SEVEN
"We kill everybody, my dear.
Some with bullets, some with words,
And everybody with our deeds.
We drive people into their graves,
And neither see it nor feel it."
~ Maxim Gorky
JENNIE
"Which one, ma'am?" Adriana held up two teal dresses for me to wear for my first day with the bloody Thai clan, but I really didn't care what I wore as long as I got through the damn day.
"Dr. Jung, what do you think?" I asked the older man bandaging my wrist. Dr. Jung was the only doctor I trusted enough to touch me. After all, he was the one who had delivered me, and he had seen more than enough of my injuries to not even bother asking.
He looked up, pushing his thick glasses up his nose before finishing his work on my wrist. "The long-sleeved one would be best to hide your wound. It won't hide the one on your ankle but that one is not as bad as your wrist."
He was right. I had used so much force to pull the plastic arm off the chair that it had cut deeply into my wrist. The idiot had made her cuffs with reinforced steel, which made it easy to break the chair, but it still hurt like a bitch and would scar.
Adriana looked at me waiting. "White heels, ma'am?"
I nodded, rubbing my wrist once the doctor let go. I had to fight the urge to throw this damn ugly ring down the drain every time I looked at my hand.
Hanbin held the door open for Dr. Jung, but not before handing him an envelope with more than enough money to make sure he wouldn't have to work for a while.
"Ma'am, after the announcement of your and Ms. Manoban's wedding this morning, I have a few magazines, charities, and interviewers looking to have a moment with you," Hanbin told me with a phone in his hands.
After rising from my chair, Adriana handed me the dress as I walked behind the screen.
"Hanbin, do I look like Martha fucking Stewart?"
"No, ma'am. I would never think you would be foolish enough to end up in jail." He cleared his throat, and I laughed. Stepping out from behind the screen, I let Adriana drop the white heels at my feet.
"Then tell them to go fuck themselves."
"That would not be wise, mio bambino dolce." My father coughed as he was wheeled in by his nurse.
Walking over to him, I kissed him on the cheek.
"Why can't I tell them to fuck themselves?" I asked him as Adriana handed me my bracelets.
"Because, to the rest of the world, you are the fiancée to one of the most powerful clan in this country. You aren't the Boss to them. They want a Kate Middleton or a first lady, someone to kiss babies and write big checks on behalf of your fiancée," my father snapped at me, causing me to stop and just stare into his dying eyes.
"Hanbin. Adriana. Leave." In seconds they, along with my father's nurse, were gone. "You're still mad that I shot her."
He frowned at me. "I do not have time to hold on to anger. And yet, here you are, forcing me to waste time to discipline you."
Shaking my head, I smiled. "You should be proud I didn't kill her. She is a spoiled brat who thinks she was born in the nineteen-twenties when women served their husbands and bowed down to their will. I'm not now, nor shall I ever be, any one's arm candy."
"Jennie." He sighed, using my full name like when he was annoyed or pissed. "You are as hard-headed as your mother."
"Thank you. I will take that as a complement." I turned away from him.
"It was not one," he hissed. "Have you forgotten why you wear the white shoes?" My whole body froze for a moment, and a chill ran up my spine.
"That was a low blow, Dong-suk." I sneered at him and took off the damn white shoes before walking into my closet. Most of my things had already been taken out and were en route to Manoban Manor. I had left some of the things I would need in my closet here. One never knows when I would need a personal moment away from the leprechaun.
My father wheeled in behind me. "I will not go to my grave knowing that this marriage is condemned and that, yet again, two people who are made for each other will not swallow their pride, lower their swords, and act as fucking equals! You, Jennie Ruby Jane Kim, will not walk the same path your mother and I did. You will support Lisa, guide her when needed, and stand by her side and her side alone. You will be a damn Manoban, and you will make sure both families, past and present, rise!" he yelled, not once coughing or even so much as blinking for that matter. Had I closed my eyes, he would have sounded like the Dong-suk I used to know.
"What happened with you and Mom is not the same," I replied, slipping on the tan shoes, while in the back of my mind a voice told me to change back.
"But the outcome will be if you do not take my advice. Make peace with her Jennie. Remember how long it took me to adjust to you as Boss? Prove it to her. Prove it to them all, and do it without making Lisa the fool so I can rest in peace." The tenseness in his voice dropped before he coughed again, returning to the sick man that he was now.
