Tears burn the back of my eyes. Quickly blinking them away, I clear my throat. This isn’t real. Of course it isn’t real. I’m still with her. Still wanting to confirm my suspicion, I look to him, asking, “This isn’t real?”
Giving his head a quick shake, he relays, “No, baby, this isn’t real.”
A pained cry is released as I hunch over, curling my fingers into his shirt. Salty tears trek a path down my cheeks as I’m enveloped in his warmth.
“Shhh. Don’t cry. It’s okay. I’ve got you.” His rich, sultry voice soothes the broken edges as he begins rocking me in his lap.
“A-Alex. I-I don’t want to leave you.” My voice cracks as I whisper the words into his neck.
“I know you don’t, Goddess, but you have to.”
He continues to rub a soothing hand up and down the length of my spine. Vigorously, I begin shaking my head back and forth. His deep, rumbling chuckle resonates inside me, startling me as I tilt back, searching his face.
“Alex?”
“Goddess, you can’t stay here, you know that.” I open my mouth to speak, and he places a finger to my lips, silencing me. “Kai, I need you to be strong for me, baby. Hang in there and fight, okay? Can you do that for me?”
For a moment in time, it’s as if he sees straight into my soul. Butterflies begin to flit in my stomach as my pulse races. Swallowing loudly, I nod my head once. Closing his eyes, he rests his head against mine and breathes deeply for several moments.
Opening his eyes, he leisurely leans back and gazes at me. The fierce protectiveness displayed in his eyes leaves me spinning as my breath snags in my throat. Reaching up, he lightly runs his fingers along my jaw, eliciting a small moan. Chuckling, he slips his thumb into my open mouth, running it the length of my tongue.
Grazing the pad of his thumb with my teeth, I watch as his eyes darken with lust. Removing his thumb, he dips lower until his lips are hovering but a breath away.
“Goddess,” he breathes out.
“Yes?” My chest rises and falls, struggling to breathe through the fog-induced lust he’s created.
“I’m coming for you.” His fiercely protective words are the last thing uttered before his lips crash down over mine.
Crack. Searing pain rips through my jaw, ricocheting down my spine all the way to my toes. Groaning, I try to ignore the incredible pain now radiating through my jaw.
“Wake up.” My mother’s harsh voice echoes around the room.
An invisible force weighs down my eyelids, making it near impossible to pry them open, yet I know if I refuse her, it will only piss her off more. Slowly working my way back to the land of the living, I pry my lids open one at a time. Overhead, the lights glare directly at me as I blink my dry eyes. Little aches and pains gradually make themselves known as consciousness seeps back in.
“Welcome back. Did you have a nice nap?”
Tilting my head to the side, our gazes collide. Staring at a face so much like my own, it’s as if all of the breath is being squeezed from my lungs. Every fiber in my body is screaming at me to be somewhere else, to run as fast as I can to get away from her. Deep down, I have an urge to start laughing uncontrollably. How can two people be so different? Mother and daughter, no less.
Taking a moment, I peruse a face like mine, yet so different it breaks my heart. Dark eyes stare at me, lifeless, cold, dead, and flat as if they’ve seen endless pain and suffering. Stifling a shudder, my eyes look to her lips pinched into a thin, hard line, and brows that are furrowed into a deep crease. She looks at me as if I’ve cost her untold amounts of pain and suffering. A chill runs through me. The sinister look in her eyes speaks of murder. I have no doubt in my mind that she will stop at nothing to get what she wants . . . even if it means ending my life.
In this moment and time, I want nothing more than to retreat back into the safety of my mind where Alex’s embrace awaits me. Reality is one cruel bitch. Unable to control myself, a hysterical laugh works its way past my lips. Laughter continues to flow even as I wince with each hoarse sound. My throat is tight and raw from the putrid water that’s been forced upon me. It feels as if I’ve swallowed a gallon of acid that’s slowly eating away the flesh bit by bit.
Flushing angrily, her body goes rigid as she leans forward, bringing her face closer to mine. “Just what is it that you find so . . . amusing? Hmmm?” Frigid eyes penetrate me with their icy temperature. Steadily, my laughter begins to die down as my eyes peer back into hers.
