Royal Blood

by Victoria Renteria

  “You wish.” Nari laughs, giving me a little shove toward the door.

  “I really hate you sometimes,” I grumble.

  Rolling my shoulders back, I steel my spine and prepare to greet the horrible person that is my aunt. Pulling the door open, I peer out into none other than World War III. Alex’s tall form blocks the door to the office with a furious Inna in his face, howling how he needs to move and let her pass.

  “You will move. I need to speak with my niece.” Inna’s face strains with irritation.

  “Not happening, lady.” Alex’s bored tone brings a smile to my face.

  “You will move or I will have you moved.” The icy threat in her tone raises the hair on the back of my neck.

  Alex snorts a laugh of disbelief. “You can try.”

  Inna lets out a frustrated screech, stomping her feet on the floor. Alex takes up the doorway, making it impossible to leave the room. Snaking my arms around his waist, I give him a little squeeze, placing a kiss in the middle of his back. Glancing over his shoulder, he eyes me cautiously. Winking, I nod in Inna’s direction and he steps out of the way.

  “It’s about time,” Inna snaps.

  “To what do I owe this unpleasant visit, Inna?” I ask with all of the boredom I feel.

  “You know you should really train your help better. They should know family is always to be shown in.” She narrows her eyes, focusing her gaze on Alex.

  Taking a threatening step forward, my voice drops dangerously low as I say, “Alex is my fiancé, not the help. And if family ever shows up, I’ll be sure to have them shown right in.”

  “Why you little . . .” Her words are cut off as Taejo touches her arm. Scowling, she turns her heated glare on him. With a slight shake of his head, he ends whatever it is she was about to say.

  My uncle approaches me and engulfs me in a bear hug. Pulling me close, he whispers into my ear, “There is still strife between you and Devereux. Was I not clear you were to fix it?” He retreats, peering deeply into my eyes.

  “I’m not sure it can be fixed, Uncle.” My voice wavers, the broken whisper spoken so only the two of us can hear it.

  “You can, gongjunim. But to mend the rift you must first have faith.”

  The strength in his words strikes a chord deep inside of my soul, one that I’m not sure I will ever be able to access. The vacant spot in my chest where my heart used to beat writhes with emptiness as I stare into his fathomless eyes.

  “Then I’m afraid you have given me an impossible task. Because all the faith I ever possessed shriveled and died the day my child was ripped from my womb.”

  Taejo inhales a sharp breath and places a kiss on my forehead. Bending down, he meets my eyes one final time. “Not an impossible task, gongjunim, just one you are not ready for.” His eyes peer over my head into the distance as he straightens and says, “And who do we have here?”

  Moving to the side, I catch a glimpse of Nari carefully observing the scene. Smiling, I motion for her to join me. Nari glides into the room under the watchful eyes of Inna and Taejo. As she reaches me, I take her hand and pull her closer.

  “I’m sure you’ve all heard by now of Madame Lin’s unfortunate demise.” I tsk, the sound fake even to my own ears. Alex chokes, grunting something unintelligible from across the room. Shooting him daggers, he glares back at me.

  “That is why we are here.” Inna forces my attention on her.

  Flashing a cold smile at her, I reply, “Really? You came all the way here for nothing?”

  Inna stiffens, her back as straight as an arrow. “Well, someone has to make sure this business is being run properly.” Inna raises her nose in the air, sniffing indignantly.

  Of all the nerve . . . Who in the fuck does this woman think she is? The red haze from earlier slowly seeps into the edges of my vision. Thick, black tendrils of rage slink their way through my veins, filling me with the desire to fight, to go for the jugular and take what’s mine, never backing down until a river of blood bathes the floor. The sultry tenor of my mother’s calm voice carves a path through the haze, reaching me inside my bubble of fury. Bits and pieces of the advice she gave me on her deathbed slowly begin to bring me down from the cloud of rage.

  Her words echo like a mantra inside my head. Ttal, a Sun-ye does not act in anger. She makes informed decisions, every action being made with a specific goal in mind. And what is our specific goal, Ttal? Power. The person who truly wields power will want for nothing. Blinking away the haze, I smile politely at Inna. It’s time to take away her power.

