but the devil you know is always safest,” you say. “I know what I’m getting with him. What am I getting with you?”

“Whatever you want,” he says.

“You’re good at non-answers,” you tell him.

“Tool of the trade,” says Taehyung lifting your hand to his lips for a kiss.

“Taehyung… are you really… in charge?” You ask.

He nods. “It’s all mine. The money, the power, and the problems.”

“Problems. I just left a lot of problems,” you tell him.

“My problems will never become your problems,” he says.

“Oh,” you say your disappointment getting the best of you.

“Whoa, what just happened?“ Taehyung asks, locked into all your moods.

“Why did I leave my husband?” You ask.

“For me,” he says, calmly, truthfully.

“Then how come your problems will never become my problems?” You ask.

“Because there’s my life and there’s my business. They’re separate. I will never involve you in the business. You will never sully your hands in it. I’m mad enough you came to my offices to ask for money. Don’t ever come there again,” he says.

“Taehyung… I’m supposed to never come to the place you work daily?” You ask.

“Never,” he says. “You’re not to ask questions. If business is being discussed I’m going to need you to leave the room.”

You stare. Your mind trying to understand what he’s saying.

“Why?” You ask.

“You know why,” he says.

Because what he does all day is the mob. Because his business is illegal. Because he’s a mobster. A mob boss.

“I’m sorry, but this is the price of admission,” says Taehyung. “I will share everything with you, but not this. There will be no police files with your name on it. It’s church and state. We are church. The business is state. Do you understand?“

You nod, “I understand.”

Taehyung leans over and kisses you. It’s quick and it’s sweet. Almost like it used to be when you were young and innocent.

“God,” says Taehyung. “I’ve missed you. I’ve thought so many times about just going to get you. Just taking you. Bringing you back… but then you came to me. Did you really think I’d let you leave again?”

“I didn’t think it was possible for you to still care,” you admit.

“How could I not?” He says. “But I have a question. It’s plagued me for over a decade.”

“Ask,” you say.

“I woke up one day and you were gone. No trace of you. It was almost like you didn’t exist. Like I made you up. Did you really just… leave?” He asks.

“Your father visited my father. And when he realized that I was dating a mobster’s son, my dad shipped me off,” you tell him. “Alleged… mobster’s son.”

Taehyung laughs, then quickly sobers. “Did he threaten your parents?” He asks.

No. He threatened me.

But you don’t say that. Mr. Kim is dead. He can’t hurt anyone anymore. He can’t hurt you anymore. But the truth about his father and the whole story of why you broke up with Taehyung, could hurt him. It’s best that he continue to love his father and you continue to hate that old son of a bitch. You’re happy he’s dead and you’re free to be with Taehyung.

“I don’t think so,” you say. “Because just the optics of you with a chaebol Princess was too much for my parents.”

“And your conglomerate heir was so much better?” He asks.

“My parents disowned me to stop him from getting my money. And his parents disowned him to stop him from getting his money,” you tell Taehyung. “He doesn’t understand how to function. All he does is spend money.”

Taehyung nods as the car pulls up to a luxury apartment building in the heart of the city. The door is opened and Taehyung slides out then turns back to help you out. You follow him into a building you’re pretty sure he owns and go up to the top floor, the penthouse.

There are guards everywhere in the building. In the lobby, in the hall outside his penthouse and even scattered through out inside his penthouse. But he leads you away from them, into privacy and locks you inside his bedroom suite.

“Strip,” he commands.

“What?” You ask, shocked.

“Strip,” he says sitting on a couch with a perfect view of you. “Get naked.”

“Why?” You ask.

“Because I asked you to,” he says.

“I haven’t heard a request,” you say.

“Please,” he says and you know that’s as close to asking as Kim Taehyung gets.

You’re not much of a stripper, so you just take your clothes off and stand before him in your underwear. You’re relieved that they’re clean and match.

“Everything,” he says.

Still it’s a command, but you wonder if he thinks this is him asking for your nudity, because it’s commands and orders.
And you follow them, to the T and take off your bra and slip out of your panties.

He stares at you. His face blank, his thoughts to himself. The last time he saw you naked you were so much younger and your breasts so much perkier. Now you’re just a woman beaten down by life. A far cry from the happy girl he once loved.

Taehyung stands and approaches you slowly, his eyes scanning you from head to toe. His look is not sexual. He’s not checking you out to play with you, but he’s surveying you. Checking for damage and as you quickly look down at yourself, you realize how much damage there is. All the cause of one man.

“I’m going to make your husband pay for every time he touched you,” Taehyung says. “For every scar, for every hurt… I will make him pay.”

“You don’t have to do that,” you tell them.

“Oh,” he says. “But I want to.”

“I’m sorry that I’m not.. hot, anymore,” you apologize

Taehyung looks at you completely stunned and confused. “You’re beautiful,”he says. “And way hotter than you were then. Are you joking? You were a girl, now you’re a woman.”

He kisses you, pulling your naked body against his expensive suit. Probably Louis Vuitton if you know Taehyung at all.

Taehyung lifts you into his arms and takes you into his bedroom. He unceremoniously drops you into the bed, making you giggle in delight as he stands and unbuttons his shirt.

Arousal shoots through you as you get your first glimpse of the man he grew into. He was always hot but this is insane, he’s beautiful. Chiseled. Irresistible.

He’s stunning. Toned. Fit. His muscles are clearly defined by cut lines and curves that seem designed for your hands. He’s so hot. Like he spends every available moment working out to define his chiseled abs and hard chest. Each muscle on his beautiful body built on the next, outlining the
etched ripples of his stomach.

You want to run your tongue over his nipples, they’re hard and pointed.

"Wow," you say.

He bows his head in acknowledgement as he pulls off his pants and underwear at the same time. "Thank you."

You nod and swallow, because Kim Taehyung is naked and he is every dream you ever had. He’s Adonis. He’s perfect. Beyond human.

And he takes his perfect body and crawls on top of you on the bed, fitting his cock to your pussy in perfect alignment.

“We’re going to fuck all night,” he tells you.

You nod and thrust up ward, teasing his cock as you wrap your arms around his neck.

“Yes!” You scream as in one smooth thrust he buries himself to the hilt inside your pussy.

Taehyung holds himself still inside you, savoring the heat of your body, the wet silk that surrounds his cock.

You moan and he groans.

“Fuck,” he says, his voice dripping with pleasure. “You’re tight.”

You must be. It’s been awhile since anyone touched you. And even when they did it was never like this. It was never the way Taehyung touches you, the way he fucks you.

You ride the waves of pleasure as you ride his cock, ramping the heat between you to an impossible level.

Taehyung flips you over so that you’re on top, straddling him. His cock inside you, your legs trembling on either side of his. There’s no holding on, or holding back. He thrusts up, you grind down and you scream as you explode. You cum, you die, you fly.

When you finally come back to earth. Taehyung is wrapped around you and holding you close to his chest. You feel protected. You feel safe.

“It’s just like it used to be,” you tell him.

“It’s better,” he says taking your lips with his lips in a fiery kiss.

When the boom, boom, boom, begins you think it’s just your heart beat at the closeness of Taehyung. But it’s not your heart. It’s footsteps! Coming closer, speeding forward! Leaving you no space to do more than pull the blanket up to your cheek, to hide your nakedness as the door flies open.

“Namjoon! What the fuck?“ Taehyung yells at his bodyguard’s intrusion.

“I’m sorry, boss,” says Namjoon. “But the Jeon’s are on the move and about to attack the building.”

“What?!”

“We’re under siege,” says Namjoon.

Chapter Text

Boom! Boom! Boom!

You stare at Taehyung’s bodyguard as the sound of a battering ram against a stubborn door shakes the building.

“They’re using force to break open the front door,” Taehyung’s bodyguard, Namjoon, informs his boss and you. “They’re going to breach our security and storm in. I’ve armed all of our men and have them spread out through out the house. Jeon’s men might get in but I’ve instructed our men to shoot on sight.”

Taehyung just nods to hear that Namjoon gave his men a license to kill. Men are going to die and kill in his name but Taehyung doesn’t even blink. War has come to his private home and Taehyung is instantly in battle mode. Ready to kill or perhaps be killed.

“Get dressed,” commands Taehyung, rolling out of bed to throw back on his own discarded clothing.

“What’s going on?” you ask putting back on the clothes you wore to beg him for his help. So much has happened since you walked into his office a mere five hours ago. “You and Jeon Jungkook are friends.”

“Not anymore,” Taehyung tells you. “He’s coming to kill me.”

Your brain slowly processes this news as you finish getting dressed. Back in high school JK and Taehyung were friends. You wonder what could have come between them.

Wrong question. Who came between them? You don’t let your mind go there. But you can’t buy the coincidence of Jungkook waiting to attack Taehyung, once you were also in residence. But how could Jungkook learn your whereabouts so quickly that he utilized his forces. No, you assure yourself, as Taehyung grabs your hand and leads you not out into the hall but deeper into his master suite.

This has nothing to do with me, you assure yourself as the sound of bullets gets closer. The sounds of a siege surrounds you.

“Put these on,” commands Taehyung, kicking your heels out of the way and replacing them with sneakers. You’ve never worn someone else’s shoes before so you’re shocked when the sneakers fit, perfectly.

“Ha,” says Taehyung, triumphantly. “I remembered your size.”

You only nod as tap, tap, Boom sounds suddenly come from below you. There’s yelling. The sound of wood splintering and footsteps coming from every side. You have an innocent but ridiculous question. “Is that fireworks?”

Taehyung shakes his head, “gunshots. They’ve breached the house. Let’s go.”

Before you go he gives you a hand gun to hold, a 9mm. You’ve never held a gun before, never mind use it, but Taehyung orders you to shoot anyone who comes near you. He doesn’t care who it is.

“Shoot first. Ask questions later,” he commands.

You nod and clutch the heavy metal in your hand as Taehyung grabs an automatic rifle and straps it to his body. He looks like a soldier, or a warrior. He looks dangerous. It gives you pause and reminds you that you don’t know him now and certainly like this. You left your husband mere hours ago and already you’re in the middle of a mob war.

What have you done?

Taehyung pulls you into his arms for a fierce hug and kisses you on the top of your head.

“I know you’re scared,” he says. “And I am sorry for that, but I promise you that no one will touch you, no one will take you and no one will hurt you. Not when you’re with me. Not when you’re mine.”

You knew that the devil you know is safer but you chose another devil, a handsome one with wide smiles and soft lips. But this hardness, you’ve never seen before. The man determined to get you out of this violent siege, safely, is new to you and yet so familiar. You’re safe with him as you always knew you would be.

Taehyung leads you passed his bathroom and into a walk in closet where his expensive suits hang from golden hangers. Taehyung pushes open the back panel of his closet door, revealing a doorway.

“Is this a panic room?“ you ask Taehyung.

He shakes his head, “a tunnel.”

He turns the flashlight on his phone on and illuminates the dark, narrow hallway behind his closet wall. You stare at his profile as he leads you through the secret tunnel. It’s warm and tight, made for the movement of one person, not two.

But you keep close to him as you walk through the back tunnel to his penthouse. You can’t see the war on the other side of the wall, but you can hear it. Yelling, screaming and the explosive sound of bullets. You jump, flinch and move closer to Taehyung as you hear the screams of anguish, the sound of flesh against flesh as someone has thrown their weapons and are now fighting with their hands.

“Keep going,” says Taehyung as you walk through the secret passageway of his penthouse. All the violence is on the other side of the wall, and in the back of your mind you know that the beautiful apartment he showed you hours before is now damaged.

You can hear glass shattering. Wood splintering. And bullets hitting concrete walls. The violence on the other side of the wall is destructive. Violence is probably always destructive, but you don’t have a lot of experience with this kind of violence, just the kind of violence taken out on you.

You’re walking through the secret tunnels for maybe ten minutes when you finally find yourself at a staircase. Taehyung runs down the stairs at full speed and you follow, grateful for the sneakers, knowing your heels would have been slow and loud.

As you run down the stairs the sound of battle gets farther and you feel like you can breathe as you leave the active violence behind.

You rush down the back stairs of Taehyung’s building, gun in hand, the fear crawling up your throat.

Suddenly, a door on the seventh floor comes crashing open and a gun man comes barreling into the staircase, gun drawn.

Taehyung doesn’t hesitate, he shoots the man with his automatic rifle and keeps heading down the stairs at a fast clip.

“They know we’re here,” Taehyung warns as another door to a main floor opens and Taehyung throws you behind him, and shoots his weapon. Loud booms, explode from the automatic gun as the gun man in the hall topples over and falls down the stairs, dead.

“Hurry,” says Taehyung and you both run down the stairs at full speed. Taehyung bursts through the back door where a familiar bodyguard stands watching a tinted black SUV.

The car door is opened and Taehyung watches you get in, and buckles your seat belt.

“Be safe,” he tells you. “I’ll call you when it’s over.”

“You’re not coming with me?!” You ask, your fear rising that you’re getting away safely but he’s staying behind with the gunmen whose only jobs are to kill him?

“No,” he says simply, gives you a kiss and then closes the back door. “Go, go, go!” He urges your driver and you speed away from his apartment building.

You look back and catch one last look at Taehyung. His eyes are wide and he suddenly gives chase. He’s running after the SUV you’re in and you can’t understand why.

“Stop!” You yell at your driver. “What’s happening?”

“He probably realized that I don’t work for him,” says a voice laced with humor.

You let out a gasp, turning away from the back window you turn to face the man driving you. You meet his smiling eyes in the rare view mirror.

You gasp again, because you know these smiling eyes. You just haven’t seen them in a very long time.

“Jungkook,” you say, slowly, remembering that he was once your friend but now he’s Taehyung’s enemy. “What are you doing?”

He laughs, “I’m kidnapping you. Isn’t that obvious?”

And with that, he guns it, picking up speed and racing you away from Taehyung and safety.

Chapter Text

THEN

You ring the doorbell like a maniac. Holding down the buzzer incessantly until someone comes to the door. It was pouring rain earlier but now that you’re close to shelter there’s no rain to be seen. Luck works against you like that. You hear footsteps, you pray it’s Jungkook, but of course it’s not. It’s one of Mr. Jeon’s many Goons. You see the opulence of the Jeon Estate hinted through the foyer you spot behind the hired gun.

One day all of this will be Jungkook’s… just like Taehyung. You shake the thought off you can’t think about him. Besides that’s the reason you’re leaving him and it’s the reason Jungkook is the only one who can help you.

“Kid are you out of your mind?” Asks the Goon, his eyes looking over your soaked through clothes in disgust.

Ugh, it’s not like the rain is your fault!

“Jungkook?” you blurt out, not having time for niceties or apologies. “I need to see Jungkook.”

“Why?” Asks the Goon.

“That’s for me to find out,” says a voice behind him as Jungkook walks to the front door. “It’s cool. I know her.”

The Goon shoots you a glare before walking away, dismissed by the mafia prince.

“I need your help,” you tell him. “I didn’t know where else to go.”

Jungkook reaches into his pocket and pulls out a cellphone. “Let me call Taehyung. He’ll-“

“No!” You yell, snatching the phone out of his hand. “You don’t understand. I meant that I don’t have anywhere else to go. Taehyung is the one I’m hiding from.”

Well, you’re hiding from his father and so Taehyung by extension.

“What’s going on?” Asks Jungkook, his voice dripping with concern as his eyes rove over your soaked form.

“I just need a quiet place to think, uninterrupted.”

“And Taehyung is an interruption?” Asks Jungkook.

“The biggest,” you admit.

“Goddamn it, girl, don’t you have an umbrella?” He asks pulling you into the house and closing the door.

You sigh in relief. So grateful that you can rely and trust Jungkook. You’re in so much chaos you desperately need someone you can trust. Jungkook won’t judge you and he won’t steal your autonomy from you. You have decisions to make and Jungkook is just not the kind who will decide for you.

You shake your head as you slip off your soaked shoes and socks, slipping into house slippers the Jeon family has stacked by the door.

“You need a shower,” observes Jungkook and he’s right.

You follow Jungkook up intense stairs to his bedroom. He shuts the door behind him and leads you passed his bed, into his private bathroom. He hands you a towel, shows you how to use his fancy car wash of a shower and then leaves you.

You get undressed and under the hot spray of the shower as quickly as humanly possible. The warmth spreads through you, waking you up and cheering you up. There’s a miracle inside you that you will honor and protect at all costs.

You’re warm, clean and ready to throw on the clothes Jungkook left out for you when you hear banging on Jungkook’s bedroom door. You freeze, shutting of the water and lights, holding completely still.

You hear footsteps on the other side of the door as Jungkook goes to answer his bedroom door.

“Taehyung!” He says by way of greeting and you know it’s for your benefit, so that you’d know to be quiet. “What are you doing here?“
“I have a question and I want an honest answer because I don’t have time to fuck around,” says Taehyung.

“Do I have a reputation for lying or something?”

“Im serious, JK,” says Taehyung, his serious tone carrying heavily through the door.

You have no doubts. Taehyung is serious and not here to play around with his best and closest friend.

“Fine,” says Jungkook. “Ask your question.”

“Where is she?!” Demands Taehyung.

Your heart skips a beat.

“Who?”

“My girlfriend, Jungkook! Is she here?”

He’s looking for you!

“No,” lies Jungkook. “Why would she be?”

“Goddamn it,” Taehyung curses, his tone a study in frustration. “Where is she?”

You stay where you are. You’re still. Not making a sound, afraid to even breathe as Jungkook assures Taehyung he’ll call if he hears from you.

Then Taehyung leaves and as always, takes your heart with him. You feel sad as you change into Jungkook’s clothes and then go out into bedroom to face an inquisition.

“What’s going on?” Jungkook asks the minute you exit the bathroom. “I just lied to my closest friend for you and I don’t know why.”

“I’m sorry,” you say and you are for the tough situation Jungkook suddenly finds himself in, because of you.

“What’s the issue?” Asks Jungkook.

“I just need a little time to clear my head and then the first person I’m going to is Tae,” you promise him.

“Why do you need to clear your head?”

“Because I don’t know how to feel or what to think or what to do,” you tell him.

Jungkook pushes farther, “do about what?”

“I’m pregnant,” you say out loud to another person for the first time and somehow that makes it more real.

NOW

You’re shocked in the back of an SUV as a much different, more powerful and older Jungkook drives you, against your will, down familiar streets.

“You’re kidnapping me and taking me to your house?”

“It’s not just a house, it’s a fortress.”

Your heart races as the fear consumes you. Once upon a time, Jeon Jungkook was your closest friend and confidant. Now he’s your kidnapper.

You remember the Jeon Fortress, as he calls it. Heavily monitored with guards and cameras constantly patrolling the grounds. If you let Jungkook take you to his home, you’ll never be able to leave. You’ll be a prisoner. Maybe even a hostage.

You’re still holding the gun, the one Taehyung put into your hands and ordered you shoot first.

You pull the gun, placing it to Jungkook’s head. “Let me go!” You demand.

“Is that something you could do? Pull the trigger? Kill me in cold blood?” He asks, voice silky and calm.

“I don’t know what else to do,” you tell him. “You kidnapped me and every girl knows it’s not good to be taken to a second location.

“Whoa, whoa,” says Jungkook pulling off on the side of the road. “I was kidding when I said I was kidnapping you! Obviously, you can leave whenever you want. I will never hurt you.”

“Then why did you take me?” You ask him, still holding a gun to his head.

“It was funny,” admits Jungkook. And you sigh, could it be that simple? “Besides you ran from Taehyung and that family before… what are you doing back there?”

You don’t have an answer for that just clarifications. “I didn’t run! I hid. It was my father who made me run.”

And Taehyung’s father who made me disappear.

“Just come in, have dinner with me and we’ll talk,” Jungkook cajoles, but you’re afraid that if you go onto the Jeon compound you’ll never leave.

Jungkook’s surprised by this, he asks why. “You’ve left before why are you treating me like a criminal?”

Because you are a criminal.

“Because I don’t know you anymore and kidnapping is criminal activity,” you say, a bit more reasonable than your thoughts.

Jungkook sighs, “I wasn’t kidnapping you but keeping my long ago promise to keep you away from Taehyung. I promised you years ago to step in and stop you. This is me stepping in and stopping you.”

His words drop into the car like a 50 pins anvil; loudly and leaving impossible wreckage in its path. The wreckage of you.

Jungkook continues while you hold a loaded weapon to his head. “You have no idea who Tae is now and it’s my job to tell you.”

“Why?” You ask.

“We’re friends,” he insists.

“Friends don’t kidnap friends or hold them at gun point,” you observe.

“Sometimes they do,” he counters.

You put the gun down. “It’s not like I could shoot anyone.”

“I know,” says Jungkook, restarting the engine and continuing. “But you may give up some of that pacifism when I tell you about your son.”

You gasp. You know nothing about your son. He was taken away from you moments after he was born and you never seen him again.

“What?” You ask, your voice weak, afraid to hope. Your heart races, afraid to believe.

“Your son,” says Jungkook again. “I know where he is.”

Chapter Text

THEN

You’re feeling things you’ve never felt before as not one but two fathers stare at you in disappointment. You're deep in your feelings of despair, helplessness and fear. So much fear because your choices are being taken away. Your life as you know it is being taken away.

“Please let me tell Taehyung,” you beg your father and his.

“It’s best to leave my son out of this,” says Mr. Kim.

“He’s the father of my baby,” you insist. “I swear he’s the father.”

Mr. Kim smirks, a gesture without humor and says, “Of that I had no doubt.”

“Please let me tell him, talk to him, and say goodbye to him,” you beg some more.

“This is for the best,” says Mr. Kim to your father. “If my son finds out the drama quadruples.”

Your father nods, “your son isn’t my favorite person at the moment.”

“Well, neither is your daughter mine.”

“We love each other,” you insist to the fathers who basically have started to talk over you.

Your father just sighs, shakes his head and walks away to stare out the floor to ceiling windows at the taxiing aircrafts of many sizes on the runway. You’re in a private airport, in the middle of the night because they’re going to whisk you away.

To Taehyung it will seem like you disappeared. He spent all day searching for you while you hid at Jungkook’s place to think. Your mind flashes back to the moment you hid inside the bathroom while Taehyung was just on the other side of the door. You didn’t know then that was your last moment to speak with him, confide in him and lean on him. Hell, it was your last chance to just see him… you try not to hate yourself for the things you couldn’t foresee. Like your maid finding the pregnancy test in your garbage, fishing it out and taking it to your father.

While you were freaking out and afraid to tell Taehyung about the life you both made, your fathers were scheming, plotting and deciding your life for you.

“You’re too young to know what love is,” says Mr. Kim, condescendingly.

“Please don’t send me away. Don’t send us away. Taehyung is the father it means you’re the grandfather.”

“I know,” says Mr. Kim. “That’s the only reason you’re being sent away instead of simply being removed, permanently.”

You gasp, your eyes dart to your father who continues to stare out the window, but now he’s on his phone. Oblivious to the fact that the boss of the Kim Family has escalated to threats. From this moment on, you’re simply on your own. You wonder if your mom knows. You wonder what she has to say or think about her only daughter being shipped off like a dirty little secret.

“I want to be clear, young lady,” continues Mr. Kim. “My son is too young to be a father. He has his entire life in front of him, I do not want him tied down to an heiress who has never been told no. Well here it is, young lady, for the first time… No. No, you will not contact my son again. No, you will not ruin his future with this unwanted child. No you will not trap my son into a teenage pregnancy. And if you try… well, the only sin my son will not forgive me for is if I killed you. So, I can’t kill you… but your parents? Your sweet grandma? Your cousins and friends? They’re fair game.”

You stare at him; this adult threatening a child and feel a burning rage in the pit of your stomach. This is fucking unfair. It’s not that you want to be a mother. It’s not that you think Taehyung is ready to be a dad. This pregnancy is a result of a mistake you both made but you’re the only one who was grabbed out of bed in the middle of the night, told you have no choices and you’re the only one being sent away.

“You will sit quietly in my chateau in France. You will be given the best tutors in order to finish your education. And when the child is born I have already found a perfect family to adopt it.”

“No one has even asked me if I want to give up my child,” you comment darkly.

“That’s because no one cares,” says Mr. Kim. “Your father is the CEO of a major conglomerate, do you really think he wants to share a grandchild with a mob boss? This kid is an abomination. An outlier that could never live in two worlds. The inheritor of way to much power in the world and the underworld… you cannot keep it.”

You stare straight ahead, your heart breaking. Your fathers want you and Taehyung to never see each other again. Your fathers don’t want Taehyung to ever know about the mistakes you both made and the life you both created.

“This is unfair,” you say, weakly, knowing you have no arguments to stand on. No way to win.

“Life’s not fair,” replies Mr. Kim.

That’s when you feel a pin prick at the back of your neck. You look back to see a strange woman stepping back with a used syringe. You have just a moment to realize she used the syringe on you when the world goes black.

NOW

“That’s the last thing I remember,” you finish telling Jungkook the story about how you were whisked away from Seoul in the middle of the night. “I spent the remainder of my pregnancy locked in a French mansion, it was beautiful but a gilded cage. I couldn’t leave. I had no cell phone, not that it mattered, because all my calls were monitored. My internet and emails were all monitored. I tried to get the servants and guards to get a message to Taehyung but no one would help me.”

You’re sitting in the kitchen of the Jeon family estate and it is a fortress. There are acres of land surrounded by an electric fence while guards patrol the grounds and the halls. You spotted a kennel of attack dogs as you came up to the house and no one could miss the security cameras mounted on every wall, in every room.

If Taehyung and his men are planning to come here and take you back… it will be a violent battle. Soon you’ll ask Jungkook to give Taehyung a call assuring him you’re safe. But you’re afraid to ask because if he says no it means you’re not safe and Jungkook is not your friend.

“This is crazy,” comments Jungkook. “This a story out of the 1800s.”

“Reputation means everything,” you remind Jungkook.

“Your husband doesn’t have a great reputation,” he says.

