“Your work here is done,” Ren tells her coolly.
The woman hesitates, but decides it is better for her survival to walk away while she can. She tosses her long hair back and fixes the front of her jacket. Without another word, the woman heads toward our direction.
I grip Bryan’s arm and pull him deeper into the shadows of our shelter. I motion for Bryan to keep quiet as the woman makes her way past us. Her high heels click in a repetitive manner.
“Take care of him.” Meanwhile, Ren turns back to the gang members.
“What’s going on?” Bryan whispers beside me.
I shake my head and hold a finger to my lips. Who is that man on the ground? Oh no. Just when I think I have Choi Sangwoo figured out.
There is a flurry of activity as two gang members approach the victim on the ground. Together, they grab a handful of his hair and drag him in an upwards motion. Before I can help myself, I gasp loudly when I see who it is.
Danny. Danny unconscious, helpless, and beyond lucidity.
“Do it.” Ren is cold and heartless.
“Shit!” Bryan hisses beside me.
I cringe in silence.
Bryan and I watch in horror as Crist members jump on Danny. Calculated moves, combined with merciless punches, rain on Danny’s body. His eyes are hinges; bruises mark his flesh. Reminiscent of a soulless corpse, Danny is unconscious through the beat down. Blood seeps from his forehead down to his cheeks. His flesh starts to bruise, changing shades with each violent blow.
“Ugh!” Danny’s eyes barely flick open when another vicious blow ensues. Instinctively, he tries to fight back. It becomes apparent Danny’s been drugged; his equilibrium and balance offset by his insufficiency.
Where is Mayhem? The desperate thought hits me. Images of the overpowering and dangerous gang lord who has the power to protect Danny grip me.
“Bryan, we have to do something or he’ll be killed!” I turn away, not wanting to look anymore.
“You’re kidding. These are gangsters, May.”
“They’ve drugged him. It’s not a fair fight!”
“Fine. We’ll leave.”
“No! Bryan! We have to do something.”
“Hell no!”
“You go distract them. I’ll get him out of here and we’ll meet around the back corner.”
“Hell no! Rule number one as a responsible citizen, never ever get involved with gang business!”
“Bryan! You want to say you witnessed a murder?”
“I don’t, but this is dangerous May.”
“Bryan, we don’t have time. Go!” The blood is running thin in my veins. I shove Bryan out of our hiding place with haste.
Bryan gives me a death glare as he stands in the middle of the alley. Bryan takes a deep breath before he shouts, “Hey! What are you doing there? I’m calling the cops!”
Heads turn to look in Bryan’s direction.
“Who the fuck are you?” Ren’s thundering voice echoes down the alley.
“I’m calling the police!”
“Bring him to me.” Ren inclines his head.
The gang members drop Danny at Ren’s command. They unleash their full attention on Bryan.
“Shit!” Bryan whimpers as he runs down the opposite direction of the alley.
What have you done to him? my conscience shouts. There is no time to battle with her. I lean into the wall as the Crist members’ race after Bryan. Meanwhile, Ren faces a whimpering Danny. A small chuckle escapes from his lips.
Ren crouches down to Danny’s height. “If that’s one of your minions, he will meet the same fate.” Ren kicks Danny in the stomach before he straightens up and stalks out of the alley.
I hold my breath as Ren rushes by me. When I am sure he is out of sight and ear, I leave my hiding spot. The stretch of gravel and cement twists like a snake under my feet. My heart is beating a mile a minute and my palms are sweaty.
“Oh gosh.” As I approach Danny, the extent of his injuries becomes strikingly apparent. “Are you okay?”
He’s in a fetal position with bruises, cuts, and blood. Gang or no gang, he needs my help. I swallow hard and look around the desolate alley. Suddenly, the cool summer weather is cold and biting.
“Come on.” I stoop down for Danny’s right arm and hook it over my shoulder. I collect him in a careful manner, mindful of his injuries. When I straighten up, I stumble under his weight. He is heavier than I anticipated. Danny’s head drops onto my side. He clings to me in his unconscious state.
“Slowly,” I mutter as I support his body. Danny moans in pain, exuding the stress of drugs in his system. How can I forget what Danny did to me a couple days ago; how can I forget that he shot Sangwoo? The reality ripples through me. Yet here I am, blindly helping Danny without consequence again. I am too engrossed in my thoughts to hear the footsteps return to the alley.
“May?” Ren addresses me. The tremor in his voice marks a shocking recognition.
With Danny still dangling at my side, I meet Ren’s gaze. Three other Crist members are gaping at me in shock.
“May!” From the mouth of the alley, I see Bryan rounding around the corner. The fourth gang member has Bryan in his hold.
“Please.” Ren extends a hand to me.
I move away from his gesture. My heart beats soundly in my chest. I don’t disguise the puzzled look on my face. “What are you doing to him?” Revenge. I already know the answer, but I don’t want to face the reality of this world. Ren is not acting on his own accord. This is Sangwoo’s orders.
