TWENTY

"Maybe this is why so many serial killers work in pairs.

It's nice not to feel alone in a world full of victims or enemies.

It just seems natural. You and me against the world . . ."

~ Chuck Palahniuk

JENNIE

I couldn't stop shaking, me, motherfucking, Jennie Kim, now fucking Manoban, the girl who did not blink when she sold her first ounce of coke at sixteen in a back alleyway. I was the girl who murdered a cartel member at seventeen because he stole a pound of weed from us. However, here I was, and I could not stop shaking. I did not shake. I did not bend. I did not fucking flinch at the sight of blood, drugs, or at the sound of a fucking bullet! Yet here I was, watching as one of Cascadia's doctors looked over Lisa, and I was bloody shaking! What the hell was wrong with me?

I was trying my best not to scream at the fool hovering over Lisa, who hadn't moved in nine hours. If it weren't for her chest rising and falling, I would have thought she was . . .

This stupid doctor had five seconds to give me an update or I was going to reach up and pull his tongue out of his ass!

"Mrs. Manoban—"

"You're wasting words," I hissed. "How is she?"

"She's fine. Luckily, the bullet wasn't lethal. In fact, I'm not sure exactly what it was. She has two bruised ribs, but they will heal. She is on medication for the pain, but other than that she is fine and should get back to moving around in a couple of days," he replied, stepping back when I moved to the edge of the bed.

Lisa looked so . . . peaceful. There wasn't a wrinkle or any discomfort in her face. I felt the urge to run my hands through her hair. Part of me wanted to lay with her. A big part of me wanted to lay with to her. It was like my mind knew that was the only way the shaking would stop. However, I couldn't. Instead, I turned around and walked out the door. Knowing she was okay, knowing she would be fine meant that I could do what I had been itching to do from the moment Hanbin came to me.

I stepped outside, allowing my eyes to roam the yard of men who were all waiting for the same update I had been. My gaze stopped at the fool's, and it was like the lion was out of the cage.

"Bambam!" I roared, causing every man in his right fucking mind to part like the fucking Red Sea as I walked to him. He didn't move, he didn't even look surprised, but in a moment, he was going to look like he was in a hell of a lot of pain.

But I couldn't get to him, though, Nickhun blocked my path and grabbed my arm.

Who did this motherfucking bitch think he was?

"Jennie—"

Before he could finish, I punched him straight in the throat, kicked his back legs so they buckled, and brought him to his knees. Grabbing his hair, I yanked it back and pressed my knife to his neck.

"I will end you Nickhun Manoban, if you ever stand in my way again." I pressed the blade even harder against his Adam's apple.

"You aren't thinking clearly—"

He didn't seem to get that I wasn't fucking joking. Pulling the knife from his neck, I stabbed his shoulder. His eyes widened as I backed away, allowing him to fall to his ass before letting out a roar of pain.

"Have you lost your fucking mind?" Bambam yelled at me, rushing toward Nickhun. However, I stood in front of him.

"Yes, because if I was fucking sane right now, if I was Jennie Kim instead of Manoban, I would have fucking killed him for stepping in my way! But I can't kill Lisa's cousin and her brother in the same day," I yelled, and he looked me over, unsure of what to do or even say. I would help him find his tongue.

"Did you shoot Lisa?" I knew the answer, but I wanted to hear him say it.

"Jennie—"

"Did you fucking shoot Lisa, Bambam?"

"Yes."

I felt a moment of peace before I found myself lunging at his neck. He saw it coming and grabbed hold of my arms and lifted me as if I was a fucking newborn.

"Jennie, it was an accident!" He yelled, but look at what long legs I have . . . only to strangle him with.

I wrapped them around his neck like a python, and squeezed until he had to let my arms go to grab hold of my legs. When he did, I flipped off him and kneed him in the crotch. He bent down and the stupid, tall, bear-like motherfucker gasped in pain.

"You, Bambam Manoban, are the accident!" My fist smashed into his face.

His head jerked, and I felt the pain in my hand, but I didn't stop. "You, Bambam Manoban, are scum. You do not deserve my respect." Another punch in the fucking nose.

"You do not deserve your last name."

At that, he grabbed my fist, stopping it before spitting the blood from his mouth and rising to his feet. He glared into my eyes, and his own were burning. "Watch yourself, sister, or you may get hurt."

He did his best to tower over me as if he was trying to say something with his size.

"What? Because you chew on steroids for breakfast I should be afraid of you?" I spun into him so quickly he didn't have time to comprehend what I was doing until it was too late. It was one of the few things I had learned from my failed attempts at dance lessons as a child. Let your partner lead. It was probably why I failed at it. I did the leading. However, it worked for Bambam, who was too big to stop me from spinning into him and grabbing his gun before spinning out.