You nod. “It’s the ironic joke of my life. My father’s choice for a son-in-law turned out to be worst than the son of the mob boss.”

“Do you want me to kill him for you?” Asks Jungkook.

“No,” you say. “I don’t want anyone to die for me.”

But you worry it’s inevitable. No matter how much it feels like you’re catching up with an old friend while he cooks you dinner in his impressive kitchen… Jungkook kidnapped you! Stole you away from Taehyung mere hours since you were reunited.

“I never told Taehyung what you told me,” Jungkook tells you. “I put you in my family’s guest room and the next morning you were gone. I was told you left on your own.”

“I didn’t.”

“I know that now, but for years I thought you ran off with your father’s money to have your child the way you wanted. It wasn’t until my father died and I inherited all this that I learned the truth. He made a deal with Taehyung’s father that kept our families at peace for years. He sold you to Mr. Kim for peace between our families.”

You sigh, it’s relief. All these years you feared that Jungkook betrayed you but of course not.

“What do you know about my son?” You finally ask.

Jungkook nods, turns off the stove and walks over to a Manila envelope. He picks it up and hands it to you.

“These are all the records I found at the adoption agency that handled your sons adoption.” He says.

“They gave you information? I’ve always been told it’s classified.”

“I didn’t exactly ask,” says Jungkook with a shrug.

You take a deep breath, flip open the folder and… the lights cut off! You gasp, your heart racing at the sudden blackout and it’s terrible timing. You were about to get answers for something you’d wondered about for years, but now you can’t see.

Suddenly, there’s a crackle of a walkie-talkie.

“Jungkook,” Taehyung’s voice floods the darkness of the room. “You’ve taken something of mine and I’m here to get her back.”

With that there’s a loud boom! An explosion of noise that shakes the foundations of the entire house.

You can’t believe this! Taehyung actually came for you and he came with force. In your heart you know that nothing will stop Taehyung from getting you back.

“So that’s how he wants to play it,” says Jungkook, as his back up generators come on, flooding the room with an unattractive yellow light.

Jungkook goes into the kitchen pantry and comes back out with a semi-automatic rifle that’s almost as tall as him.

“No!” You say jumping up at the sight of the weapon. “I’m not really kidnapped ! Just let me get him on the phone and assure him all is well.”

“The problem with that?” Asks Jungkook. “You are kidnapped. I was hoping to distract you, but I was also never going to let you leave.”

“I thought we were friends,” you say.

“We are friends,” he assures you. “It’s just that me and Taehyung are enemies.

He smiles at you, holding an intense weapon and for the first time you finally see there’s something slightly off with Jungkook. The guy who laughs at kidnapping his rival’s girlfriend and smiles when the Kim family returns the siege that he mounted earlier in the day. Jungkook is a thrill seeker, a danger junkie… and you’re trapped inside with him.

Suddenly, the windows in the kitchen shatter and a silver canister is thrown through the broken windows. You and Jungkook have just a moment to process that you’re looking at some kind of explosive. When suddenly, Jungkook throws his body over yours just as the canister explodes!

Chapter Text

NOW

The windows in Jungkook’s kitchen shatter and a silver canister flies inside to land on the tile floors with a loud clatter. An explosive! Jungkook throws his body over yours just as the canister explodes and white toxin spreads through out the room. You push your face against Jungkook’s clothed chest, hoping his body will protect you from whatever gas Taehyung’s people threw in here.

Is it anthrax? Sarin gas? Cyanide?

You lie there for a moment, your head woozy. You don’t feel sick exactly but very tired, heavy, like you haven’t slept in years. Jungkook is heavy on you, no longer a protection but a dead weight.

You panic when you realize you can’t move. That your mind isn’t sending signals to your feet. Your body is locked in place. Jungkook’s body is locked in place on top of you.

You try to call Jungkook’s name, but your ears are ringing. You can’t hear. Just the ringing.

That’s when Jungkook’s impossible weight lifts from your body.

“She’s here!” You hear a disembodied voice yell.

Your hearing is still completely fucked. Your brain is foggy as you struggle to get your thoughts together. But you’re racing toward unconsciousness.

Suddenly you feel light. You’re lifted into arms and carried away.

“You’re going to be alright,” a voice says.

It’s disembodied and deep in your present state, but you know in your heart that it’s Taehyung. You’re in his arms and safe. It’s your last thought before falling into complete unconsciousness.

THEN

You’re standing at the side of the court watching Taehyung play basketball with the group of his friends. You know nothing about sports, but from the way Taehyung and his friends slap hands and asses, you’re guessing that they’re winning. Taehyung’s so cute when he makes a shot and then glances over to you to see if you’re watching. And of course you are, it’s what good girlfriends do.

When the game is over, Taehyung walks over to you with a wide smile and envelops you in a hug.

“You’re sweaty!”

“I know,” he says. “I need a shower.”

He kisses you, takes you by the hand and leads you to his car. He opens your door for you and then gets behind the wheel.

“My place?” He asks.

“Obviously,” you say. “You need a shower.”

Taehyung laughs and drives toward his home. You live in the same neighborhood, in equally imposing house but his parents have a lot less rules about the opposite sex than your parents do. So when he parks his car and leads you into his house, you pass guards and his father’s men, but not one of this parents.

Taehyung closes the door to his bedroom and locks it. He smiles at you. “No disruptions.”

Your heart pounds as Taehyung grabs you, kisses you and pulls you tight against his body.

“Do you want to hear something crazy?” Taehyung asks you.

“Always,” you say.

“I love you,” he says, not for the first time but you love hearing it, you’ll never get tired of it.

“Want to hear something crazier?” You ask.

“Always,” he says.

“I love you too,” you tell him. “So, so much.”

You kiss. Long, hard, forever, the way it was meant to be. You and Taehyung. Taehyung and you.

“Let’s shower together,” he suggests as you wrap your legs around his waist and he carries you into his en suite.

He puts you down and turns on the shower. Then you both strip. Giggling and stealing kisses. He’s so hot, Taehyung. All the girls wanted him, but he’s yours. Naked, you kiss, touch and nibble at each other’s mouths.

Taehyung pulls you into the shower and as the powerful shower head sprays hot water on you, you feel your insides clench. His body is unbelievable, chiseled and glistening when wet.

You love the feel of his body against yours as your kiss him with everything you’re worth. You love the feel of his strong, slick hands as they run all over you. You pull away from the kiss to wash him, running your hands over the masculine textures of Taehyung’s body.

His mouth fastens on yours with wet, sucking kisses, and his hand slips between your thighs, his fingers gently playful. You press your cheek against his shoulder, gasping.

You never knew you could feel this way. That being with another person could be like this. Your senses are in overdrive. Your body attuned to his body as he gives you everything you need.

Your vision blurs as his fingers slid inside you, you gasp, thrusting your hip forward. Careful and intent, Taehyung strokes you open and slides inside you. His hands grip your ass and holds your body, motionless and filled and possessed.

You thrust forward, riding Taehyung, fucking him as he holds you, his back against the wall. Your flesh throbs around Taehyung as he holds you and rides the wave of your shared pleasure.

He drives forward, you shiver and hold on to his shoulders. Taehyung gathers you impossibly closer. Your bodies tremble, the pleasure seems to dissolve your insides.

You writhe. You shake as the pleasure speeds up your spine. You explode, cunning with a scream as the water continues to spray over your bodies.

NOW

You wake with a start. Sitting up, abruptly, in an unfamiliar room.

“It’s ok. You’re ok,” says Taehyung.

He’s sitting in a chair beside your bed. He reaches forward and squeezes your hand.

“You’re ok,” he says again.

And you feel that. You feel a little hungover but mostly you feel… ok.

“What happened?“ you ask.

“Jungkook took you, so I stole you back,” he says.

“Oh my god!” You exclaim, as you’re rocked with your last memory. “You blew up his house!”

“I didn’t. I just put them all to sleep. They should be waking up now just like you,” he says.

“So Jungkook is alive?”

“When I found you he was shielding you with his body and that’s the only reason he’s still alive,” says Taehyung. “He thought it was a grenade and protected you. He’s not completely lost.”

“He’s not,” you agree.

“He kidnapped you!”

“He did,” you agree. “But he didn’t do anything to me because it was more about you knowing I was with him and not you.”

“He plays games like a child,” says Taehyung.

“It looks like he just really wants your attention,” you observe.

Taehyung nods, “like a child. So tell me what happened.”

“Honestly we just caught up,” you say.

“Honestly?” He asks. You nod. “So you have nothing to tell me?”

“I wasn’t really spying on him or anything,” you say trying to think of anything you saw that could be useful in a mob war.

Not that you want this war between Jungkook and Taehyung to continue and it’s not like you have the mind of a criminal.

Taehyung sits back in his chair and studies you with a blank expression.

Something more is happening here.

“That’s it?” He asks.

Your heart skips a beat. A lot more happened. You talked about your biggest, most painful secret, but how would Taehyung know that?

“Taehyung—“

“Before you say anything or lie to my face or hold more lies of omission from me,” begins Taehyung. “You should know that I have bugs all over Jungkook’s house. I heard every word.”

Your heart skips a beat as the meaning of his words, his flat voice and blank expression finally make sense.

He can’t mean… that he knows?

“When my father was dying… he said some things and apologized for mistakes that made no sense to me… until today,” Taehyung tells you.

“Taehyung…” your words die on your lips.

“Say it,” he demands. “It’s long past time. Tell me.”

“Our fathers sent me away,” you tell him.

“Why?”

“Because I was pregnant,” you choke out the words.

“You found out you were pregnant with my baby and ran to Jungkook?” he asks.

“I was only trying to think of what to say to you, Taehyung,” you tell him. “Back when I thought it was going to be a regular teen pregnancy. When all my worries were about telling you and us telling our parents.”

“But they already knew,” he says.

“Yes. They already knew and came up with a plan and took the baby from me.”

“From us,” he corrects you. “Our fathers stole our baby from us.”

“I know,” you say. “I’m sorry.”

“The only thing you should be sorry for is not telling me as soon as you knew and as soon as you were back in Korea,” he tells you.

“Your father said that if I told you he would kill my family,” you tell him.

Taehyung’s eyes widen. “What?”

“He said that you wouldn’t forgive him for killing me, but that my family was fair game,” you tell him.

“My father said that to you?” Taehyung asks.

You nod, the memories rushing back to you, the fear.

“He said if I ever looked for—“ you can’t speak.

Tears rush down your face as you remember it all. You’ve been so scared. And so alone and yearning for the two people who were kept from you. Stolen from you.

“You had a boy?” He asks.

You nod, sobbing louder remembering the infant with Taehyung’s eyes.

Taehyung stands from the chair. Sits bedside you on the bed and pulls you into his arms.

“I’m mad,” he admits. “I’m not sure exactly who I’m angriest with. My father, you, Jungkook?”

“Why Jungkook?”

“He’s known I’ve had a son and told me nothing,” he says. “No one threatened him or his family. He chose to keep the secret even as he watched me lose my mind wanting you and searching for you.

You gasp, pull out of his arms and look at him with wide eyes. “He has information! He thinks he knows where the baby was sent to.”

“So I heard,” says Taehyung.

“You sound skeptical,” you notice.

“You don’t know him anymore,” Taehyung tells you. “He likes games and to watch people squirm. He could have found our son. Or he could have picked up the first file he found and claimed he found yours.”

“He wouldn’t be that cruel,” you say.

“He would and don’t forget we’re at war,” Taehyung tells you. “But you don’t need him.”

“Really?” You ask.

“No,” he says. “Because you have me and I have all of my father’s contacts.”

Holy shit! He does.

“I’m going to find our son,” promises Taehyung and you believe him.

Chapter Text

“I have to go home,” you tell, Taehyung.

“Excuse me?”

“For clothes!” You assure him.

“I’ll buy you clothes,” he says.

“Absolutely not,” you say

“Why?”

“Remember that I left with you from your office building,” you say.

“Of course. I remember,” he says

“That means I have absolutely no clothes,” you tell him. “How do you think it would feel if you owned every stitch on my body?”

Taehyung smiles, “I’m definitely buying you a new wardrobe.”

“Taehyung, not only do I need my clothes. I need my important papers, like passports.”

Taehyung frowns then opens his mouth…

“Don’t you dare say you can get me a new passport,” you cut him off.

“But I can,” he tells you.

“I’m not going to be your kept woman,” you tell him.

“Yea, you are,” he says. “You think I’m sending you back to that shop for work?”

“I like that shop!” You tell him, because you do.

Taehyung stares at you for a long moment. Then says, “don’t be ridiculous.”

“You’re the one being ridiculous,” you counter, annoyed. “I want you, not your money.”

“Then go and get your father’s money,” Taehyung demands. “He cut you off because of your husband? Well, your husband is no longer in the picture.”

“I need to get a divorce,” you tell him, changing the subject from your asshole dad.

“I’ve already called my lawyer,” Taehyung tells you.

“Wow!”

“I’m no one’s side piece, baby,” he says. “To be with me? It’s only me.”

“That goes both ways,” you say, seriously.

“I’m not married,” he says.

“You know what I mean, Taehyung. There’s so much between us and in our past. If we do this we do it correctly.”

“Correctly,” he repeats with a smile and kisses you. “But if there is anything else that you haven’t told me… you better say it now. The past is complicated. I see that and I’ve chosen to forgive your silence. But anymore secrets? That’s the end of us.”

You nod. “That’s fair. And there is nothing else I’m keeping from you.”

Taehyung studies you for a long moment. Looking deep into your eyes and judging your soul. You let him look. He wont find lies because there is truly nothing else.

“Good,” he says. “Hearing your secret made me feel like I was losing you all over again. I just got you back.”

“And I just got you back,” you whisper, throwing your arms around him and kissing him.

You put everything into that kiss. Your heart. Your soul. And your hopes. You want your future to be with him.

There’s a knock on the door. Taehyung sighs and mutters “what now?“ as he walks to his bedroom door and throws on a robe.

“What?” He asks, opening the door to his bodyguard Namjoon.

“It’s about last night’s break in… There’s something you should see, Boss,” says Namjoon. “You may want to invite your lady friend.”

Taehyung nods and closes the door, turning back to you with a frown.

“What is it?” You ask.

Taehyung shrugs and tells you to get redressed. You throw on your dirty clothes, intent on demanding to be taken home to pick up your stuff. You follow Taehyung down a flight of stairs and realize you don’t know where the hell you are.

“Where is this?“ you ask Taehyung.

“My other house,” he says. “Don’t worry we’re still in Seoul.”

You nod and follow Taehyung into his home office. It’s sleek and masculine. His desk sits in front of a bank of security monitors. You both sit in guest chairs in front of the TVs as Namjoon presses play.

You recognize Taehyung’s office as security camera footage of the room appears on every screen, creating one massive image.

It’s quiet and then the door slowly opens, a man dressed in black enters and slowly closes the door behind him.

The man turns toward the desk, showing his face, you gasp!

“That’s my husband!” You say.

Taehyung nods and leans forward, watching as your husband walks over to his desk, opens the drawer that you both watched Taehyung take money out of and dumps the contents into a bookbag.

You groan and cover your face. This is unbelievable. The idiot actually returned to steal money from Taehyung! He came back and stole from the goddamn mob. As if the loan sharks that he’s in debt too weren’t scary enough.

“Your husband is a bigger idiot than I thought,” Taehyung says as he watches your husband leave the way he came in.

“The cameras in your office are hidden but not the cameras in the hallways, the elevators or lobby,” says Namjoon. “We watched him walk through the front door, take the normal elevator and walk right to your office without a mask to conceal his identity. Is he taunting you?”

Taehyung laughs. “Doubt he’s smart enough for that. The man forgot the existence of cameras. Where did he go after taking my money?”

“Illegal strip club/ gambling hall,” answers Namjoon.

Taehyung looks at you with a smile. “I’ve decided you’re right, babe. Let’s go get your stuff from your husband.”

#

Namjoon takes your key and opens the front door of the one bedroom apartment you’ve lived in for the last few years. Namjoon does a quick sweep then tells you and Taehyung the place is cleared. You’re not sure how to feel that your husband isn’t there. Probably for the best. Now there’s no chance for violence.

“Go do what you need to do,” Taehyung tells you, sitting down on your couch and getting comfortable.

You head up to your bedroom and roll your eyes to hear the dripping water in the bathroom. The sink in the bathroom is tough and your annoying husband never learned the correct way to turn off your faucet. You walk into the bedroom to find a devastation; your clothes cut, ripped, stabbed then left all over the bedroom in pieces. Your heart breaks. That petty son of a bitch ruined your wardrobe.

You walk to the closet where your important documents are kept in a folder… it’s not there. You pull everything out and there’s no sign of it. You remember the running water you heard.

“Son of a bitch!” you yell and it’s rush to the bathroom.

It’s as you thought. The sink is over flooding and in the center, soaking wet, is you passport and birth certificate.

“Son of a bitch,” you hear behind you and know that Taehyung has seen your husband’s handy work. You feel his hand rest on the back of your neck. “I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t do this,” you say.

“I embarrassed him and then took his wife away,” Taehyung says.

“His actions are not your fault,” you tell him.

“His pride is bruised,” says Taehyung. “For all the wrong reasons. He’s a petty son of a bitch.”

“He is,” you agree.

“And stupid,” says Taehyung.

“He’s coming,” Namjoon calls out to his boss.

Taehyung turns and walks back into your living room. He sits, pulling you down beside him and waits as the key turns in the lock. The door opens and your husband fills the doorway. He takes one look at you and Taehyung on the couch and tries to turn back only to find his way blocked by two of Taehyung’s men.

“Sit,” commands Taehyung, pointing to the chair across from the couch.

Your husband doesn’t hesitate, running to get away from the men at his back and sits. It’s then then he seems to notice Namjoon, standing in a black shirt and cargo pants with a gun holster hanging from his shoulders. A gun on each side.

“You have no respect for other people’s property,” says Taehyung, playing with your fingers.

“Everything my wife owns is also mine,” says your husband.

“Is that right?” Asks Taehyung. “And how about my money? Is that also yours?”

“You gave it to me!” Insists your husband

“Hmm,” says Taehyung calmly, nodding at Namjoon who hits play on your blu-ray player.

The image of your husband stealing the money from Taehyung’s office appears on the flat screen in your living room.

“Interesting,” says Taehyung, his eyes on the screen. “That doesn’t seem to be me giving you money.”

“Goddamn it, Cole!” You hiss at your husband with a mutinous frown. “How could you do something so stupid?”

“Don’t talk to me you faithless bitch,” Cole says back with a scowl.

It happens in an instant, you barely believe your eyes! Taehyung jumps over the coffee table and slams his fist in your husbands stupid face. There’s a crunch.

“You broke my nose!” Screams your husband, his voice cracking in pain.

Taehyung stands up straight and adjusts his shirt sleeves.

“You will watch your mouth when it comes to my woman,” he says calmly, as if he hadn’t just broken your husbands nose with one well placed punch.

“She’s my wife!” Hisses Cole, his hand covering his bleeding nose.

“I saw the evidence of how you treat your wife all over her body,” Taehyung tells him.

Your husband hisses, shooting your a glare at the truth that Taehyung has seen you naked. He did more than see. He touched, kissed and licked every part of you and you intend for it to happen again.

“Don’t look at her,” commands Taehyung. “Look at me.”

Your husband tears his eyes away and looks at Taehyung. His nose still gushes blood but Taehyung could care less.

“You’re never going to look at her again,” he tells your husband. “You won’t talk to her. You won’t seek her out. Hell, never fucking say her name again. My lawyers are working up the divorce papers. One of my men will bring them to you and you will sign them then and there. This marriage is over. I sat back and let you have her and you abused her. So now I’m taking her back. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” says your soon to be ex-husband

“What?” Asks Taehyung, his voice cold.

“Yes, sir. I understand,” says Cole, between his teeth.

“Good,” says Taehyung, taking your hand in his and pulling you up to your feet. “Now about my money.”

Namjoon walks over to Cole and punches him hard in the gut. Womp, womp, womp, womp, Namjoon punches the fuck out of Cole as he whimpers and moans in pain.

Womp, womp, womp, womp, the sound of Namjoon’s furious fists fills you with excitement. You wish it didn’t but your husband hit you so many times that the sound of revenge is sweet. He’s finally getting the feel of the fists of a stronger person. He now knows what it means to be unable to fight back.

And then there’s the power. Namjoon is beating your husband, for Kim Taehyung. Your husband is learning what it means to be weak and helpless and that lesson is being taught by Kim Taehyung.

Namjoon has been a constant by Taehyung side since you reunited. Namjoon is always there; having his back and even being Taehyung’s fist.

Your boyfriend is powerful and you wish it didn’t but it turns you all the way on. He’s dangerous.

And you love it.

Chapter Text

You’re in the back of Taehyung’s car, numb.

He beat up your husband, badly. He only delivered one blow, the rest of the hurt delivered by Namjoon. But it was Taehyung’s order. He had your husband beaten. Then he left him there. Bleeding out and alone in the apartment you used to call home. You want to call emergency services, but you don’t dare. What would you say?

Help! My boyfriend beat up my husband!

Taehyung sits beside you, playing with your fingers. He’s watching you. Waiting for a reaction, but you have none. Your face is blank as your mind processes it all. Your boyfriend beat up your husband and you liked it. It’s a lot. A new layer of your personality that you didn’t see coming. So you don’t know what to think.

“Say it,” says Taehyung as Namjoon merges onto the highway and you head downtown.

“Say what?” You ask.

“Whatever you’re thinking. Whatever you’re feeling. Tell me. I want to hear it. Even if it’s not favorable toward me.”

“Why wouldn’t it be favorable toward you?” You ask.

“Because you saw how easily I turn to violence,” says Taehyung, bluntly. He’s not hiding from what happened. He’s not sugar-coating it. Or covering it up, not with you. “This is my life. It won’t go away. I won’t stop. Violence keeps me safe.”

You nod. “That I knew.” You did. It’s something you knew that you would have to contend with. You just didn’t realize that you would like it. “It just sort of felt like it was happening because of me… in a way.”

“In a way it was,” he admits, taking your palm and kissing you in the middle of it. “I’ve hated him from the moment I learned of his existence. The man who married the love of my life. The man who got the stamp of approval from her parents that I would never get. The man who was given the entire fucking world. He was given everything that I wanted and then abused her. Yes, a lot of it was about you. I wanted him to hurt the way you must have hurt all of those times that he failed you, that he made your life hard and when he lost his fucking mind and hit you”

Taehyung stops talking, abruptly, and kisses you. Like he can’t help it. Like it’s the only thing that will calm his rising temper. As if you are the only thing that can calm him. And it seems to work because he pulls away from the kiss and leans his forehead against yours.

“But it wasn’t all for you,” Taehyung admits. “It was also for me. I wanted him to hurt the way that I hurt, all of these years, without you.”

He leans back in the seat of the car and looks out the window. He can’t look at you now, but he also can’t seem to let go of your hand.

“That first day that you disappeared is written on my heart,” he tells you. “As the worst day of my life. You weren’t at school or any of your favorite places. Your housekeeper wouldn’t open the door for me. Your phone was disconnected. Your friends didn’t know where you were. My emails to you bounced back. My messages went unanswered. And it felt like my feelings were not returned. Like I was in love alone.”

“You weren’t-“ you start to answer but he gently places two fingers on your lips to quiet you.

“I know that now,” he assures you. “My father sat there and watched it all. He listened to my turmoil. He watched my heartbreak. He saw me live without the person I loved most and he said nothing. He knew where you were. He knew the reason you left. He knew I had a son growing up without me and he said nothing. He gave me not the smallest fucking sign!”

Taehyung slams his fist into the car’s leather seats. He seethes in anger at a person who isn’t here to see it. Who will never see it.

Taehyung tells you that he thought your family had to be the source of everything and his father agreed. Mr. Kim knew every step and plan Taehyung had to find you. His father encouraged it, supported Taehyung and promised his son to help get you back.

When all along it was his father who ran you off and hid you from Taehyung. His father who forced you to stay away from his son, the son you loved with all your heart. The son you still love, despite all the plotting and planning of your conniving fathers.

You’re here, right now, with Taehyung.

“He was my hero,” Taehyung admits about his father. “And now I hate him.”

“It’s ok,” you say kissing his cheek. “He’s your father. You don’t have to hate him. I hate him enough for the both of us.”

“Of course you do. He was the reason you were sent away. The reason you were kept a away from me. The reason you were married to that spineless weasel.”

“I get it,” you finally admit. “My husband you can hit.”

His father on the other hand is dead and gone. Not around to get the comeuppance he deserves.

“You have no idea how hard and how long I have wanted that son of a bitch to hurt,” Taehyung tells you. “I wanted to go and rip you away from him but hoped you would come to me. And then you did.”

Taehyung smiles at you. He kisses you. He’s so happy with you and always lets you know it in little ways.

“I didn’t go after him at that moment because you came to me with your head held high. He lived, because you demanded my help. If you had cried, if you had begged… I would have killed him then and there”

“I’m not worth all that,” you tell him, shaking your head at his intensity

“More,” he argues/corrects you. “You’re worth more. He had a diamond of the first water and he was rough with it… rough with you. A slow death is the least of what I owe him.”

“Taehyung!”

“Ok, ok, I’ll be good!” he says, quickly dropping a kiss on your lips. ”Let’s go shopping!”

You go shopping and you know that you have to go shopping, your ex destroyed all of your clothes, after all, but you forgot what it’s like to shop when rich.

Taehyung made a call in the car to alert an unknown person on the other end of your impending arrival. Twenty minutes later you pull into a luxury boutique in the fashionable part of town.

As he guided you into the boutique, he leaned down to whisper in your ear his demands that you be good and please not argue in front of company.

You nod, inwardly cringing at the notion that Taehyung think you lack that much class… and then you step inside.

The boutique is a couture shop and salon. The owner, glides forward, approaching Taehyung like an old friend. You’re introduced and then handed off to be fitted and styled to the owner’s taste.