Ren lowers his gaze. His voice is gruff and contained. “Please let him go.”
“Are you going to kill him?” I ignore Ren’s passive request. I survey the other members.
They don’t answer me. They keep absolute silence, throwing tentative glances at Danny. Bryan is stuck in a state of shock. The gravity of the situation is all over his face. The understanding that my involvement is beyond a simple good Samaritan act dawns on Bryan.
Meanwhile, Ren’s cell phone interrupts the implicit stare I have going with him. Ren answers the call with lightning speed. He doesn’t take his eyes away from me when he states clearly, “Boss, there’s been a compromise.”
Ren holds his phone away from his ears as though in pain. “Miss Lee is with us,” he answers through gritted teeth. Ren closes his eyes as he listens to Sangwoo’s words on the other line. Without another word, Ren hangs up the phone. His eyes are a murky, indescribable color.
“Please release him,” Ren repeats again. This time, there’s stress in his voice. His eyes are wide and large, almost pleading.
“What are you going to do with him?” My voice is heavy from pressure.
Ren ignores my question again. He instructs one of the Crist members. “Take him. Put him in the other car.”
One of the gang members approaches me with apprehension. I don’t miss the fact that he is gaping at me, staring at every feature on my face. He gives me a respectful bow before he lifts Danny out of my arms.
The Crist member holding Bryan releases him at Ren’s command next. Together, the four Crist members make a hasty retreat out of the alleyway. They disappear into the shadows of the night, blending into the silhouettes of the building and using the darkness of the night to escape into their underworld.
Meanwhile, Ren and I are at a standstill. Bryan rounds out our formation of a triangle. I realize I am shaking. “I want to see Sangwoo. Take me to him,” I manage to utter.
Dark expressions color Ren’s face. “As you wish.” He is too formal with me. This is the true gangster in him.
Ren’s body language changes along with a daunting demeanor. For the first time since I have met him, Ren intimidates me. I see him for who he is and not just Choi Sangwoo’s right-hand man.
“Come on Bryan.” I don’t break eye contact with Ren. If I am going to get into the car with Ren, after what I just witnessed, I am going to take Bryan with me.
Ren looks like he wants to object, but he hol
ds his tongue. “Follow me.”
“What’s going on May? How do you know gangsters?” Bryan leans in and whispers desperately to me. “Do you trust him? Where are we going? Are they going to kill us?”
I shake my head furiously to shut Bryan up. I am in no position to explain anything to Bryan nor is he to hear it. My mind is in a rapid, roller coaster state. Bryan and I follow Ren out of the alleyway towards the direction of the main street.
There is a dark, unmarked car parked on the side of the curb. The emblems on the car are nonexistent and the windows are a blackout tint. Ren reaches the car first and opens the door to the passenger seat for me. He glances at Bryan again and I know Ren is trying to pin a label on us. There is no need for me to explain. I want to talk to Sangwoo and only Sangwoo.
I slip into the passenger seat while Bryan gets in the back. The look on Ren’s face subsides. He is satisfied with the marked distance between Bryan and me. He closes the passenger door and makes his way around the car. Instead of breaching the driver’s side, Ren stops in front of the car. His cell phone is against his ears.
“May.” Bryan taps my shoulder, but I quickly brush his hand away.
“Shh. He’s talking.” I motion for Bryan to quiet down. I want to hear the conversation.
“Yes, I have her with me. She has a boy with her. I’m not sure.” Ren’s voice is low and rough. He has his back to the car, but I know he is speaking with Sangwoo.
“Yes. We will be on our way.” Ren hangs up the phone promptly. He glances nervously at me, but I pretend to look out of the side window.
I am in a bleak and downtrodden mood. The anticipation of seeing Choi Sangwoo rolls over me in waves. It has been two days. This dark gang leader’s motive with me is on a crossword path. What does he want with me? Is he good or bad? Or is he both?
As Ren takes the unmarked car down an unknown turnpike, I am well aware that we are disappearing into a darker and bleaker world. Misaligned globes replace the normal city lights. Buildings are square giants made out of towering brick walls. The streets become desolate and deserted, empty and abandoned.
Bryan is silent in the back seat until the distinct area comes into view. “Wow,” he mutters loudly when the building becomes more prominent. Towards the back of a desolate street, a simple sign displaying the club comes into sight.
“Limelight Lounge.” Bryan scoots forward in the back seat and taps my shoulder. “There’s a waiting list to get in here. We don’t have to pay to get in, do we?”
“We own the place. You’re covered.” There is sarcastic humor in Ren’s response to Bryan’s awe.
“What?!” is Bryan’s incredulous reaction.
I feel my feet going cold. Choi Sangwoo lied to me. He told me it was beneath him to invest in any type of nightclub or bar. Yet, he owns one of the most exclusive venues in the country. What else is he hiding from me? What did I tell you? My intuition has her brown detective trench coat on again. This time, she has a gigantic magnifying glass with her.
“May. You hear that? Crist owns Limelight!” Bryan’s awe is dripping onto the back seat of the car.