I hated the thought of having to prove myself. I had done that for years—proving to every man we interrogated, every boss I took down, every crackhead with a big mouth, and even with my men. I thought I was done with that phase of my rule, and yet here I was again.
"Don't think too long about it, we're not all still in our twenties." Dong-suk smiled at me, and even though he was only a shadow of the man I used to know, that smile always made me smile.
Walking behind him, I pulled his wheelchair back before exiting my closet for the last time.
"Fine, I will try, but if she treats me like a doormat or worse, Martha Stewart, I am shooting her in the other thigh." I was only half-joking.
"That is all I ask," he said as he was wheeled out of my bedroom. Adriana and Hanbin's backs straightened as they followed us down the hall.
"Hanbin, are the houses finished?" I asked him, walking slower than needed, but I was in no rush to get to my destination.
"Yes, ma'am, they are. Most of our equipment and technology has been moved into the basement, and the men were moved last night. However, they want to stay away from them for as long as possible."
"So would I." I muttered.
When I had found out whom I was to marry years ago, I had slowly but surely bought, bribed, and taken "government-protected" lands just far enough away from the Manoban Manor to give my men a place for their families that was nearer to where I would be staying. The houses were not anything close to Manoban Manor or my home here, but they were nice, common family homes that would typically be found in the suburbs. We had started building three years ago, a task I left to Antonio and Hanbin to complete.
"Are you ready?" Dong-suk asked me.
My father's right-hand man since he was a teen, Minho, stood at the door waiting for us to answer before opening. He was the only one, with the exception of a cook and a nurse, who my father wanted to stay with him here. Minho had been tortured by the Valero once upon a time, for dirt on my father, which left him with the scar that now graced his face. He fought his way out and came back, asking only for a doctor and a large glass of red wine. I knew my father was going to be fine. I just wasn't sure if I was.
Nodding, I signaled for Minho to open the door. Beside me, Dong-suk's nurse took her place at his wheelchair. The moment the door opened, I was met with four pairs of eyes staring at me, each more beautiful than the last until they fell on Lisa, whose eyes were glued to my legs. Her gaze lingered a little on the bruise at my ankle before wandering up the rest of my body meeting mine. Her lips were turned in a frown, but in her eyes were filled with lust.
"Ma'am." Chanyeol walked over to me, handing me an iPad. He must have put all the information on Ryan Ross here. I took it from him before walking toward my new famiglia, or teaghlach as it was called.
"Good morning, am I late?" I asked as kindly and brightly as possible.
"No, ma'am, just thinking you're beautiful this morning," Nickhun replied trying to take my hand to kiss it but I pulled back.
His cousin did not seem to get it because Bambam opened his arms as if he were about give me a hug. "Save your fancy words, she looks fucking hot. Simple."
"Let me make this clear to the both of you. Touch me and I will strap you down then take every last bone out of your bodies. Understood?" I asked him with a smile. His arms dropped and Nickhun kept his hand in his pocket.
"Beautiful." I added.
"Stupid brut," Hanbin hissed lowly.
"Senza rispetto," Chanyeol said softly. He was all about respect.
"Enough you fools. We are going to be late. Your mother says it's mayhem outside the manor. Let's go," Marco told them before winking at me. The old pervert.
They walked toward their cars, leaving me alone with Lisa and her brand new black, Audi. She said nothing, opening the door for me and then closing it when I took a seat. She didn't say anything when she took her seat beside me either, and I didn't need her to. In fact, I had work to do.
According to the files on my tablet, Amory Valero had gotten out of prison, a secret the Valero were trying to hide from the world until they released the savage for their own personal use. Apparently, from what Ryan spilled to Chanyeol and Hanbin, they wanted Amory in Brazil to attempt to steal my fucking cocaine. They must have been on fucking cocaine to think that it was going to work. But this was what the Valero did, it was what they were good at . . . the fucking thieves. For years, they had stolen whatever they could from my family. The leader, Amory's father, Vance, was all but run out of Korea by my father. Instead of withering into nothing, however, he resorted to the black market. If it was worth a penny, Vance stole it, flipped it, and bought himself more men. If I could, I would hang him by his balls.
"What is that?" Lisa's eyes narrowed as she tried to read the encrypted files all while the driver in front pretended not to even be in the car.