Remembering your promise not to argue in mixed company, you ignore the exorbitant prices and throw a fashion show for Taehyung.

You try on dresses, blouses, and pants of different styles. The owner works as your personal shopper, standing outside the dressing room and bringing you items that she thinks you’ll like. You more than like them. You love them. As you stare in the mirror, you recognize yourself, because you’re starting to look like you again. The you that Taehyung met in high school. The you with the privilege to dress exactly how you want. Taehyung has given you license to be as stylish and as loud as you want to be.

Cole wanted you to be quiet. To be dull. He was the loud one, the center of attention and he didn’t want to share it with you. You made yourself invisible to be with your husband, but with Taehyung that’s no longer necessary or wanted.

Your husband was barely a man, but Taehyung is all man. Sure of himself. He doesn’t need to make the woman beside him small so that he feels big.

Taehyung encourages you to speak yourself, he encourages you to love yourself. There’s a small line of admirers. Taehyung wants you to be first on the line. He wants you to love yourself. And when you’ve done that completely, Taehyung is in second place. He’s ready to love you. Tae is ready to give you everything, all of himself.

Your personal shopper hands you blazers, belts, and other accessories to bring every outfit together. Taehyung’s a supportive audience. Clapping, cheering, and really letting you know when he likes it.

The problem is he likes everything if that could be considered a problem. It's just every time he likes something, he nods to the personal shopper assisting you. The nod means add it to the cart. So far, he’s added every single item that you’ve modeled for him to the cart. Select items in your new wardrobe cost more than the entire wardrobe you lost.

That doesn’t make the loss any less painful. You’ll never get over the destruction of your lace-sleeved leather jacket. Another unforgivable sin laid at your husband’s door.

The last couple of times that you come out dressed in something new, you saw Taehyung with his phone, he hurriedly hid it from view but you know something is up and your shopping time should come to an end.

The shop owner brings you one final outfit with instructions to wear these clothes out of the shop. It seems Taehyung is tired of the simple dress you wore to beg for his help. You don’t mind, as you’re also sick of seeing it. It’s like your last connection to Cole and your past life. The one you left behind to be with Kim Taehyung. So you pull on the soft white jumpsuit with cream heels and a matching cream overcoat.

You look fabulous, like a boss, but too fabulous for an average day out. Taehyung claps when you round the corner in your new outfit. The outfit he paid for.

You smile your thanks and say, “fancy.”

Taehyung nods, takes your hand, and leads you out of the boutique where the car waits.

“We’re leaving my new clothes?” You ask him.

“Yes,” he says with a nod as Namjoon opens the door open for you. “I have to go. Usually, I wouldn’t take you with me but there’s not enough time.”

“Ok,” you say, completely confused as you slide into the back seat and Taehyung follows.

“There’s been an emergency meeting called,” Taehyung tells you. “It seems that Jungkook and I are making too much noise and it’s worried the other Bosses.”

Your heart skips a beat. Taehyung is a boss, Jungkook is a boss and if you remember correctly there are three more bosses. These five are the kings of organized crime, the rulers of the criminal underworld.

“Meeting?” You ask.

Taehyung nods, “we’re going to have dinner with the heads of the five families.”

Wow! You are officially in over your head.

Chapter Text

“This is Kim Seokjin,” Taehyung says, introducing you to one of the most ridiculously handsome men you have ever seen. “My cousin and lawyer.”

“Nice to meet you,” you say shaking Seokjin’s hand with a smile.

“And you,” he says. “And please just call me Jin.”

You agree and scoot over as Jin slides into the backseat to sit with you and Taehyung.

“How’s it going, Namjoon?” Jin calls to the bodyguard in the front seat.

“Living in interesting times,” responds Namjoon.

“We sure are,” Jin says with a smile.

“I don’t appreciate being summoned like a child,” Taehyung says, getting straight to business.

“They’re worried,” says Jin.

“Who asked them to worry?” Asks Taehyung.

“It’s all interconnected,” explains Seokjin. “You go down, your organization goes down then their organizations go down.”

“I’m not going down,” says Tae.

“I know,” says Jin. “But Jungkook is a hot head. He destroyed your home, because you stole a shipment. God knows what he’ll do next.”

“I’m not too sure it was about the shipment,” Taehyung says.

Jin looks at you and you look down at your hands. Taehyung can’t mean you! You can’t be what’s between him and Jungkook, it doesn’t make sense and the timeline doesn’t fit so you don’t know why you feel so self-conscious and guilty.

“No one wants a mob war,” Seokjin tells his cousin.

“I might,” Taehyung says suddenly. “If they summon me, again.”

Jin just laughs. You don’t laugh. You feel like you only understand half of what they’re talking about. Wars and feuds and summonses? You feel like you’re in a period piece where you’ve just married a feudal lord.

“Here,” says Taehyung, suddenly he’s holding a gun out to you.

You look at it. Not sure what to do with it.

“Take it,” commands Taehyung.

“And put it where?”

Taehyung’s eyes rove over your outfit with a frown.

“Here,” says Seokjin handing you an ankle holster.

“This isn’t her back up gun,” says Taehyung.

“Where else do you want her to keep it?” Asks Jin. “Her pocket?”

Taehyung frowns but says nothing else as Jin shows you how to strap the gun to your ankle and hide it under your pants.

“Namjoon get her a holster so she can keep the gun near her hip,” Taehyung commands.

“Sure thing, boss,” says Namjoon nodding as we pull into a parking lot.

“Like a cowboy in a western?” You ask your boyfriend. “I don’t need a gun.”

Taehyung just laughs. “Yes, you do.”

“I don’t want a gun,” you say, trying again.

“I know,” says Taehyung, seriously. “But you need one.”

“I don’t know how to use it,” you admit.

“I’ll teach you,” he says and kisses you on the cheek.

“So what are the rules?” You ask. “Should I not speak?”

“That would be great,” admits Jin.

“Don’t interrupt. Don’t discuss things you don’t know anything about, but if someone speaks to you… talk back,” says Taehyung.

“It’s just a formality,” Jin tells you. “We’ll be in public so nothing too specific will be discussed. But you showing up here basically means you’re Taehyung’s partner. Try not to make any business deals.”

You turn to look at Taehyung with wide eyes. “I can totally wait in the car.”

“No, you totally can’t,” says Taehyung as Namjoon opens the door, having done his sweep and decided it’s safe.

You feel the weight of the gun with every step and it feels terrifying. You’re about to walk into a mafia meeting. You’re going to break bread with the heads of illegal operations while you sit beside one of them as his basic Queen.

You love Taehyung, you always have, but do you want this? Do you really want to find your son and bring him into this? Is this too much of a price to pay to be with the man you love? The man who makes your heart race? The man whose smile lights up your entire world?

You don’t have time to think about it because you walk into the venue of the meeting of the five families. A five star restaurant.

The restaurant is fabulous. You’re perfectly attired and yet you stand out. You’re not the only woman in the room but one of the most conservatively dressed and the only person in white.

The women are in ruby reds, emerald greens and sapphire blues as if royalty was the aesthetic of choice. The men have all opted for dark suits, the most stand out being Jungkook in his dark red three piece.

When Taehyung pulls your coat from your shoulders, revealing the white jumpsuit, you feel the room’s attention on you. And you suspect that was his goal. For you to shine like a Diamond among rubies. An Angel among peasants. When he sits beside you, Taehyung looks satisfied with himself and you have a strong feeling that pride has a lot to do with you.

You look over at Jungkook when he calls your name and feel Taehyung stiffen beside you.

“How are you?” Jungkook asks.

“I’m good,” you tell him, shooting him a confident smile. “I like your suit!”

“I knew you would,” says Jungkook with a smile.

You look away, feeling as if your old friend is up to trouble, again. You know that Tae said that JK kept secrets from him, but he just found out how much JK knew about your disappearance, so you don’t think you’re the reason for this feud between them. But if you’re not careful you could be oil to the fire.

“Is she the reason?” A woman’s voice suddenly cuts through the noise, silencing the room. “Is she why the Jeon family laid siege to a high rise in the heart of the city? Is a woman why you have gotten so loud, Jungkook?”

“That’s Im Soo-jung the head of the Im family,” whispers Seokjin in your ear.

“Actually she was the bonus,” replies Jungkook. “The cherry on top, but it’s just business between Kim and I.”

Taehyung says nothing, opting to take a drink instead.

“It’s time for you two boys to stop the nonsense,” says a man in a sharp suit and dark sunglasses even inside and at night.

“That’s Hyun Bin,” Seokjin whispers to you, keeping you up to date on who all the players are. “He’s the head of the Hyun family. The second most powerful family.”

“Boys?” Asks Taehyung with a frown. “I don’t see any boys here.”

“I apologize,” says Boss Hyun. “Old habit.”

“Don’t let old habits die hard,” Jungkook says and you hear the threat to his words but so does Boss Hyun.

“No reason to get nasty,Jungkook,” says Boss Im, who’s the only woman boss at the table and for some reason you’re sure she’s the most dangerous.

Jungkook smiles at her, “I don’t know, Soo-jung, it seems Taehyung and I have been called to the principal’s office.”

“I’m sorry that you feel that way,” says Boss Im.

“How should we feel?” Taehyung asks.

“Like two young men who have access to the wisdom and experience of your elders,” says the final boss.

“Park Seo Joon,” Jin tells you.

Taehyung laughs, “ah, the wisdom of five years older, Hyung?”

“My five years feels like an eternity when I hear you’re running your men like militia and throwing smoke bombs into residential kitchens as a joke,” says Boss Park.

“You thought my father too old fashioned,” says Jungkook. “And now I’m too young? There’s nothing the Jeon organization can do to appease you, Seo Joon.”

“You could turn media and police attention away from us and our doings,” says Boss Park. “Before you took over, Jungkook, they were worried about street violence. Suddenly, detectives have been by my coffee warehouse more than once… this week.”

“Maybe they like coffee,” says Taehyung.

Boss Hyun slams his fist on the table, “enoughs enough. You waved your dicks, they’re both long. Be happy.”

Jungkook laughs. Taehyung sighs.

“Get it together,” says Boss Im. “We are all intermingled, you know that. Your high school squabble or whatever the fuck is going on must end. Your territories are not near each other. Your commerce doesn’t over lap. Meaning whatever the problem it’s personal.”

“And we don’t give a fuck about your personal problems,” says Boss Park.

Taehyung sighs, again, and stands. He turns to you, holds his hand out and when you take it, he pulls you to your feet.

“Where are you going?” Boss Hyun demands to know.

“To find somewhere less caustic to eat,” says Taehyung, helping you into your coat.

“Taehyung sit back down,” demands Boss Park.

“No,” says Taehyung as Seokjin stands to join you. “You all seem to have forgotten the situation here, so let me remind you… the Kim family is not summoned. You do not call me before you. You do not tell me how to run my business. And you do not comment or have opinions on my personal life. I’m going to forget this evening happened. Goodnight.”

And with that Taehyung turns and walks out, with you beside him and Seokjin on your other side.

“What just happened?” You whisper to Jin, since he’s been so helpful so far.

“The Hyun family is the second most powerful family,” Jin tells you with a smile. “Because the Kim family is the first”

Whoa.

Taehyung eats up the pavement as you walk toward the car. His driver offered to bring the car to him, but Taehyung is too pissed about being summoned and then lectured by the other bosses that he’s trying to walk some of it off.

Suddenly, Namjoon pulls his gun and points it at a man with perfect skin and a perfect smile.

“Hoseok,” says Namjoon, voice serious. “What are you doing?”

“I come in peace,” says Hoseok, coming toward you with a smile. “And bearing gifts.”

He holds a teddy bear out to you. Taehyung knocks it out of his hands. Hoseok just picks it up without comment.

“Don’t get jealous. It’s from the Boss,” says Hoseok.

“The boss?” You ask Seokjin.

“Jungkook,” he tells you.

You gasp and reach for the bear. Jungkook knows where your son is. Taehyung takes the bear from you.

“What are you doing?!” You ask him.

“What are you doing?” Asks Taehyung. “You just took a random toy from a hitman.”

“Whoa,” says Hoseok, he’s all charm. “I’m a bodyguard.”

“And a delivery boy?” Asks Namjoon.

“Sometimes,” says Hoseok. He bows to you and then walks away.

“Are you worried it’s a weapon?” Jin asks.

“No,” says Taehyung with a sigh. “JK’s a lot of things, but he wouldn’t hurt her for no reason.”

He hands you back the bear and you search it, finding the envelope tucked into its shirt. You grab the envelope, stuff the bear under your arm and rip the envelope open.

You read it. You read it again. You stare. You’re confused.

“Son of a bitch,” you hear over your shoulder where Taehyung reads the note.

“What?” Asks Jin

“I think…” you begin, not sure that you’re reading what you think you’re reading. “That he’s asking me out on a date.”

“He is,” says Taehyung, angrily. “Cheeky son of a bitch. Too bad you can’t go.”

“Of course I’m going,” you say.

Taehyung stares at you. Jin and Namjoon quickly get in the car, giving you privacy.

“You’re going on a date with Jungkook?”

You roll your eyes. “He called it a date because he knew you would read it and it would piss you off.”

“And he was right,” Taehyung says, his frustration clear in his voice.

“It’s not a date Taehyung! He sent a teddy bear because he wants to talk about what he knows about our son.”

“Oh my god,” says Taehyung, looking away angrily. “He sent the teddy bear because you like teddy bears! He doesn’t know anything about our kid! Why would he? Like he’s been searching all this time? No, he wants a war with me because he wants to muscle in on my gambling ring and he’s trying to use you to distract me.”

“He’s my friend, Taehyung,” you remind him.

“He was your friend!” He corrects. “Years ago! You don’t know him now.”

“If that’s true of him?” You ask. “Isn’t that also true of you?”

“Don’t play games with me,” says Taehyung. “Don’t play games with us. You know it isn’t the same.”

“I am not going on a date,” you tell your boyfriend. “Because I am not interested in Jeon Jungkook.”

“You keep telling yourself that, I guess,” says your boyfriend.

You stare at him. This is ridiculous. It’s like he’s saying… you’re interested in Jungkook. Like, sure you can see that he’s hot, but you’ve never thought of him that way. He’s your friend.

You wrap your arms around Taehyung. Refusing to fight with him about things that are just not true.

“Don’t make up stories in your head,” you tell tell him. “I’m going to meet Jungkook to find out what he knows and that’s all.”

“That’s the lore to get you there, but is that really what he needs to keep you there?” Asks Taehyung.

Before you can ask him what the hell that means, Taehyung walks away.

Chapter Text

You walk into the restaurant and then pull up short, it’s definitely open, but it’s empty. You look around, confused.

Where is everyone? Where is Jungkook?

Then you hear your name and a Hostess walks toward you with a smile.

“Follow me,” she says. “Your date is on the terrace.”

Date. The thought makes your heart flutter. Taehyung thinks this is a date, but it’s not. It can’t be. You and Jungkook are friends. You’ve always been friends.

He doesn’t think this is a—

The thought dies when you see Jungkook in a tailored suit, staring at you with a smile. You’ve seen that smile before and yet it’s brand new, unrecognizable to you.

Is this a date?

“Hey,” he says, standing to greet you with a hug.

When his arms wrap around you… you realize a traitorous truth… you and Jungkook have never been just friends. You were just in denial.

You don’t think you should stay here. You want to run away from the way your heart races. From the way your mouth dries up. You want to get away from this.

You don’t have time for this. You’re already married with a boyfriend. The thought makes you feel crazy. The things you’re thinking now makes you feel crazy. Like the way you ran straight to Jungkook when you found out you were pregnant. The way you told him everything. There are no secrets between you and Jungkook, except maybe this.

“You look beautiful,” he says, taking in the red dress you threw on without much thought. “Red’s my favorite color,” he says with a smile and you wonder if you really threw this dress on without thought.

He pulls your seat out for you and then sits across from you, the smile still on his face.

“Where is everyone?” You ask him, surprised a restaurant like this wouldn’t have more customers.

“I rented the place,” he says.

“Why?” You ask him.

“I wanted it to just be you and me,” he tells you.

“Why?”

“You know why,” Jungkook says, tilting his head to the side.

“You want to piss off Taehyung?” You ask.

“No,” he says. “I want to be alone with you.”

“Why?” You ask.

“What’s with the 20 questions?” Jungkook asks you.

“It’s just one question,” you tell him. “Why?”

“Are we really going to do this?” He asks. “Cut straight to the point?”

“Yes, Jungkook, why?”

“Because I love you,” he says.

You gasp, shocked. And yet… somehow… you’re not shocked.

“Is that really a surprise? That I love you?” He asks.

“Yes,” you say. “It’s a surprise.”

“Is it a surprise that I feel it or that I’m saying it?” He asks.

“Both,” you say. “I thought you wanted to tell me about my son.”

“I do,” he says. “I think I found him, but you need a DNA test to prove it. But why do you think I looked for information? Why do you think I searched for a child that isn’t mine? Because it’s your child.”

“I don’t know what to say,” you admit to him.

“Say what you feel,” he says.

“I’m afraid,” you tell him.

Jungkook nods. “That’s honest.”

“We can’t do this,” you tell him. “Not to Taehyung. Not to each other.”

“I love you,” Jungkook says again. “I have kept those words to myself for so long. Because of Taehyung. Because of you and because it’s messy. But Fuck… I love you and it won’t go away.”

“Jungkook…” you begin to say, but what can you say?

“We don’t really know each other anymore,” he says. “But neither do you and Taehyung. You’ve convinced yourselves that nothing has changed. But you need to get to know each other again. You need to learn each other. And while you’re doing that… I want you to get to know me.”

“I’m committed to him,” you say.

Jungkook rolls his eyes. “It’s been a couple of days. I’m not going to back down because you found an easy way to leave your husband.”

“Taehyung stepped forward and gave me a choice when I didn’t think I had choices,” you tell Jungkook.

“And now I’ve stepped forward and given you another choice,” he says. “Tae and I were best friends and I respected him. But now he and I are enemies and I don’t see why I should hold myself back from what I want.”

“And what you want is me?”

“Yes.”

“Since when?”

“Since always.”

Your heart skips another beat. Butterflies run rampant in your stomach. You feel crazy. What should you say. What can you say?

“I have to go,” you say, standing to your feet.

You’re in a panic. You need to get away.

Jungkook stands and steps into your path. “Don’t run away,” he begs.

“I have to,” you say.

“Why?” He asks.

“Because we cannot do this,” you tell him.

“We have to,” he says. “At least… once, we have to,” says Jungkook pulling you into his arms.

You stare at him, he stares at you. And then he does it! Jungkook kisses you.

You’re still for a moment, your heart so confused as his lips settle on yours, as his tongue slips it’s way into your mouth and…

No, you can’t do this.

You pull away from Jungkook and slap him. The sound echoes through the private terrace. Jungkook rubs his bruised cheek. He laughs.

“I should have known you liked it a bit rough,” he says.

“We can’t,” you say shaking your head.

“We can,” he tells you. “We will. We must.”

And then he pulls you into his arms again and Jungkook kisses you. It’s so bad. It’s so messy, but you kiss him back. You never knew you wanted to but now that you’ve kissed Jungkook, holy shit, you can’t stop.

You stay there for a long moment. Wrapped in the arms of Jeon Jungkook. A man who loves you. Who has always loved you. And you…?

Pull out of his arms and back away. He lets you. His breathing is heavy, because he put so much breath into kissing you.

“You’re going to run,” he says.

“I think so,” you admit.

“Here,” he says, holding out a Manila envelope. “It’s what I found on the boy who could be your son.”

You take the folder. “Thank you.”

He nods. “Next time I invite you out. Don’t come because you want information from me. Come because you want me.”

Your heart skips a beat. You turn on your heels and run out of the restaurant. You don’t stop until you’re in the parking lot.

Your breathing is heavy as you make your escape from Jungkook and the confusing feelings he unearthed in you. Feelings you had no idea you had… for him.

“What do I do?” You ask yourself as you walk toward the car you borrowed from Taehyung.

You’re so lost in thoughts of Jungkook that you don’t see Cole until you’re only a few feet away. Your husband looks terrible, badly bruised and drunk.

You pull up short, backing away from him.

“Cole what are you doing here?” You ask your husband.

“Following you,” he says, he’s unsteady on his feet.

“Why?”

“Because I’m your husband,” Cole says. “Not that you care… swapping spit with mobsters.”

“Cole… walk away,” you say.

“No,” he says and attacks. His hands rise, targeted at your throat.

Your back away, stumbling over you feet, you fall back. Fuck! You try to regain your footing, but Cole stomps down on your foot. Your scream.

He raises his leg again but he’s drunk and stumbles, you kick at him, causing him to fall back.

“Bitch!” He yells, as he slams hard against a parked car.

You grab for the gun at your ankle and pull it from the holster.

“Stay away,” you tell your husband, pointing the gun at him.

Your heart races in fear. He’s hit you so many times. The memories of the pain overwhelm you. When you took Taehyung’s hand and walked away from your husband you thought you were finally free of this man and his abuse.

But you’re not free. Because here he is, again. He wants to hurt you. You hold the gun tight, grasping it firmly. You will not let your husband hurt you again.

Cole laughs. “Of course you have a gun! Your mob boss couldn’t wait to give you a weapon.”

“Stay away,” you say again, holding the gun with both hands, you struggle to your feet.

Your husband has knocked you to the ground for the last time.

“No,” says Cole and he takes a step toward you. “You’re my wife. Legally mine to do whatever the fuck I want with.”

“That’s not what marriage is,” you tell him. “All you’ve ever wanted to do is own me and control me.”

“And your mob boss doesn’t?”

“No, he just wants to love me,” you tell him.

“Oh yea?” Asks Cole. “Which one?“

Your brain stumbles on the question. Which one? Even your husband knows that you’re in a messy love triangle but strangely… the mess doesn’t involve Cole. You are over your husband. It’s done between you.

He must know it, too, because a darkness comes over Cole’s face. It’s rage. It’s jealousy. It’s wounded pride.

“You whore!”

Cole lunges. You pull the trigger. Once, twice, a third time. His body jerks three times. He stares at you with wide eyes and then he drops to the ground.

You stare at him from the other side of the smoking gun. Your shot him! You shot your husband.

Footsteps come running toward you. Jungkook turns a corner and stares at you in shock. He leans down and takes Cole’s pulse.

“He’s dead,” says Jungkook.

“I killed him,” you say, still holding the smoking gun, the weapon that did it. “I killed him.”

Chapter Text

NOW

You watch Jungkook as he organizes and cleans up your mess. He knows exactly what to do, exactly who to call and exactly what to say… to get rid of your husband’s body. Because you killed him. You killed Cole. You killed your husband.

Jungkook’s bodyguard Hoseok took one look at the scene and got to work. The parking lot is completely blocked off as if by the police or some other authority. And you guess it is…the authority of Jungkook.

“Don’t worry,” he said, pulling you into a hug. “I’ll take care of everything.”

You believe him. You trust him. You have to. You have no idea what to do now that you’ve killed your husband.

You feel numb. Your mind and body frozen in time and space. In that moment where you pulled the trigger. It was a split second decision, but you still made it. You killed your husband. And now you’re a killer.

That’s all that’s going on with you at the moment. It’s all you can think.

I’m a killer. I killed Cole. And now I’m a killer. I’m a widow. Because I killed my husband. And now I’m a killer.

It’s all you can think. It circles round and round. It swings back like a boomerang. The crushing thought.

I’m a killer.

You look up when Jungkook calls your name and crouches in front of you.

“My men are on it,” Jungkook tells you. “Hoseok is the best cleaner I have.”

“Cleaner?” You ask.

“He’s going to make it so that you were never here,” Jungkook says. “He’s going to erase you, and me from this entire scene. Like today never happened.”

“And Cole?” You ask about the man you killed.

“Hoseok will make it as if he disappeared,” Jungkook tells you. “It will seem like he just got up and walked away from his life.”

You nod. You’re grateful to Jungkook for taking the initiative on this. But how to put into words your emotions ? Your sincere gratitude at the laws he’s breaking. But you are grateful to JK for everything he’s doing. For the cover up of a murder.

“Thank you for helping me,” you finally say.

“Of course I’m helping you,” he says planting a kiss on your forehead. “I love you.”

You blink. That’s all wrong. How can he love you? Now? When he knows you’re a killer?

Jungkook pulls you into a hug and holds you. His chest to your chest. His heart to your heart.

“It was self-defense,” he tells you. “You were protecting yourself. You were protecting your life.”

“Three times,” you say. “I shot him three times. How can I defend that? How can I explain that as protecting myself?”

“Did he go down the first time?” Jungkook asks.

You shake your head. “No,” you say remembering the moment that Cole came toward you, arms extended and hands out stretched for violence.

“Did he go down the second time you shot him?”

“No.”

“Did he go down the third time?” He asks.

“Yes,” you admit.

“That’s how you explain it as protecting yourself,” says Jungkook.

You nod against his chest because he’s right. You did what you had to do to survive. But that doesn’t make you feel any better. You took a life. Yes it was the life of your no good abusive, gambling addicted husband, but you killed someone. There was a life in the world that no longer exists. A life that you snuffed out.

“You’re in shock,” Jungkook tells you. “Tell me what I can do for you.”

What can he do? There’s nothing he can do. There’s nothing anyone can do. You just have to deal with this. You have to live with it. You have to process. You have to…

You know what you need.

“I’m sorry,” you say.

“Why?” Asks Jungkook.

“Will you take me home?” You ask him.
“To Taehyung?”

Jungkook doesn’t let the hurt he must feel show as he nods, stands and tells you to sit properly. You turn to sit in the car and buckle yourself in. Jungkook closes the door and walks to the driver side. You drive in silence. Jungkook, singing along to the radio and asking if you’re ok. You, staring out the window wondering if you will ever be ok again.

Everything feels off. You feel off as Jungkook cruises the streets in his fancy car. Wrong and cold. That’s how you feel. Wrong and cold. It’s hard to describe but you feel off in your body, uncomfortable in your skin.