Sucking in a quick breath, I steady my nerves and reply, “You.”
A slight widening of her eyes is the only sign of surprise she shows before the corner of her mouth tilts up in a small smile.
“I amuse you, do I?” she asks.
Tenseness begins to fill me because of uncertainty of what’s to come. Unable to answer, I peer back at her with a blank look on my face. Feeling trapped, my mind begins to race with different possibilities of what might come next. Stillness overtakes my body as her breath brushes close to my ear.
“Mmmm. I cannot wait to break you, Ttal.” Laughter rumbles throughout the room as she pulls back, straightening her blouse. Turning, she points to the henchmen in the corner and says, “Take her, bind her ankles and knees together with lopeu, and get the gidung.”
With large eyes, he staggers back a step before asking, “A-Are you sure?”
Swift as lightning, she rounds on him, her voice filled with rage. “You dare question me?”
Lowering his eyes to the floor, he swiftly answers, “No, Mamasan.”
“If you are wise, you will do as I commanded and do it now.” Barely controlled rage is entwined in each of her words as she meets his gaze.
Nodding, he steps toward me. I begin struggling in earnest as tremors work their way through my lower body. My mind is whirling as I try to grasp what just happened. With rasping breaths, a primal scream is ripped from my throat as I realize my mother just ordered her henchman to tie me up and grab wooden poles. This means one thing and one thing only: She plans to use ancient Korean torture methods on me. A massive fist comes barreling toward me, crashing into the side of my face.
Pain explodes behind my eyes as darkness grabs me, taking me under. The final thought that floats through my mind before I succumb to the darkness is: I truly hope he finds me before it’s too late.
SWEAT STARTS TO FORM ALONG my hairline as my eyes dart around the room. Dropping my gaze to the table to avoid my brothers’ knowing glances, I let out a ragged breath. Colonel Black called the briefing to order a few moments ago and introduced Colonel Parker. It took a nanosecond for my team’s gazes to zero in on me. Assholes. Like I don’t fucking know how this shit looks.
Sleeping with the fucking Colonel’s daughter. Peeking out of the corner of my eye, I catch Noah’s shit-eating grin beaming in my direction. Son of a fucking bitch. I’m gonna wipe the floor with him. Yeah, I bet he likes seeing me squirm. Asshat.
Fuck. I need to stop whining like a little girl and take this shit like a man. It’s the only way I’m going to get through this and win the Colonel over. Well, hell, may as well get on with it. Fighting the churning in my gut, I raise my eyes from the table and focus on Colonel Black. Standing at the edge of the conference table, his face is grave as he meets each of our eyes and says, “Our last briefing, I gave you a file on Kylee Parker. However, some things were missing.”
He pauses for a moment, gives a sideways glance to Colonel Parker, who stiffly nods. Continuing, he says, “Specific . . . things were left out of that file.”
Right away, awareness washes over me, and I tighten my hands into balls on my thighs as I lean forward.
“The information I’m giving you is highly classified and wasn’t deemed imperative at the time.”
I barely refrain from rolling my eyes as I bite my tongue, holding in my retort. Anything that can lead us to Kylee is imperative. How much information did he withhold? Could it have led me to her already? The coppery tang of blood cuts through my irritatio
n. Dammit, in my mental haze, I bit my tongue badly enough that blood pools in my mouth.
Swallowing uncomfortably, my attention lands on Colonel Black, who’s still continuing the briefing.
“However, in light of recent developments, Colonel Parker and I feel it’s necessary to bring you boys into the loop.”
Right away, the comment “recent developments” has my body straining on the brink with the need to act. Sitting on the edge of the seat, my eyes hold the Colonel’s as I ask the question rolling around my brain. “Sir, what recent developments?”
Standing, Colonel Parker moves to the head of the table. Patting Colonel Black on the back, he states, “Thanks, Charles, I’ll take it from here.” With a nod, Colonel Black takes a seat in the chair he recently vacated. It’s clear from the way they interact that the two have a history together. I’ve never seen Colonel Black relinquish control to anyone like that before.
