There. Not bad at all. Flipping off the light, she opened the door. The guys’ voices filtered up to her, their tones light. If any of them were stressed about Seok’s dad, they were doing a great job of hiding it.
Especially Seok.
The whole way home, he’d been the picture of calm, cool, and collected. He’d held her hand in the car and kissed her silly.
She hoped he really felt that way and wasn’t hiding how he truly felt from her. The last thing she wanted was for him to think he had to keep up a front.
But… she didn’t think he was. There was an aura—as ridiculous as that sounded—about him. It could have been resignation, but that implied a sort of sad acceptance, and he didn’t seem sad either.
Nora pulled on her dress and stared at herself in the mirror above the dresser. The light green set off her skin, and the clip she’d put above her ear had little seed pearls that gave her the right amount of fancy.
All in all, she cleaned up well.
The last thing to do was slide her feet into a pair of shoes and she was ready. Letting out a breath, she opened the door and went downstairs. Whatever happened tonight, she had the guys with her when she faced it. And she’d look good doing it.
Chapter 35
Seok
Nora came into the kitchen and his breath caught. It did. He made a sound, a gasping choke, and Tisse hit him on the back.
“You look beautiful.” Apollo swooped in, lifting her up to kiss her.
Beautiful didn’t touch Nora.
He hadn’t realized how long her hair had gotten, but she’d done something to it tonight so each curl was defined. He loved this length, he decided, and the way it showed off her neck and throat. If his friends didn’t surround him with the threat of his father knocking on the door any minute, he’d kiss his way from her jaw down to the place her neck met her shoulder.
“Do you need any help?” Her cheeks were rosy as Apollo set her back on her feet.
“You did enough,” Cai answered. He’d been about to bring food into the dining room, but stood, holding the dish and staring at Nora. Shaking his head slightly, he smiled. “Sorry, Apollo is right. You’re stunning.”
“The most beautiful girl in the world.” Matisse tugged her hand and spun her in a circle. Her dress winged up, revealing the tops of her thighs.
And now his pants were too tight.
“Nor—” The doorbell rang and all of them froze.
“I’ll get it.” She started toward the front of the house but Seok stopped her.
“Let me.” This was his show, and he planned on directing every minute.
As he walked toward the door, his friends and Nora moved around the kitchen, getting the last few dishes they had left.
Nora, Cai, and Matisse had moved the table from the kitchen into the dining room. They’d also stacked some colorful plates and bowls on the shelves so it looked lived in, and not mid-renovation. A couple of chairs hid spots on the walls that needed to be patched and the lower light hid the rest.
Unless someone knew what to look for, Nora and his friends had made the house showcase quality.
Of course, his father would have to care in order to notice things, and Seok had a feeling the only thing he’d mention would be the rundown house next door, and that the driveway could be paved.
At the door, he let out a breath, flicked his hair out of his face, and opened it. “Good evening.”
Seok took a moment to study his father and how much he had changed in the years since they’d seen each other. The man seemed smaller, grayer, but no less fierce. His dark eyes, so much like his own, were hard. This wasn’t a man who got lines on his face from smiling.
“Thank you for coming,” he answered formally, bowing slightly before opening the door wider. “Come in.”
His father didn’t drink, but Matisse had set up a side bar in the living room. Seok led him into the room and gestured to the sofa. “How was your trip?”
“Fine.” One word. That was all he was going to get.
Father sat as Seok went to get him a sparkling water. It was the same thing he always had. If he were at a cocktail party, he would hold a drink, but never sipped it.
Seok poured himself a gin and tonic with lime before turning around.
“Thank you.” He took the water and drained it.
“Can I get you something else?” Maybe he’d misread his father, and the man needed a drink as badly as he had.
But he only shook his head. He held the glass loosely in his hand, staring down at the floor. “Seok. What must I do for you to come home?”
No social niceties, just right into it. That wasn’t typical of Father. Usually he let things play out for a while. He certainly didn’t lay all his cards on the table.
But if he was changing things up, then Seok could do the same thing.
“This is my home. I’m staying here.”
His father’s face hardened. “That’s not what I asked. I asked what it would take. You have responsibilities and I have given you more time than I was ever given. What do you want? Your own home? More money? All of that is done. You have money in your bank account now, it has been sitting and accumulating the entire time you’ve been gone.”
The bank account he never touched. The trust money he'd given to Baek, and that had always been held over his head as both his birthright and proof he’d never be successful without it.
Except he was.
Footsteps fell in the hall and Nora came in, hands clasped behind her back. She smiled widely though as her gaze met his.
“Father,” he switched to English. “This is Nora Leslie. My fiancée.”
He shot up like he’d been electrified. “You can’t get married.” He didn’t bother with English, so Seok plowed forward.
“We’re getting married. Nora, this is my Father.”
“It’s nice to meet you Mr. Jheon. Welcome to our home.”