With my left finger, I pulled the fucking trigger. Sadly, it wasn't a gun but a Taser. However, it worked, and eighty-thousand volts sent him straight to his ass, shaking like a fish out of water.

"A Taser? Really? What are you, a mall cop?"

I sighed, looking down at him. But the big bad wolf couldn't speak.

Bending on one knee, I leaned in so he could see my eyes. "If you ever cause harm to Lisa again I will cut you in half and stuff you inside a locker."

Standing back up, I turned to look over the rest of the men. Mine were all smiling, while the rest looked proud. I guess they didn't like their boss being shot either.

"He's fine, just needs rest. Continue on pretending like you are not trying to kill each other. I'll see you all later," I told them, and my eyes met Nickhun's. He was being held up by none other than Jungkook, who I was starting to dislike. Nickhun looked pale and in need of a drink. He would be fine. If not, well then boo fucking hoo.

"I'll send for the doctor," I said in a mocking tone, then walked past them and into the cabin.

The doctor looked at me, unsure of what to do or where to go.

"Hanbin will handle your payment after you look over Bambam and Nickhun," I told him, taking off my boots. My hand was sore, but I would deal with that later.

He must have noticed because he stepped forward, but I glared at him. There was only one doctor I trusted, and it wasn't him. Getting the message, he left quickly, leaving me alone with the gorgeous, sleeping asshole who was my wife. Once again, I found myself staring at her. She looked beautiful, and I gave in to my need, allowing my good hand to run through her hair. When she let out a small moan, I stopped. Even in her sleep she was a horn dog. She was definitely all right.

Smiling to myself like an idiot, I stripped down as I walked toward the bathroom, grabbing myself a bottle of brandy as I did.

Turning on the shower, I waited until the water was hot, which would take a moment. It was one of the downsides with camp. Drinking from the bottle, I allowed myself a second to stare in the mirror. Most people hated to look at themselves. They always found a flaw within the person they looked at.

However, I never had that problem. I knew I was attractive, and I knew I was smart. I wasn't looking hard enough, though, not until Lisa shoved a metaphorical mirror so close to my face that my nose was touching the glass. It was only then I truly saw that, in many ways, she was right. I was alone, and I was lonely. I had always accepted that, and I made sure never to think about it. It wasn't until we were in the forest that I actually understood. Losing Dong-suk hurt underneath everything, even when I saw that coming. Lisa though . . . that bullet, I didn't see it coming, and in a moment, she could have been gone.

No one to fight, laugh, or rule with. I frowned to myself, taking another sip of the brandy before placing it on the counter. It also meant no one to sleep next to and no one to talk to. I could speak to others. However, I could only talk to Lisa, because somehow she . . . I didn't know. I could just talk with her, and in a second, stupid fucking Bambam almost took her away. "Where is the brandy?"

I jumped at the sound of her voice. The mirror was so foggy I hadn't even noticed when she walked in.

Turning to her, my eyes went straight to the bandage that was wrapped over her shoulder and around her waist. When I did glance up, she was looking me over as if I was water and she was a man in the desert.

I hadn't realized until then that I was standing completely naked while she stood in pajama pants.

"Li—"

Her lips were on mine, before I could get the words out. My hand went to her hair, kissing her just as hard as she was kissing me. She tasted like honey, and I didn't want to let go of her. But I had to.

Breaking away, I took a deep breath, preparing to speak when her lips went to my neck.

"Lisa we need to—"

She gripped my nipple, and I felt a moan ripple out of my throat. When her tongue began to trail down from my neck toward my breasts, I began pulling on her hair.

"Jesus! Fuck, Lisa! Stop!" I yelled, and she froze, slowly ripping herself from me to look at me. In her eyes I saw confusion, frustration . . . and hurt.

Letting me go completely, she took a step back, shaking her head. "Sorry. I just came in search of the brandy."

She frowned, reaching around me, but I grabbed it first.

"You shouldn't mix alcohol and pain killers," I said quickly. She glared at me before spotting my hands. I wasn't sure why I only then noticed the dry blood that was still on them . . . Bambam's blood, maybe a little of Nickhun's as well.

Don't ask, Lisa.

"What the fuck happened to your hand?"

Damn it, just listen to me once.

"Bambam was the one who shot you," I replied, waiting to see how she would react, but she didn't look surprised.

"That doesn't explain your hand."

"I said your idiot brother shot you, and all you care about is my hand?" She should be out there kicking her brother's ass.

