Jungkook managed to shake his bodyguards. But he couldn’t shake Bora. She knew here he was headed. And she wasn’t about to let him walk in there unarmed and unprotected. So she followed him at a distance. And she didn’t realize that his father had also assigned her a guard. By the time she walked through the doorway of her appa’s establishment, a full battalion of the Gwan bodyguards was with her.
And they weren’t about to allow their livelihood to be destroyed.
—
Jungkook approached the building with caution. He patted the pocket of his black leather jacket. It was still there. He hadn’t come unarmed. Maybe that was stupid. They were sure to pat him down. Apparently, he still had a little bit of his father in him. He couldn’t show up to a gun fight unarmed.
He opened the door to the tiny club and stepped inside. The interior was very dimly lit. Surprisingly, the place was bustling. Jazz music was erupting from the same corner as earlier today. Perplexed, Jungkook stopped for a few moments. This location was even busier than when he had visited this afternoon. If her appa was looking for privacy, he wouldn’t find it here. Of course, he was sure to have a back room.
Jungkook looked around. He didn’t see Lee Kwangjo. But he did see a man seated in a booth alone. The same booth her appa had occupied when he’d met him. Jungkook headed for it.
His cat eyes smiling, a much younger man beamed up at him. “You must be Jungkook.”
“You have me at a disadvantage, sir.”
“I’m Yoongi, Bora’s cousin.”
“Ahhhh.” But, really, Jungkook was not enlightened by this information. He glanced around. “I thought I was meeting Lee Kwangjo.”
Yoongi barked with laughter. “You have overestimated your importance.”
Jungkook felt that frisson of unease invading his space again. He simply stared at Yoongi. The older man released his gums and a bevy of teeth on him. He gestured towards the other side of the booth.
“Come. Sit down with me.”
Jungkook accepted his invitation.
“My uncle says you’re interested in joining our company.”
“Not really,” Jungkook responded both honestly and cautiously.
Yoongi barked with laughter. “You know, Bora has always been my favorite cousin.” His face sobered and he studied Jungkook for a few moments. Then he leaned forward and spoke conspiratorially. “I have never wanted her to marry a company man.”
Jungkook quirked one dark eyebrow at him. “Why not?”
Yoongi leaned back against the red leather seat. His eyes raked Jungkook. “Why do you think?”
Jungkook simply stared at him.
“Cat got your tongue, eh?” Yoongi responded to Jungkook’s silence.
Just then, something caught Jungkook’s attention out of the corner of his eye. Yoongi watched his startled reaction play out across his face. His eyes slid in the direction of Jungkook’s gaze. Bora was striding towards them.
Yoongi’s eyes left Bora’s worried face to focus on Jungkook.
“You really are in love with her, aren’t you?”
Jungkook’s eyes flew to his face for a second. “Promise me you won’t hurt her.” He knew his love for her made him oddly vulnerable. He hated this fact, but it was true nonetheless.
Yoongi’s eyebrows challenged the ceiling. “Hurt her? I just told you she’s my favorite cousin.”
“Those words mean nothing to a company man.” Jungkook turned his attention back on the beautiful girl headed his way.
She hadn’t listened to him. He was furious. And terrified. Hopefully, neither passion showed on his face.
—
Bora approached Jungkook nervously. He was staring at her, but his countenance was a complete blank. She wondered what he was thinking. Her eyes left his gorgeous face to wander around her father’s club. She was searching for him. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She felt as if she would faint at any moment.
“Bora! Come sit with me,” Yoongi patted the seat next to him.
Her eyes slid over his face. She smiled. He had always been her favorite relative. She slid into the booth next to him. He leaned towards her and kissed her cheek as his eyes slid towards Jungkook. The younger man’s countenance was no longer giving anything away. Still, Yoongi could feel his tension.
“Relax,” he purred into Bora’s ear. But his words were directed towards Jungkook. He shifted his head to look directly into his eyes. “No one’s going to die tonight.” Then Yoongi turned back towards Bora and rebuked her, “But you should know better than to be here.”
Her eyes widened. “I can’t let Appa kill him! I love him!” Suddenly, a sob tore loose of her lips, and her face crumpled.
Yoongi put his arm around her and pulled a handkerchief out of the pocket of his sharp suit coat. He held it up in front of her face. “You’ll never make a company man, Bora. You wear all your emotions on your sleeve.”
“That’s what I love about her,” Jungkook murmured, his adoration clearly written on his face.
Yoongi’s eyes perused his countenance. “I hear you refused to work for your father.”
Jungkook blinked.
“Yet you’re volunteering to work for my uncle. Do you hate your appa?”
“I hate the company.” Jungkook bit the words out. “Any company.” Then his eyes softened as they found Bora’s face again. “But I love Bora. I begged her father to release her. To let her live a peaceful life with me on the outside. But he refused.” Jungkook shrugged. “I found my only option was to volunteer to work for him. So I can have Bora.”
Yoongi’s eyes traveled to his cousin. He bent his head and whispered into her ear. “What do you see in this man?”
She turned her head towards him. Her eyes were sparkling as she bent to whisper into his own ear.
“He is truly the sweetest man I’ve ever met. He treats me like a queen.”
“How do you know he’s not just using you to get at your appa?” He hissed the words into her ear.
Outraged, she ejaculated, “He would never! He wouldn’t even work for his own appa. He deplores hurting people!”
Yoongi’s eyes lingered on her face for a few moments before traveling back to Jungkook’s. He wasn’t so convinced of the younger man’s innocence. If Jungkook was dating Bora as a ruse, Yoongi would become his fiercest enemy.
“What’s this little party up to?” A cold voice interrupted them.
All three pairs of eyes swiveled to the man standing behind Jungkook. He was staring directly at his daughter’s beloved.
“You didn’t keep your end of the bargain.” The first words Lee Kwangjo spoke to Jungkook reverberated in his ears.