Suddenly, the air in the room changes. You can feel the authority saturating the area. He stands tall with his shoulders drawn back, his chest out, and his chin held high as he meets our eyes one by one. Making his way around the table, his gaze finally lands on mine. My breath falters in my lungs fleetingly before a sense of calm washes over me. His gaze speaks volumes. This man is a leader, a commander, and by the knowing gaze piercing my own, he’s someone that’s seen his share of war and other nasty shit from the grimace that’s marring his face.
Breaking eye contact, the Colonel finally speaks. “Three months ago, some intel came across my desk. That intel alluded to a prominent business man here in South Korea funding North Korea and their endeavors in weapons testing.”
Digging my nails into my palms, I lean forward, fully intending to ask what kind of weapons. Before I have an opportunity to open my mouth, the Colonel holds up a hand, halting me.
His face is etched in harsh lines as he continues. “Let me give you some insight into what we’re working with here. My intel shows that North Korea has not only developed nuclear weapons, but chemical and biological weapons, as well. I shouldn’t have to tell you how dangerous it is for North Korea to have weapons of mass destruction and what that means for the rest of us.”
Sinking back into my chair, I run a hand along the back of my neck. Fuck. North Korea having weapons of mass destruction, that’s not just major, that’s fucking catastrophic. The temperature in my body begins to rise, causing sweat to dot my brow and the back of my neck. Thoughts begin racing through my head, different scenarios of destruction if North Korea starts firing off weapons: people dying from unknown diseases developed in labs, radiation poisoning from nuclear warheads.
My train of thought derails as confusion quickly takes its place. Rolling my neck from side to side, I meet the Colonel’s intense gaze. He reads the question in my eyes, asking what exactly this has to do with Kylee. A tightening around the corner of his lips is the only sign of emotion that betrays him.
Letting loose a breath, he proceeds. “My area of expertise is intelligence. As you very well know, everything I deal with is highly classified or top secret.” He pauses, meeting the eyes of every member of my team, letting the information permeate.
His nostrils flare as he rolls his neck from left to right before finally continuing. “The man I’ve been gathering intel on and tracking for the last few months goes by several different aliases. He’s a slippery son of a bitch, or at least, he thinks he is. His real name is Yejoon Sung-Hyun. However, I do believe the most recent alias he’s going by is Cho Sang-Hyun.”
“Son of a bitch,” I grumble.
Inhaling deeply, I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment, trying to get control of myself. That name was the last fucking thing I expected to hear. This can’t be happening. The room feels as if it’s spinning even though my eyes are shut. The one damn contact, the one goddamned contact we’d been scoping out, scoping out for weeks, may have something to do with my Goddess’s disappearance.
Drums beat furiously in my ears, pounding away behind my eyelids. Each breath I take is like breathing through sandpaper. Muscles in my legs begin to twitch, shaking and working their way through my extremities. Opening my eyes, I glance around the room, meeting my brothers’ furious gazes. A red haze fixes itself in place, firmly etching its way into my psyche. My mind and body thirst for vengeance, for blood, if he’s taken her. If one hair on her gorgeous head has been harmed . . . I will fucking kill him.
The Colonel coughs, clearing his throat. Snapping my head in his direction, I see the fury etched in the lines of his face, the rage simmering just below my skin reflecting in his very eyes. I’ve known Kylee for a short period of time, and she’s managed to burrow her way into my heart. If this enormous pain I’m feeling is after that short amount of time . . . I can’t imagine what in the hell it would feel like to lose a child. Especially knowing the terrible pain and tragedy she’s had to endure throughout her life. Fuck, I’ve got to find her. Inhaling deeply through my nose, I wait, albeit impatiently, for him to continue.
Nodding, he says, “That name doesn’t come as a surprise to you. Somehow, I had a feeling it wouldn’t when I found out Delta was here working a classified mission.”
Unable to curb my restlessness any longer, my jaw slackens, letting loose a barrage of questions. “Sir, how good is your intel?”
“It’s solid. I have a reliable inside source that’s feeding me information.”
Narrowing my eyes, I ask through gritted teeth, “Sir . . . how trustworthy is this source?”
The Colonel’s response is immediate and brokers no room for argument. “Incredibly. I’d trust this source with my life.”
Picking up on my line of questioning, my team begins to chime in. Sam is first to ask the question that’s been plaguing all of us. “Sir, what makes you think he has her?”