Shock. You’re in shock.

Of course, you are. Of course you’re in shock… you killed a man, you killed your husband. It’s seriously all you think about. What you’ve done. And what your actions made you.

The moment Jungkook drives up to the house, the Kim men are at full attention. Hands hover near their fire arms and their eyes are locked, angrily on the car.

“How can they be like this?” You ask Jungkook.

“Aggressive?”

“Ready to use their guns? Ready to kill?”

“In this life it’s either kill or be killed,” Jungkook tells you. “It’s the nature of the job.”

“I hate it,” you tell him.

Jungkook nods. “You didn’t sign up for the job. Life sometimes just happens.”

“Trips you up?” You ask. Jungkook nods.

“Sometimes life trips you up,” he agrees.

As Jungkook stops the car in front, you see the reason for all the frenetic energy. Taehyung is at the front door, waiting for you. His eyes connect with yours and it’s like he’s a lighting rod. You feel electricity. A pulse that threads through out your body.

“He looks angry,” you observe, taking in Taehyung’s frozen face. His anger and jealousy a firestorm you’re not ready to face.

“Wait here,” says Jungkook. He gets out of the car to meet Taehyung.

Your boyfriend shoots you a rage infused look, his brows furrowing as he wonders why JK got out of the car and not you. There’s a harsh exchange. Taehyung looks pissed and unwilling to hear Jungkook out. Namjoon steps forward, blocking the path between Jungkook and boss Taehyung.

“Just hear me out—“ you hear Jungkook plead.

“Are you insane?” Taehyung asks. “Do you have a death wish? You come into my territory alone?”

“I’m not alone,” says Jungkook nodding toward you in the car.

“She’s not your shield, Jeon,” says Taehyung, frustration dripping from every word.

“Damn it, Taehyung, will you let me explain?”

“That you’re in love with my woman?” asks, Taehyung. “No thanks. That I already knew.”

“Her husband followed her to the restaurant,” Jungkook says, and Taehyung is instantly on alert. “He approached her in the parking lot. He attacked her so she killed him.”

There’s a moment of silence. You can hear a pin drop as Taehyung processes his former friends words.

“What did you just say?”

“She shot her husband. Cole is dead. My men are handling it. I-“

Taehyung punches Jungkook in the face! Jungkook lunges, but Namjoon steps between them, grabbing Jungkook in mid attack, stopping a fist fight.

“I trusted that you would at least protect her!” Yells Taehyung. “How did that bastard even get close to her?”

Jungkook rubs his jaw, but says nothing as Taehyung turns his back on him and comes toward you. He opens the door and kneels beside you.

“Are you ok?” Asks Taehyung.

You shake your head. “Taehyung… I don’t think I’ll ever be ok again.”

“You will,” says Taehyung. “Because you’re where you belong… with me.”

Taehyung reaches into the car and unbuckles your seatbelt. He takes your hands pulls you from the car and leads you away. You turn back to wave at Jungkook and whisper, “thank you.”

Jungkook just nods and waves back at you, with a blank expression. It can’t be fun always being the one left behind, but JK doesn’t fight as Taehyung leads you into the house and up to the master suite.

The moment the doors secure you in privacy, Taehyung pulls you into his arms and holds your trembling body against him.

“It’s ok, you’re ok,” Taehyung whispers to you as he rubs circles into your back. “I’ve got you.”

It’s then that you break. You cry. You sob. You hold on to Taehyung with everything you’re worth. With everything you have. Because your world is tilted. It’s off axis. Everything you knew about yourself and your life has changed.

“I just wanted a divorce,” you tell Taehyung, through your tears. “But now he’s dead.”

Taehyung nods and wipes your tears. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

As you talk, Taehyung leads you into his en-suite bathroom. You tell him about leaving the restaurant and finding Cole waiting by the car.

“He was drunk and broken,” you tell Taehyung as he runs a steaming hot bubble bath. “Cole had this look in his eyes… a darkness. I was so scared.”

That’s a new admission. How scared you were. Frightened that your husband would go too far this time. That this is the time he would kill you.

Taehyung encourages you to keep talking as he unzips your red dress. He’s gentle as he undresses you. His hands are soft, his touch light. He kneels as he pulls your panties down. There’s nothing sexual to his actions, he’s too intent on healing.

You feel warmth suffuse you as you step into the hot bubble bath. The steam and bubbles seeping into your body, waking you up. Shaking you out of your fog.

Taehyung gets naked and joins you in the tub. He pulls you against his body and together you sit in the tub. Covered in bubbles and hot water.

“I’m sorry this happened,” Taehyung says once your story is done and you’re settled in the bubble bath. “I would do anything to be the one standing over him with a gun. Violence is not in your nature.“

“But it’s in yours?”

“Yes,” he says simply.

“Taehyung…” you start but then hesitate. “Have you ever… killed someone?”

“Yes,”he says clearly. “I have.”

And then, he tells you the story.

THEN

“There he is!” Said my father, pointing out my target as he slipped into the diner. “That was him. Did you see him, Taehyung? In the brown leather jacket?”

“I saw him,” I tell my father, my voice calm, not close to matching his excitement. I wasn’t excited or nervous, I was focused.

“You can do this,” my father assured me.

I nodded. I checked my gun. I nodded goodbye to my father, got out of the car and walked into the diner. It was empty as it always was when Ahn Bo Gum came in on Thursday nights. The neighborhood knew to stay out when Ahn was eating.

I locked the door. Hearing the click, Ahn turned around in his seat and jumped up at the sight of my gun.

I asked him for you. He blinked. “Who?” He asked.

This pissed me all the way off. I’d heard from my father, you see? If my dad said that this mother fucker took you, if he said this mother fucker knew where you were then he took you. Then he knew where you were. Because my dad said so. And my dad wouldn’t lie to me so this mother fucker was.

“Why did you take her?”

“Kid, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ahn said to me.

“I sincerely hope that’s not true,” I told him, cocking the gun. “Because if it is then I have no use for you.”

“Kid-“

“Where is she?” I demanded again. “Where did you take her?”

“I didn’t take anyone anywhere!” He yelled at me.

“You’re a trafficker!“ I yelled back.

“Ok, ok,” he said, waving his hands back and forth, conceding the point. “So I have taken some people some places but I don’t remember this girl.”

So I shot him. In the knee. Just so he knew I was serious.

“Try harder,” I demanded of him. “You took her from school!”

“Be more specific! I’ve taken a lot of girls from a bunch of schools,” he said.

So, I shot him again, because disgusting.

I told him everything there was to know about you. Where you went to school, how you were dressed, the shops you liked in the neighborhood… everything. I even shoved the selca you sent me that last morning in his face and nothing. He refused to budge. He refused to tell me.

“Is your client confidentiality really more important than your life?” I asked him.

“Yes,” he admitted. “It’s my livelihood. But kid, I really don’t know this girl or where she is.”

I couldn’t fucking believe it. I had a gun on him. I’ve shot him twice and he wasn’t going to tell me where you were. He wasn’t going to help me get my wildest wish. To find you. To reunite with you. He wasn’t going to help because of his stupid fucking honor. A human trafficker, who admitted to stealing girls from schools. He wasn’t going to tell me who he brought you to!

I was livid. I was disgusted. I had a gun in my hand.

“Really?” I asked him. “You’re not going to tell me?”

“There’s nothing to tell,” he said, so I shot him in the head.

It was a strange moment. I did what I wanted to do. I took out my rage on someone who deserved it.

I turned around and walked out. I went out and met my father. He hugged me.

“Good job, son,” said my father. “I’m proud of you.”

I felt good. Like I did something great. But that night I couldn’t sleep. Then the next night I couldn’t sleep.

NOW

“And now I know why,” Taehyung says, finishing his story. “I had nightmares because my father was a fucking liar and I killed an innocent man.”

“Well… not innocent,” you say.

“True, but you didn’t meet him ever, did you?”

“No,” you admit. “This is the first I’m ever hearing of him.”

“Until you told me what our fathers did… I thought he kidnapped you on your way to school.”

“Oh, Taehyung,” you say. “But just know… you killed a bad man.”

“So did you,” he says, kissing you on the cheek.

“I know, but I still feel…”

“Guilty? Like you’re a terrible person? Like you’re going straight to hell?” Taehyung asks.

“Yes.”

“You could be all that,” says Taehyung. “Or you’re alive because you defended yourself. It was you or it was him. I’m glad you chose you.”

“You’re glad I killed my husband?!”

“I’m glad I gave you that gun. I’m glad you used it. I’m glad you defended yourself,” says Taehyung.“He went to a restaurant owned by the Jeon family,” Taehyung tells you. “I don’t think he meant for either of you to make it out alive.”

“I don’t think he was thinking of anything,” you say.

“He was thinking if he couldn’t have you, no one would,” says Taehyung.

“You’re so sure,” you say.

“That you defended yourself? I am sure,” Taehyung says. “I was in the midst of destroying everything about his life… his family’s company, I bought all his debt…”

“Taehyung!” You say shocked.

“I know,” he says. “I’m sorry. I was so focused on destroying him and didn’t do enough to protect you. I was so pissed at Jungkook that I didn’t properly warn him. I basically sent your husband to you, baby, and I’m sorry.”

“No one sent him to me,” you say. “He came on his own.”

“He came to kill you,” Taehyung says. “And now he’s dead and you’re not.”

“That’s right.”

Taehyung grabs your head, holds you close and kisses you for everything he’s worth. You lean into him. You melt into him. And let everything else melt away.

Chapter Text

THEN

“Jungkook,” you say in shock to have run into him on the streets of Seoul.

He stares at you, his eyes wide. “You’re back in Korea!”

“Yes,” you say, because he can clearly see you here, in Korea.

“Does Tae-“

“No,” you say, because Taehyung doesn’t know you’ve returned to Seoul. You don’t dare reach out to him.

Jungkook takes a step toward you and you can’t help but notice how handsome he is, how gorgeous he turned out to be.

“What are you doing now?” He asks. “Let’s have lunch. Let’s go here,” he says pointing to the random restaurant you stopped in front of.

“Ok,” you say and then follow Jeon Jungkook into the random Chinese restaurant.

When you’re seated, you smile at him. “You look great.”

“So do you,” he says with a smile. “I can’t believe you’re here and that you didn’t call me.”

“I didn’t know what to say,” you admit.

“How about hello?“

“That’s all?”

“I’m an easy guy,” he says with a shrug.

You believe that but also you don’t.

“I head you’re now a powerful guy,” you say.

“Is that why?” He asks. “Is that why you didn’t reach out.”

“I was afraid,” you admit. “I want a simple life.”

“And I can’t give you that,” says Jungkook.

You shake your head. “I’ve had enough drama to last a lifetime. I want a simple life.”

Jungkook smiles at you. It’s a little sad, but you’re not sure why.

“You deserve a simple life,” he says.

NOW

When the doorbell rings, you’re not surprised. But when Namjoon slips his head through the door and tells you that you have a guest, you’re very surprised.

You jump up, run to the door and throw your arms around Jungkook. You don’t cry but you come close at the sight of him.

“Thank you,” you say. “I was so scared and frozen in place. I would still be in that parking lot holding the gun if you didn’t save me.”

“That should have never even happened,” Jungkook says. “I’m sorry I didn’t do a better job of protecting you.”

“I’m a big girl,” you tell him. “I can protect myself.”

He pulls away and smiles at you. You sit across from each other on the couches and settle in.

“How are you?” He asks.

“Getting better everyday,” you tell him. “I’m processing.”

“It was self defense,” insists Jungkook.

You smile. “I know. Truly I do.”

He nods and then you sit together in silence for several minutes. You have the feeling that Jungkook is working up the nerve to say something so you give him the time to do so.

“I have question,” Jungkook finally says to you. “And I know that I am a selfish bastard to ask you after everything you’ve been through. But I have to ask because until I know… I’m stuck in place.”

“What’s your question?”

“Do you like me?” He asks. “And answer me clearly so I can-“

“Move on?” You ask, suddenly annoyed that he could seemingly let you go at a word.

“No,” he says. “Love by myself.”

Your heart skips a beat. You stare at Jungkook, frozen. His eyes are locked on you and they are so earnest and filled with all the emotions in his heart. You don’t know what to say, because you don’t completely know how you feel.

You love Taehyung. You always have. That’s not in question. But how do you feel about Jungkook? You think about that day all those years ago when you ran into him by chance on the street. You went to lunch and warned him off. You didn’t give him or yourself a chance to even consider exploring your relationship.

“You deserve a simple life,” he’d said back then and he stayed away.

But then you left your husband for the head of the Kim crime family… not exactly simple living. It was then and only then that Jungkook confessed himself. He stayed away while simple was what you wanted, and it was only when you threw caution and simple to the wind that Jungkook came back into your life.

He always gives you what you ask for. He protects you and keeps your secrets. He was absent from your life for a long time, but now that he’s back in your life you see that he’s integral to you, important.

“Do you like me?” Jungkook asks again.

You swallow. What do you say?

You open your mouth to say something, anything because Jungkook deserves a response. He deserves an answer. He deserves to know what’s in your heart.

“You have a lot of fucking nerve showing your face here,” says Taehyung, his angry words cutting between you and Jungkook.

He stands by the door, practically shaking with his rage as he glares at Jungkook.

“Tae-“ he begins, but Taehyung doesn’t give him a chance to respond.

Taehyung lunges forward, grabs Jungkook by the collar and pulls him over the back of the couch he sits on.

“Get away from her!” Yells Taehyung as he drags Jungkook away.

Jungkook yanks himself free of Taehyung and turns to face your livid boyfriend with a glare.

“That’s the last fucking time, Taehyung,” growls Jungkook, angrily.

“Yea, ‘cause you’re going to stay the Fuck away from my woman,” says Taehyung.

“Oh bite me,” scoffs Jungkook. “Who she does or does not see is her choice.”

“Yes,” agrees Taehyung. “Which is why she was even at that restaurant when I didn’t approve. Her relationships? Her prerogative. Her safety? Mine. What would you have done if I hadn’t given her that gun? What would have happened? What the fuck would you have told me if he had hurt her? What would you have said?“

“No point in what ifs. You did give her a gun and she’s not hurt,” says Jungkook.

“Not hurt?!” Taehyung yells and then throws a punch at Jungkook’s face. Jungkook blocks it and the fight is on.

They exchange blows, punching and blocking until Taehyung has enough and tackles Jungkook to the floor. He wails on him! Punching Jungkook wherever he can get him.

Jungkook gets a hit in and his blow stuns Taehyung, dazing him. Jungkook uses his shock to turn the tables and starts to ram his fist into Taehyung’s face.

They fight and it’s brutal. You don’t know what to do and they ignore your yells to stop fighting. You run to the door and grab Namjoon and another bodyguard.

“Break them up!” You demand.

Namjoon hesitates. “I don’t know,” he says. “The boss seems to be winning.”

“Namjoon break them up! Tell Taehyung I threatened to jump in, because I will jump in if you don’t stop them.”

“Let’s go,” Namjoon says to the other Bodyguard and they jump into the fray to break up the fight.

Namjoon grabs Jungkook and the other guy grabs Taehyung who is still spitting mad.

“Not hurt?! Not hurt, you stupid son of a bitch?” Taehyung yells at Jungkook. “She killed someone! That’s simple for you and me but not her! That should not her world but because of your incompetence it is!”

“She ran out!“ Jungkook yells back. “I didn’t have time to process and by the time I did he was already dead.”

“She ran out?!” asks Taehyung. “Then take the hint and get the fuck out.”

Namjoon manhandles Jungkook through the door.

“Don’t hurt him,” you say.

“Just throwing him out,” Namjoon calls back as he and Namjoon disappear from sight.

“I’m good,” Taehyung says to his remaining guard who lets him go then exits leaving you and Taehyung alone.

“Why is he always in between us and in our business?” Taehyung asks you, glaring at the door. “You realize you’re pregnant? Run to Jungkook. Get a taste of freedom? Run to Jungkook.”

“He’s my friend,” you say, defensive. Your interactions with JK, have not been what he’s making it out to be!

Or is it? Were they? Jungkook loves you. Have you always known? Do you feel the same? Is it possible to be in love with two men?

“What did he want?” Taehyung asks you, calming down.

“To check on me,” you say.

Taehyung frowns at you and asks, “and that’s all?”

You promised not to keep secrets from Taehyung. Even if the secrets hurt, so you keep your promise.

“He asked if I liked him,” you tell him.

“Like him?”

You nod, because that’s all there is to it and you don’t want to send Taehyung off the rails. He’s the jealous type and you don’t want to wake the green monster until you have an answer on how you feel about Jungkook.

“Are we in school?” Taehyung asks, snidely.

“I don’t think he’s certain enough to ask if I love him,” you admit.

Taehyung makes sound like ugh! Picks up a throw pillow and angrily tosses it. It flops a few inches away. You laugh. Usually, he’d laugh with you, but instead he picks up a glass and tosses it against the wall.

It smashes loudly and you flinch.

“How much longer until you decide?” Taehyung asks you. “How much longer do you think I will stand still while he tries to steal you away?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve played it cool,” he says. “But you’re mine. I’ve waited a long time to get you back and I am not giving you up. I don’t give a fuck who he is or what I have to do. I’m not going to let you go without a fight. And if he wants a war, baby, I’ll give him one.”

Chapter Text

You’re waiting for Taehyung’s bodyguard Namjoon to bring the car around. You’re waiting by the doors to Taehyung’s insane personal underground garage. He’s got twenty cars of all kinds in here so you asked to borrow his most understated car which is unfortunately a Maserati. Apparently when you’re the head of the Kim Family, you never have to be understated.

As his girlfriend? By proxy, you will never be understated. You don’t mind. Taehyung is a rare breed of man who truly treats you like you’re special to him. He spent bank on a wardrobe for you and literally has never mentioned it again. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t compliment your every outfit and shoot you a special smile whenever he takes something off you.

He likes being the purchaser of your clothes in a sexual and domestic way. Not in a possessive and ownership way. He doesn’t hold the price over your head, honestly you don’t even know how much it ended up being but you know more than anything you could have afforded on your own. But Taehyung is just happy that you have clothes to wear after your husband ruined your entire wardrobe.

Taehyung makes the financial disparity between you seem nonexistent and as if buying things for you is as much a treat for him as it is a treat for you.

And he loves you. Just truly loves you. Deeply. He listens to your silly, sometimes frustrating stories about working at the book store with avid attention. He comments and makes observations on your coworkers and the varying range of customers you tell him about. He tells you as much as he can about his days. You know that he’s doing illegal and sometimes violent things, but he tells you about the more legit aspects of his empire. He owns restaurants, shopping malls and theaters all over the city. And he invests in inventions and companies he believes in.

He tells you stories about his childhood and growing up with a single father who was also a mob boss. He grew up a Prince and he adored his father, listened to all his father’s teachings and had been striving to be just like him and then you told him about your child and the part his father played. Taehyung’s conflicted and he shares his feelings with you as he processes.

You share your own stories and your life with him and he takes it all in. The good and the bad of your life, Taehyung absorbs it all and judges none of it. You’re both sad about the years you lost together but you’re determined to keep your eyes to the future and find your son.

Taehyung looked into the boy that Jungkook thinks might be your son. You’re going to get his DNA in a way that you’re sure is illegal then the waiting progress is excruciating.

You wonder what’s taking Namjoon so long to “check” the car as he calls it. You have no idea what he’s checking the car for. Listening devices you guess but seems unlikely anyone can get to Taehyung’s cars. This garage is secure with guards, cameras and lots of gates with access codes.

“Excuse me,” says a voice behind you and you quickly move out of two men’s way. They smile politely at you and walk into the garage, going in the direction that Namjoon went quite some time ago.

You recognize them as Taehyung’s… employees and wonder if anything is going on with the Maserati. You’re just about to walk over there and see what the commotion is when two more of Taehyung’s men run out of the door, barely missing you as they run in the direction that all of the men have gone.

You start walking in that direction when you spot Namjoon running toward you.

“Come with me, please,” he demands and you follow him.

You don’t understand what’s going on because you’re following Namjoon back into the house, not toward the Maserati you’re borrowing.

Namjoon asks you to wait outside of Taehyung’s home office as he slips inside to talk to your boyfriend.

You feel anxious as you wait in the hall. Something is going on and you think it’s big but you can’t guess what. When the office door opens, you stand in anticipation but it’s only Namjoon.

“You can go in,” he says, holding the door open for you.

You slip into the office to find Taehyung sitting front and center behind his large mahogany desk with his hands under his chin as he stares at the guest chair across from him, but sees nothing.

You call his name and sit in front of him, grabbing his attention from his dark thoughts.

“Penny for your thoughts?” You ask.

“Best I keep my thoughts to myself. They’d frighten you,” he tells you.

“Nothing about you could ever scare me,” you assure.

“This might,” he insists.

“Taehyung… what’s happening?” You finally come out and ask.

“Namjoon found a bomb under the hood of your car,” he tells you. “It was rigged to blow when the engine starts.”

Oh. My. God!

A bomb is a new league of danger. You’re in the big game now. One where life consists of checking the hood for car bombs and having a “cleaner” for crime scenes.

He’s truly in the mob. You think as Taehyung stares at you with concern not fear. This is his life. He’s used to people trying to kill him.

“Someone tried to blow me up?” You ask, tentatively.

“I think they would have been happy if it was either one of us,” Taehyung says. “A bonus if both of us bit it.”

“Who would do this?” You ask thinking of the unmitigated disaster the bomb going of could have been.

“Jungkook,” says Taehyung, but you reject that thought.

“Not possible,” you say with a shake of your head. “JK would never hurt me like that. Even to get to you.”

“Why?” Asks Taehyung, his frustration clear in his voice. “Because he loves you?”

He says it snidely, like you and Jungkook are clueless babes in the woods. And you get his forced condescension. Taehyung loves you. So for him there’s no space for anyone else. No room for complex feelings attached to his enemy.

“Yes,” you admit, bravely meeting his gaze, head on. “JK didn’t leave that bomb. Who else could it be?”

“Jungkook,” he says stubbornly, just as their is a knock on the door. “Enter.”

He’s so imperious in his role as Boss. He sits on his throne and demands that people kill for him and die for him. Taehyung is like a King and where does that leave you? A queen? Or at the least a serf sworn to Taehyung.

A guard enters, walks up to Taehyung and whispers in his ear. Taehyung looks up at the young guard with a frown.

“You’re kidding?” Taehyung asked, bemused by the news he’s just heard. The guard shakes his head, he’s not kidding. “Fine send him in.”

The guard nods and exits to do his bosses bidding.

“Should I get lost?” You ask him.

“No,” he says. “Will you come stand by me?”

You nod, get to your feet and take up position behind his desk when the door opens and the guard announces your visitor, Min Yoongi.

Yoongi looks tired as he walks into the room and spots you standing with Taehyung behind his desk. Taehyung is all about controlling perspective so you wonder what your position behind the desk says to Yoongi.

Taehyung stands and holds out his hand, “Yoongi you have interesting timing.”

The two men shake hands and exchange greetings before Yoongi’s eyes land on you. He’s Jungkook’s older cousin, so you have kind of known him since high school, but you were never close.

“What can I help you with?” Taehyung asks, Yoongi as he taps on the large arm of his office chair. You sit, understanding his silent command.

“First, I am here as the Consigliere of the Jeon family and not Jungkook’s cousin or your friend,” Yoongi says in a calmly measured voice.

“Understood,” Taehyung says with a nod.

“What can be done to broker peace between our two families?” Asks Yoongi.

“You’re here, but you clearly are not up to date on the situation,” Taehyung says as Namjoon enters and puts the car bomb on the desk between the two men. “What can be done to broker peace? You putting a leash on your cousin.”

“What’s that?” Yoongi asks, running his hands over his firebrand red hair.

“An explosive,” responds Taehyung.

Yoongi laughs. “I know a car bomb when I see one, Taehyung, but I don’t know why you’re showing it to me.”

“Found it under my Maserati this morning. triggered to blow when the engine started,” Taehyung tells him. “This was strapped to the car she drives!”

Taehyung takes a moment to compose himself from the rage that he’d just unleashed. You put your hand on his shoulder and he grips that hand for support.
You love that your presence, seemingly gives Taehyung strength, because his presence gives you strength.

“Taehyung…” Yoongi says, slowly, not wanting to bait the angry bear that Taehyung is. “You can’t believe Jungkook did this. That he ordered a bomb?”

“Why not?” Asks Taehyung. “This is the same Jungkook that laid siege to a building I own just to make a point.”

“But did anyone die?” Yoongi’s question lands in the room like an anvil. “He’s mostly been playing expensive games with you. But did your guards decrease? Was there anything more done than property damage?”

“Sounds like you’re trying to make his incompetence some kind of positive.”

“I’m trying to show you that he would never kill you, Taehyung. And he most definitely would not kill your girlfriend. No way in hell.”

Taehyung sits quietly. Processing Yoongi’s words. He’s deciding what to do with them and whether or not he should believe it.

“Taehyung, let’s find a way to avoid a war ,” Yoongi urges.

“Have you ever considered taking over?” Taehyung asks a loaded, heavy and potentially dangerous question.

“No,” says Yoongi.

“Why not?”

“I am loyal to the Jeon family. I was loyal to Jungkook’s father as my father was loyal to him before that. Now I’m loyal to Jungkook. He’s my cousin, my friend and my boss. I promised to guide Jungkook,” says Yoongi.

“Then why don’t you guide him?” Taehyung demands to know.

“That’s what I’m doing right now. It’s why I’m here. The trouble between you and Jungkook is personal. You know it, he knows it and I know it. Enough’s enough and we have bigger fish to fry, a common enemy.”
As Yoongi talks he opens a brief case, pulls out a photograph and slides it across the desk.

When Taehyung grabs the photo and turns it over, you gasp at what you see— lying dead on the pavement is your dead husband, Cole. And standing just to the left of frame is your holding the gun that still smokes.