"Yes, because you're my wife." She sighed. "I will deal with Bambam when I'm not on drugs."

Turning away from her, I took off my ring to wash my hands. "I handled it."

"You killed Bambam?" she whispered, stepping up right behind me. Warmth radiated off her like waves. I felt myself leaning into her, closing my eyes, and relaxing as I rested my head on her shoulder. That is, until I remembered she had a bullet wound and stood straighter.

"No, I didn't." I should have. "I tasered him after beating into his face and stabbing Nickhun."

I prepared myself for her bitching, but when I turned to her, she was smiling. She must have been on some really good drugs.

"Let me get this straight. You stabbed Nickhun. And attacked and tasered Bambam while I was out?" she asked, and I nodded. She was going to find out anyway.

"You show affection in the oddest ways," she said, kissing my forehead and grabbing the brandy.

But once again, I took it from her, placing it on the counter again. "Not with pills."

"You've got to be kidding me! Give me the bottle, Jennie." She groaned, reaching for it.

But I poked her wound, causing her to hiss and flinch back. "No, means no, Lisa."

"This is the worst thing you've ever done to me." She frowned like a six-year-old kid.

"I shot you, stabbed your brother, tasered your cousin, and almost cracked open your ex-girlfriend's skull—"

"My ex-girlfriend?"

"Shit. I didn't mean to say that." I bit my lip. "Nancy and I met in the bathroom at church. She said some things, and I put her head through the glass. So, no, withholding brandy isn't the worst thing I've ever done to you."

Once again, her lips found mine, but only for a second before she broke away.

"In my eyes it is," she whispered. "I have two pleasures in this world. One is you, Jennie Manoban, and the second brandy. Withholding them both is just plain cruel and borderline inhumane."

And just like that, something clicked in my mind. Here I was standing naked in front of her, not only in body, but with my "sins" as well, and she didn't care. She saw the deepest and dirtiest parts of my soul and mind but didn't care. In fact, she wanted to stay in the darkness with me. Just her, me, and the fucking brandy.

"They're both just temporary holds. You can have them once you're feeling better," I whispered back, kissing her lips softly before pulling away.

Her eyes widened as my words set in. Grabbing hold of my waist, she pulled me closer to her. Bringing her lips to my ear, her hard-on pressed against my stomach.

"I won't feel better if I don't have you now," she replied, biting my neck and making me want her even more.

I moaned, rubbing against her. "Lisa, you're hurt."

Pulling me away from the sink, she pushed me against the bathroom door. "Jen, I plan on fucking your brains out." She pulled the drawstring on her pants. Her dick was pointed right at me, and I closed my legs trying to think clearly.

"You want me to fuck you against this door." She whispered staring into my eyes. She held me prisoner with almost no effort at all.

Think Jennie.

"I want to hear you scream my name." She rubbed against me as she spoke. "You want me inside of you. I can feel it," she added, licking up my neck while using her good arm to grab my ass.

"You're going to be so sore in the morning," I choked out as she sucked away. The warmth of the steam along with her body made me feel like I was on fire. I couldn't even think. All I could do was feel her, and she felt amazing.

"If I do my job, you will be, too." She smirked. "So just stop fighting this once and let me have you, wife."

I couldn't speak because she didn't wait for a reply. Instead, she plunged so deeply into me that my head went back. Moaning, I grabbed her neck, wrapping my legs around her waist as held me against the door, going deeper and deeper with each thrust.

"I'll take that as a yes." She moaned, pulling out once more only to slam back within me. "I've wanted to fuck you against the door for a long time." She smiled at me while she rammed into me over and over again.

I couldn't even make a sentence. I couldn't speak. I could barely see because my eyes rolled back.

"I wanted it to be hard," she added, pulling my hands from her neck and holding them above my head.

"I wanted it to be rough," she said, and it was like she let the animal out of the cage as she thrust into my body repeatedly, giving me no time to think or even move. All I could do was accept and moan like a bitch . . . her bitch.

She let go of my hands to grab my waist, and I let out a scream of pure pleasure as I came against the force of her cock. She didn't let up, fucking me harder and harder until she thrust so deeply my voice cracked as she came. When she let go of me, I felt my legs release her. But I was too weak to stand and slid to the floor. I took in the warm air greedily but when I looked up, all I saw was her erection.

How is that humanly possible? I thought as I stared at her in shock. She had stamina like I had never seen. Looking down at me, she stroked herself, which in return only made me want her again.

