Beautifully Cruel

Chapter 14

JENNIE

One week later, my bruising has faded, I'm back at work, and life has returned to normal.

I haven't heard from Taehyung. I don't know if I ever will again or not, but the memory of that kiss we shared in my bedroom is branded onto my mind.

So are the last words he spoke to me.

It's Sunday night, and my shift at Buddy's is over. I'm in no hurry to get home, however, because Bambam and Lisa have been having so much raucous sex over the past week, my ears are bleeding.

I feel guilty for thinking it, but I'll be glad when they break up again.

Smiling, I head into the back. Jungkook's at the grill in the kitchen. He lifts his chin at me as I pass, but doesn't say anything.

We haven't spoken much since I started back at work. He's kept his distance, which I'm grateful for. After that hug he gave me, along with the threat against Taehyung, I'm still uncomfortable around him. I think he must sense it, because his usual playfulness is gone.

When I turn around, Jungkook is lounging against the door frame, looking at the floor.

His voice muted, he says, "I owe you an apology."

He sighs and pushes off the door frame. "Yeah. It was bad timing. And bad manners, too. Me being a macho dick was, like, the last thing you needed to deal with. I'm really sorry."

I'm touched. He's being very sweet, and I can tell he's sincere. He looks like a little boy who got yelled at for stealing a cookie.

"Apology accepted," I say warmly. "And now let's never talk about it again."

He examines my face for a moment, then breaks into a genuine smile. "Deal."

There's a moment of awkward silence before he asks, "You headed home?"

I nod. "Yes, but not to bed, unfortunately. I've got a paper due tomorrow that I totally spaced on."

He furrows his brow. "Well, that's not right. We have to celebrate your recovery. Why don't we get dinner? Make it a special night."

******

I ride with Lisa and Bambam to the restaurant. When we arrive, we find Jungkook, Rosé, and her husband, Jimin, waiting for us in the bar. I take one look at Jungkook and my heart sinks.

He's wearing a suit. A nice black suit and black loafers polished to such a shine they could blind me.

That isn't a "we're just friends" suit.

From that inauspicious beginning, things go straight downhill.

Bambam gets drunk on overpriced tequila and flirts outrageously with the simpering teenage waitress. Lisa's mouth gets more and more pinched, until it resembles a prune. Jimin barely speaks, preferring instead to chug one beer after another while glaring daggers at Bambam, while Rosé chatters to fill the awkward silence.

After a while and a few more bottles of alcohol later, the waiter comes back only to inform us that our bill was already payed by the owner of the restaurant.

Rosé looks confused. "That's weird. Why would the owner pay for our dinner? Are they running a contest?"

Jimin grabs her upper arm and pulls her closer to him. He glances around suspiciously, like he's expecting armed gunmen to leap out from under nearby tables. "We're leaving. Now."

"Okay, honey, take it easy! What's gotten into you?"

"Kim Taehyung just bought us dinner is what's gotten into me," he snaps.

My heart freezes to a stone inside my chest.

"Who?"

Rosé doesn't know who Jimin's talking about, but apparently Jungkook does, because all the blood drains from his face. He stares at me in horror.

Jungkook stands and quickly scans the restaurant and dance floor. "That explains a lot." He grabs my wrist and pulls me to my feet. "Get your purse. We're outta here."

Jungkook knows who Taehyung is. Chills run down my spine.

I don't know why, but we're not going out the front...we're headed to the kitchen.

He shoves open one of the doors and pulls me inside.

It's barely-controlled chaos. No one spares us a glance.

"Jungkook, slow down! Why are we leaving through here?"

"So the bouncers at the front door won't stop us on the way out."

"Why would they stop us?"

Ignoring me, he tugs harder on my hand and jerks his chin in greeting at a young Latino chef standing behind a steaming six-burner stove. Jungkook says something to him in urgent Spanish. The chef nods and tilts his head to the right.

We turn in that direction. I assume it's an exit, but before we go ten more steps, we skid to a stop.

Because six huge men in black suits are filing through the door we were headed to.

They flank out to stand in formation, three on each side of the door, with their hands clasped at their waists and their legs spread. Bulges in various places under their suits hint at an arsenal of concealed weapons.

Unsmiling, they stare at us.

The noise and frenzied activities of the kitchen fades instantly to breathless stillness and silence.

Until Taehyung strolls through the door.

He stops and folds his arms over his broad chest. He looks at Jungkook. He looks at me.

Eyes burning, he says softly, "Good evening."

Then every cook, bus boy, and waitress in the kitchen turns around and runs out.