“This arrived in the mail this morning,” Yoongi informs you. “Jungkook planned to bring it himself but when I saw his bruises it seemed best to keep you two away from each other.”

“What the fuck is this?” Taehyung demands, his voice trembling with anger.

“That is proof that she killed her husband,” says Yoongi.

“I thought this was a peace talk? Why are you threatening me?”

Yoongi holds up both hands, “Taehyung, I am just a lawyer. I don’t make idle threats. Jungkook covered up this crime. It’s as much a threat to him as it is you.”

Taehyung picks up the phone and makes a quick call. “Jin. I need you,” he says then just hangs up.

“Good,” says Yoongi, pleased that Taehyung called in his own Consigliere, his cousin Seokjin. “The only way to get through this is to play it right.”

“How do I do that?” You ask, refusing to remain quiet any longer. Sure it’s Taehyung’s business but this is your life.

“File a missing person’s report,” says Yoongi. “You are his next of kin, it’s weird if you never look for him.”

“But he’s dead,” you say. “Clearly whoever took this picture knows that.”

“It’s not for the photographer,” says Taehyung. “We have to build a story for the cops. Start leading them in the wrong direction and have them looking for anyone but you.”

Yoongi nods. “You have to begin laying the groundwork of an abandoned wife. And when the time comes you’ll file for divorce for malicious desertion.”

“Can I do that?” You ask. “Put the final nails on his reputation? Malicious desertion? I left him and then I killed him!”

“Yes, you did and he deserved it,” says Taehyung. “And yes you can lie and ruin his reputation. You can and will do anything to win. To stay alive and out of trouble. You will ruin Cole and I’m going to help you.”

“But I have a question,” says Yoongi. “If Jungkook didn’t plant the bomb and I am saying that he didn’t… who did plant the bomb? Who wants you dead?”

“No idea,” says Taehyung. “But I’m guessing whoever took this picture.”

Chapter Text

“Hi, um, I’d like to make a missing persons report,” you say, your voice sounding timid and small even to yourself.

“Alright,” says the closest cop turning in his chair to face you. “Who do you want to report missing?”

“My husband,” you admit.

“When was the last time you saw your husband?” He asks.

##

Seokjin: The first thing they’ll want to know is when you last saw him and how long he’s been missing.

Namjoon: That’s a tricky one.

Yoongi: No it’s not. She’ll just lie.

Taehyung: The day we went to pick up your clothes and they were ruined. That's the last time you saw him.

##

“It’s been a month since you’ve seen him and you’re making a report now?“ the detective asks you.

You nod, “I left him.”

“Why?”

“It was the last thing I could think of to do,” you tell the police officer. “He’d gotten us into a lot of debt. To loan sharks and dangerous people, so I had to leave or he’d never learn or change.”

“Leaving was the last straw?”

“I hoped it would be,” you say. “My parents cut us off and his parents cut us off but it didn’t stop the gambling.”

“So you left?”

“Yes,”

“And did you see him again? Talk to him again?”

##

Namjoon: We’ll have to set up a paper trail to go with the story.

Seokjin: We need a week.

Taehyung: We can’t risk a week. Someone knows she killed him.

Seokjin: If the evidence is sent to the police before we can set the stage we’ll have to reassess.

Taehyung: Jin, that’s not good enough.

##

“We haven’t spoken since that last day at the apartment,” you tell the police officer.

“Really?” Asks the cop, skeptically. “Your husband? Didn’t call at least to discuss the bills?”

You shrug, “The bills won’t be paid whether we talk or not. That’s how bad the financial situation is. Cole destroyed all of my belongings. So, I had nothing to say to him.”

“So why do you want to talk to him now?” He asks.

“I want a divorce,” you say.

“So how do you know he’s missing?”

“He’s not answering his phone and I stopped by the house and it looked like no one had been there in days,” you tell him.

##

Yoongi: Starting today you should call Cole’s number and leave escalating voicemails.

You: What do you mean… escalating?

Yoongi: “hey it’s me we should talk” turns into “you must think this is funny, ignoring me like a child. But this divorce is happening with or without you…”

You: I see. Can I use those words exactly?

Yoongi: Go for it. Dealer’s choice.

##

“Is he missing?” Asks the officer. “Or are you using the police as your own personal search dog.”

“He’s missing,” you repeat.

“I suspect he made himself go missing,” the officer tells you with

“Either way… don’t you have to find him?”

The officer nods, “we have to at least search.”

“I can’t imagine he will be hard to find,” you tell them. “If he walked away.”

“Are you expecting foul play?” he asks you.

“I have no idea,” you say. “He could have walked away in a petty power play or one of the people he owes money to got tired of not being paid back.”

The police officer nods.

##

You: What do I say about Taehyung?

Taehyung: what is there to say?

You: My husband is missing, my boyfriend is in the mob… will they think it’s unconnected?

Taehyung: It is unconnected.

Yoongi: I hear what you’re asking… won’t they just assume Taehyung killed him?

Taehyung: I don’t care about them suspecting me. As long as they don’t suspect you.

##

You fill out paperwork, leave your contact info and then leave the police station. The minute you step outside you release the breath you didn’t even know you were holding. It’s done. You reported Cole as missing and never mentioned Taehyung, not even once.

Yoongi and Seokjin believe the moment the police look into you they’ll find Taehyung. They’ll feel like it’s Christmas morning. They’ll think he killed Cole and won’t look beyond him . This scares you. But Taehyung just shrugged and said, “the cops are always after me.”

Maybe they are but it would kill your for Taehyung to get in trouble for something you did.

You walk over to the Maserati and unlock the door. You feel a moment of fear as you start the engine. What if there is a car bomb under the hood?

You start the car. You don’t explode or anything crazy so you drive the car out of the parking lot and call Taehyung.

“Hello, love,” he says by way of greeting. “How did it go?”

“Stressful,” you admit as you drive his fancy car. “But they made the report. I was so scared they would arrest me.”

“There’s no need,” he tells you.

“For now there’s no need,” you grouse, checking out the black sedan in your rare view, it’s been on your bumper since you left the precinct.

“They are never going to find that body,” Taehyung assures you. “No body, no crime.”

“I guess,” you say, “but I’m still so stressed and anxious, maybe it’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing,” says Taehyung. “Just come home to me and I’ll take care of you.”

“Ok…” you say, your eyes still on the car in your rearview mirror.

“What’s going on?” Taehyung asks, able to pick up the slightest change in your voice.

“I think a car is following me,” you admit.

“What?!” Taehyung demands.

“Let me see,” you say, and you gun it. Picking up speed and turning right, leading away from Taehyung’s house.

The black sedan speeds up and follows you with a right turn. You gasp, terrified.

“Someone is definitely following me!” You Tell Taehyung. “What do I do?”

“Where are you?” Asks Taehyung.

“Ten minutes from your house,” you tell him.

“Ok, lock the doors and keep an eye on the car… and come here to me,” he says.

“But someone is following me!”

“My homes are not a secret,” Taehyung tells you. “I have Namjoon and his men heading out to meet you.”

“What if they’re too late?”

“They won’t be,” Taehyung assures you. “I don’t think that you’re in real danger. This car wants you to know he’s following. And you’ve already done what he wants.”

“What’s that?”

“Called me,” says Taehyung.

He stays on the line with you as you drive back to his place with the black sedan hard on your wheels. But that’s all the car does… follow you.

You hope that Taehyung is right that you’re being followed to get to him. Not because you’re in imminent danger. But you’re terrified all the same. The car follows close behind always there as you try to get to Taehyung.

After a few minutes two black SUV’s drive on either side of you. You recognize one of the driver’s and let out a sigh of relief.

“Namjoon is here!” You tell Taehyung, feeling lighter and safer now that you have backup.

“Namjoon will protect you with his life,” Taehyung assures you on the other line of the call.

“Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that,” you say as you continue your drive with an unmarked sedan following behind and two SUVs driving beside.

“I can’t do this anymore!” You tell Taehyung as you finally turn on to his street.

“Just a little farther,” says Taehyung and you hear the atmosphere on his end change. “I’m outside, waiting for you.”

“Is that safe?” You ask.

“Who cares? I’m waiting for you.”

When you finally pull the car into the parking lot, you see him. Taehyung, as beautiful as ever, waiting for you.

As soon as you park, Taehyung tries to open the doors but it’s locked. You unlock it and let him pull you into his arms as he opens the door. He hugs you, whispering that he’s happy you’re safe.

It’s then that the black sedan that followed you from the police station pulls up beside you. You stiffen, but Taehyung doesn’t release you, he just glares at the new comer. As a handsome man with gunmetal gray hair exits the Sudan with a smile.

“Hey, Taehyung,” he says with a smirk.

“Jimin what the fuck are you doing?” Taehyung asks the silver haired man.

“Warning you,” says Jimin. “That someone offered me a hit on your girl.”

“Did you take the job?“ Asks Taehyung.

“Would she be alive if I did?” Asks Jimin.

Taehyung stares at the new guy for a long moment and then says one word, “No.”

Jimin smiles wider, “so shall we have some tea?”

Chapter Text

You sit in silence, studying the assassin known as Jimin. He doesn’t seem like a professional killer to you which makes him even more frightening. No one would see this guy coming. He must be truly lethal and he just followed you home.

He takes up a cup and pours tea into it. Then he looks at you and offers the tea cup. You stare. Is he trying to poison you?

“It’s not poisoned,” he says with a laugh, it’s as if Jimin can read your thoughts. “How could I? You watched me pour it.”

You frown, “I’m sure there are many ways to
poison a victim so they don’t expect it.”

Jimin laughs. A joyous sound that comes from his belly. “I like her, Taehyung.”

“As expected,” says Taehyung. “So what are you doing here?”

“Warning you,” he says. “Like you shouldn’t let her go anywhere alone. I could have killed her ten times before she got you on the phone.”

“Point made,” says Taehyung then he smiles at Jimin. “You’re a psycho.”

“I know,” admits the hitman.

“You didn’t have to scare her,” says Taehyung.

“I know that too,” says Jimin. “I’m sorry I scared you. I promise I have no intention of hurting you. I’m just very protective of Kim Taehyung.”

“Why?” You ask.

“Because we’re best friends,” says Jimin with a smile.

You look at Taehyung for confirmation and he nods. “Baby, meet my best friend. He’s a lot but you’ll get used to it.”

You look back at Jimin to see he’s still extending the cup of tea to you. “I can test it first if you’d like.”

You take the cup and take a sip of tea. Jimin smiles wider. “Brave girl.”

You shake your head. “No. I just trust that Taehyung wouldn’t sit by and allow you to kill me.”

“He wouldn’t” agrees Jimin. “But you must be on guard. Your husbands family believes that you had him killed.“

“They’re who tried to hire you for the contract?” Taehyung asks his friend.

“They offered me a lot of money,” says Jimin pouring himself a cup of tea. “They really want their daughter-in-law dead.”

Taehyung takes your hand in his and squeezes it.

“Cole’s family?” I ask surprised. “They’re not involved in crime.”

“They run a corporation,” says Taehyung. “Of course they’re involved in crime.”

Jimin laughs. “I turned down the contract but others won’t.”

“I appreciate the heads up,” says Taehyung.

“What are you going to do?“ asks Jimin.

“Whatever I have to,” says Taehyung.

Your heart thumps loudly in your chest at his tone. He will do whatever he has to and you don’t know what that means but it frightens you. You don’t want him to sin because of you. You don’t want him to get in trouble because of you.

“It could get very violent,” says Jimin.

“Undoubtedly,” agrees Taehyung. “I will kill anyone who tries to take her from me.”

Your heart stops. You don’t want that! Blood on his hands because of you.

“Maybe you should just send me away,” you say grabbing on to his arm.

Taehyung turns and looks you deep in the eyes, you feel as if he’s staring into your soul. And he probably is because he owns it; your soul and your heart, they both belong to Taehyung.

“No,” he says, simply. “I just got you back. No one is going to take you away from me again. No one.”

“That’s why I followed you,” Jimin says, clinking his spoon against the top of his tea cup. “He’s very in love with you. I wanted to ensure you were worth it.”

“Stalking her proves she’s worth it?” Taehyung asks with a laugh.

“She turned away from the direction of your house,” Jimin tells Taehyung, taking a sip of his tea. “She believed she was in danger and her instinct was to lead it away from you. I’d say a good sign.”

Taehyung smiles at you and kisses you on the cheek. “Don’t do that again,” he says. “Always come to me when you’re in danger.”

“Ok,” you agree.

He smiles at you again before turning to Jimin with a deadly serious expression. “Tell me everything about the contract.”

“They want her kidnapped and tortured so she’ll reveal where Cole’s body is. Once his body is found they want her killed in the same method that he was killed,” Jimin lays it out flat like he’s discussing the weather.

They want you killed the same way that you killed Cole.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

You hear the gun shots. Now and every night as you close your eyes. That moment will live in your memory forever. And now your life is in danger because of it.

“That’s vicious,” says Taehyung. “Good.”

“Good?!” You ask, shocked.

“ Now I will have no guilt about what I do to them,” he says.

“What are you going to do to them?” You ask.

He smiles, “Better that you don’t know.”

“This is crazy!” You say, because you cannot believe this. How are you a person with a murder contract on your head? “We should leave. Go on a long holiday!”

“If you’d like,” says Taehyung. “But it won’t change anything.”

“If I had taken the job? I would have followed you to the ends of the earth until the job was done. Whoever they hired will be the same,” Jimin tells you.

You’re terrified. Scared. You’ve never been this scared in your entire life. But it’s because your life is in danger. Your in laws want you dead.

“They were barely around for Cole,” you say. “They cut him off rather than get him help and now they want to kill me because he’s missing?!”

“Someone sent them a picture of the body,” says Jimin.

“Son of a bitch, Jungkook!” Says V, angrily.

“How can you say it’s Jungkook?” You ask.

“Who else could it be? His people cleaned the scene and disappeared the body. He’s not an amateur.”

“Someone threatened him too, remember? Yoongi brought you the other picture,” you tell your boyfriend.

“So they say,” Taehyung is disbelieving. “The only person you can trust is me. The only person you can be sure is not doing this? Is me. Be on guard. Against everyone, including Jeon Jungkook.”

“Ok,” you say even though it’s hard for you to agree to.

“If it helps?” Taehyung begins. “That boy he found? Not our son.”

Your heart drops in disappointment.

“We’ll find him,” Taehyung promises. “Jimin… will you help us find our son?”

Jimin calmly puts down his teacup. Then a smile spreads across his face and you suck in your breath at the sight of it. Park Jimin is truly, truly beautiful. And he becomes even more beautiful when he says, “of course! I thought you’d never ask.”

“Really?” You ask, excited to have him on the case. You’ve just met Jimin, but somehow he seems very capable. You believe if anyone can find your son, it’s Park Jimin.

“I’ll find him,” Jimin promises. “Now tell me everything about what happened when Taehyung’s father sent you away.”

Chapter Text

You’re doing something you absolutely should not. You’re meeting Jungkook. You know that Taehyung will hate that you did this. You know that he won’t approve. You know that Taehyung doesn’t think you can trust Jungkook. But you’re meeting him anyway and Taehyung never has to know.

Jungkook is your friend. He’s important to you. Everything has gone crazy, but before they did, Jungkook told you something. He opened his heart to you. He bared his soul. He deserves a response.

But Fuck… I love you and it won’t go away.

Jungkook’s words knock around inside your head as you sneak out of Taehyung’s house under the cover of dark.

It wont go away, Jungkook said and you understand that feeling better than most. Because his words? They wont go away either. Even though everything has changed. Even though you killed a man. Even though there is a bounty on your head… you can’t forget Jungkook’s words. No matter what you do or what you’ve been through… Jungkook’s words will not go away.

And his emotions? They will not go unanswered. They cannot. Jungkook is your friend so you have to respond. You have to say something. What you’ll say? No ideas.

“Is that really a surprise? That I love you?” Jungkook asked you.

You’ve been asking that of yourself, flashing back to when you were younger. Did you miss the signs of his infatuation? Did you encourage it?

Taehyung knew about Jungkook’s feelings, so why didn’t you?

Didn’t you know? Your treacherous heart asks.

That’s the problem with this fool proof sneak out plan. You have no idea what you’ll say. You just know that you have to say something, for the sake of your friendship.

But… did I know? All these years and all this time…did I know? The questions haunts you as you leave the bed you share with Taehyung and sneak out under cover of dark to see another man.

But is he that to you? Another man? Or is he your friend Jungkook? A person you love. A person you can trust.

”I love you. I have kept those words to myself for so long. Because of Taehyung. Because of you and because it’s messy. But Fuck… I love you and it won’t go away.”

You’re sneaking out the Maserati that you drive as Jungkook’s confession replays in your head. What do you say to that? How do you feel about him?

Then you wonder if you’re only confused because you’re making yourself confused.

Because what you’re sure of? You love Taehyung. You want to be with Taehyung. Forever.

And when forever is on the table you just don’t have time for your feelings for Jungkook. Right? There’s no time for him. All time must be spent on Taehyung. All love must be spent on him. You can’t share it with Jungkook. It’s not right.

As you drive toward the Jeon house, you try to imagine how the conversation will go.

“Jungkook…I appreciate your feelings, but I’m in love with Taehyung,” you practice in the car. But is that too callous? Too truthful? Not fair? “Jungkook in another life… ugh, fuck.”

You hope the the words will come to you when you see him. The right words. You keep checking your mirrors to make sure no one is following you. Jimin made you scared and so you’re on constant alert. The last thing you want is to die because you snuck out to meet Jungkook. Usually, you’d have Namjoon with you and another guard but they would tell Taeyhyung where you went and who you met… and what you talked about.

It’s the last thing you want or need so you’re being careful, but you’re by yourself. When you get to Jungkook you’ll be safe. You refuse to believe that he’s bad or against you, the way Taehyung does. You know Jungkook, you know he’ll protect you.

And you know he’ll take the rejection well, because he’s expecting it. Right? There’s no way he can honestly believe that you are going to leave Taehyung. Not after everything. Not after you are finally back together after all of these years.

You think.

But God you’re nervous. So nervous and not because you might die because there’s a hit out on you. No, you’re worried about Jungkook. You’re worried about you and Jungkook. About you and Taehyung and Jungkook.

When you get to the Jeon estate the guards are suspicious as fuck. And you cant blame them. You drove up, unannounced, in the middle of the night driving a car owned by Kim Taehyung. They’re doing their job by suspecting you. So you send Jungkook a text and wait.

While you’re waiting with the Jeon guards you have a moment of fear. What if one of them is the hitman? What if one of them took the job to kill you? You’d be in perfect danger here. A perfect target. You came to him. Driving to your death, you—

Jungkook comes to the gate and waves you in. The guards let you pass and you drive up to the house where Jungkook waits.

“This is unexpected,” he says opening the door for you.

You get out of the car and face him, but you have no words.

“Come out to the terrace,” says Jungkook with a smile, so you follow him, but still you have no words.

The terrace is beautiful. Picturesque. So you tell him that.

“Thank you,” says Jungkook. “Did you come to admire my house?”

“No,” you admit.

“So… why did you come?” He asks.

“I thought I would see you and know what to say,” you admit.

“So you saw me and?” Asks Jungkook.

“I want to run away,” you admit.

“You’ve already run away and straight into danger,” he reminds you.

“I know,” you say.

“So don’t run,” says Jungkook. “Stay. Talk to me. Don’t talk to me. Whatever.”

“It’s not whatever, Jungkook.”

He smiles. “I know.”

Just then there’s a knock on the glass door. We both look to see his bodyguard Hoseok standing on the other side. Jungkook nods for his man to come out and Hoseok walks over and whispers in his ear.

Jungkook looks at you. “Taehyung is here,” he says, stopping your heart.

“What?” You ask.

“Taehyung is here,” Jungkook repeats.

“Should I hide?” You ask, looking around for the safest place.

“Pretty sure he followed you here,” Jungkook says.

“Oh,” you say feeling dumb. Of course you can’t sneak out of Taehyung’s compound, you idiot. He probably watched you as clearly as he watched Cole steal that money.

“Should I let him in?” Jungkook asks.

“What?” You ask.

“Does Taehyung come in?” Jungkook asks. “Yes or no?”

“Yes! Of course yes!” You say not wanting to consider what Taehyung would do if Jungkook doesn’t let him in peacefully.

Jungkook looks at Hoseok and nods. Hoseok disappears back into the house.

“You have five minutes tops,” says Jungkook. “To say what you came to say before he gets here.”

“I don’t know what I came to say,” you admit.

“After whatever happens when Taehyung gets here… do you plan to leave with him?” Jungkook asks.

Your throat catches as you stop breathing at the question. Because you hear it and you know the answer.

“Yes,” You say, clearly, sadly.

Jungkook nods. “Then that’s what you came to say.”

“I’m sorry,” you say.

“Don’t be sorry,” he says. “Just answer truthfully… if not for Taehyung?”

“If not for Taehyung,” you admit.

“Too damn bad there is a Taehyung,” says a new voice, angry and filled with rage.

You both look at the open doorway to find your boyfriend standing there like an avenging Angel. Angry and beautiful.

His collar is open but still Taehyung managed to throw on a tailored suit. He looks well put together and dangerous.

He steps out onto the Terrace.

“What the fuck are you doing here?“ he asks you in a still voice.

“She came to turn me down,” says Jungkook.

Taehyung doesn’t look at him. He doesn’t acknowledge him. He just stares at you.

“What are you doing here?“ he asks, again.

Jungkook laughs. You both ignore him as you stare into your boyfriend’s livid eyes.

“I had to talk to Jungkook,” you tell him.

“In the middle of the night?” Taehyung asks. “Without guards? Without telling me?!”

“I thought it would be best for privacy,” you tell Taehyung.

“Yes, this is real private,” Taehyung says waving to all the open spaces. “There is a bounty on her head… did you know that?”

Jungkook blinks, “what?”

“That son of a bitch’s family put a hit out on her and you have her out in an open fucking terrace?”

“Clearly I didn’t know, Taehyung,” Jungkook says. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“There wasn’t time. I-“ suddenly, Taehyung throws himself at you. You freeze, shocked, as he pulls you down on to the ground.

He jerks, awkwardly, as you both land to the floor.

“Hoseok!” Screams Jungkook as he crouched to the ground. “Gunshots! From the east side of the house. Get that son of a bitch!”

Suddenly, you hear footsteps from all around as Jungkook’s men race in the distance of the shooter.

The shooter! You look up at Taehyung who shielded you, literally.

“Taehyung…” you say touching his face.

He looks at you from pain filled eyes, “I’ve been shot.”

Chapter Text

“We have to move,” says Jungkook. “Taehyung can you walk?“

“Of course he can’t walk!” You say. “He’s been shot!”

“I can walk,” says Taehyung, sitting up.

“What?!“ you ask, basically hysterical.

“It’s a shoulder wound,” Taehyung says, trying to stand to his feet.

You help him even though you’re not sure he should be standing. Or moving with a bullet inside his body.

“We have to get moving,” Jungkook says again.

“We have to take him to the hospital,” you tell Jungkook.

“No hospitals,” says Taehyung at the same time that Jungkook says “no, we can’t.”

You look back at Jungkook to find him crouched low with a gun in his hand. “Hurry inside,” he says. “I’ll cover you.”

“Do you think the shooter is still here?!“ you ask, terrified.

“I wish, then my men would catch him,” says Jungkook. “But I doubt it. On the count of three run.”

“What?!” You ask the same time that Taehyung says “Got it.”

“One, two, three,” says Jungkook.

And then Taehyung grabs you with his good arm and you both run toward the house. When you’re inside and free of the windows, you turn to your boyfriend with concern.

“I’m ok,” he says.

“I’m so sorry,” you say pulling at his jacket to get a glimpse of his wound. “This is all my fault!”

“I think it’s the fault of the person who shot me,” says Taehyung.

“It’s my fault!” You tell. “They were trying to kill me.”

“And thank God I saved you,” says Taehyung with a smirk.

“Don’t smile! You’re injured!” You yell at him, causing him to laugh at you.

“It’s just the shoulder, I’m fine,” he says.

“You’re not fine!” You yell at him. “You’re shot!”

“Ok, let’s go,” says Jungkook appearing beside you with a gun in his hand.

You walk through an over crowded house. There are men with guns, everywhere.

“Hoseok is on the shooters scent,” one of the guards says to Jungkook.

“Tell him to bring me a body,” says Jungkook.

“Better to get information from them,” says Taehyung.

“You think they’d actually talk?” Jungkook asks.

“Namjoon works in mysterious ways,” says Taehyung with a smile that makes your heart speed up.

You know Namjoon. He’s your friend and bodyguard. Now Taehyung is alleging that Namjoon is a talented torturer? Your life has truly changed. Your circle has truly become a group of dangerous and deadly men. And they’re all sworn to protect you from your homicidal in-laws.

“Fine, dead or alive,” Jungkook amends his orders before leading you and Taehyung to his garage.

“Don’t worry all of my cars are bulletproof with bomb proofing,” Jungkook assures you and your injured boyfriend.

“I know,” says Taehyung, shooting Jungkook a smirk. “We’re at war.”

Jungkook just laughs.

“Are you taking us to the hospital?” You ask Jungkook to change the subject from their war and blood feuds.

“No,” says Jungkook.

“He’s shot! He needs medical attention,” you say, ready to attack Jungkook if you need to.

“I said no hospital not that I wasn’t getting him medical attention,” says Jungkook.

“You’ve seen me naked,” says Taehyung. “You know this isn’t my first bullet wound. Never been treated in a hospital.”

“Hospitals have to call the cops,” Jungkook tells you as he opens the back door to an SUV.

Taehyung awkwardly slides into the backseat as you watch him like a hawk, terrified. You could have lost him tonight. Because you were stupid.

You get in the backseat with him as Jungkook gets in the front seat and pulls out of the garage. It’s then that you notice that the car is surrounded by other SUVs.