LISA

Sitting up, I grabbed the bottle of pain meds, taking two with a glass of water and not brandy like I should have. Jen could have her way for now. Looking down at the sleeping beauty beside me, I waited for the guilt to kick in. However, it was nowhere to be found. I had tricked her, and I didn't fucking regret it because I now had what I wanted. I had her. I felt it, the shift in her, as we had our way with one another. We went from the bathroom, to the shower, to the bed, where she helped me redress my wound before we fucked again. My shoulder, like she had said, hurt like a bitch, but it was worth it because I had her. I did what I needed to do to get my wife, and there was no fucking taking it back.

She knew now. She knew I was hers and she was mine, and now we could move the fuck forward. It felt like the longest war but it was over now, and we were both victors. One day, when we were about to die of old age, I would tell her. But for now, I would shut this away and never speak of it again. All I had to do was make sure my brother and cousin kept their mouths shut. If they didn't, I would kill them . . . and I meant it.

Trying my best to ignore the pain, I lifted myself from the bed, grabbing a pair of jeans and a jacket. I had thought I was quiet, however Jen sat up, rubbing her eyes as she tried to focus on me. Fuck, she was beautiful.

"Where are you going?" She yawned, and it was cute.

"I'm going to have some words with my brother." I grinned. Walking over to her side, I kissed her cheek, and she accepted it without a glare or flinch.

The pain was worth it.

"Come back to bed. We can kill him when the sun is up." She smiled, pulling on my jacket, and I was tempted, but I needed to make sure this didn't blow up in my face. I didn't want to lose her.

"I will be right back." I kissed her lips. I couldn't stop kissing her. "I'm not going to kill him. My mother is fond of him. However, I will express how I feel in other ways."

She rolled her eyes at me before falling back on the bed. "Fine, but if you change your mind, Cascadia is the best place to hide a body. So much forest, and so few witnesses."

God, I loved her.

"I'll keep that in mind." I laughed, walking out the door. The moment I did, I was hit with fresh air. I had to give it to her; the camp location was beautifully hidden in the midst of the forest. It was large enough to fit all our men, with ten or eleven houses and one dining hall at the far end.

Seeing me, Jungkook limped over. The poor fuck.

"Bambam and Nickhun are in the dining hall," he stated. Nodding, I walked slower so he could walk beside me.

"How is your leg?" I asked, trying my best not to smirk. Jennie and her handiwork.

"Doctor said it will be like this for another four or five months. I think your wife hates me, Ma'am."

I couldn't help it. I laughed even though the pain ached in my chest.

"Don't take it personally. She hates everyone equally. At least she didn't stab you."

"The men were thinking of starting an injured by BJ club," he said, and I stopped.

"BJ?" What the fuck were they calling my wife?

"Bloody Jennie," he answered quickly.

It fit. The moment she found out, though, they were all going to prove that name right. Shaking my head at him, I continued forward.

"None of you call me anything do you?" If they did, I would kill them myself.

Jungkook tensed, and I didn't even bother pushing. When I stepped into the dining hall, everyone shut up immediately. My eyes narrowed in on Nickhun, who was hunched over a bowl of food and looking a little pale. Next to him was Bambam, who appeared to be in much better shape, even with a broken nose, a black eye, a spilt lip, and what looked to be a choke hold bruise on his neck. He would live.

"Don't you just love my wife?" I asked them loudly, causing the men to either laugh or grin like fools.

Antonio stood up with a mug filled with what had to be alcohol. "Lunga vita alla Regina!"

"Fada beo an Banríon!" My men yelled back.

Long live the queen, indeed.

They had been here, what, two days? Maybe three if I'd slept for as long as I thought, yet here they were, drinking and laughing at one another.

Grinning along with them, I nodded over at Bambam and Nickhun who were both glaring at me. Rising, they followed as I walked from the dining hall to the shade of the trees. Nickhun moved slower than usual, as did Bambam.

"So how are you?" I asked them, trying not to laugh.

Nickhun stepped forward, nose flared and eyes wide. He was pissed.

"You fucking two-bit asshole of a dick! You are fucked in the head. Your wife stabbed me! She fucking stabbed me, Lisa! Have you ever been stabbed? This bitch"—he pointed to Bambam—"was the one who fucking shot you, and he only gets tasered! All I did was try to calm her down. What kind of bullshit is that?"

I laughed. I couldn't help it. Even though it hurt like a son of a bitch all I could do was laugh. It was so fucking funny. I hadn't ever laughed like this before my Jen came along.

"Why did you even try in the first place? She shot me in the thigh when she was calm. I'm surprised she didn't do more."

Nickhun shook his head, and I could see the rage building in his eyes. "I fucking hate you all!"