She spoke like a queen, and if he didn’t know her so well, he’d think she wasn’t flustered at all. But her hands gave her away. Still, she held out her hand to him, and after a brief pause that made Seok want to cause bodily harm to his father, he took it.
“Hello.” He went right back to Korean. “Seok. Enough. You wanted to rebel. You have. I allowed it. But this is too much.”
He clenched his teeth together and barely stopped himself from dragging his hand through his hair. Opening his mouth to speak, he was cut off from anything else by Matisse.
“Dinner is served. Mr. Jheon, it’s been too long.” Matisse spoke flawless Korean, but switched to English a moment later. “This way.” His smile was bland, but the entire exchange was a power play. Everything Father said would be understood by another person. It put him at a disadvantage and forced him to either be polite, or come right out with what he wanted to say.
“Nora?” Matisse held his hand out and Nora took it, allowing him to link their fingers. Father’s face went pale.
“What is this?” he choked out. “A joke? You think this is funny? Our reputation, everything we built, is on the line, and you think it’s funny to tell me you’re married and have your friend…” He trailed off.
“Father.” He took a breath and let it out slowly. “Join us for dinner. Meet my friends and let me tell you about my life. Please.” With everything inside him, Seok willed his father to understand—this was their last chance. His choice would dictate whether or not they were in each other’s lives.
“Please stay.” Nora smiled again. His father would be the world’s biggest fool not to see what she meant to him. And that if they ever wanted something close to a relationship, he would listen.
“No.”
He stared at Nora with something like disgust and Seok moved between them. “She’s going to be my wife, Father. Stay. One day, she’ll be the mother of my children. Your grandchildren.”
Father shook his head. “I won’t accept it.” His voice got louder. “She will not be your wife. This is not your family.
This is a joke.”
The volume drew his friends from wherever they’d been waiting. Ryan, Apollo, and Cai stood framed in the space between the living room and dining room.
“Seok has impacted this community in so many positive ways,” Cai said. Father spun, moving until they made a loose circle. Cai pointed to the picture on the mantle. “He has single-handedly saved some of the most historic structures in this area.”
“Not only this area,” Ryan said, “but he travels to other places and builds homes for people. He’s been recognized by non-profits for his volunteerism and philanthropy.”
“Philanthropy?” Crossing his arms, his father glared. He spoke in English, as if he wanted everyone to hear the insults he threw out. “With what money? Did you steal it? Like your brother?”
“No,” Apollo answered. “He gives away his time. His expertise. No one is more respected than your son in this state. Hell, in this part of the country. Let us show you some of what he’s done. The park named after him or the room at the youth center downtown. We have photos. We can even drive there after dinner—”
“Absolutely not.” Father turned hate-filled eyes on him. “What do you want? What will it take, Seok? Is she pregnant? Are you with these men? I will pay them. There is no limit. What do they want?”
A chill began at the back of his neck and reached around his chest until he became made of ice. “We want nothing. I want nothing from you. These are my best friends. When I had no one, they accepted me. Brought out parts of me that allowed me to look in the mirror without flinching. And Nora will be my wife. But ask them. Ask them what they want and see if you can buy them off like you do everyone else.” He stepped toward his father, and the man—rightly—backed up. “You can be damn sure, though, that no matter what they say, I’ll never be in your life after you leave tonight.”
Rather than answer, his father faced his friends. “Whatever you have going on here, it is not something that can last. Friends do not live together for their entire lives. And, Nora, I am sorry, but my son received an education that introduced him to important people—”
“Brownington.” Nora crossed her arms over her chest and glared. “And McGill. Seok met Matisse at McGill and got an engineering and historical preservation degree from Brownington College. He still met important people though. The most important people in his life.”
“Fifty thousand dollars to disappear,” Father ground out.
“Pass.”
“One hundred.”
“Polite decline.” Nora stepped toward him. “Offer me a million dollars. Hell—offer me enough money for me and every member of my family to have our grandchildren set for life, and I’ll still say no.” She dropped her arms and sighed. “Mr. Jheon, you’re about to make a mistake and you may never be able to take it back. Look at Seok. He is happy. Let him tell you about his life and consider—just for a minute—that what he’s doing is the best thing for him.”
Instead of answering, Father slowly turned his gaze to Matisse. “One million dollars to marry her.”
Next to them, Cai stepped forward. Seok recognized that face. It was probably on his and the rest of his friends. It was the enough of this shit face.
“Done. I’ll marry her.”
Father smiled, but he had no idea what was coming. “I will transfer—”
“I always planned on it, but I prefer to propose with much more flair and since this is maximum drama…” He dropped to one knee and took Nora’s hand.
Now his father’s face was so red, Seok feared he’d have a stroke.
“Marry me, chére?”
Nora’s cheeks were pink. “Not the right time.”
“Disagree. We were going to ask during dinner, but it’s always good to include family.”
Father spun away, jabbing his finger at Seok. “Your life is a joke. You are not my son. Do you understand? No matter what happens, I never want to see or hear from you again. I have never been so ashamed in my life.”