“Where is Namjoon?“ Jungkook asks.

“I’m sure you’ll see him the minute we clear your property,” Taehyung says. “Your men only let me in.”

“Ah,” says Jungkook.

Taehyung pulls out his phone and calls Namjoon. “I’m in Jungkook’s SUV. I’ve been shot. No, shoulder. Take me to Yoo.”

Taehyung hangs up and turns to Jungkook. “Have your men follow Namjoon.”

Jungkook makes the call and then he turns to you and Taehyung. “Tell me about the hit.”

“It’s Col-“ you begin to explain, but Taehyung puts his hand on your arm to silence you.

Jungkook sees it and frowns at your boyfriend. “You have to be kidding, Taehyung.”

“Every time she’s with you… things end badly,” says Taehyung. “Is it because you’ve been rejected?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” says Jungkook.

“I’m perfectly serious,” says Taehyung.

You decide to stay quiet. This is between them. This war between them was waging before you came back into either of their lives.

“Taehyung… I know that I’ve betrayed you in many ways and because of that you don’t feel you can trust me and I’m sorry for that. I’m sorry for the last few years and my lies and my secrets. But I misunderstood,” says Jungkook.

“Misunderstood what?” Asks Taehyung.

“I thought she ran from you,” says Jungkook. “That’s why I didn’t help you. That’s why I didn’t tell you the truth. I thought it was her choice to disappear.”

“Or was that your hope?” Taehyung demands of Jungkook.

“My hope would have been for her to come to me, not disappear,” admits Jungkook.

“Now that I believe,” says Taehyung.

“Believe that I am a lot of things but I wouldn’t hurt a woman I love,” says Jungkook.

Your heart skips a beat. A woman he loves. Even if you rejected him. Even if you picked Taehyung over him. He loves you. He would never hurt you.

“I believe him,” you tell Taehyung.

Your boyfriend looks at you, studying you with a serious expression. But you know this is serious. He’s sitting in the back of his enemy’s car with a bullet in his shoulder. He took the bullet because he protected you. This is serious, both your lives are at risk and despite it all… you trust Jeon Jungkook.

“Jimin came to see us,” Tahehyung tells Jungkook everything you know about the contract Cole’s family offered Jimin.

“You’re confident he turned it down?” Jungkook asks.

“If Park Jimin took the job… she’d be dead,” says Taehyung.

“I’ve heard he was good,” says Jungkook.

“Legendary,” confirms Taehyung.

Once again the memory of the hitman Jimin freaks you all the way out. He’s so handsome and cultured and well dressed. You can imagine there are a line of women and hell men, hoping to spend a night with Jimin and they would never know that he kills people for a living. A legendary assassin who sips tea in expensive teacups.

“Taehyung? Truce. We have too much at stake to continue fighting each other,” Jungkook says.

“I want you to pay for the damage to my luxury condominiums,” says Taehyung.

Jungkook nods, “fair. I want to negotiate for control of the gambling halls in my territory.”

Taehyung hesitates, “partnership.”

“Deal,” says Jungkook.

You’re not sure but you think something major just happened between the two mob bosses. They’re going to stop fighting and work together.

“And you give up,” says Taehyung. “Or the deal is off.”

Your heart seizes because you hear the unsaid words. Taehyung is demanding that Jungkook stop trying to steal your heart. Peace between their families relies on Jungkook giving up on his feelings for you.

Jungkook understands the demand as well, because he meets your eyes in the rearview mirror. You watch many emotions cross over Jungkook’s face before you see the final and strongest one, acceptance. Jeon Jungkook is giving up on you. He’s giving you up. Letting his feelings for you go. And finally accepting that for you it was and will always be Kim Taehyung. He’s the love of your life and you’ve known that since you were a kid. Jungkook’s been in denial but you see it on his face, he’s also always known.

“Deal,” says Jungkook and it’s done.

You hope that your friendships are all on the mend. That you can be some version of the three Musketeers again.

But you know it will take time.

Finally, the caravan of cars arrives at a small clinic. A nurse and a doctor are waiting and as soon as the car pulls up they open the door and you are faced with Taehyung’s future. A man who has aged like a fine wine dressed in a white doctor’s coat.

“Taehyung,” says the handsome older man. “What have you gotten yourself into this time?”

“It’s honorable, I promise,” says Taehyung to the man who looks exactly how you think Tae will look in twenty years.

“Honorable, huh? Is my nephew saving orphans now?” Asks the doctor.

“Better. The woman I love,” says Taehyung nodding at you.

The doctor laughs. “Not sure that’s better but I agree that it’s honorable. Let’s get you inside and take a look.“

Taehyung slides out of the car and rolls his eyes as he gets into the wheel chair the doctor directs him into. You watch with a sense of relief as he’s wheeled into the clinic.

The doctor starts asking you and Jungkook questions in a spitfire fashion as he leads you into the clinic after Taehyung. You tell the doctor everything you know about the shooting and then watch as the doctor speeds off to treat your boyfriend.

You insist on being by Taehyung’s side but the doctor and nurses will have none of it so you wait in doctors office with Jungkook.

“He’ll be fine,” Jungkook assures you.

“Hopefully,” you say a long way away from positive.

Jungkook laughs. “Not hopefully. Definitely. He’s barely shot.”

“Barely shot?!” You ask him shocked that he’d say something so stupid.

“It’s a shoulder wound,” says Jungkook with a smirk, as he picks up a framed photo off the desk and examines it. “You better get used to it.”

“Get used to Taehyung almost dying?!”

“Get used to people wanting him dead and shooting at him,” says Jungkook,

“How could I possibly get used to that?”

“Because it’s life. It’s Taehyung’s life. You’re lucky that the first time this happened you’re the target,” Jungkook tells you.

“Lucky?!” You’re shocked. “Lucky someone wanted to kill me and almost killed the guy I love?”

Jungkook nods. “If the situation was reversed you’d run from him again.”

“I will never run again,” you swear and you mean it.

You’ve seen life without Taehyung and you’ll never willingly live without him again.

“Good,” says Jungkook, surprising you.

“Shouldn’t you want me away from him?”

Jungkook shakes his head. “Loving you means that I want you to be happy. Whatever that means for you and you’ve made it clear that’s Taehyung.”

You nod. It is Taehyung for you. Always has been.

Jungkook’s phone rings, stopping you from needing words. “Hoseok.” He says by way of greeting.

You try to listen but you can’t hear what Hoseok is telling him but Jungkook smiles and stands. He walks to the office door and opens it.

“Namjoon,” he says calling to the guard standing outside the operating room. “Hoseok has the shooter. “

Namjoon smiles, “good. Bring him here. The boss will want to meet them.

Jungkook nods and gets it done.

“Hoseok is on his way with the the assassin,” Jungkook tells you.

“The one who wants me dead?”

“The very one,” he says staring down at the framed photo he grabbed off the desk.

“Have you ever met Taehyung’s uncle Yoo before?” He asks.

You shake your head. “The doctor? I thought he looked familiar to me.”

“Hmm,” says Jungkook turning the framed photo toward you. “They seem close.”

In the photo the doctor holds Taehyung as a child. They’re both smiling wide at the camera.

There’s a knock on the door and you both look up as Namjoon sticks his head in. “Hoseok’s back and Taehyung is ready.”

Jungkook nods, puts down the picture frame and then leads you out of the office. You’re shown to a patient room where Taehyung sits up in a bed, bandaged and angry. You ignore his expression and hurry to his side.

“I’m fine,” I promise as you kiss his cheeks and worry about his shoulder. “I promise.”

“I’m so sorry,” you say again.

“You’re not the one who should be sorry. You ready for this?” He asks Jungkook.

Jungkook takes the chair beside the bed as you sit beside Taehyung on the bed.

“Bring her in,” Taehyung calls imperiously.

“Her?” You ask as the door opens and Hoseok leads a woman into the room. Her hands are tied but she’s clearly a woman. A beautiful woman.

“Bosses,” says Hoseok. “Meet the assassin IU.”

Chapter Text

“What are you doing here, IU?” Jungkook asks the assassin.

“Do you know her?” Taehyung asks him.

Jungkook doesn’t acknowledge him or look away from IU. “What are you doing here?” He asks her again.

She says nothing.

“Seems she doesn’t speak,” observes Taehyung. “Namjoon see if you can loosen her mouth.”

You gasp, shocked at your boyfriend’s viciousness. You watch with wide eyes as Namjoon raises his fist to punch IU like he punched your husband all those weeks ago, but suddenly Jungkook reaches out and grabs his wrist.

“Back the fuck off,” says Jungkook to Taehyung’s bodyguard.

“No,” says Taehyung in a voice like ice. “You back the fuck off.”

Jungkook turns a glare on Taehyung that makes you worry. They just made peace and now Jungkook is glaring at Taehyung over this woman.

“I know her,” says Jungkook.

“She shot me because she was trying to kill a woman we both love.”

IU turns to look at you with narrowed eyes. You just meet her glare, expressionless. This woman wants to kill you. She almost killed, Taehyung. She’s your enemy.

“She’s a woman,” says Jungkook. “You can’t hit her.“

“She’s an assassin,” counters Taehyung. “She’s lucky if all we do is hit her.”

Jungkook stares at Taehyung. Taehyung stares at Jungkook. IU stares at Jungkook. You look back and forth between all three. And the world seems to freeze as the two bosses glare at each other.

“Jungkook,” says Taehyung from the hospital bed. Even with his shoulder bandaged, Taehyung is hot as hell. Maybe even hotter with the wound he got from protecting you.

Your heart flutters once again thinking about how close you came to losing your life and worst, how close you came to losing the love of your life forever. You look at IU, the woman who wants you dead and see something behind her eyes as she looks as Jungkook… looks a lot like yearning to you.

Ohhhhhh You think, mentally slapping your palm to your forehead.

“Is Jungkook the reason you took the contract on my life?” You ask IU.

She looks as you from a face too perfect to be real and feel your stomach flip. If eyes could kill? You’d be dead.

“He is… isn’t he?” You say, but it’s not really a question. You’re sure.

IU doesn’t blink and she doesn’t speak. Just stares at you with hate in her eyes.

“Just so you know… I’m committed to Taehyung. 100% committed to him,” you tell IU.

A look of pure hatred takes over her face. “As if that has ever mattered,” she finally speaks.

Taehyung laughs. “Namjoon stand down.” And the bodyguard steps out into the hall with Hoseok. “So you more than know this woman, Jungkook.”

Jungkook nods. “I know her… intimately.”

IU stiffens from her place on her knees on the clinic floor. Her eyes finally leave you and cut toward Jungkook.

“What?” Jungkook asks her. “Am I lying?”

IU says nothing.

“So this isn’t about Cole’s family?” You ask. “It’s about you?”

“I think it’s about both,” Jungkook says, blanching and shaking his head. “IU if you kill her… do you think I could ever forgive you? How was this the answer?”

IU says nothing.

“Break the contract, IU,” Jungkook says to the beautiful woman on her knees, but she says nothing in response. Jungkook kneels in front of her until his eyes are eye level with hers. “Break it. I don’t want you to be my enemy. I don’t want to break the truce the Kim family just made with mine. I don’t want to have to kill you… break the contract with her in laws. Please. For me. For any hope of a future we might have.”

She blinks.

“Part of the truce? I had to give up on any hope I had on being with her. But that doesn’t mean I want her dead. She’s my friend. One day Taehyung and I will be friends again. I care for you very much, IU. But you took a contract to kill someone you know that I love. There is no contest here. I choose people who are loyal to me. Not one who betray me and shoot my oldest friends.”

She stares at him from a blank expression. I have no idea what she’s thinking or feeling about his speech.

“Please, IU, break the contract,” Jungkook says again.

“If you don’t break the contract,” begins Taehyung. “You won’t make it out of this room alive.”

Jungkook stays where he is, kneeling across from the woman who took the contract to kill you. You don’t know how you feel about his clear feelings for her. You know that Taehyung is only letting her go because of Jungkook.

“My phone,” IU finally says after a long, tense moment of silence.

Taehyung calls Hoseok into the room and he hands over IU’s phone. While we watch and listen, IU calls Cole’s father. You recognize his voice immediately and grab Taehyung’s hand. He closes his fingers around yours, instantly, and squeezes.

“It’s IU,” says the assassin.

“Is she dead?” Your father-in-law asks the viscous questions.

“No.”

“What’s the hold up?” Asks the old man with the attitude clear in his voice.

“I quit,” says IU. “I will wire you the money you have paid me.”

“What the fuck did you just say?” Demands the old man.

“I’m done.”

“You’re done when I say you’re done!” Tells the man into the phone.

IU’s eyes widen. She glares down at the phone. Then she laughs. “No. I’ll wire the money back in the morning.”

She nods at Hoseok who holds the phone and he hangs it up. IU looks at Taehyung. “I won’t come after either of you again.”

“If you ever do… I suggest you kill me, because if not I will destroy your entire life,” says Taehyung. “Then I will kill you.”

IU nods, “I believe you.”

“One more thing,” says Taehyung. “Namjoon!”

Namjoon comes back into the room and slaps IU across the face. Jungkook surges forward but Namjoon holds up both hands. That slap was enough.

“That’s for targeting the Kim family,” says Taehyung.

“I didn’t target your family,” she argues as she spits out blood, Namjoon hit her that hard.

“You did,” says Taehyung bringing your hand to his mouth and placing a kiss on it. He’s announcing to IU that you are his family and despite all of the other things going on, it makes your heart skip a beat. You love him so so much.

“I dropped the job. I won’t be coming after either of you ever again,” IU promises.

“I’ll take your word on that,” says Taehyung. “But to be clear… the only reason you’re walking out of this room is because of the way Jungkook looks at you.”

Jungkook’s head jerks up and he quickly turns to look at Taehyung.

“If she will help you move on quicker,” says your boyfriend with a grin. “Then I’ll let her live. Just know that I am considering you her guardian. If she comes after me and mine again, our truce is over and I’m going to come after you with everything I’ve got.”

Jungkook stands to his feet and wipes his hands together. “I would expect nothing less.”

“Jesus is this really the two of you getting along?” You ask.

“Yes,” they both say at the very same time, pulling a smile from Jungkook and a smirk from Taehyung.

“Get IU away from me,” Taehyung says, deadly serious.

Jungkook nods and helps the lady assassin to her feet. He gently touches her cheek then shoots Namjoon a glare.

The bodyguard shrugs, “she shot my boss and shot at his lady. I take that personally.”

“And I take this personally,” Jungkook says pointing at IU’s swollen cheek. “Your father never taught you not to hit a woman?”

“I didn’t hit a woman, I hit a hitman.”

“Just go, Jeon,” says Taehyung.

Jungkook just nods and leads IU to the door, Hoseok following closely behind. At the door Jungkook turns back and looks at you. Something undefinable crossing over his face.

“Bye,” he says and you hear that he means so much more than bye for now. This is it. The final moment. Your final shot at Jeon Jungkook. If you want him then now is the time. Now is your chance. He’ll take you out of here and never look back. He’s so tempting and in another life you would jump at the chance. But this life belongs to Taehyung.

“Bye, Jungkook,” you say, closing the romantic door between you, forever.

He nods then looks at Taehyung. “Cute pic of you in your uncles office,” Jungkook says and then walks out with the assassin IU.

Your heart aches a bit at the loss of his love but Taehyung’s voice cuts through the pain.

“What the fuck?” He asks.

“What?” You say, confused by his sudden frustrated tone.

“Cute pic of me? What the Fuck does that mean?” Taehyung asks you.

“Oh there’s a picture of you as a kid being held by your uncle,” you tell Taehyung.

“What?” Asks Taehyung, surprised. “That’s impossible. My father and Yoo were estranged my entire life.”

You shake your head, “oh maybe after you were born though. Because he’s totally holding a toddler you.”

Taehyung just stares at you for a long moment. His mind racing.

“When my father died, I reached out to my uncle and met him for the first time at the funeral,” Taehyung says throwing off the blankets and getting out of the hospital bed.

You reach to stop him, but when he stands you see that he’s steady and strong, as always. The bandage on his shoulder somehow makes him hotter, but you shake that thought. You hate that he’s shot because of you. You just hate that he’s shot.

You follow Taehyung into the hall and across to his uncles office. He doesn’t bother knocking just pushes the door open and enters.

Yoo is behind his desk and jumps up in surprise.

“Tae what’s wrong?” Asks Yoo as your boyfriend charges to the desk and picks up the framed photo of Yoo with an adorable little boy.

“Who is this?” Taehyung demands to know, pointing at the little boy in the picture.

“My son,” says Yoo.

“Don’t you mean my son?” Asks Taehyung, rage vibrating deep in his voice.

Chapter Text

Yoo blinks. “What are you talking about, Taehyung?” Yoo asks his nephew. “You knew that I had a young son. You sent him Christmas gifts.”

“But I’ve never met him,” Taehyung reminds him.

“Not because I’ve kept him from you,” says Yoo.”I’ve invited you to dinner. I’ve invited you to Christmas and you never show up. If I was hiding my son from you why would you have an open invitation to my clinic and my home?”

“He looks just like me,” says Taehyung about the boy who is his spitting image. Taehyung turns the picture to face you and says, “with your eyes.”

You’re afraid to hope or to believe that you could have found him so easily, but now that you know it’s not Taehyung in the picture? You see what he sees; half of you, half of Taehyung - your son.

“Taehyung what you’re saying? Makes no sense. Yes, I adopted him, but if he were your son you would have been a teenager when he was born.”

“Yes,” says Taehyung simply.

Yoo takes the frame from you and then examines the picture. He stares at the picture for some time before he speaks, his voice devastated. “I’ve seen this face every single day and never realized…” Yoo looks up with sorrowful eyes. “I didn’t see…”

“We know,” you say, stepping in to be the good cop. “But where did you get this child?”

Yoo looks at Taehyung and says the two words you expect but still stabs you in the heart. “My brother.”

“My father?” Taehyung asks for confirmation and you grab his hand knowing that this is breaking his heart even as he must be relieved to finally know.

Yoo nods, “Taehyung your father came to me after our ten year long rift to tell me it was time I became a father. I thought that was crazy as I was a single man and running a busy clinic. But when he showed me Kai I fell in love and I was convinced that my big brother was right and I took him. I thought it was lucky that he looked a bit like me.”

“Kai?” You ask. “Is that his name?”

Yoo smiles, “yes.”

“We got pregnant when we were in high school. I didn’t know until recently, but my father knew instantly and sent her away. He threatened her family and stole the baby away,” Taehyung tells his uncle.

“Son of a bitch,” curses Yoo as he turns to stare out the window. “Would your father really give me your child? Could he be so cruel to you, to me and his grandchild’s?9

Taehyung nods, “he never expected me to reach out to you. He never expected for me to reunite with my high school sweetheart and he never expected me to step out of his shadow to forge my own way.”

“Can we meet him?” You ask.

“Yes, of course, you both should come to the house,” agrees Yoo.

“Tomorrow,” says Taehyung. You gasp at the suggested delay. You want to meet Kai now! You want to look into his eyes and hope to recognize him. “I imagine it’s well passed his bed time.”

Taehyung is right so you hold in your arguments and promise to meet Yoo at his place for breakfast.

“I feel crazy,” says Taehyung as you ride home in the back of his car and Namjoon drives. “Our son was always in reach and I had no idea.”

“We should still do a DNA test,” you tell him. “It’s a little crazy. A little evil… to imagine that your father gave your son to a family member.”

“It also makes the most sense,” says Taehyung. “It didn’t fit that my dad would completely give a member of his bloodline away. He’s always been very intense about his future and legacy.”

“But he sent Kai to a brother he hates,” you remind him.

“Not hate exactly. Yoo walked away from the family business, completely, when my father was alive. Him being my doctor who secretly bandages up bullet wounds is very new. It’s an arrangement between he and I that he made because he wants his family back.”

“What a nightmare,” you say in response. “But at least we know where he is. That he’s loved and safe and flourishing.”

Taehyung takes your hand and kisses your knuckles. “He’s safe. That’s what I couldn’t comprehend… how could my father put his own grandchild at risk?”

“But he didn’t,” you say, charitably.

“It’s bullshit that he’s gone,” says Taehyung, angrily. “It’s bullshit that I’m discovering all of his crimes against you and me after he’s dead and buried. He has so much to answer for but I can’t demand those answers because he’s gone.”

“I’m sorry,” you say. “It must feel like losing a hero.”

“It feels like I lost my father,” Taehyung tells you. “The father I knew? He would have never done this to me. The father I knew never existed. And now I’m faced with the father I actually had and never knew. But he’s not here to face me.”

“Our parents are only human and sometimes they make the wrong choices,” you say.

“Wrong choice?” Asks Taehyung. “This is a fucking mistake. He ruined us. He ruined our family. He ruined me.”

You shake your head, “you are not ruined. You are not broken. You are Kim Taehyung and you will rise above this heartbreak and I will help you.”

You kiss Taehyung because there is nothing else to say. There’s nothing you could say to change the fact that he never truly knew his father. That his father betrayed him. There is nothing to say. No words that could make the pain and confusion your boyfriend is feeling go away.

All you can do is be there for him, so you kiss him, hold his head tightly and when you’re at the house you lead him right to your suite.

This is a turmoil that no words could mend. There’s no magic phrase or sentence. You can only say that you’re sorry as you undress him. Getting a look at his bandage.

“You’re injured because of me,” you say sadly, hating that the bullet that hurt him was meant for you.

Taehyung kisses you. “Better me than you.”

You know that he means it but it hurts you. You were the one repeatedly going out in public and giving the assassin IU a clear shot.

“Thank God I was there to save you. I can’t lose you again,” says Taehyung climbing on to the bed.

He lies, naked, in the center of the bed waiting for you. He palms his cock in his hand, rubbing up and down as he watches you. He’s waiting to see what you’ll do. Taehyung almost always makes the first move but now he’s waiting, willing you to move first. To be the first to reach for him, the first to take the comfort in his body that he is so willingly giving.

You get undressed, he watches your every move as he strokes his cock to full hardness. You watch him as you strip so in awe of his masculine perfection.

“Are you strong enough for this?” You ask, not wanting to hurt him more than he’s already hurt.

Taehyung smiles. “It hurts. You’ll have to do most of the work.”

That sounds like a challenge to you and you take it. You crawl toward him and then straddle his lap.

The minute your skin touches his skin, Taehyung surges forward. He takes your lips in his lips and kisses you deeply.

You push him back. “I’m in charge.”

He holds up his hands in surrender and lies back on the bed, watching to see what you do next. Unfortunately, you’re not in the mood for much of a tease. You’re wet, he’s hard and you’re already naked.

You gently grab his cock and line it up with the entrance of your pussy. You stare into his eyes as you mount him, slowly, sliding his cock deep inside your body.

You ride his cock in slow undulations,your head falling back, as you moan and ride Taehyung. He lies back, watching you intently as his hips thrust up to meet you.
Your hips lurch back in a circular motion your clit rubbing against Taehyung, making your moan, your nipples tighten as your orgasm draws closer.

Taehyung groans, appreciatively, as his hands reaching back to cup and knead your ass. You moan at the new caress and ride his cock faster as he massages the twin globes of your ass.

Taehyung grits his teeth as you ride him, pumping his cock in and out of your tight hole in long, agonizing strokes.

“Faster,” commands Taehyung and as always you follow orders. You ride him with all you’ve got. His cock, suctioning in and out of your body at the pace you decide on.

Taehyung lies there, his eyes glazed over and sweat glistens all over his perfect body as he lets you control your speed and tempo. His fingers let go of your ass to tug at and tweak your nipples as you slam down on his cock into you again and again, wringing an orgasm from both your nodes.

“Oh god.”

“Does my cock feel good?” he murmurs into your ear. “Does it?” he grounds out, his jaw clenched.

“Yes.”

“Then cum for me,” commands Taehyung and you scream as you burst, explode and cum for Taehyung.

“I love you,” Taehyung whispers when you float back to earth and he wraps himself around you in bed.

“I love you too,” you say.

“Good,” says Taehyung. “Because tomorrow everything changes.”

Chapter Text

“Hurry!” You demand of Taehyung as you put on your shoes and coat.

“I’m hurrying,” says Taehyung with a smile.
“But they’re not going anywhere.”

“I know!” You say. “I just can’t believe it.”

“The moment I saw the picture I knew it was him,” Taehyung assures you.

“I thought it was a picture of you!” You say still feeling like a dolt that you didn’t recognize your own son.

“If I wasn’t me I probably would have also thought it was a photo of me,” says Taehyung throwing on his blue peacoat.

“He looks just like you!” You say happily as you head toward the front door. Just as it opens and Namjoon comes in.

“You’re supposed to be bringing the car around,” says Taehyung.

“That’s my fault,” says a voice from behind the bodyguard. “I insisted that he bring me right inside.”

Taehyung’s brow furrows as he looks at Namjoon in confusion. “You let someone in the house?“

“Also my fault,” says a handsome young man stepping from behind Namjoon before the bodyguard can get a word out. “My badge usually does that.”

The young man takes out his ID and shows it to us. “Detective Choi Yeonjun,” says Taehyung reading the cops badge.

“I know that you’re headed out but I need to speak to you both,” says detective Yeonjun.

“About what?” Asks Taehyung with a frown.

“Her husband,” says Yeonjun nodding toward you and your heart drops. Your sins are catching up with you at the worst possible time. That’s how fate and karma works you guess.

Taehyung is displeased as he takes the detective into his office for the interrogation.

“It’s not an interrogation,” detective Yeonjun insists but you don’t believe him. “I’m just here to follow up on the missing persons report you made on Cole.”

“So why do you need to speak to me?” Asks Taehyung. “As you can imagine her husband didn’t like to check in with me.”

Yeonjun laughs, “I would think not…. It’s just she didn’t mention you.”

“What’s there to mention?” Asks Taehyung.

“That she has moved on and is living with another man… a powerful man,” says Yeonjun.

Taehyung smiles. “Are you here to help her find her deadbeat husband or make a name for yourself?”

