***
“It’s good to see you, cousin.”
William Jackson Seong, known to most as “Jax,” was another of Ramsey’s male cousins. Like Vince, Jax had been raised abroad. It hadn’t been until his mid teens that he’d journeyed to Gwangju to “meet” the family. Jax had grown close to Ramsey during summers and other vacations. When Jax decided to move to South Korea after graduating university, he’d been assigned a job as an understudy to one of his grandfather’s men.
“Is it?” Ramsey wondered with an ease he didn’t feel.
He rose from behind his desk, his actions slow and unrushed. Watching Jax as closely as he did, he saw the other man’s confident stride falter for just a fraction of a second, but he continued coming. His handshake was strong, his dark eyes cool and unreadable. This façade, cool, unruffled and impenetrable, was the reason Ramsey had promoted Jax as he had in the past years.
Ramsey Stone was one man after all, and if he intended to keep the family successful in South Korea, he needed a body to handle things for him in this part of the world. Jax was that body, especially for the last vestige of his grandfather’s reign: weapons distribution. Ramsey had learned early that getting out of the weapons trade was not easy, particularly when said trade was international and powerful men were involved. As such, he’d scaled back gradually and was still doing so.
“It’s always good to see you, Ramsey, regardless of the circumstance.”
Smooth. Jax always knew what to say. He wasn’t known for his charm. No, that wasn’t one of his strengths, but he was quick with his words. He was brilliant at sales, negotiation, and thinking on his feet. Was treachery to be added to the list?
“Do you know Bye Min-Kyu?” There was no point in beating around the bush. This was the only reason he’d ordered Jax from Seoul to Gwangju for this meeting. Ramsey wanted to look the man in the eye as he asked questions about the dead man who’d attempted to kidnap Jezebel. While Jezebel slept, he’d spoken to both Delilah and Sarah about both men, and had learned that the one who spoke English had a British accent, further confirming Chang’s story that his nephew had assisted. Jax had spent almost twenty-one years of his life in England. Coincidence? Ramsey wasn’t one for assumptions anymore. Bye had an inside contact and while Jax hadn’t lived in Gwangju for years, he’d stayed long enough to know the type of security the house had.
Jax shook his head and tried to extract his hand. When Ramsey’s grip only tightened, his lips thinned. “Should I?”
“He went to Oxford.” Jax’s alma mater. It didn’t matter that records showed they’d attended at different times. Jax was close to Ramsey’s age, and Bye had barely been twenty-eight. Bye had studied business as well and the university held alumni socials. They could have met then.
“Bye Min-Kyu?” He shrugged. “The name doesn’t sound familiar.”
“He attempted to kidnap Jezebel a week ago.”
Jax tensed, but allowed his body to ease moments later as he nodded. “And you think I had something to do with it?”
“Did you?” Ramsey kept his voice low and neutral as he seethed inside.
“If I told you no, would you believe me?”
“I ask the questions here, Jax, not you.”
“I had nothing to do with it.” When Ramsey only continued to stare at him, Jax added, “I have no intention of usurping you. If I had, I would have tried years ago.” At Ramsey’s scowl, he smirked. “I like the weapons trade. It’s reliable, makes good money, and someone has to do it.”
“Why stop at weapons?”
“Because I don’t intend to be an illegal weapons dealer all my life.” Jax shrugged. “Call me ambitious but I’d like to live an honest life someday in the near future.” He smirked. “Maybe find a Jezebel of my own.”
“And give up the millions you make trading?” Ramsey deadpanned, not for a second swayed from his line of questioning by Jax’s mention of his woman.
“I have a coveted business degree from the oldest university in the world, cousin. I’ll make money wherever I go.”
It was true but that didn’t mean Jax wasn’t ambitious. Although Ramsey split his time between America and South Korea, almost evenly, in this part of the world, Jax was the face of Ssang Yong Pa.
Ramsey released his hand and nodded to the seat in front of his desk as he sat down. A brief lift of his gaze showcased Vince leaning against the wall closest to the door.