  “Aw, Auntie Inna,” I tsk, bringing her attention back to me. She eyes my smile suspiciously. “It’s so nice of you to have come all this way to check up on me.”

  Covering my heart with my hand, I give it a little pat. Taejo’s snort quickly turns into a cough when Inna’s angry brown eyes find his amused expression. Forcing her hostile gaze back to mine, I smile, turning up the charm.

  “Here, let me put your mind at ease, Auntie.” The devilish gleam in my eye brightens when I clasp Nari’s hand, dragging her front and center. Nari stands tall and proud, not flinching under Inna’s harsh examination.

  “This is Nari Kim. She is the new Madame of the Sun-ye Tenpro house.” Inna’s jaw drops as she takes in Nari’s appearance. Her skimpy white negligee barely covers her round breasts and pert bottom as she poses for all to see.

  “Y-You can’t be serious,” Inna gasps, her face crumbles in horror as she flails her arm up and down Nari’s body.

  “On the contrary, I am very serious.”

  Inna’s arm falls to her side, her temper flaring with her words. “A whore is not fit to run the Sun-ye house. This is the perfect example as to why Sang-Hyun should be here and not you.”

  Stretching my arms out to the side, I let out a roar of laughter. “Yet here I am, running the most lucrative empire in Seoul.” Letting my arms fall to my sides, I step forward, my voice taking on a dangerous lilt. “And if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were a little jealous.”

  Inna scoffs, turning her nose up at me in disdain. “In your wildest dreams. Why on earth would I be jealous of a half-breed like you?”

  “Only time will reveal that little secret,” I say in challenge.

  Inna remains silent, her body vibrating with fury.

  Raising an eyebrow at her standoffish manner, I smirk, leaning closer and whispering, “Don’t you worry your pretty little head, Inna. I’m not going anywhere.” Her face pinches, her eyes bulging in her maddened state.

  “Taejo! We’re leaving,” she screams.

  Spinning, she stomps toward the elevator in a huff. Confused as to why he isn’t trailing behind her, I glance around, looking for my uncle. In a secluded corner of the sitting room, Nari and Taejo are speaking in hushed tones, oblivious to everyone around them.

  “Taejo!” My aunt’s deafening cry echoes through the penthouse.

  Taejo’s lips pull into a thin line as he scowls at Inna. Nari whispers something to him quietly. Taejo stares at her for a long moment before giving her a curt nod. Giving him one in return, she exits the room with my uncle’s eyes following her every move. Once she’s out of sight, he strolls toward me, halting to place a kiss on top of my head.

  “I will see you soon, gongjunim,” he says, striding to the elevator.

  Taking my aunt forcibly by the elbow, he pulls her out of the penthouse, leaving me to wonder what in the hell just happened. And why does he insist on calling me princess?

  DRAWING IN A BREATH, I release it calmly. Don’t throttle him to death. Don’t throttle him to death. I repeat, do not throttle him to death. The mantra cycles through my head on a continuous loop. Taking an intimidating step forward, I enter the inconsequential man’s personal space, observing his skittish habits.

  His eyes stray left then right before settling on my chest when he realizes he has nowhere left to run. Finally, slipping his hands into his pockets, he sways, dancing from side to side with nervous energy. My jaw tic
ks, pulsing with the incessant throb of irritation. I really need to get this over with. If I have to stand here and endure this asshole dancing around like a circus monkey on crack another minute, I might break his fucking legs. Forcing a sense of calm I don’t feel, I continue to question the dastardly man.

  “And you’re positive there has been no sign of him?” Peering up at me with frightened eyes, the man shakes his head vigorously.

  “None what so ever?” He shakes his head no again.

  “No unexpected visit to check on his business? Nothing?” Narrowing my eyes, I study his facial expressions and body language.

  Swallowing loudly, his Adam’s apple bobs up and down a few times before he replies, “N-No, sir. S-Sang-Hyun has not been here all week.”

  “Not even a phone call?” I ask skeptically.

  “N-No,” he stutters nervously.

