FIVE
"It's a pity you didn't know
When you started your game of murder,
That I was playing, too."
~ Robb White
JENNIE
Who in the fuck is asking to die?
I glared toward the back of the room, searching for the face behind the voice that had dared interrupt me.
My blood boiled.
Lisa, soon-to-be-fucking-dead, Manoban was walking down the stairs—my fucking stairs—with her sex hair high and her brown eyes sharper than razor blades. She was beautiful, and I almost regretted the fact that I would have to put a bullet in her head and then smash it through a fucking wall.
"So, this is the one behind the bitch?" Ryan laughed.
Before I could even stop myself, I brought the butt of my gun across his face and did not stop smashing it until I heard a sick pop. I beat him into unconsciousness and left him slumped in his chair, his eyes swollen shut.
Wiping the blood from my face, I took a deep breath and held the gun up for Chanyeol before I turned back to face the fuckable idiot.
"You overstep, Manoban."
She looked me up and down with both disgust and lust. "Do I? I believe you're mistaken, love. After all, I just signed a very powerful document making all of this mine."
"Did your father pay for your Dartmouth diploma? Because you don't seem to be good at reading." I glared at her, trying not to let the thick waves of lust that radiated off her bother me. "That paper says you work with me after our marriage, Manoban, and we are not married yet so you're still a fucking guest in my fucking house."
She smirked and it was sexy, dangerously so, and I wanted to kill her for it. "Be a good fiancée and tell your pets to leave, or I will put them down, sweetheart." Her eyes assessed at me as though I was her shiny new toy.
Do not kill. Do not kill. Jennie, stay calm and do not kill her.
I wasn't going to lose my cool in front of my men. Glancing across the room, each of them stood with their hands tensed at their sides, waiting for me to give the word. Just a tip of my head would signal them to put as many fucking bullets as possible into the motherfucker in front of me.
"Chanyeol, Hanbin, take Mr. Ross and wake him up. If he doesn't cooperate, please show him the live feed we have of his brother, whom he also failed to hide, and the bomb in his house." I never broke eye contact with Lisa. "The rest of you, leave."
I could hear their feet as they followed my orders and ran like roaches in the daylight. The only men who didn't move were the two I recognized as Lisa's brother and cousin.
"That applies to you two as well."
They grinned and looked to Lisa.
She raised an eyebrow at me. "They stay here."
Taking a step forward, I stopped when she was a little more than an inch away from me. I could feel her breath on the tip of my nose, and smiled sweetly.
"Only if they're in body bags," I said, stepping around Lisa and scowling at the two men who had yet to leave. "You have two seconds."
They shifted their eyes toward the person standing behind me once more before heading toward the door. The moment it shut, I spun around, fist flying toward her head. It met her palm.
Grabbing my fist, she flung me into the chair Ryan had occupied. She cupped my cheek with one hand, and with the other, she held both my wrists tight.
"First, your joke?" she said, panting in my face like a lion eager for the chance to jump her prey. "Not funny."
"Second." She brushed her thumb over my lips. "The moment the ink touched that fucking paper, you were mine. Mine to fuck. Mine to fucking command, and mine to put in your fucking place."
"Third." She kissed me brutally before pulling away. "All this is over. You sit at my side and you stay beautiful, like a lady."
I stared at her wide-eyed. "Is that all, master?"
She grinned, but before she could speak again, I pulled my head back and smashed it against her fucking nose. Her head went back and her grip on me loosened. I brought my knees back just far enough to kick in her in the crotch, causing her to release me completely.
"You fucking—" she started, but I didn't let her finish speaking before sideswiping her legs out from under her. With my now-ruined white Gucci heels on her neck, I glared down at her.
"First," I said, pressing into her neck, "get used to this position, because you're my bitch, not the other way around."
"Second, do not ever put your fucking lips on me without my permission!"
She twisted my foot and brought me down to the ground, pinning me there with the weight of her body, before I could get to my third point
Fury burned in her eyes as she breathed roughly through her nose. "My mother told me never to hit a woman, but you are pushing my limits."
"Funny, my father told me the same thing. Would you like me to apologize?" I pushed my thumbs to her eyes, forcing her hands to let go of my throat.