“I went over the accounting for your last trades…” Ramsey began, moving the conversation over to business for now as he kept his hawkish gaze on his cousin. He was looking for one falter, just a smidgen of fear, of uncertainty from Jax, and that would be enough.
“Was it not up-to-par with the others I’ve done over the last few years?” Jax retorted.
“You sold a shipment to Chang’s people.”
Jax flashed straight, white teeth and shrugged. “I don’t discriminate if the price is right. The old man taught me that. A sale is a sale.”
“Yet you’ve never met his nephew?”
His cousin didn’t answer for long seconds, but slowly, he turned to look behind him. “Vince.” His voice was low and unsurprised. As he turned back to Ramsey, Jax relaxed against the leather chair. “Why don’t you show me a picture of him? I don’t remember the name but perhaps a photo will jog my memory.”
Ramsey ignored the bite of underlying anger he heard in Jax’s words. Pushing the manila folder on the desk towards Jax, he waited. His cousin was quick in going through the numerous photos Vince had pulled, his eyes focused, seemingly concentrating. When he was finished, he closed the folder and pushed it back to Ramsey.
“No.”
“No?”
“I’ve never met him. I’d remember the face.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s a unique face...like yours.” He smirked. “Like mine.” Ramsey understood. Bye had been half-Korean, like both he and Jax. Their features stood out because there was something different about them, something mixed into it.
“I told you this once, Jax, and I’ll tell you again―”
“If I betray you, you’ll kill me.” His cousin smirked and seemed to relax even further. “It won’t be pleasant, it’ll be painful and I’ll beg for mercy before succumbing to the cold grip of death.”
At Ramsey’s lifted brow, Jax chuckled dryly. “You’ve never put it so creatively, but I thought to interpret your words of ‘you’ll regret it.’”
“This isn’t a joke, William.”
Jax nodded. “It was never a joke. I don’t know the man and I’d never become involved in a plot against you. That would be stupid and I’ve never been stupid. I was loyal to your grandfather, and I show that same loyalty to you. I’d be offended except I understand that no one is above suspicion when it comes to your woman, and your unborn child.” He looked back to Vince, who lifted a brow. “Even dear cousin Vince.”
***
“Do you believe him?” Vince asked.
Ramsey had allowed Jax to leave. Before he’d summoned him, Ramsey had put shadows on the other man in Seoul, but they’d turned up nothing. Jax had his vices, women and gambling, but in the week that they’d trailed him, there had been no clandestine meetings, no added security, nothing to showcase a frightened man, or one staging a coup.
“I’m leaning toward it. You?”
Vince shrugged. “Jax was never power hungry.”
“What else did you find?”
While Jezebel rested, Ramsey and Vince had been on the hunt for the leak. It was someone close to him, someone who had unrestricted access to the house. It could be one of the servants, but Ramsey doubted it for the simple fact that they were never allowed into the security room. It didn’t stop him from cutting off their access to Jezebel however. Even the cook, who’d been under his grandfather’s employ long before Ramsey took over, had to taste everything he put on Jezebel’s plate. The servant who took her meals up was then escorted to her room by either Vince or Hannah.
Whoever the leak was, he was extremely intelligent. This was no amateur but someone seasoned enough that no precaution was too much. Not only had he snuck Chang’s men onto Ramsey’s estate after damaging the electric circuits and backup generators, he’d also written a code to override Vince’s commands to his phone. Precious minutes had been lost during that time and had it not been for his grandfather’s ally…Ramsey dismissed the thought. That was why Chang Chul-Moo was going to die. He’d touched Jezebel and almost cost him his child.
“I ran the tapes for the last two weeks,” Vince was saying. “Outside of the head of security and his team, only you and I have been in the security rooms.”
“Did you check him out? His team?”
Vince nodded. “Seems clean. He’s an ex-soldier, loyal to the family. When the electricity went out, the emergency bolt locked him in the room. He was unable to assist, as were two of his men.”
“And Bastian?”
“If Bastian’s involved, he had help. Bastian wouldn’t be able to crack those codes.”
