𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘. nct

three

Ruby's eyes opened and she felt a sense of deja vu from a few hours ago. Her vision dizzy before it finally adjusted to normal lighting and she abruptly got up scaring the boy sitting beside her, who was playing on his phone.

"Fuck dude! Why you gotta wake up like you from all of us are dead or something?" The boy beside her said as he grabbed the phone that fell from his hand. Ruby held her head in pain as she turned to look at him.

"Don't you guys have painkillers? Fuck" She hissed as the throbbing pain in her head got worse. "From 1 to 10, how bad is it?" The boy said as he shoved his phone in his pocket. "13, I think my head's going to burst" She mumbled, the boy got up from his chair, walking over to the small intercom near the side of the bed she was sleeping on.

"Ayo, the hostage is having an aneurysm — help." He said in a monotonous voice as she couldn't help but break into a smile as she held her head. Finally someone of my humor level.

"So how are you enjoying your kidnapping experience?" He said as he sat back on his seat beside the bed. Ruby sat up straight, she analyzed the boy. He had messy brown hair and light tan skin that nearly glowed under the light of the room.

The boy put the hood of his grey jacket over his head as he shoved his hands in its pocket, waiting for her answer. "7/10" She shrugged, he quirked an eyebrow. "Really? One of the others said it was 6/10" He said as she laughed.

"Plus one for the hot leader." She admitted and the boy scoffed, "You find that guy hot?" He said rolling his eyes. "Yes, strong alpha male energy. Just really overall fucking hot and the side burns" Ruby said as she put up her hand to give a chef's kiss.

"You know this room has cameras right?" The boy said as Ruby's hand fell down and her eyes screw shut. "With audio?" She softly asked as she heard the boy hum. "You did this on purpose didn't you?" She opened her eyes, glaring at him. "What gave it away?" The boy smirked as she scowled.

The door opened and the leader walked in with a small yet amused smile. Ruby cursed the boy sitting beside her in her head. "Are you feeling alright?" The leader asked as Ruby gave a strained smile with a nod, her cheeks heating up a bit and the boy beside her noticed it.

"That's good to hear, I've asked one of the guys to give you food. Once you're done you can have the painkiller" The leader said before looking at the boy sitting next to her. "Take care of her, from now on you'll be her guard" The elder said as the boy beside her seemed to whine for a bit before nodding.

The leader turned on his heel ready to leave before a small voice called out for him. "Do you trust me?" Ruby asked as the leader turned around to look at her. "Trust you?" He repeated and she nodded.

"You're leaving me with only one person, no restraints, nothing. Why do you trust so much that I won't run away?" She said as the leader smiled. "A girl who asks her kidnappers to raise the ransom and is so willing to stay with a gang full of men needs to have a reason to do so. We won't try anything but usually people react cautiously. The fact that you didn't want to go back so quickly means something doesn't it?" He said before he left the room.

He read her like an open book.

"I don't know your name." Ruby stated as she finished swallowing the pain killer. "I'm in the mafia Ruby, I can't just give it to you like that" The boy beside her rolled his eyes as the words 'game over' flashed on his phone screen.

"At least a nickname, how do I call you if I'm in trouble" She whined as he dropped his phone on his lap. "I'm not your babysitter, I'm literally guarding you from running away" He said and Ruby gave him the puppy eyes, his expression turning into a disgusted one.