We fought and struggled on the ground like savage animals before she picked me up and threw me into the nearest wall. I grabbed a chair and smashed it against her side. It went on and on, each of us trying our best to kill the other without actually killing each other.
When I landed a kick to her side, she fucking grabbed me like a ragdoll and flung me across the room. It was nothing. Instead of letting myself feel the pain, I jumped back up. My heels were now long gone, and the dress I had changed into just to meet her was torn up the sides. Her suit jacket had been lost in the heat of the battle, her shirt was ripped, and her tie was barely hanging around her neck. Her hair was even more disheveled, and eyes were wilder than the fucking jungle.
When my fist collided with her cheek, she drew her gun and aimed it directly at my face. She stalled when she got a good look at me. Panting like the beast she was, the lust in her eyes returned in full force.
Without a second thought, she pushed me up against the wall before attacking me with kisses. Her mouth was everywhere, from my neck down to the front of my chest, back to the sides of my face, before it met mine again. She gripped my ass with one hand and my breast with the other, the one that still held her gun. I felt her hard-on pushing against my waist, trying its best to find its way inside me. Her actions were barbaric, almost animalistic, like a man dying of thirst, and the only source of water was my skin.
I loved every moment of it.
But I would not let her win. I would not bow down to her. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever.
She was so busy trying to figure out how to get the zipper of my dress down that taking the gun from her was like taking candy from a baby. Frantically rubbing herself against me even harder, closer, she almost just let me have the firearm.
With one great push, I forced her body to separate from mine, which surprisingly missed her warmth already. She stared at me with desperation. I pointed the gun and pulled the trigger, causing her leg to buckle. She started in shock as the bullet went through her thigh, then roared in pain as she fell down on one knee.
That's right, hail to the Boss.
"Third, if you ever interrupt me again, Lisa Manoban, may God have mercy on your soul when I send you meet to him." I kissed her on the cheek and removing the clip from the gun, along with the bullet in the chamber, before walking toward the door.
When I opened it, my men were there with guns drawn on Nickhun and Bambam, who mirrored their poses. It explained why neither of them had come in. They couldn't check the door without putting their backs to the enemy.
My men all looked me up and down with proud grins on their faces.
"What would you like us to do with them, ma'am?" one of them, Antonio Franco, asked, grinning wider than the rest of them. Antonio hated the Manobans as much as Hanbin did. He wasn't as close to me as Chanyeol or Hanbin, but he was as loyal as they come. He and his father had worked for Dong-suk long before I took over. Getting him to fall in line had meant getting the older ones—the ones who were still bitter that I, a female, and a young one at that, was now Boss—to fall in line.
I turned to my family-in-law and smiled before reaching out to shake their hands. "I apologize for not being properly introduced. As you know, I'm Jennie Ruby Jane Kim, but you may call me Jen."
They didn't shake back. Instead they glared, their guns still raised.
"Oh, right, your sister." I pretended to forget. "She is a little beat up and will need a doctor. But don't worry—the shot was clean through and through. She'll be walking in a few hours. You may check on her, and I will have Adriana show you to your rooms."
I nodded to my men, directing them to drop their weapons—they frowned but complied—before following me toward the elevator. It opened to reveal not only my father, but also the eldest Mr. Manoban. Making me realize, once again, the Manobans were blessed with almost a little too much pretty for my liking.
My father looked me up and down before shaking his head and sighing while Marco just stared with no expression on his face.
"Did Lisa do this to you?" he asked, looking at my slightly bruised arms and legs, cut lips, and messed up hair.
"It was a small disagreement." I smiled. "And I shot her for it. If she weren't my future wife, it would have been worse. I do hope we can be introduced properly later, Mr. Manoban, as I find your past work fascinating."
And with that I stepped into the elevator as it reopened. It was only when the doors were closing that I saw Lisa's brother and cousin rush back into the room to collect her. I withheld my laughter.
"I'm shocked you didn't shoot her in the kneecap for that shit, ma'am," Antonio said as we made our way up.
I smiled. "How would I look with a handicapped wife, Antonio?"
