Because if it’s someone from my past, then it’s basically my fault.
“Who?” Yosef asks the million-dollar question.
I shrug. “Fuck if I know. I’ve made a lot of people mad. A lot of people that I know go dancing at that nightclub; it could have been anyone. I’ve probably bent over for half the crowd on any given night, or fucked up the rest with my fists, but they’re all scared of me. No one really likes me.”
Young-gi raises his eyebrows sternly, and his eyes flick over to the kitchen meaningfully. I flush, because surely he wouldn’t threaten me with soap in front of someone else?!
Then again… he’s made it clear he’ll Daddy me with or without an audience. Daddying waits for no one, I guess.
I’m not risking it!“I meant to say that there are plenty of people there who it could be,” I hastily correct, flushing warm under his satisfied stare.
“If it’s someone from your past blackmailing you, it’s for my money,” Young-gi muses, relaxing now that he’s gotten his way and I’m remembering the taste of soap. “Me being there was the catalyst. They saw a chance to hurt you and use you, and get rich doing it. It’s an interesting theory. But we can’t rule out the Vandmorsons until the demand is made, which should reveal more about the blackmailer. It could also be the Palmer brothers, Gregory and Leonard. They weren’t happy with you, either.”
Gregory and Leonard? Oh right. I remember them. I glance at my knuckles and smirk.
“But Tommy might be onto something,” Yosef says. “Written blackmail is amateur. I would’ve expected something more sophisticated from the Vandmorson or Palmer families.”
“Not if it wasn’t family sanctioned,” Young-gi reasons. “If it was just one of the idiot kids, they’d surely choose something as ridiculous as a letter for blackmail.”
It strikes me as funny how casual they’re being about this. They’re talking about it like it’s nothing but an annoying inconvenience, not a huge threat. I feel my tense shoulders relax. It might be someone from my side of the tracks, but even if it is, they’re no fucking match for Young-gi. They have no idea what they’ve gotten themselves into. Which means even if it’s my fault, it won’t be so much trouble that Young-gi decides I’m not worth it anymore.
Maybe that’s cynical of me, but… I can’t help it. I can’t imagine someone wanting me badly enough that they’d really, truly trouble themselves to have me. As long as things stay easy, and he doesn’t have to go out of his way, then he’ll let me stay-
“Tommy,” Young-gi captures my attention. “Now that you’re awake, I need to ask you for a favor.”
“I wasn’t napping,” I snap, then tilt my head, immediately suspicious. “What do you want?”
“I need you to tell Yosef the names of the men you killed.”
What?
“Why?” My fingers bite into my biceps, and I struggle not to bare my teeth at him.
Young-gi’s attention is rock steady, calm, as always. “What you described at the crime scenes implies a lot of potential biological evidence. I won’t allow a fucking cold case file to take you away from me and send you to prison. So I’m going to take care of it.”
The growling edge to his promise sends shivers right down my spine again. It wasn’t what I expected, but it’s…sweet? Is it sweet that he’s offering to fuck with cold case files for me? Yeah, I think it is. And that’s out of his way, isn’t it? Extra work that he doesn’t need to do, just to make sure he gets to keep me…
Shit, I think I might really like this man.
“Fine,” I snap. “Pen.” I make grabby hands at them. Yosef hurriedly pulls a pen from his inner jacket pocket while I snatch a napkin from a nearby stack. I write them down fast, focusing on the letters rather than the whole names. I don’t like seeing them. When it’s done, I shove the napkin away from me like it’s poisonous. “There.”
Yosef takes it with a somber nod of thanks. “What state did this take place? How long ago?”
“Like a decade ago, in Illinois. A couple hours outside of Chicago.” I think back, pressing my sore ass against the woodenseat to keep the soreness alive, to help it ground me in the present. “I think I was born in Chicago, maybe. I’m not sure which city he actually snatched me from. I went looking there, but couldn’t find anything familiar.”
I shrug, like it’s no big deal.
“I’ll have any evidence taken care of,” Young-gi promises again, his fingers linked together with white knuckles like he’s holding something inside. He’s giving strong Daddy energy right now, and I lean towards him. “You’ll never face any trouble for what you did to them. It was deserved.”
Good boy,I hear it like he’s whispering it into my ear.
And goddammit, but that’s the moment I realize.
This right here is the exact second I realize that I don’t just like Young-gi. I might fucking love him.
My stomach drops, my heart skips, and I tingle all over with electric adrenaline. The reality of my feelings hits me like a wrecking ball.
Shit.