“Run the tapes again.” Ramsey heard the growl in his tone and couldn’t care. They’d watched the footage over and over again and turned up nothing. “Focus on Bastian and see what you find.”
“Ramsey…”
“Do it!” Ramsey pushed to his feet and stalked around the desk. Frustration oozed from his very pores. A rat was right under his nose, clogging up his house, his family, with its stink, and he couldn’t find him. It had been easy to guard Jezebel while she was on strict bed rest, but now that she was going to be all over the house…
He shuddered. He’d move her again, but the rat would simply move with them. It would be counterintuitive. So, Jezebel would stay here, confined for the most part to her room, until he resolved this issue. She wouldn’t be happy, but she’d be safe. Above all else, he’d keep them safe.
***
She’d done her walking and stretching for the day and Jezebel was now back in her room, relaxing, or in other words, checking the stock value of her company on the New York Stock Exchange.
Another week had passed, putting her at 27 weeks or just over six months, and Dr. Chen was more optimistic about, well everything. Jezebel had asked about travelling once again, and the doctor hadn’t shot her down completely. She’d said, “relax for a few more days” and then weigh the pros and cons against her advice.
So this was her relaxing with someone’s borrowed laptop. As she stared at the numbers, Jezebel considered closing the laptop and turning the TV on. She was supposed to be relaxing, but the stock was down drastically. Carter Investors was a small corporation, trading privately in most of its stocks with a very small percentage available to the public. As she stared at the numbers, she bit her lip and exhaled loudly.
“That imbecile!” she bit out, closing the browser and searching out her email handler. She was logging into her old account to send a lengthy email to the Board of Directors when she halted. Did it even matter anymore? Her sister had called Brandon and told him where they were? Nothing had come of that though, so she wasn’t sure if Brandon had told his superiors. Maybe they just lacked jurisdiction. Still, she closed out of the browser and shook her head. There was no telling what she’d set off by going from being a practical ghost to yelling at her board for allowing the imbecile to run her company to the ground. “How hard is it to oversee a functioning business?”
“Everything okay?”
Jezebel’s head snapped in the direction of the voice. Ramsey stood in the doorway, staring at her peculiarly.
“What is with you and not knocking?” she groused.
His lips curved up as he closed the door and approached. “I always knock. You just don’t hear me.”
Jezebel turned away from him. “Hm.”
“What are you doing?”
“Relaxing,” she murmured sweetly. Not only was Dr. Chen doctoring her, but Ramsey had suddenly taken on the new profession of nursemaid. If she left her room to go anywhere, he suddenly appeared. One grimace on her face and he was suggesting she head back to her room and lie down. It was annoying. It might have been sweet were their situation different.
“Calling someone an imbecile who doesn’t know how to oversee your business is your idea of relaxing?”
With a scoff, Jezebel placed the lightweight laptop on the bed next to her. “You don’t knock and you eavesdrop.”
As he began moving to her, she eyed him suspiciously. He was dressed in his business casual as usual, a long sleeved dark gray, buttoned button down shirt on top and black slacks on the bottom. But his long arms, which were usually at his side or tucked gracefully into his pants pockets, were behind his back.
“What do you have behind your back?” His lips twitched further as he slowly approached the bed. Jezebel looked between his face and hands, curious. “I don’t like surprises…”
It was a lie. If the surprise was good, she liked it fine. Who didn’t like good surprises?
“No?” He stopped next to the bed and revealed his hands. It was a plate, stacked with pickles and a generous helping of peanut butter. “What about this one?”
Jezebel was reaching for the plate before he even finished. She’d considered buzzing Delilah to her room with the sole intention of having her sister go to the kitchen for snacks, but had decided to give herself an hour or two. She’d had a large lunch just an hour ago and just because she was pregnant didn’t mean she had to pig out. Although, that was her excuse when she did. She laid the plate next to her and while still watching Ramsey with suspicion, swirled her first pickle through the creamy deliciousness, and began her happy munching.
“Good?” He asked the question as she was preparing to inhale her second pickle. No longer did he look baffled as she ate her pickle/peanut butter dessert. Although he’d declined her suggestion that he give it a try, he now promoted her craving.