“Make a name for myself?” Asks Yeonjun.

“Let’s not play games detective,” says Taehyung.

“I mean you’re right,” says Yeonjun with a nod. “Taking down the head of the Kim crime family would make me a name but I am also committed to finding her husband. I don’t think the two events are mutually exclusive.”

“You’re barking up the wrong tree,” says Taehyung.

“Her in-laws don’t think so,” says Yeonjun.

“My in-laws?” You ask.

“They also filed a missing person report,” says the detective. “But while your report alluded to him walking away on his own, their report alludes to foul play.”

“They barely cared about Cole when he was in Seoul and now that he’s left they’re blaming me?” You ask.

“The thing is… they don’t think your husband left,” says Detective Choi Yeonjun. “They think your mob boss boyfriend had him killed.”

Taehyung sighs, picks up his office phone and makes a call. “Seokjin it’s Taehyung. I would like to bring defamation lawsuit against a detective Choi of the Seoul PD and my girlfriends in-laws. They’re spreading the false narrative that I am in the mob. Thank you.”

Taehyung hangs up the phone. He looks at Yeonjun. Yeonjun looks at Taehyung. You look at the both of them.

“You’re going to sue me?”

“For slander,” says Taehyung.

“We both know who you are Kim Taehyung,” says Yeonjun.

“Prove it,” says Taehyung.

A gauntlet has been thrown down between the young mob boss and the young detective. You feel sick. You brought Cole into Taehyung’s life. You killed Cole. And now a young and hungry cop wants to make his legacy off of taking Taehyung down for the murder that you committed.

You won’t let that happen. You will confess if you have to. If it will protect Taehyung and keep him out of trouble. You will never let your love suffer for your sins. You love him too much. You’ve brought too much turmoil into his life already.

There’s not much to say after Taehyung challenged Choi Yeonjun to prove that he killed Cole.

“Why did you do that?” You ask once you’re alone and in the back of Taehyung’s car.

“Do what?” asks Taehyung, he’s playing with your fingers like he always does.

“Place a target on your back!” You say. “He thinks you killed Cole and you all but challenged him to prove it.”

“Because I didn’t kill him, so he can’t prove it,” says Taehyung with a shrug. “He’ll spend his time chasing a false belief.”

“But it places you in his crosshairs!” You say, worried as hell now that he has a detective after him.

“Baby,” says Taehyung with a laugh. “I am always in their crosshairs. They always have it out for me. This is not new. In fact it’s good.”

“How can it be good?” You ask.

“It will protect you and that’s all I care about, baby. Protecting you,” says Taehyung.

“And all I care about is protecting you!” You insist.

Taehyung kisses you. It’s soft, and sweet and all too quick.

“Thank you,” he says when he pulls away from your lips. “But it’s not the same. You will not protect me. I will protect you.”

“Why the double standard?” You ask. “I love you. I want you to be safe. Why is it not my job to keep you safe?”

“Because I’m powerful. I love you and I can keep you safe. I have the resources and the man power. I have the know how and a legal team to protect me. And it will be used for you. Everything I have… I will use to protect you.”

“But I did this,” you say.

“And I have done so much more,” says Taehyung. “What’s the point of all of this if I can’t use it to protect you?”

“I don’t want you to get hurt because of me, again,” you tell him.

“Oh baby,” he says gently. “I will be hurt again. People will shoot at me and try to blow me up and try to steal from me. I’m resigned to it. Getting hurt protecting you? That’s my honor and privilege. You will never be hurt. Do you understand me?”

You nod. You do understand that you will stay the fuck out of danger for the rest of your life. The way you felt when he got shot by a bullet meant for you? You never want to feel that way again. And it’s clear that if a gun is ever pointed at you again, Taehyung will jump in front of it. You will live a safe life from now on.

“Let’s focus on good things,” says Taehyung. “We’re going to meet our son.”

“Don’t fall in love just yet,” you warn him. “We could be wrong about who he is.”

Taehyung shakes his head. “He has your eyes. I would recognize them anywhere.”

Your heart seizes. You’re afraid to believe. You’re afraid to hope. But you do. You’re about to meet him. Your son.

Gong Yoo’s house is a massive brick manor with a wrap around porch and a yard. Just a few miles out of the city.

“This is a lovely home,” you comment. “Kai has grown up with everything.”

“He better had,” says Taehyung, simply, as he rings the doorbell.

You wait a moment and then it happens. The door opens and you’re faced with a little version of Taehyung. Same nose, same mouth and same perfect wavy hair, but your boyfriend is right… his eyes? They’re yours. This kid is the perfect mix of you and Taehyung. You see it clearly. You recognize him. Your son.

“You look familiar,” says Kai looking at Taehyung with a curious expression and the same furrowed brows you saw on his father just this morning.

“It’s the family resemblance,” says Taehyung with a smile.

“You’re family?” Asks Kai.

“Kai!” You hear Yoo behind the little boy as he rushes over. “What do I tell you about opening the door?”

“Not to open it to strangers but this is family,” says Kai to the only father he’s ever known.

Yoo looks at Taehyung with wide eyes. “Family?”

Taehyung nods and kneels in front of his mini me. “Hello, Kai, I’m your cousin, Taehyung.”

“Cousin!” Says Kai snapping his fingers as if that makes total sense.

“And this is my girlfriend,” says Taehyung pulling your down to kneel in front of your son and introduce yourself.

“You’re pretty,” says Kai with a bashful smile.

“Thank you,” you tell your son. “You’re handsome. Runs in the family,” you say pointing between Taehyung and his uncle Yoo.

“Kai let them inside the house,” says Yoo.

“Oh yea,” says Kai and moves back so that you and Taehyung can enter the house. “I was about to have pancakes. Do you want pancakes?”

“I would love some pancakes,” you tell the little man.

“Ok!” He says happily. “I’ll be right back! I’m going to tell the cook.”

Kai takes off like a rocket toward the kitchen where you can smell a delicious western breakfast being prepared.

“Cousin?” Yoo asks Taehyung once Kai is out of earshot.

Taehyung takes your hand as you face Yoo, together. “We can’t rip him away from you and his life by telling him he’s our son. We want to be apart of his life. We want to know him but that is one well loved and taken care of child.”

You nod, in agreement. “We would never take him away from you. It would be cruel to you and damaging to him. One day when he’s older and he asks about his biological parents we’ll tell him. But now we’re committed to being his cool older cousins.”

Yoo let’s out a breath tears flood his eyes. “I’m so relieved. I thought you would take him away.”

“Never,” you assure the older man.

“And I will never keep him from you,” Yoo assures you. “We should figure out a schedule. The one thing I do believe I failed to give him was a mother. You, his older cousin, can seamlessly step into that role for him if you want.”

“I want,” you say taking Yoo’s hand and squeezing. “I want with all my heart.”

Yoo nods as Kai comes running back into the room with a big smile. “Dad why didn’t you tell me chef knew our cousins were coming?!”

“You ran out of here before I could tell you,” says his father.

Kai laughs and grabs your hand, pulling you toward the dining room. “Let’s eat!”

You let the boy pull you into the other room, because you would follow him anywhere. Your heart is full. You’re back together with your son, the boy that was stolen from you. You feared you’d never see him again or that if you did he would be in a terrible way.

But Kai is smart and healthy and full of life. He’s adorably precocious, fearless and curious. Meeting him is everything you could have wished for and more.

“You look like me,” Kai finally says to Taehyung.

“I think you look like me,” counters Taehyung.

“I guess you are old,” says Kai.

Taehyung laughs and you laugh because this kid is so smart and funny. You share a smile with Taehyung so pleased to be with your son when your phone rings.

You look at the caller ID and feel your smile vanish as your good mood tanks. You want to avoid the call, ignore it and send it to voice mail. But you can’t. It’s too important and to ignore it could backfire.

“Hello, Chairman,” you say answering the phone and connecting to Cole’s father, your father-in-law, the man who wants you dead.

Chapter Text

“I have a lot to say to you… daughter,” the Chairman says on the other side of the line.

“We’ll be right back,” says Taehyung to Yoo and Kai as he takes your hand and leads you out of the room and out the front door.

“Like what?” You ask the Chairman putting the phone on speaker so that Taehyung can also hear.

“Like I will see you dead for what you did to my son,” says the Chairman in a cold voice, it’s as frozen as ice and filled with hatred.

Taehyung waves for Namjoon to come over as he listens to your father-in-law threaten your life. Namjoon comes over and listens.

“I didn’t do anything to your son,” you lie with a steady voice. You did a lot of a things to Cole; you killed him.

“He’s dead because of you!” Yells the Chairman.

“Cole is dead?!” You ask, putting on an Oscar worthy performance. “Are you sure? I thought he just left! How could he be dead?!”

“No one can live months without money,” says the Chairman in a pissed off voice, not buying your performance.

“He has cash,” you say in a relieved voice. “He got it from my boyfriend.”

“Bought you did he?” Asks the Chairman.

“No wonder your son is gone,” says Taehyung. “Seems lack of honor runs in the bloodline.”

“Is that him?” The chairman demands to know. “Kim Taehyung? The gangster?!”

“Reports of my criminal activity are greatly exaggerated,” says Taehyung in a smug tone. “But yes Chairman, this is Kim Taehyung.”

“You son of a bitch! You killed my son!” yells the Chairman.

“I didn’t,” says Taehyung simply.

There’s a pause on the other side of the phone. As if the Chairman didn’t expect Taehyung to simply deny the charge.

“Chairman, I didn’t kill your son. I would have loved to, but didn’t get to it. He ran like the coward he is,” says Taehyung.

“I saw the body!”

“Where?” Asks Taehyung.

“A photograph was sent to me. I still have it if you want to come and see,” the Chairman informs your boyfriend.

“A picture? So you haven’t seen the body?” Says Taehyung. “Is Cole good at photoshop?”

“Listen here, you mobbed up son of a bitch,”
says the Chairman in a heated tone, he’s finally lost his shit. “You killed my son and you will pay. Both of you.”

The Chairman hangs up. You look at Taehyung and Namjoon.

“It’s going to be Ok,” says Taehyung.

Namjoon nods, “we’ll take care of him.”

“What does that mean?” You ask.

“Namjoon walk away,” commands Taehyung and the bodyguard simply turns and walks off without another word or backwards glance.

“What did he mean?” You ask your boyfriend. “What do you have planned?”

Taehyung smiles at you. It’s blinding. He’s so handsome. “Let’s say goodbye to our son,” he says and takes the hand he still holds and pulls you back inside.

“I know what you’re doing,” you tell him.

“What am I doing?” He asks.

“Distracting me,” you say.

“Clearly it’s not working,” he says with a laugh.

You go back in the house and have pancakes with your newly found son Kai. He’s so cute and smart and full of life. He likes school because he gets to see his friends. He has his first crush on a much older girl who goes to high school and babysits him sometimes. He wants to be a doctor like his dad, or maybe an astronaut or an animator, he says with a shrug. Apparently what he aspires to be depends on the day and his mood.

He’s adorable. He’s a mini-Taehyung. They hold their chopsticks the same and have identical laughs. It warms your heart to see them together, laughing and stealing food off of each other’s plates.

Yoo smiles too. Widely and without reserve. He trusts that you’re not there to blow up his life and take his son from him. Because he’s right. Kai is too old and adapted to his life for you to rip him from it. And the call from the chairman solidifies your belief that your lives are not currently equipped for children.

You spend the morning and most of the afternoon with Kai, but after lunch you give him a hug and promise to see him again, soon. Kai is adorable as he blushes a little and you know that Yoo is right, Kai needs a motherly presence in his life and you’re more than willing to be that person.

When you’re done saying your goodbyes to Kai and Yoo, Taehyung pulls you into his arms and hugs you. You stay there in front of the closed door with your arms wrapped around each other, your hearts beating in time with each other.

“We found him,” Taehyung whispers in your ear but still you hear that his voice is filled with emotion.

“He’s beautiful,” you say to your boyfriend. “Inside and out.”

“So beautiful,” agrees Taehyung. “Yoo seems a wonderful father.”

“He is,” you agree/assure your boyfriend that walking away and being his older cousins is best for Kai.

“We’ll see him often,” promises Taehyung.

“At least once a week,” you say.

“Once a week, huh?”

“Now that we’ve found him… I can’t look away,” you say.

“Me neither,” says Taehyung giving you a kiss on the lips.

Then you walk to the car that Namjoon is holding the door open for you. You slide into the back seat, but not before you notice Taehyung exchange nods with his bodyguard before joining you in the back of the car.

“What are you planning?” You ask Taehyung as Namjoon pulls the car into the street toward home.

“Planning?” Says Taehyung, noncommittally, not giving you a sign or clue of what’s going on, but you know that something is going on. Something was triggered by the Chairman’s call, but you’re not sure what.

“What are you going to do about the Chairman?” You ask.

“Which one?” Asks Taehyung.

You frown. He’s being obtuse on purpose. He’s got something big planned and he’s simply not going to tell you about it.

“You’re not going to fill me in,” you say, resigned.

Taehyung lifts your hand to his lips and kisses it. “It was the price of admission,” he reminds you.

“This is my problem,” you remind him. “Not business.”

“You say Tomato,” says Taehyung, cryptically.

“Oh my God!” You say about to lose your shit on him when you look through the window and see Park Jimin waiting in front of the house.

You and Taehyung get out of the car and face the hitman.

“You found your son,” says Jimin.

“You didn’t,” says Taehyung.

“So I owe you a debt,” says Jimin with a shrug.

“Honey will you go in and give me and Jimin a moment?” Taehyung asks but you know it’s not a request.

This is the first time this has happened — that Taehyung has cut himself off from you. He told you this would happen. That he didn’t want you involved in his business but what you do know about the situation, terrifies you. What is he going to do about the chairman and the problems that you brought into Taehyung’s life?

“There’s someone upstairs who wants to speak to you,” continues Taehyung.

You just nod, determined to continue as you mean to go on… as a mobster’s partner and even perhaps one day a mobster’s wife.
You head upstairs, leaving Taehyung and Jimin to do their plotting. It’s then that you remember Taehyung’s parting words to you and wonder who is waiting to speak to you. But never in your wildest dreams did you imagine it would be your parents.

“Mom? Dad?“ you say to the elegantly dressed couple sitting in Taehyung’s living room.

“Hello, daughter,” says your father. “It’s wonderful to see you.”

Your heart drops. You don’t know what to think or say. So you say the truth, “I’m not sure I can say the same.”

Chapter Text

“That’s fair,” says your father with a polite nod.

You glare, “it’s fair?”

“I have a lot to make amends for,” says your father. “I hope that one day it will be as wonderful to see me as it is for us to see you.”

You think about what he just said. You wonder what he’s playing at. You hear your name and turn to look at your mother for the first time since you were in high school. She’s still beautiful in that way of a woman who gracefully ages. She’s dressed like the stylish matriarch she is and she’s as imposing as ever… except there are tears in her eyes.

“Your father told me for the first time last night,” says your mother. “He just told me about the secret he uncovered, about his secret dealings with Mr. Kim and about your son… I didn’t know.”

Your heart beats. Your brain stops. Your hands shake. You tremble…. Could this be the truth? Could your mother really not have known? Is she truly innocent in your heartbreak?

“In my arrogant way… I believed it would be better to keep the truth from your mother,” admits your father with an embarassed frown.

“He let me believe you ran away,” says your mother, the anger clear in her voice. “He let me wonder and fear over your whereabouts for years. And when you resurfaced? He said it was for the best that we marry you to and heir quick and then everyone would forget your youthful disobedience. He said that Cole was a good boy.”

“He wasn’t,” you say.

“I know that now.” says your mom.

“Darling you’ve shown that you’re angry. You’ve taught me to never keep a secret regarding family again. So please… Come home,” pleads your father.

“No,” says your mother with a finality and surety that you never expected from her. “The person you should be trying to make amends with is your daughter.”

“I will do anything to make amends,” your father says to your mother. “I will find the child.”

“Taehyung already found him,” you say flatly.

“You know where he is?!” Your mother asks.

You nod, “I’ve met him. He’s beautiful. You’re going to love him.”

“You’ll let me into your lives?”

“You really didn’t know?” You ask, staring into her eyes, searching for the truth.

“I swear on everything that I love,” she says. “I didn’t know what happened to you. I thought you ran away from me. I thought didn’t want me.”

“That wasn’t true,” you tell your mom.

“I know,” she says.

“I needed you,” you tell her.

“I know,” she says and pulls you into a bear hug. The kind only a mother can. It’s warm and filled with all the comfort you’ve needed since you last saw her. “My poor baby, how you have suffered.”

“The suffering is over,” you hear a new voice by the door and you look up from your mothers embrace to see Taehyung watching you both from the door. “Smooth sailing from now on.”

“Can you truly promise that, young man?” Asks your mother. “Considering your life style?”

“My lifestyle?” Taehyung responds in a light tone. “I’m just a simple business man.”

“In the mob,” says your father.

“That’s the rumor,” says Taehyung.

“And it’s not true?” Asks your father, his voice like a whip.

“Do I steal young pregnant girls from their beds in the middle of the night and whisk them away from everyone and everything that she loves?” Asks Taehyung. “No that would be you. So I would be very careful about judging me.”

“Smooth sailing,” your mom reminds Taehyung. “I didn’t steal her away. I’m not to blame for any of that. So can you promise me smooth sailing?”

Taehyung smiles, “I promise.”

“That’s a heavy promise,” says your father.

“Not as heavy as making amends,” you tell him.

He nods, finally looking contrite. “You’re right. I am so sorry to both of you. For breaking your privacy and trust. For colluding Mr. Kim. And for making life decisions for you both that can never be undone. I know that. I get that now - I overreached. I understand that now. And I am so sorry for everything I did and everything you lost because of my actions.”

Wow.That was an apology. A real apology. From your old man. You never saw it coming, but here it is. Your eyes meet Taehyung’s and you know it’s not nearly enough, but it’s a start.

##

“I think this is crazy,” you tell Taehyung for the tenth time tonight. “IU tried to kill me. She almost killed you! And now we’re going to have dinner with her?”

Taehyung nods, but he continues to stare out the car window instead of at you. So you can’t read this face, meaning you have no guesses at his thoughts.

“We’re having dinner with Jungkook,” he tells you.

“And IU!”

“She will be there,” says Taehyung.

“And she will be eating with us! Meaning she’ll have a knife and fork. Do you really feel comfortable being around an assasin who tried to kill us when she has weapons?!”

“I feel comfortable that Jungkook knows what he’s doing,” says Taehyung.

“Since when?” You ask.

“Since he gave up,” says Taehyung and the on you. is unsaid but you hear it as clear as day.

“He gave up and suddenly everything is right in the world?” You ask.

Taehyung nods. “At least in my world.”

You sigh. “I’ll go on the record that I’m uncomfortable.”

“It’s on the record.”

But he’s not going to budge?! You think that’s crazy. You think this is crazy. Taehyung never wants to do things that make you uncomfortable but here he is forcing you to have dinner with the woman who took a contract on your life. A woman who shot at you. A woman who shot Taehyung! A woman who is jealous of the connection you have with Jungkook. This is absolutely crazy.

Crazy or not when Namjoon opens the back door and Taehyung slides out of the car and turns back to hold his hand out to you, you take it. You and Taehyung walk toward a familiar restaurant - a ramen shop you frequented with Jungkook in high school.

“Is nostalgia on the menu?” You ask your boyfriend.

“A large helping of it,” says Taehyung as he leads you into the small dining area and a sight that pulls you up short.

IU and Jungkook are seated at a table for four. They’re turned toward each other, her hands in his hair as they kiss, fiercely.

“I’d say he was moving on,” you say to Taehyung.

“Or trying desperately to,” Taehyung says back before loudly clearing his throat.

Jungkook and IU look up, dazed from their make out session and turn an identical shade of red. They’re both embarrassed, telling you that it wasn’t staged for your sake. Jungkook is really moving on and you’re not sure why you’re sad about that. You’re blissfully happy with Taehyung. Jungkook deserves the same bliss.

If only it wasn’t with a woman who tried to kill you. You mentally face palm and remind yourself that you’re not supposed to be thinking about that. You’re supposed to be letting go. You’re supposed to be living and let live. But you can’t forget the hole in Taehyung’s shoulder from the bullet that was meant for you. IU did that, because she was trying to kill you. You mentally face palm again.

It’s going to be a long night.

“Hello,” says Jungkook, awkwardly pulling away from IU and getting to his feet. “Welcome!”

Taehyung chuckles, good naturedly, and leads you to the table.

“Good evening to you both,” says your boyfriend.

“Good evening,” says IU before turning her eyes to you, they’re clear and without anger for the first time. “Hello.”

“Hello,” you say back, searching for that other IU, the one who hates you. But she’s seemingly no where to be found.

Taehyung pulls out your chair and you sit across from Jungkook before he takes the seat beside you and across from IU.

“Isn’t this cozy?” Asks Taehyung. “The long lived live triangle and the assassin that tried to kill us.”

“I didn’t try to kill all of you,” says IU, defensively. She blanches when you shuffle, uncomfortably in your seat. “I’m sorry.”

It’s going to be a long night.

Fortunately, the waitress comes over at that moment and asks if you’d like to start with drinks. All four voices at the table quickly say “yes!” in unison, showcasing just how awkward this dinner is already.

You get a cocktail, Taehyung a whiskey, IU red wine and Jungkook sake and beer.

You all drink, nervously, gulping down your drinks like it’s water in a dessert, which is a mistake, you all get drunk quicker.

The night is still young when the drinks start to hit you and in the back of your mind you wonder how long you can sustain this. It’s going to be an early night which honestly is a good thing.

Before you know it all four of you are talking way too much, sharing too much and it can only end badly.

“I’m sorry,” say IU, drunkenly. “All of these years I thought you were playing with Jungkook’s heart. I thought you were manipulative. I thought you enjoyed toying with him. I was wrong.”

“You were!” You drunkenly agree.

“It’s why I took the contract, I thought I was freeing Jungkook of your spell,” admits IU.

“I’m not a witch!”

“I see that now,” agrees IU. She shrugs. “I love Jungkook.”

“You better,” you say, “he’s my best friend.”

“And you’re mine,” says Jungkook.

You smile at him.

“I’ll be right back,” says Jungkook, kissing IU, on the cheek before getting up and strutting toward the bathrooms.

“He looks happy,” observes Taehyung.

“I think he is,” says IU.

“I think you make him happy,” says Taehyung.

IU smiles, she brightens like a Christmas light. “I think so too.”

“Keep it that way,” says Taehyung. “And I may never remember that I should kill you.”

You cringe. Never knowing what to do or feel when Taehyung goes all mob boss.

“I’ll be right back,” you say getting up and escaping toward the hallway in the back where the bathrooms are.

You sigh in relief when you clear the room and are no longer in sight of the table. Things were about to get intense between IU and Taehyung. You’re too drunk for that.

“Hello there,” says Jungkook appearing behind you. “What are you doing?”

“Hiding from the intensity,” you admit. “Taehyung and IU were about to go all mob boss and assassin.”

“I see,” says Jungkook. “They’re keeping it civil I hope.”

“They are!” You say trying to assure him. “I’m just too drunk.”

“I get that,” says Jungkook. “I needed drinks to get through tonight too.”

“You seem happy with IU,” you observe.

“I am,” he says. “And it’s taken a lot to make her trust me.”

“Is that what’s different about her? Trust?” You ask.

“I think so,” says Jungkook with a nod. “I’m glad she trusts me, but…”

“But?” You ask, your brain too sluggish to see that you’re in danger and that Jungkook is too close.

“If you ever get through with Taehyung. If you ever say the word? I’m yours,” says Jungkook and then he kisses you.

It’s quick. Too fast to really process. Too fast to get either of you caught.

And then he’s gone as quickly as he appeared and all you can think is Oh God!You’re not over Jeon Jungkook, but you have both accepted that it will never be.

You go in the bathroom to check your appearance and to hopefully sober up.

Chapter Text

“That was awkward,” you say as the door closes behind Taehyung and you’re alone in the back of your car.

“What?” He asks in sincere surprise. “I thought it went well.”

“No. I felt uncomfortable the whole time,” you inform him.

“Really?”

“Yes. And I knew I would be. Did you really not?” You ask him.

Taehyung grabs your hand and kisses it. “I didn’t think it would be that bad. I thought it would be more important for you to hang on to your friendship with Jungkook than the bad blood with IU.”

“She tried to kill me!”

“I’ve decided to forgive her,” he tells you.

“And so I’m forced to forgive her as well? Is that how it works now, Taehyung? I don’t have my own thoughts and feelings anymore?”

He shoots you a dry look and rolls his eyes. “You know that’s not what I mean.”

“Then what do you mean?” You ask.

“That our thoughts on the matter would be aligned,” he says.

“And your thoughts are peace?”

“My thoughts are Jungkook as our best friend again,” he says.

“That’s fair.”

“I know,” he says. “Why are you so on edge?”

“Peace isn’t your usual way so I’m suspicious,” you tell him.

“Suspicious of me?”

“You’re up to something,” you tell him, because you’re sure of it.

“Fine. I’m up to something,” Taehyung says.

“What is it?”

“If you have to fish… it means I didn’t plan on telling you,” Taehyung says.

“That’s harsh!”

“That’s true. This is a fact of our life together,” says Taehyung.

“I give 100 and you give 50%?” You ask.

“Don’t do that,” chastises your boyfriend. “That’s not what’s happening and you know it. I love you with my whole heart. You have all of me and you know it. What I withhold is to give you reasonable doubt. It’s to protect you from the law.”

“I know and understand,” you assure him. “I just disagree that anything connected to Cole is business.”

“Anything related to cleaning up the mess that was Cole is business, baby,” says Taehyung. “I’m using resources that are not something you can know about. It’s not something you should know about.”

“You mean Jimin?” You ask, trying again to nudge information out of him but Kim Taehyung is a steal trap.