None of your business, you motherfucking asshole.
"Work," I replied instead, trying my best not to speak my mind. I knew needed to listen to Dong-suk, but the look of anger and disgust in Lisa's eyes made me want to shoot her in the dick.
She tried to pull herself back. "You should relax today. It's a day for family."
"Thanks, but I'm fine." I smiled. "I slept like a fucking baby."
Because I got out of the chair you fucking chained me to like a dog, you bitch ass motherfucking cock.
She glared at that. "So did I, in fact. The bed was not what I am used to, but I am not one to complain."
Unless you don't get what you want. Then you just cry like a newborn baby who had her ass slapped.
I smiled again before looking back at the information in front of me.
"You should know that my mother is not fond of cursing, especially in women. To her, women who have to curse are classless, brainless, and foul." She stretched every word out as I crossed my legs, my beautiful sexy legs. She could not look away.
I grinned. "You don't fucking say? Well damn, ain't that a mother-shit-fucking bitch? Don't worry, Manoban, I am not going to cock it up. In fact, I am going to try my absofuckinlute best not to curse in front of Mama Manoban."
Her eyes blazed. "Stop the car," she told the driver, who stomped on the brakes.
Lisa grabbed the iPad from my hand, a bottle of brandy, and then stepped out of the car and poured it all over the poor device before dropping her lighter, flame blazing, on top of it. It went up so quickly that I could hear the glass cracking. Stepping back in the car, she ran her hands through her hair before adjusting her jacket and tie.
"Go on," she told the driver.
Remember Dong-suk.
"A tad bit immature, don't you think?" I asked, not bothering to look over for fear that I might smack the shit out of her face.
"You don't fucking say?" She repeated my words. "But it was either the tablet or you, and since there are dozens of photographers and reporters all waiting to see a happy couple, I figure killing you wouldn't go over well."
"You better hope it burns thoroughly," I said, breathing through my nose.
She sighed. "Knowing you, love, I wouldn't doubt if it had a self-destruct switch."
"Do I look like James fucking Bond?" I smiled. It was a compliment, and she didn't even know it.
She glared, realizing her slip only a moment later. "No. More like a black widow."
"Even better." I laughed, looking out my window. It did have a self-destruct switch, but she didn't need to know that.
Leaning back, I allowed myself to drift, trying to forget about the beautiful asshole beside me and the world she was taking me to. Gone was the underground secret life, where no one knew who Jennie Kim was, and I could just be Jen, the fucking Boss. Gone were my days of absolute freedom. Marriage was a horrible, horrible idea, and I should have said no to my father, but the bastard had me locked into it. I had to think on the bright side—no more wasted money or blood as we try to get our drugs from South America into Miami and then the rest of America. No more wars in the middle of downtown Boston or San Francisco. The amount of money I . . . we . . . would make now was so fucking ridiculous it would make Bill fucking Gates shit bricks.
When Lisa's hand took mine, I jumped, pulling a knife from my thigh before either of us could even blink. She stared at me wide-eyed, then smirked at the large blade in my grip before looking at my thigh. I could see the question perfectly—how the fuck did I have it so well hidden?
"It's time," she said, nodding out the window at all the cameras waiting just outside a pair of black iron gates with a M in the center. I hadn't even noticed that we had arrived, and now all the Manobans and media were waiting on us.
Sliding the hem of my dress up, I slid the knife back into its holster only to find Lisa trying to burn a hole in me with her gaze.
"I killed the last man who looked at me like that," I said, waiting to see the disgust at my words, but only saw more lust. She was getting excited, and the last thing we needed was that in print. "For the love of God, control yourself Manoban. Your mother, the woman who whipped your ass as a child, is waiting for you."
That did it.
"Try not to be a bitch," she snapped as she tapped on the window, signaling the driver to open the door.
The moment it did, camera flashes assaulted us. Lisa pulled me closer to her, her arm around my waist, and I used the opportunity to try to fix her sex hair. She kissed my cheek when I was done, causing reporters to throw as many questions as possible at us. I wanted to flip them off, but Lisa squeezed my hand, and I smiled squeezing back. To them we looked like lovesick fools. If they only knew.
A stunningly beautiful woman, who could only be Lisa's mother, stepped forward from the clan behind her. "Lisa, put some room between you and the poor girl, we are Catholic for goodness sake."