With that he walked away. Slowly, the big baby.

Bambam stood still, not saying a thing and waiting for me to live up to my side of the deal. Part of me had hoped he would fail so I could hate him, but it was time to move forward. He did what I asked. Sighing, I reached out for his hand.

"There will be times where I'm still going to be an asshole to you," I said when he took my hand. "However, I promise to move forward, brother. I will not hold the past against you any longer. I will no longer hate you for it. I still dislike your wife, but I don't hate you."

"Can you just do that? Can you let go of the hate?"

"Automatically, no. However, you're the reason why my wife and I had mind-blowing sex last night and will continue to. That's enough to make me at least want to have a beer with you. After now, we never speak of this moment again, and let Nickhun know." I had told him the truth, and he looked . . . lighter, like someone had taken the world off his shoulders for once.

"Thank you, Lisa."

"Well, the first few beers are on you. That shit hurt!" I winced and grabbed my chest before walking away.

Walking back to our cabin, I found myself feeling lighter as well. Things in my personal life were finally making sense. All I had to do was kill Vance, Saige, Amory, the police, and then take over the rest of the country, plus Europe. All of which was possible thanks to my wife. Thanks to my Jen.

As if she could read my mind, the moment I walked in I found my beautiful wife dressed in my shirt, sitting on our bed with files and a laptop around her.

"The life of a mafia couple." I smirked, taking off my jacket slowly while trying not to wince at the pain.

"It's a bloody but necessary one," she said, handing me a file as I lay back down.

"They are calling you Bloody Jennie now." I smirked at her, flipping through what looked to be more coded letters from Saige.

She stopped and frowned. "That doesn't strike enough fear into the hearts of men and woman everywhere."

"Oh, it does. They fear and respect you. Maybe more than me." I pouted, and she smiled, bending down to kiss my lips.

"You could blow up the police commissioner's house for trying to break into our downtown factory."

She smiled, causing me to rise up quickly. Maybe a little bit too quickly but I ignored the pain.

"What the fuck?" I shouted, searching for the file she was talking about, but she simply handed me the laptop.

"That is our meth lab in Orland Park, isn't it?" she asked, even though we both knew it was.

"How the fuck did he get in there?" I snapped, watching as the idiot and his men broke into the factory. So much for personal rights.

Jen picked up Saige's coded letters. "Apparently Vance is tipping them off as a way to keep us distracted."

Taking the letters, I raked through them quickly.

"This could be a trap. Saige could be writing these as bullets for us to pick up and shoot ourselves with." I didn't know this Saige well enough yet. But from what I did know, she was a snake in the grass and someone needed to cut off her head before she fed and grew.

"I thought the same thing and had Hanbin contact Ryan after we first got off the jet. Apparently, Saige forgets things constantly and needs to write everything down. Amory has her computer coded weekly so no one can hack in. Ryan is a big help with that. But I'm not ruling out anything yet. Right now we do still have a police rat outside our door," she replied looking at the computer screen.

"Nickhun put a bomb under his house," I said, reminding myself. Jen flipped the channel to the small and modest family home in the Chicago suburbs. He must have kept it even after he lost his family. It was kind of sad.

She handed me a cell phone, and I smiled. Pressing send and watching the house go up in flames was like watching fireworks during New Years. Now it wasn't so sad anymore.

Flipping back to the factory, I dialed the site number and pressed send once more for the heck of it, and Jen turned to me wide-eyed.

"What the fuck did you just do?" she gasped, staring at the screen.

"Too many people knew about the place. We were having meth-heads show up at the door. I had everything moved from there a month ago." The commissioner would have found nothing anyway.

Jen smiled, but in a flash it was out as we spotted the commissioner's stupid, Smokey the Bear sidekick helping his boss out.

"Some rats just don't know when to die."

Kissing her neck, I pulled her toward me. "In due time, love. In due time. We will make them all suffer."

"And then we kill them?"

I grinned. "Then we will kill them. One by one, until all that's left are bloodstains."

As she relaxed into me, we watched the police officers who weren't so lucky get burned alive. I counted six running around like chickens with their heads cut off. However, I wasn't sure if there were any still inside the burning building.

"He's going to try to pin this on us." Jen smirked, drinking my brandy.

"I hope he does. Now I have a reason to go annoy Judge Randal." What's the point of having a judge on the payroll if you never get to use him?

"And Senator Myoi," she added and looked to me. "You know, I've never killed someone in pajamas before."

"Neither have I. May we always remember our first," I replied, taking her lips with mine. This was how it should have been from the start. She and I setting the world on fire together.