His jaw works before he replies, “I’ve been receiving intel on Sung-Hyun for months. His patterns were the same until a month ago. He became shifty, and all intel pointed to the fact that he knew he was being watched. Then my name came up several times in some of the conversations that we intercepted. Do I know for sure he has her, no, but if he knows about me . . . then he knows about her. It wouldn’t be hard to find out she was here teaching, and honestly, what better way to target your enemy than by taking something that will make them weak.”
Cold fingers wrap around my heart, slowing it to a sluggish beat. Time suspends as thoughts whiz through my overactive mind. What if my job endangers her? Can I take the risk? Would I survive if something happened to her? The answer is quick to come to me. No, I wouldn’t survive if something happened to her.
Brighton catches my gaze, holding it as he asks, “Sir, what does he stand to gain by targeting you?” Mentally, I toss the thought away. I can’t worry about this right now. Right now my priority has to be getting her back. Her father’s deep baritone brings me out of my mental trance.
“What everyone who targets me hopes to gain . . . information. Gentlemen, the information that passes across my desk would make your head spin. Think about it, the power one would gain from the information I deal with daily—information on leaders, terrorist, countries, weapons, things that start wars and level countries.” He pauses, closing his eyes and inhaling a deep breath. Upon opening them, the pain of his daughter’s abduction can be seen in his features, stilling my heart and halting my breath temporarily. It’s as if our pain is one, a living breathing entity, breeding and multiplying by the second.
Noah’s raspy voice breaks the tension. “Sir, I’m assuming you have more background information on this man that you can provide us with, correct?”
Nodding, he replies, “Yes, I have a rather large file that details all of his aliases, businesses, and who his contact is in North Korea. We’ve only scratched the surface. We do know he has local dealings with the Kkangpae. How deep or to what extent it runs . . . that I don’t know.”
Cooper leans forward, resting his elbows on the table, his brow furrows, creasing into a deep V. C
atching the Colonel’s gaze, he holds it firmly, asking, “What’s the plan? I’m assuming you and Colonel Black have one, sir?”
“There is.” He pauses, looking to each of us for a moment. “Your team is specially trained to handle situations like this. You’ve extracted countless hostages, so this shouldn’t be any different. Yet, we all know it will be.” Scanning the room briefly, he continues. “It’s been brought to my attention that each of you have had the opportunity to meet my daughter. I’m hoping you’ll use that as fuel to aid you in your search. Be diligent, steadfast, be smart, and together we will find her and bring her safely home. I know I don’t have to tell any of you this, but I feel I need to remind us all that emotions can be deadly and make even the most routine situations turn volatile at moment’s notice. The loss of life weighs heavy and always lingers for those left behind.”
Silence ensues, settling around us for several long moments. Reaching forward, I place my elbows on my knees. In my mind, my body is like a caged tiger pacing furiously, yet on the outside, I’m calm and collected. Stoic, as the Army has trained me to be. My shoulders begin to tense as different scenarios pass through my mind. Sang-Hyun was already on our list. We were working our way through his corporation to him.
Seeing as he’s well known in Seoul, we knew about several different business fronts already. This definitely changes things. Blowing out a breath, my nails bite into the flesh in my palms. Muscles in my arms bulge, lengthening and tightening, preparing for the oncoming battle I feel stirring in the days to come. An acute sense of purpose assails me. This is the first significant lead. I can roll with this. We all can.
Pushing my shoulders back, a transient sense of calm descends upon me. Exuding calmness I’m barely in control of, I put to work the valuable skills the Army has spent years drilling into me.
“Sir, we’re gonna need access to all information you have on Sang-Hyun. We can compare it to the intel we’ve already gathered and go from there. First thing we need to do is put eyes on him.” Taking a moment to observe the room, my eyes roam over my brothers’ faces. Every face is darkened with differing degrees of fear, anger, and determination. There’s no doubt in my mind that every man here would stop at nothing to bring my girl home safely. With a curt nod in the Colonel’s direction, my voice is firm as I inquire, “Sir, I’m going to assume you’ll be active in the investigation and extraction?”
Bound By Blood: (The Betrayed Series Book 2) Page 4