She pulled me into a tight hug, and I knew where Bambam got it from. These people needed to stop touching me.
"Mrs. Manoban, it's such a pleasure to meet you. Lisa could not stop ranting and raving about you," I said as politely as possible.
"Please call me Evelyn, my sweetheart." She smiled brighter than the sun. "You have no idea how long I have waited to meet you, and no wonder your father hid you away, you are so beautiful, Jennie."
I dropped my head for effect before smiling. "Thank you Mrs . . . Evelyn, but please just call me Jen. My name doesn't fit my personality at all.
Nodding in pleasure as she pulled me forward. From the corner of my eye, I saw the shocked look on Lisa's face.
Just because I hated the fucking role didn't mean I couldn't play it.
She wasn't the only one surprised. Nickhun and Bambam looked at me in confusion, before looking at each other to make sure they weren't insane. Marco just nodded at me with approval, looking a tab bit impressed.
"Jen, these are my other two daughters, Mina, Bambam's wife." The Malibu Barbie, with her long gold hair and bright eyes glared at me but shook my hand, giving it a tight squeeze.
"Wow, you're so beautiful," I said, smiling.
Her eyes lit up like she had found the true meaning of Christmas. "Thanks," she said.
Next was Victoria, the rather tall woman with a wide smile on her face.
"Hi. I'm Victoria. I'm glad to finally met you." She couldn't contain herself from pulling me into yet another hug.
What the hell was up with these damn people?
"Oh my, Italian silk, very nice." She grinned when she pulled back saying, "Oh, my God, and the shoes! There is walk-heel-ton for charity next Saturday, you should join me."
She wants me to ruin my shoes for charity?
"Hi, Victoria." I smiled at her. "Everyone is so nice. Thank you for welcoming me into your home. You have no idea how nervous I've been."
I heard Bambam hold back a cough.
Victoria grabbed on to my free arm, while Mina just smiled, clearly finding no threat in me whatsoever. Just like the rest of them.
"Come, Jennie, we will make sure the rest of the family doesn't overwhelm you too much." Evelyn smiled, leading me to the manor. It was the exact opposite of my home, sadly. Manoban Manor was a modern day fortress. Beyond the cream marble floors that stretched for as far as the eye could see, the double grand stair cases framed with black iron, and the engraved wooden French doors, there was nothing but forty-six thousand square feet of illegal activity. There were no statues, barely any plants, and only modern paintings. Everything was simple, crisp, and clean.
I wanted to puke. For eighty-five million, I expected more.
"I'm sorry." I paused, her words only now catching up to me. "The rest of the family?"
"Lisa wanted to make sure you weren't overwhelmed by too many new faces at your wedding on Sunday. So she thought it would be best to have you meet everyone now." Mina smiled. They all smiled, as if they were talking about five or ten people.
But I knew the Manoban Clan considered between ninety to hundred people their family. My family line was mostly gone. I didn't deal with that many people anywhere, with the exception of my men.
Turning around, Lisa was grinning like a fucking cat with a ball of yarn, and I knew then that I should have killed her in my basement. She winked, and I was tempted to lose my cool, but I wouldn't give her the pleasure.
"If they are as welcoming I think, I can make it, but please don't leave me completely alone. I really wouldn't want to insult anyone."
Victoria smiled. Again with the fucking smiles. "Jen, you are family. We wouldn't throw you to the wolves without giving you a spear."
Please give me a fucking spear. I knew whose heart I wanted to throw it through.
Allowing them to pull me away farther down the boring halls and out a set of large French doors, which opened to a large grass lawn, now covered in white tents. At least a hundred people sat drinking, laughing, and stuffing their faces with food. Music roared from an old band staged by the trees, and when I said old, I meant old. With full-length white beards, they played their handcrafted instruments for the crowd.
For the love of God.
"Don't be nervous," Evelyn said. "You're young and beautiful. They already love you. And those who don't will have to because you are Lisa's."
I'm my fucking own, I wanted to yell at her. And I wasn't nervous. I was pissed. I wanted to play whack-a-mole with all these motherfuckers heads. But instead, I just smiled and walked outside.
"Everyone this is Jennie, Lisa's fiancée!" Victoria yelled at the top of her lungs.