“What do you want?” It wasn’t that Ramsey Stone didn’t do nice things for her, like bring her food and snacks, compliment her on her looks despite her lack of makeup and the added weight, but he’d never made a show of it before. This had been a surprise and her intuition was telling her there was more to it.
“To make you happy and keep you safe.”
Jezebel froze mid-chew before rolling her eyes at his smirk and continuing along. “You can make me happy by allowing me to go home.”
His face pinched but grew relaxed soon after. “Soon.”
“Soon tomorrow or soon after the baby is born?”
“If you’re up to it, before the baby’s born.”
Joy spread through her body before vanishing instantly. “What’s the catch?”
He seemed surprised.
“Why now, Ramsey?”
Broad shoulders rippled in a shrug. “As I said, I want to make you happy and keep you safe.”
She frowned. “And I’m no longer safe here?”
He seemed to contemplate answering before he sat on the other side of the bed and faced her. His expression was somber. “I’d like you to stay in your room as much as possible over the next few days―”
“Dr. Chen cleared me.” She scowled at him. “I’m not on bed rest anymore, Ramsey.”
“I know. It’s a safety precaution.”
“I was right.” A chill snaked down her spine. “I’m no longer safe.”
He shook his head. “You’re safe, Jez. Don’t worry about that. It’s just a precaution.”
“Oh.” She glared up at him. “Why don’t you tell me about this precaution?”
“Excuse me?”
She settled against her pillows more comfortably, double swirled her pickle and bit into it. “I don’t have anything else to do but sit here and listen to you. Tell me why.”
***
Ramsey stared at his demanding, pregnant female and resisted the urge to smile.
Jezebel had that affect on him. From the coldness of her eyes, the stiffness of her face, and the harsh slash of her lips, he knew she was irr
itated. Still, sitting next to her, watching her eat that stomach-churning concoction the doctor had assured him was perfectly healthy, relaxed him.
“Someone in this house is a spy.”
Her chewing stopped as her eyes grew wide and her mouth all but fell open. He smirked. “You wanted to know.”
After long moments, she asked in a whisper-soft voice, “Who?”
“I don’t know yet, which is why I want you in this room.”
“Because he’ll try to hurt me?”
“It’s possible.”
“I need to leave.” She stared at him in horror. “Is that why those people got to us? Because he helped them? Oh my God, Ramsey, I―we can’t stay here. What if he tries to kill me? Kill us?”
“Ssh.” He reached for her hand and gently stroked her fingers. “Let me worry about that. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“You said that before and I was kidnapped!”
He nodded. He deserved her anger. “I didn’t know I had a spy under my nose. Now I do and I’ve taken measures, precautionary measures, to make sure nothing like that happens again.”
She swallowed and pulled her hand away. Both hands laced over her belly as she closed her eyes and took a few calming breaths. “How long?”
“How long…?”
“When will you know who the spy is?”
“We’re searching right now. Hopefully, very soon.”
“And when you find him?” She kept her eyes closed, but her body tensed.
“Let me worry about that, Jezebel.”
***
Just because she was pregnant, terrified and confused, didn’t mean her hormones followed the logic of her emotions. For one, she was constantly horny. It was probably the isolation, and having Ramsey’s hard body curled around her every night despite her protests that he didn’t have to, but it was getting difficult to pretend he wasn’t the sexiest man she’d ever seen. And that annoyed her. Here she was, in solitary confinement after a miscarriage scare just three weeks ago, and all she could think of at night was jumping onto her sleeping partner and riding him until she was exhausted. Maybe she wouldn’t be so quick to have those thoughts if Ramsey hadn’t flat-out asked the doctor if she could have sex, but he had. With an indulgent smile, Dr. Chen had cleared it, stating that the bleeding had likely been stress and as long as they were careful… How many wild and raunchy dreams had she had starring Kang Jae Ramsey Stone? And it wasn’t just regular sex, it was all types of sex, positions and things she’d never been interested in.
The Dragon (G.O.N.Y. - Double Dragon) Page 21