  Bending my knees, I crouch, getting into the man’s face. The overwhelming smell of kimchee permeates the air as his putrid breath fills my nostrils. My stomach churns violently, forcing me to breathe through my mouth. Pushing down the sick feeling, I edge closer.

  “You had better be telling the truth. Because if I find out you are lying and I have to come back here, your death will be a slow and torturous one. Do you understand?”

  “Y-Yes, sir. I-I understand. I-I’m telling the t-truth.” The man trembles uncontrollably.

  “Fine, but the moment he surfaces, you come find me.”

  Straightening, I retrieve the card, pushing it into his shaky palm. His alarmed eyes widen as he looks at first the card then me then back to the card again. I guess the name Devereux traveled fast around these parts now that its tied with Sun-ye. Bowing, he nods and disappears into the back room. Alone in the storefront, my thoughts come crashing through the carefully crafted barrier I had erected to hold them at bay. Another fucking dead end.

  How in the hell is it possible for one man to become a ghost in a matter of days? My jaw clenches, working from side to side. I’ve got to get out of here before I lose it. The overwhelming desire to throw my hands in the air and shout “Fuck it” pelts me as I storm out of the building. Three businesses, three dead ends. No one has seen or heard from him since before the meeting.

  “Where are you?” I grumble, sliding into the front seat of my SUV.

  Someone has to be helping you. The question is, who? What are you after? And why? What do you have to gain? The never-ending sea of questions marches through my frontal lobe, building on my frustration until it explodes.

  “F-u-u-c-c-k-k.” My loud theatrical groan is quickly followed up with a whack of my head against the steering wheel.

  Every question flees as the direction of my thoughts change with each resounding thud. No leads, no resources, no anything. Lifting my head, I give it another hard whack against the steering wheel. All of the confidence I’ve carried around with me from the moment I laid eyes on Kylee slowly fades, my shoulders sagging with the realization that I’ve finally reached the tipping point in this investigation. Something has to give. I can’t carry on like this anymore.

  How am I supposed to protect her when I’m running in circles all the time? I’ve traveled a long and lonely road over the years, and the moment I find my spark, the light that makes it all worth living . . . I fail. I’d tear the whole world down to protect her, give my last breath to ensure she lives because her life has only just begun. Because without her, there’s nothing. She is home. My insecurity tears at me, ripping me to pieces from the inside out. The inexplicable pain in my chest builds as fear clogs my throat, constricting my airway.

  Jerking my head back, I gasp, forcibly expelling the breath from my lungs. Black spots slither along the edges of my vision, unfurling in every direction, threatening the unthinkable as I fight for control. My chest billows, rising and falling with the strain from each forced breath. The vise grip around my heart tightens, the walls closing in as war rages between the two halves of my disheartened soul. Failure. The softly spoken word whispers through the deep recesses of my psyche.

  Blood roars, rushing to my ears as the erratic thump in my head worsens. Every insecurity over protecting my goddess and seeing this thing through to the end arises, nailing me right in the chest. Self-doubt and rage clash, coming to a head in a wicked explosion of blood and violence, painting the inside of my head with angry, uncertain thoughts, burying me in an avalanche of darkness. Panting, I suck in a greedy breath, fighting back the staggering need to scream. My fingers tighten around the steering wheel, clinging to it as if my life depends on it.

  A slow ache spreads, starting with my fingers, slinking down my hands as blood drains, leaving the extremities. The dull pain in my hands breaks the trance, forcing me out of my head. What in the fuck are you doing, Grant? Releasing the steering wheel, I shake my hands out, wincing at the tingling pain rushing through them.

  “That’s what you get for being a dumbass,” I grumble under my breath.

  Fuck! How much time did I seriously waste wallowing? What in the hell is happening to me? Well, fuck that. Enough is enough. The beast inside of me rises, shoving my petty insecurities aside.

  I’ve been in tougher spots than this. Playtime is over; I will no longer sit here wasting time, wasting breath, and allowing them to win. Failure, no. I’m not a failure; I’ve just been thrown off my game, but that changes now.

  I will reduce this city to ashes before I let this go. A dangerous smile ghosts across my lips. I’m coming for you Sang-Hyun . . . I’m coming for you. The tenor of my thoughts are cut off with the shrill ring of my cellphone.