They all stopped their dancing, singing, and drinking, as if they wanted the world to know it wasn't just a fucking stereotype, to stare at me. Then they raised their mugs and screamed:
"Cheers!"
I don't need this shit.
But I had a part to play so I grinned. "Sláinte!"
Everyone shouted with joy, and I was motherfucking-in with the Manoban clan. At least the drunk ones with dicks. The girls would be harder. I could already tell from their glares. Maybe I could tell them they were pretty and try not hold their faces underwater.
"Hi, Jennie!" A group of young kids ran up to me. If I didn't know better, I would have thought they were drunk as well.
Crouching down to them, I smiled. "Dia duit, mo pretties beag."
Their grins almost split their faces as they began to speak. Lisa must have followed me, because she was being congratulated by some other male drunks. She looked surprised that I knew their language. But she was a chauvinistic pig, who thought all I did was paint my toenails and shop. My father had me learn the moment the contract was formed.
As the children pulled me toward a corner of the massive garden, each dancing around me, I pretended not to notice the women glaring at me. I would speak with them later, but now I needed to make myself look like a fucking saint. I took my shoes off and danced along with the kids, singing their songs and even spinning some of them around. It made even me laugh. Don't get me wrong, I liked kids . . . kind of, sort of. I was just sure they were annoying as fuck if you spent too much time with them. But I needed them today, so I danced.
When I finally stopped, Victoria handed me glass of water. I wanted wine. My wine.
"They all love you." Victoria grinned. "A few men even cursed Lisa for finding you first."
Just smile and drink Jen.
"Oh, we are going to have a garden party for you tomorrow, for all us girls." Evelyn's eyes shined with joy. "Everyone is dying to meet you."
I would rather have everyone just dying.
"I can't wait," I said, but they didn't even notice I was lying.
Glancing around, I realized then that all the Manoban men were gone.
"Where is Lisa?" I was ready to break the glass in my hands.
Mina and Victoria frowned, but Evelyn held her strong demeanor. She turned her back to the guests to stand in front me.
"Jennie, do not worry. I know you are aware of what our men do. But believe that they are safe. They often use parties like this one to cover up something else. We try not to get involved and to know as little as possible. Lisa would never want to endanger your well-being." Evelyn's face became serious before relaxing into a carefree smile once again.
I nodded, trying my best to stay calm, but as my gaze landed on Hanbin and Chanyeol near the doors, looking scared for their lives, I knew that someone was going to die tonight.
"Excuse me."
Hanbin and Chanyeol stiffened, waiting until I was before them to speak.
"Flight 735 just exploded over the Atlantic ocean. Death toll is one hundred ninety-two. Eighty-seven of them Valero who were smuggling drugs in the seats," Hanbin said.
The glass shattered in my hand, but I didn't feel it. Even as the blood dripped from my fingers, I couldn't feel it. Walking calmly into the house, I moved straight to the foyer. I had gotten blue prints to this whole place years ago and noticed there was space left out. It didn't take genius to realize they were hiding something behind a fake wall, and that the rather larger Jackson Pollock hanging on the faux wall really had to be a door.
Bloody hand raised, I waited for Hanbin to hand me a gun.
"We are outnumbered, ma'am," he said instead, and I simply shifted my gaze to him. Today was not the fucking day.
Chanyeol handed me the semi-automatic he always had strapped to his leg.
"Hanbin, stay out here, I wouldn't want you to get hurt," I snapped before shooting right through the wall. Neither Chanyeol nor I stopped, not even when the painting, tattered and unrecognizable, crumbled to ground. The wall blew apart bit by fucking bit until the door bounced open.
When it released, I stepped in. There stood the rats, all drawn and panicked with the news playing in the background. My eyes met Nickhun's, who looked white as a sheet, then Bambam, who was trying his best to stop the bleeding in his arm. Next was Marco, who didn't seem surprised it was me. In fact, he was the only one wearing a bullet-proof jacket underneath his suit. If he hadn't been, the bullet hole in his tie would have killed him. The biggest rat of them all, who must have had a fucking guardian angel in her pocket because she was perfectly fine, was furious.
"Tell me it wasn't fucking you, and you still get to come to the motherfucking wedding sweetheart," I said still calm as ever, ready to start shooting again.
I should have worn the white heels.