“Don’t push me,” says Taehyung, his voice soft, and yet hard somehow, like ice. “This is the one boundary you cannot push. Not if you want us to be together. You want to be with me, don’t you?”

“Of course I do,” you say.

“Then don’t push,” he says, his voice leaves no room for argument. This is the way it’s going to be and you simply have to accept it… or walk.

You could never walk. You could never break this off with Taehyung. You’ve already lived the hell that is life without him and you never want to do it again. You have to just accept it. Grin and bear it. It’s a little concession for the life you want - a life with Taehyung.

“I won’t push,” you give in.

“Thank you,” says Taehyung before holding your face in his hands and kissing you full on the lips.

You love this kiss from him. He’s a face holder and you love it.

“We’re going to be ok,” Taehyung assures you, resting his forehead against yours in the darkness of the car.

“We’re going to be amazing,” you correct him.

“Fuck yes we are,” agrees Taehyung and then he kisses you again.

The rest of the drive back home happens easily and without anything to note, not even traffic. You smile at Namjoon as he holds the car door open for you and then you take Taehyung’s hand and let him lead you up to your bedroom.

He switches on the light then grabs for the TV remote and turns on the nightly news.

“I’m going to shower,” you tell him, wondering if he’ll join you.

“Have a nice shower,” he wishes you, his eyes locked on the television screen.

You glance at the TV as you walk toward the en-suite bathroom, you see that there’s breaking news in a fancy neighborhood in Seoul. You don’t think much of it as you turn on the shower and slip out of your clothes. You slip into the hot water, chuckling to yourself that Tae probably doesn’t want to shower because he finds your water temperature way too hot.

You’re soaping up your arms when suddenly you freeze. Your mind goes back to the other room; Taehyung’s preoccupation with the breaking news report and… do you recognize the house the news focused on in that fancy neighborhood?

You rush out of the shower without turning off the water or even grabbing towel, soaking wet and butt naked you return to the bedroom to watch the rest of the news report.

….”Inc Chairman, his wife and one of their two sons was found dead in their Seoul Mansion…”

You gasp as you see the crime scene outside of Cole’s family home. You look at Taehyung who watches the news riveted but you wouldn’t say… surprised.

“They’re dead?” You ask your boyfriend, the mob boss.

“It seems like it,” he says noncommittally.

“Cole’s mother, brother and father are dead?” You ask.

“According to the news,” says Taehyung, his eyes still glued to the TV.

“Taehyung!” You snap, grabbing his full attention. “Cole’s family is dead? The Chairman is dead?”

He nods. “The chairman is dead. You can finally relax.”

“I don’t want to relax i want to know if you killed him. Did Park Jimin do this? Is this what you were talking to him about?”

Taehyung sighs. “My love, we just discussed this. You can’t ask me these questions. You can’t know these things.”

“So I’m right?”

“Right or wrong? I won’t answer,” says Taehyung.

“Cole doesn’t have aunts or uncles. His entire bloodline died tonight,” you tell Taehyung.

“How unfortunate,” says Taehyung, but you don’t feel an ounce of regret in his voice. There’s no sympathy, or pity for the dead. There’s nothing. “You can breathe now. The threats against you are all gone.”

“Are you sure?” You ask him, not sure what to think of this multiple homicide that can be laid at your feet. You brought the mob into The Chairman’s life. You brought it into Cole’s life. Now they’re all dead.

“I’m sure,” says Taehyung. “You’re safe.”

Safe. Something you hadn’t completely felt in a long time, but now it’s your permanent state of being because of man named Kim Taehyung.

“Do you want to go back into the shower?” He asks you.

“Do you want to come with me?” You ask.

“Yes,” he says, throwing the remote on the bed and following you back into the bathroom where the shower continues to run.

“Naughty girl is bad for the environment,” says Taehyung.

“It’s a good thing we’re going to share it,” you say, stepping back into the shower.

You try to remember how to breathe as Taehyung steps into the shower. Naked and hard, Taehyung oozes sex and strength from every fiber of his being as he turns all of his attention on you and begins to stalk you across the steamy stall.

Your eyes eat up Taehyung’s muscular thighs, hard cock, and harder body as he moves toward you.

Taehyung takes your chin in his hand and, without another word, slams your mouths together. You moan into the kiss, opening to Taehyung’s tongue as it’s demanding entry. Taehyung traces his tongue along your swollen lips, he bites and sucks at them as he rolls his hips over and over, hell-bent, it seemed, on driving you out of your damn mind.

Tired of the teasing, you try to kiss Taehyung, wanting his tongue inside your mouth tangling with your own. But Taehyung pulls back and smirks at you, and damn, that flirty move from the mobster is so sexy that it has you wrestling against the hands restraining you, just so you can nip at his lower lip.

Instead of resisting you this time, Taehyung grunts and rubbed his cock against your pussy, you wrap a legs around Taehyung s thigh and writhe. Shit. This is hot as fuck.

His body presses against yours, length to length, and the desire’s a back-and-forth current between you. It’s electric- you plus Taehyung. Careful and in-tent, he strokes you open, positioning himself, sliding deep. His hands grip your bottom and your body is on fire as you feel filled and possessed by Taehyung as he fucks you, the water from the shower cascading down.

You stare into his wet face. There’s seemingly no rush toward quick satisfaction for Taehyung, only leisurely touching and caressing. He’s reaffirming his promise that you’re safe and you are, safe with him. Safe in Taehyung’s arms, always.

Your flesh throbs around him as Taehyung holds you steady against his slow, rolling rhythm.

You’re on the edge of impossible pleasure. It feels as if you and Taehyung are the only fixed point in the universe; his cock inside your pussy. You are the entire world. Each time he drives inside your body, you shiver and hold his shoulders, gathering him closer.

Pulling him into you even more as you explode, as you cum, climaxing on a scream, scratching at his back riding the impossible waves.

“I love you,” Taehyung whispers in your ear as you float down from an impossible climb. “I will always protect you. No matter what. Do you understand.”

You can’t speak. You can barely think so you nod your head. Yes, you understand.

“I want forever,” Taehyung tells you in the warmth of the shower. “I want you and us… forever.”

Chapter Text

You’re woken by a knock on the bedroom door, it’s Namjoon. Taehyung slides out of bed and walks over to the door. They whisper back and forth to each other, so you can’t hear them but you know it’s serious. Namjoon never wakes Taehyung up unless he has to. He never comes into your bedroom unless he must.

Taehyung nods and comes back over to you on the bed.

“What’s up?” You ask.

“Your detective friend is here to see you,” he says.

“Detective Choi?” You ask. When Taehyung nods you chuckle and say, “I wouldn’t call that guy a friend.”

“I’d say he disagrees or why else all the house calls?” Says Taehyung with a laugh as you slide out of bed.

“Do you want back up?” your boyfriend asks.

You shake your head as you walk toward the bathroom. “He’ll get more excited if you’re with me.”

“What can I say? I have that effect,” says Taehyung.

“On cops?” You ask.

“And special agents,” he says with a shrug.

You laugh as you go into the bathroom and prepare for war. That detective is here to interrogate you and you’re going to give him absolutely nothing.

Choi Yeonjun is handsome, you’ll give him that as you walk toward where he waits in the living room.

“It’s early detective,” you observe as you shake his hand and sit across from him on the couches.

“I don’t like to waste time,” says Yeonjun.

“Ok,” you say. “So how can I help you?”

“Your in laws have been murdered,” says the detective.

You blink. “Excuse me? What?”

“Your father in law, your mother in law and your brother in law were all three murdered yesterday,” says Yeonjun.

You blink again. Your eyes going past Yeonjun to stare off into the distance and then you look at him again and ask… “what?”

“You didn’t know?” Asks the detective. “It’s all over the news.”

“They’re the family killed in that mansion?!” You ask, you infuse your voice with shock, but of course you knew they were dead. And of course you know who killed them.

“Yes it was your husband’s family,” confirms the cop.

“Oh my god,” you say slowly, your mind processing that he came straight to you first thing in the morning. Not good. “Does Cole know?”

Now it’s Choi Yeonjun’s turn to blink.

“Does your missing husband know that his family is dead? I don’t know. He’s missing.”

“Still?!” You ask, annoyed. “He won’t answer my calls but someone has to tell him that his parents are gone. Oh my god and his brother. That’s going to be a shock. How will he survive this? He has no one.”

“Are you saying that you believe your husband is alive?” Says Choi Yeonjun.

You gasp. “Are you saying that he’s not?”

“He hasn’t been seen or heard from in months,” says the detective.

“He had cash. He got it from Taehyung. He’s more than capable of being fine but not calling his family. He’s done it before.” You tell the detective. “Fuck! I can’t believe they’re dead.”

“There were no finger prints at the scene. No one appeared on the security cameras, there was no forced entry and yet three members of one of Korea’s most powerful families are dead. The three remaining members,” Yeonjun speaks with a stilted rage laced in his voice.

He doesn’t know how and he doesn’t have proof but he thinks this was you. The annihilation of Cole’s family. His entire bloodline is wiped out and Yeonjun believes it was done by you. That you’re to blame and he would be right.

“There’s still Cole,” you counter.

Yeonjun nods. “Sticking to that story are we? Fine. But you must admit that the family getting murdered means that you are the heiress of a lot of money. Millions from what I understand.”

You gasp. “What are you talking about.”

“Your husband and his brother were the last of that bloodline. Your husband is the only remaining heir. And as his wife you are the only heir of your husband.”

You stare at him. The Chairman was insanely rich.

“Is money made from a family being shot execution style worth it?”

“Execution style?! When did this happen?” You ask.

“Don’t worry. Your whereabouts were well documented on social media. Dinner with Jeon Jungkook and some secret beauty? Brilliant alibi,” says Yeonjun.

Your heart stutters. It was brilliant and completely orchestrated by Taehyung. It makes so much sense now. It was off to you that he ignored how uncomfortable being with IU makes you. He did it to give you both a clear alibi. You can’t be murdering your in laws while also being on a dozen social media sites. Well played, Taehyung, well played.

“Jungkook has been friends with me and Taehyung since high school,” you tell the detective.

“That too is well documented,” Yeonjun says with a nod. He has really looked into you and your life. He’s super suspicious and there is nothing you can do about it.

“Ok. So you understand that hanging out with him last night was not some great conspiracy,” you say, reasonably

“You’re right. I’ve got nothing on you,” says Yeonjun even though you’re not sure that’s what you were saying. “But I will be watching you and your boyfriend from now on. You’ll never be free of me. I’ll never forget.”

“You’ll never forget what?”

“That you hadn’t seen Taehyung in years and the minute you get back together four members of a family are missing or dead,” says Choi Yeonjun.

“That has nothing to do with me,” you tell him. “Their being dead has nothing to do with Taehyung.”

Yeonjun just stares at you.

“What?” You ask him, feeling unnerved.

“I’m trying to figure out if you’re truly that naive or that good of a liar,” says the detective.

“And have you figured it out?” You ask.

“Not yet, but I will.”

When the detective leaves you get dressed in one of the stylish and expensive outfits that Taehyung bought you. That seems so long ago now but it happened and you’re grateful to your boyfriend for jumping at the chance to clothe you when Cole destroyed all of your belongings. Taehyung was true to his word and got copies of your birth certificate, passport and IDs sent to you. Your life is back in place on steady ground and it’s all because of Kim Taehyung.

You’ve just put the finishing touches on todays fit when your phone rings. Your heart soars when it sees who is FaceTiming you.

“Good morning, Kai,” you greet your son as his adorable face appears on your phone screen .

“Morning! What are your plans for today?”

“Hmm just running some errands and then I’m free,” you tell the boy as your brain runs through your plans for the day.

“Want to hang out?” Asks Kai in excitement.

You can’t help but laugh at the way he does a little jig of happiness. He looks so much like Taehyung. You wonder if all your sons will look like their father.

“With you?” You ask.

“Of course with me,” Kai clarifies sounding adorably put upon. “Don’t you want to?”

“I do. I want to see you, of course,” you tell the boy who may never learn the truth that he’s your biological son.

“I want to see you too!” Says Kai.

You agree to meet up with the kid and his nanny in a couple of hours. Your heart feels so free… like a rocket that has taken off for outer space.

You’re so happy that Kai feels comfortable enough to just reach out to you when he wants and demand what he wants from you. Especially because what he wants is to see you and spend time with you. It feels surreal that Kai and Taehyung are permanently returned to your life. It’s like you’re living in a dream that’s come true.

You look around the house for Taehyung but he’s nowhere to be found. You send him a text wondering where he is as you walk out toward the garage to get your car. You nod at your security team so that they know you’re headed out and are unsurprised when two beefy guys get up and head to their own unmarked vehicles. You’re used to having an escort and you’re grateful for them and the seriousness in which they take protecting your life.

Taehyung texts back that he’s sorry but he had to leave for business. You invite him to your meet up with Kai and then you head off to run your errands. It’s a beautiful spring day and though the cloud of Cole’s family follows you, you don’t let it bring you down. There was so much help that you and Cole needed that they refused to give. That refusal led to all this. Not that you’re victim blaming but if they had helped you with your abusive husband you would have never felt desperate enough to go to Taehyung.

That desperation started all of this. So while you’re sad that a family is dead you’ll never forget that you all played your part in their demise. You wonder who will take care of their funeral and if the arrangements fall on you. Their only heir… apparently. You should get Taehyung’s lawyers to look into that one… or maybe your father’s lawyer is the safest choice for that. The legal choice.

When you’re done running errands you check the address sent to you from Kai’s phone and head off to meet him. Taehyung doesn’t seem sure he’ll be able to sneak away to meet you which is unfortunate but you’re excited to spend time with Kai. You’ll always be excited to spend time with Kai. You have so much time to make up for.

You recognize the park that Kai wants to meet at. It’s been years since you’ve been here. It seems weirdly kismet that Kai likes this park and wants to meet you here.

After parking your car and waiting for the signal that all is safe from your security, you get out of the car and head into the park with your guards on your tail. The park is deserted as you look around for Kai and his Nanny, but you don’t see them… you see Taehyung.

“Hello,” you greet him with a smile, surprised to see him. “What’s going on?”

“I was standing here the first time I saw you,” he says pointing at his feet. “It was like lightning struck me. I was frozen in place and my body tingled then you looked at me and smiled… it was like you knew. Like you understood.”

“I did. I was feeling the same thing,” you tell him.

“Love at first sight,” says Taehyung.

You laugh. “Or lust and infatuation.”

“Love at first sight,” repeats Taehyung. “That moment is written in the stars. Fate. Souls meeting their other half. Every moment of getting to know you was an adventure. Then we were separated. When you walked into my office all those years later? I felt it again. Electricity. My heart stopped, no not stopped, it skipped a beat and then started to beat at triple the speed. When you walked out with him? The world stopped and I knew that I couldn’t let you get far.”

“Thank God you did.”

Taehyung nods and walks closer to tou, you’re separated by inches. “The minute you were back in my arms? I knew that I could never let go of you again.”

“I knew the same,” you assure him.

Taehyung smiles at you. “I love you.”

“And I love you.”

“The first time I saw you, I knew that I had to speak to you. This was the place of our first meeting. Our first memory.”

“A beautiful memory.”

“Beautiful,” Taehyung agrees. “And now we’ll have another…”

And with that? Taehyung kneels and takes out an engagement ring.

“When I said forever? I meant it. Legally binding and interwoven with love. Marry me and be mine forever.”

You don’t even have to think about it. “Yes! I’ll marry you.”

He slips the ring onto your finger and then Taehyung stands and wraps you into his arms. He kisses you, deeply, he leaves you breathless.

“We’re getting married,” he says.

“Yes we are,” you say taking him on forever.

Everything. His organization. The danger. The security guards. The late night kisses. The stories over pancakes. The history. The child you share. His positivity. His belief in you. His love. Your love. Forever. You take on everything that it means to be with Kim Taehyung and you have no regrets.

“It will be a long engagement,” he says with a little laugh. “Because in the eyes of the world you still believe that you are married to Cole.”

“Ugh,” you groan remembering that your husbands death is not public knowledge or official.

“No,it’s ok, baby,” says Taehyung, pulling you closer. “We’re together and he’s not around to hurt you anymore. It’s more than ok. Because we win.”

You laugh, it’s not malicious, but a sound of pure joy and freedom. So much has happened between you and Taehyung. Good, bad and in between . It’s a bond carved in forever. You’ll never let him go.

“We win,” you agree with your fiancé “Forever.”

“Good,” Kim Taehyung says before he kisses you. “Because forever is exactly what I want.”

THE END

Chapter Text

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Chapter 1: Princess in a Container

You gasp awake. You’re confused, you open your eyes but it’s still dark. Pitch black, you can’t see anything. You move to get up and investigate, find a light and the thermostat, it’s cold as hell in… here. Wherever here is.

You move to stand, and are forcefully pulled back down. Your are bound and you can’t see how or to what … you can’t see shit.

Your hands reach up to your neck to feel something leather around your neck, like a choker. In the center is a metal look and attached are… metal chains!

You’re a prisoner! You’re trapped! But by who?! For what?

You don’t know why, but you think What has Oppa done now?

You hate yourself for thinking it. You don’t know this is because of your brother, but you can’t imagine it’s because of you. You don’t have enemies… you don’t think.

You don’t know what’s happening but you know nothing good ever started with being locked in place with chains. You don’t know what to do. Should you scream? Should you stay quiet as not to let your captor know you’re awake? You’re about to try to stand and feel your way through the room by hugging the walls when you freeze.

Because you hear noises, loud banging and then an even louder clank! A swath of light, pours into the dark space, illuminating the area around you… you just see… shipping crates and that’s it.

Well, no it’s not. You’re also in here…

“Holy shit!” You hear suddenly and then a flashlight shines in your eyes. You hold your arms up to block the light. “Holy shit… it’s a girl!”

Why does he sound surprised? Isn’t he one of your captors?

You don’t hear a lie in his astonishment. Just honest to god shock.

Who the hell are these guys? They don’t seem to know anything about anything. What should you do? Should you say something? Should you ask them to free you? No way can you get out of this by yourself.

“Holy… what do we do?” Asks another voice.

“I don’t fucking know, man. This was a surveillance mission, we weren’t supposed to find a girl!” Says the first voice.

Where is a knight in shining armor when you need one?

But there is no knight, just you and you’re going to have to figure out how to get yourself out of this shit.

“Call the captain,” says the second voice.

Captain? Are they cops?

You open your mouth to ask just hat but then they’re gone. You’re alone again and once again there’s only silence. They closed the door to this place and it is pitch black, again. You feel scared, but those guys didn’t seem to have put you in here. So who did?

It silent for a long time and then you hear a door squeak open. Footsteps approach and you try your best to crawl away.

“It’s ok,” says a calm voice, “I’m not going to hurt you.”

Suddenly a lamp is put beside you and you get your first look at him, spiky short hair, bottomless brown eyes and dimples in both cheeks as he smiles softly at you.

“I’m Kim Namjoon,” he tells you. “How did you get in here?”

Your eyes widen. “I don’t know,” you say.

“Neither do I,” says Kim Namjoon. “But I am going to find out.”

Suddenly, Kim Namjoon shows you bolt cutters, you nod then he cuts the chain around your neck. You’re free, kind of.

Kim Namjoon holds his hand out to you. You stare at him, he’s a strange man, how can you trust him?

“I promise you that I am unconnected to the people who own this crate, these drugs and I’m guessing these chains. In fact they are my enemies,” he tells you.

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend?” You ask him.

“In this case? Absolutely. I’m not into human trafficking and neither is my boss,” he tells you.

“Who’s your boss?” You ask him.

“Kim Taehyung,” he tells you, easily.

You know that name! A long time ago you were friends with the woman he has always loved. She would not be with a man who trafficked humans.

“And what’s your enemy’s name?” you ask him.

“Belock,” he says.

You don’t recognize it and yet the foreign sounding name sends a frisson of unease up your spine. You know, instinctively, that you shouldn’t trust it, that you shouldn’t trust them.

Namjoon’s hand is still extended to you. An olive branch or a life preserver. You take his hand and you don’t know why but you feel like you just started something new and unique.

He helps you to your feet. He checks you out to make sure you’re steady. When he’s satisfied that you won’t keel over, Kim Namjoon nods. He’s all business. And right now his business is getting you out of here safe.

“Follow me,” says Kim Namjoon.

Kim Namjoon leads you out by the hand and you’re grateful because when you step out of the space you’re in, it’s into a loading dock. Your eyes widen like saucers. You spin around, getting light headed and forcing Kim Namjoon to catch you as you collapse. You stare at where you just walked out of, a shipping crate!

You were in a shopping crate. Like a thing. An item to be sent and received. You feel sick. This is sick. It’s unfair. What have you ever done to deserve this sort of treatment?

“Where was if going?” You ask.

Kim Namjoon looks at the man at his side.

“Europe,” says the man.

“I don’t know anyone in Europe,” you tell them.

“Seems someone knows you,” says Kim Namjoon leading you away from your prison.

You stop under a street light, it illuminates his face as he stops in front of you with a questioning expression.

God he’s gorgeous. you think as he stares at you. It’s such an inappropriate thought considering your situation, but it’s true, he’s gorgeous.

“You had nothing to do with me being locked in there?” You ask, watching his face closely.

You’ve always been able to tell when someone is lying. Your father calls it the human lie detector. It always works to help your business.

“I had nothing to do with it, Princess,” says Kim Namjoon.

“Then how do you know I’m a princess?” You ask him.

“You’re a princess? Of what country?” He asks.

“Barro,” you say of your grandfathers company, a household name.

Namjoon’s eyes widen, recognizing it as you knew he would. Everyone knows Barro and sooner or later he’s going to realize that everyone also knows you.

“You’re from the Moon family?”

You nod, watching his face closely. He really didn’t seem to know who your grandfather was. He truly doesn’t seem to have been involved with your kidnapping.

You would know if he was lying. You’d be able to tell. No one can lie to you, it’s your great super power and weakness. Sometimes a person wants to be lied to.

“You work for Kim Taehyung?” You ask him.

“Yes,” he says.

“I used to play with his girlfriend in grade school,” you tell him.

“Of course you did. You chaebol’s all know each other,” he says with a smirk. “I’ll take you to her.”

“Not my family?”

“We don’t know how you got in that container,” he says.

Your heart falls into your stomach, your family couldn’t be involved in this. Could they?

“Ok, take me to Lady Kim,” you say.

Kim Namjoon bursts out laughing as he takes you to his car. “Lady Kim, I like that.”

“Front seat or back?” He asks when you get to his car.

“Front,” you say, because you feel like you’ll have more control in the front.

You slide easily into the front passenger seat, because Kim Namjoon doesn’t blink or question your choice. He just led you to the front seat and opened the door for you.

When he gets in the car, you notice that he doesn’t lock the doors. You don’t know why but you’re sure that’s so that you’ll feel safer.

A guy like this, with his job? He has to lock his doors usually. His life must be at risk often.

“Mr. Kim—“ you begin.

“Please call me Namjoon. A lot of cousins work for Taehyung, all named Kim,” he tells you.

“Taehyung’s your cousin?” You ask.

“Yup,” he tells you with a smile.

“Family business,” you comment.

“Isn’t Borro?” He asks.

You nod. “Yup,” you say with a frown.

“Where’d you just go?” He asks, some how in-tuned to your shift in mood.

“I hope none of my family had anything to do with this,” you tell him.

“I hope so too,” he says without emotion or showing what he thinks.

After driving for a half hour or so you arrive at a massive penthouse and you’re surprised. You never imagined that crime paid this well, but apparently it does.

You had only stepped a few feet into the apartment when you find yourself pulled into a feminine embrace. It’s Taehyung’s girlfriend who you’ve nicknamed Lady Kim.

“You’re safe here,” she tells you. “No one gets passed Namjoon.”

“No one gets passed me anymore,” he corrects her.

“Oh whatever. Jungkook doesn’t count!” She turns to you. “Follow me.”

You go further into the house where you come across one of the most naturally beautiful men you’ve ever seen. He’s impeccably dressed and pulls your friend into his side. He looks at her in a way that makes your heart twist in jealousy. It is so clear how much he loves her, you wish someone would look at you like that.

“I’m Taehyung,” he introduces himself. “And I have a lot of questions but you’ve been through an ordeal and tonight you should rest.”

The mob boss shakes your hand and then takes his girlfriend away, promising to see you in the morning.

“I thought he was going to be a fat old man,” you tell Namjoon as you watch the couple walk away.

“You watch too many movies,” says Namjoon taking your hand in his again and taking you toward the guest room.

“It makes sense now why she courted scandal by leaving her husband,” you tell Namjoon. “I would leave anything for that guy.”

Namjoon just laughs. “Taehyung and his pretty face. Some guy’s have all the luck.”

“Please you’re hot as fuck,” you say before you can think.

Your words hit your ears. Your freeze. He leans forward, invading your personal space.

Your heart pounds. You think he’s going to kiss you. He leans forward and opens the door at your back.

“This is the guest room,” he says. “Make yourself comfortable. I’m down the hall to the left. If you need anything just come knock on my door.”

You stare at him stupefied. You really thought he was going to kiss you. You’re not an idiot, you know the vibes of when a man is interested.

You glare at him. He smiles at you, understanding the problem immediately.

“I’m not going to kiss you, princess, when you have chains around your neck and smell like sewage,” says Namjoon.

Your eyes widen. You push him out of the room. You slam the door in his face.

You’re so embarsssed. Of course not. Of course he’s not going to make a move now. He just saved you from chains and being held in a shipping container by unknown villains.

Your hands go to your neck. You find the buckle to the slave collar around your neck and pull it off you. You stare at it. Chains that Namjoon cut still dangling from it.

You stare, your heart hammering in your chest as you think of the night you had an how horribly different it could have gone.

If not for Namjoon.

You may not be a mob boss but you’re an executive of Barro, one of the most powerful conglomerates in the world. You’re from the Moon family.

You’re going to find out who put a slave collar around your expensive neck and then you’re going to make them pay.

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