The moment we reached the top floor, I headed straight into my room. I had it conjoined with my father's once he became worse. I almost sighed at the feeling of the soft carpet on my bare feet. This room, my room, was my sanctuary. The day I took over, I had it remodeled to a more eighteenth-century Roman décor—paintings included.
Changing into a white and gold bathing suit, I headed toward the swimming pool. I felt dirty and downright tired, but the last thing I wanted was for the bruises on my skin to linger more than a few hours. The way to avoid that was to take a swim in ice water. It would sting at first, but a few hours later my skin, and my mind, would be good as new—clear. God knew it was fucked up now.
I could still feel her hands all over me, demanding and possessive. Her lips as they bit into my neck, my ear, and at last my lips. She wasn't just a good kisser, she was a sensual kisser. She wanted to make sure, with just one kiss, that I was wet for her and willing to give in. Had I been anyone else, it would have worked.
There was no doubt in my mind that she knew what to do and how to do it. She was a force, and I wouldn't have minded, if she hadn't come into my house and tried to make me into her little Stepford wife.
In the pool, I shivered, but I needed to try to escape her. I couldn't, though. She was there pushing her way to the front of my mind. I hated her. I loathed her. I lusted after her, and it made me angry with myself. Even in the cold water, as I swam I felt her pressing against me. I felt the electricity of her hands, her sensual tongue. I couldn't deny that I wanted her.
I would have to figure out how to have her and, at the same time, make her understand that I was not surrendering to her will. Not even close. It was my choice. It was going to be animalistic and wild and a way for me to wind down.
When I finally came back up for air, there she was, the object of all my anger, rage, and lust sitting poolside in a fresh suit with a bandage over her leg—a leg that was resting on my pool chair. Rising out of the water, I reached for my towel while her eyes raked over my body.
"See something you like?" I asked, squeezing the cold water from my hair.
She frowned. "Sadly, yes, but it's an illusion. The moment you get close, it turns into a ruthless savage and shoots you in the thigh with your own gun."
"If I turned into a ruthless savage, it was only because another ruthless savage stepped into my arena. If you came for an apology, look elsewhere. Now, get the fuck up," I said.
Glaring, she got up. The moment I sat down, she grabbed my hand and I saw in her eyes that she felt whatever spark it was that coursed through us. She leaned in, catching my gaze in her own. She stopped just inches from my face before I heard a click near my wrist. Looking down, I saw that she had handcuffed my wrist and my ankle to the chair.
"After that display earlier, I believe you need a time out." She chuckled, kissing my forehead like I was some pet or child. "You were swimming so long you missed dinner, so I did you a favor and brought you some." She pointed to the dish that was only attainable with my free hand. "I will come to get you in the morning."
"What makes you think I can't pick a lock you son of a bitch?" I sneered, pulling on the damn handcuffs.
"I filled the locks with cement. You can't pick it love, believe me, I've used them before," she said, brushing the side of my face. "If you ever hold a weapon to me again, Jennie, I will handcuff you fucking upside down and underwater."
She kissed me again, this time on the mouth, and with my free hand, I slapped her across the fucking face. Her head snapped to the side before she turned back to me and winked. Smug, sexy bastard. With her free hand, she slid an obnoxiously large diamond engagement ring onto my finger. She let go and grabbed a few more towels, dropped them over me, and walked toward the exit.
"Say you're sorry and I will free you now, love, and then we can start anew."
She was trying to break me, the fucker.
"Fuck you and the Audi you drove up in."
Frustrated, she ran her hands through her hair before shaking her head. "We will talk later, then. Eat. I wouldn't want to bring you home to my mother sick. I will make sure the room stays warm. I sent everyone else to bed for the night. Goodnight, wife."
"Fuck you, fiancée," I said, leaning back in the chair.
I was fine until she turned off the lights and shut the door. She didn't know. No one knew except for my father. I had an irrational fear of the dark. Even though there was still the dimmest light from the pool illuminating the small area, I could still feel the fear creeping up my spine.
There was no way in hell I was spending the night here. Sighing, I tried to calm myself before pulling the chair and myself to the edge of the water before jumping in.
I was going to get out of this tonight, even if I had to break my hand to do so. Hopefully, the chair would break against the walls first.
Either way, she would not win.