Giving his father his back, he went to Nora and slid an arm around her waist. “I hope one day you change your mind.”
“Never.”
He left without another word. Father had always contained his fury, but this time he let it loose, slamming the door so hard the windows rattled and the canvas tipped off the mantle.
“That went better than I expected,” Matisse murmured from where he still knelt.
Nora turned in his arms, touched his chin and stared up at him. “Seok…”
Her brown eyes studied him so closely. Before he could answer and assure her that Matisse was right and this was just making official what he’d already known, she hugged him.
All of the hurt and disappointment burned away the ice that had covered him, but it wasn’t painful. The fire cleansed him—left him raw, yes—but also free. None of the bullshit was left. Everything that remained was real—Nora, Ryan, Cai, Apollo, Matisse.
It had hurt to lose his family, but listening to his best friends have his back and Nora stake her claim on him, it was worth it. What he’d gotten in exchange was so much better.
Chapter 36
Nora
Nora listened to the steady rhythm of Seok’s heart. His arms were strong as he held her.
Next to her, Matisse groaned. “You can’t leave a man on his knees so long, chére.”
Long fingers gripped her left hand and slid something onto her ring finger, startling her. Stepping back, she stared down at the gold band inlaid with five different colored stones separated by diamonds. “What is this?”
It was perhaps the dumbest question she’d ever asked because she knew what it was.
Almost as if they’d planned it, each of them knelt.
“We were going to do this tonight,” Cai whispered, “after everything. Matisse designed the ring months ago, but we never talked about the when. Then Apollo and Seok proposed and we realized it was perfect.”
“No matter which way things went tonight, we wanted a good memory,” Ryan said.
“Riding our coattails.” Apollo laughed, elbowing the green-eyed man next to him.
“This is much better, isn’t it?” Matisse sat back on his heels. “Changes the entire night.”
Nora’s throat was thick, and she swallowed hard. Standing, Seok lifted her hand to kiss the ring. “Marry us, Nora. Make us a family.”
“You were always a family,” she whispered.
The five of them crowded around her, touching her, kissing her.
“We might have thought we were,” Seok replied, “but you were the one who made it real. And better than anything we could have imagined.”
“So will you?” Cai asked. “No matter how strange it looks—”
“We need you to help us do what’s right,” Ryan said.
“Make us brave,” Apollo added.
“Show us how to be honest with ourselves.” Matisse kissed her hand again.
“Keep us all together,” Seok whispered. He kissed her cheeks and knelt next to his friends. “Turn us into a family. Will you?”
Nora nodded, blinking through the tears that fell no matter how hard she willed them to stop. “I will.”
Chapter 37
Nora: Two Years Later
Cameras clicked and whirred all around her while people stuffed cell phones as close to her face as they could get. Ryan held her hand, guiding her up the steps to the courthouse while Cai, Seok, Apollo, and Matisse formed a tight, protective ring around her.
Today was the day, and it was strangely anticlimactic. It had taken the government two years to bring Dr. Murray’s case to trial, though he’d been tried and convicted a long time ago as far as the rest of the world was concerned.
Newsline had aired its episode with Nora’s interview, and that had been it. The final nail in the coffin. In the aftermath of the show, two other individuals from the Department of Defense had resigned. The protection Daniel Murray had expected had never materialized. In fact, the government distanced itself so quickly an
d thoroughly, they’d left trails of smoking rubber in the road.
Then things had died down. A trial the size of Daniel Murray’s took a long time to get together, and people—like Matisse had said—had short memories.
But she’d been foolish to hope that the trial wouldn’t garner much interest. She couldn’t have imagined the revelations of the last few weeks. Nils Gundersson and Gino Perretti had cut a deal and testified for the prosecution. Jessica Chase had lost her medical license and had pleaded guilty to something that amounted to minimal jail time.
The prosecution detailed—point by point—just how they’d broken down each of the subjects. Nora had cried when she’d read how long it had taken Reid to finally lose his mind. Of all the victims, he’d been in the study the longest. And while he’d fought, eventually it had become too much. He’d broken, lost all sense of himself, and committed an unthinkable crime.
But it all could have been avoided. Daniel Murray’s own words and studies had been used against him. If it hadn’t been for him, Reid wouldn’t have hurt anyone.
Nora touched the warm metal of her ring as they got inside the air-conditioned courthouse.
“Are you okay?” Ryan asked.
“Yes.” She didn’t need to be here today, but she wanted to be. She wanted to stand when the jury entered and listen to them pass judgment on Dr. Daniel Murray and the torture he’d inflicted on innocent people.
Was it overwhelming to walk a gauntlet of media? Sure. But it would be worth it. Murray had couched what he was doing as patriotism. He’d claimed what they learned could be used to save lives, but it was lies.
He wanted to fuck with peoples’ heads. He thought he could, that he was somehow above the law.
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