  “Devereux,” I bark, not bothering to look at the number.

  “I hope you have something good to report, son,” the Colonel’s deep voice booms over the line.

  “You have some damn nerve calling me after all this time. What, you have another tip? Need to throw me into another volatile situation to try and get my ass shot? You know, if you didn’t want me to be with your daughter, you could have just said something.”

  The deep seething anger I’ve felt over the last few days comes spewing out with each accusation.

  The Colonel waits a beat before he responds in his irritatingly calm manner. “I’m going to chalk your lack of respect and attitude up to stress. From the pissy attitude you’ve got going, I’d say things aren’t going quite as planned. So instead of bitching about it like a little girl, why don’t you tell me what in the hell is going on.”

  Taking a deep breath, I try hard not to be irritated with the Colonel. In the back of my mind, the rational part of me knows that there is more to the situation than I know. Like any mission, you’re only given the details they think you need. Before I can respond, the Colonel interrupts my deep-seated thoughts, bringing me back to Earth.

  “Are we gonna sit here in tense silence all night or are you going to talk? Don’t make me come find you, boy. You won’t like what happens when I do.” The Colonel’s threat brings back my irritation with a vengeance.

  “How about we start with why you didn’t tell me there was another operative in the field?”

  “Because it wasn’t necessary information at the time, Alex. You know how these things work.” The Colonel releases a strenuous breath.

  “I get that. I really do. What I don’t understand is when you found out that our paths would cross why you didn’t tell me. Because you and I both know you knew way before Jack or I did that Black was going to be contacting the General.”

  “It’s complicated, Alex.”

  “I don’t doubt that it is. But I’m over here chasing down dead ends when I have a valuable resource that I could be leveraging. On top of that, I had no idea if the guy was telling me the truth. No way to see if he was vetted. You left me out here like a sitting duck. Worse, you left her out here like a sitting duck. Because if anything had gone wrong and I ended up on the other end of a bullet, she’d be alone.” I stop, taking in a long, deep breath to calm some of the anger raging through my system.

/>   “And trust me when I tell you that is not something you want right now.”

  “Grant, I put you there because I knew you could handle it. We both knew this was going to be a tough case from the beginning. But, I have to ask, are you pissed at me or yourself? Because it sounds to me like you’re letting your emotions drive you on this one, and we both know that’s not how we do things. Distractions kill. So again, I’m going to ask you, what in the hell is going on?”

  Biting my cheek, I shove down the urge to growl. Why the fuck does he have to be so logical? To actually make sense?

  Releasing a hesitant breath, I reply, “Those are all loaded questions. Are you sure you really want the answers?”

  “Son, I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t. So, stop stalling and get on with it.” I can’t help but grin at the Colonel’s gruffness.

  “Well, you already know Black is meeting with General Morozov. I was able to capture some images of them together exchanging a thick envelope. I’ve got nothing more than that on him—”

  The Colonel interrupts me mid-sentence. “Grant, you already know that I have more than that on Black. So get to what you have on Sang-Hyun and then you’re going to tell me about my daughter, or so help me I’m going to come and find you and shove my boot so far up your ass you’re going to be feeling me for a week.”

  A rumbling laugh pours out of me, lessening some of the weight I’ve been carrying around on my chest for the last several days.

  “Fuck, I missed that,” I say through tears of mirth.

  “What exactly is it that you missed? My threats? Why are you laughing?” The Colonel’s irritated voice makes me laugh a little harder. Sucking in a breath, I calm my laughter enough to respond.

  “I must be losing my mind because I do miss your empty threats.”

  “Empty, my ass. Keep stalling and I’ll prove it,” the Colonel huffs.

  Chuckling, I wipe away a stray tear. “Fine, but you asked for it,” I say, rolling some of the tension out of my neck. “Sang-Hyun went underground after the meeting. I’ve got nothing, literally. No leads, no anything. He hasn’t been back to any of his businesses. The best I can figure is someone is helping him, but as of right now, your guess is as good as mine. I’ve got a few feelers out there, but like I said, no leads, no anything. Did your contact get you the goods after the meeting? I left it in her capable hands since you seemed to trust her so much.”