“Shut up,” I mutter to him. Maybe bringing Bryan along was a mistake.
Ren pulls the unmarked car to the curb. Four bouncers are outside of the wooden front door. Ren steps out of the car first with Bryan and me in tow. Ren nods his head in acknowledgement at the bouncers; in return, they incline their heads with respect. The bouncers eye Bryan, but their gaze linger on me the longest. Just like the other Crist members, these bouncers are curious about me.
Inside the dark club, Ren leads us to a grand and winding staircase draped in decadence. Long, plush curtains weave throughout the rails. The loud cacophony of music, emanating from the first floor, intensifies in stretched echoes on the second floor. Stray, flashing neon lights roam the second floor landing where private partitions and booth stretch for miles. Through the darkness and chaos, Ren manages to lead us to Choi Sangwoo’s reserved seating.
“Boss,” Ren addresses the gang leader when we reach the secluded and secured section.
Poles wrap around the dome-like partition complete with its own plush seats. In the middle of it all, dark suited men surround Choi Sangwoo. Open bottles and empty glasses are strewn everywhere on the granite table, indicating the duration of time. When he looks up at us with those distinctive brown eyes, complete with gloss and vitality in them, it is difficult to believe Sangwoo had a bullet in his arm two days ago. Here he is, sitting nonchalantly with alcohol and the sins of society at the tip of his fingers.
Yep, I am not ready for Sangwoo’s offer and his world. Disgusting. My intuition disapproves of his lavish lifestyle that can feed a third world country.
Sangwoo breaks into a smile when his eyes meet my gaze. “May.”
I don’t answer him. I am staring at him like a deer caught in the headlights. Sangwoo does a quick survey of his table and his men. He motions with one hand for them to leave. At his command, all ten of them rise. I don’t miss the fact that they are gaping at me with the same intrusive stares. They file away from the partition and leave the area.
“How could you be so cruel?” I ask Sangwoo. I find my voice and my courage.
“What?” Sangwoo’s brown eyes flick over to Ren.
Ren cringes slightly as he braces for the confrontation.
“I don’t know how this gang business works, but to beat someone who’s been drugged in the street is not only cruel, but unusual.” I can no longer hold back my train of thought.
Sangwoo looks at Ren, who remains quiet. For the first time, I notice the muscles in his lower jaw clench together. “You drugged him?”
“Well, it was the only way we could get our hands on him. You know how violent Danny is,” Ren explains with contempt. He throws a furtive glance at me. Suddenly, I feel like a snitch. I did not anticipate for this information to be new to Sangwoo. Apparently, Ren has improvised a piece of the puzzle. Damn you and your assumptions. My conscience shakes her head.
Sangwoo picks up his drink. Casually, he dismisses Ren. “We’ll talk later Ren. You can go enjoy the night.”
“Boss–” Ren starts to argue, but is immediately silenced by the look on Sangwoo’s face. Ren bows to Sangwoo and retreats.
For a long second, Sangwoo stares after Ren before he turns to me. “I can explain. Please, sit down.”
I am a sucker for those brown eyes. I know it’s against my better judgment to be sensitive to this gang leader, but I cannot help myself. I sit across from Sangwoo, marveling at the softness of the plush club chairs. Meanwhile, Bryan takes the seat next to me in complete astonishment. We are out of our element and way over our heads. I stare at Sangwoo, convinced more than ever that I truly have no idea who he is.
Sangwoo acknowledges Bryan with a calm tone. “You are?”
“Spyder’s brother,” I introduce him. I want to spare Bryan the gang leader’s wrath. I am suddenly conscious that Sangwoo thinks I have a romantic connection with this puppy dog.
“Spyder’s brother and May’s boyfriend.” What the hell is he up to now? Bryan stretches his arm across my shoulders suddenly. Now, he has the galls to speak. If only Bryan knows who is sitting across from him.
Slyly, I reach under the table and pinch his knee. Bryan jumps, but keeps his arm on my shoulder.
“Boyfriend?” Sangwoo narrows his eyes at me. He doesn’t look comfortable with the thought. “I didn’t know you have a boyfriend.”
“He’s not my boyfriend.” I take Bryan’s arm off me. I want to kill him right now. Now is not the time to proclaim your love for me, I want to tell him.
Bryan looks hurt that I am brushing him aside. “May,” he calls softly. Perhaps he is conjuring a master plan of some sort.
“Tell you what, Bryan. Why don’t you go downstairs and grab yourself a drink. Anything you want, it’s on the house. One of my men will help you.” Sangwoo motions towards the staircase where two guards are looming in the shadows. The look in Sangw
oo’s eyes is hard and cold. His jaw locks tight. It becomes intensely evident he does not want to entertain Bryan right now.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Bryan crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m here to protect May.”
“Believe me, she is well protected.” Sangwoo picks up his drink. He tosses it back and tells Bryan again with a dire tone. “Go on and enjoy yourself a drink. We will still be here. I need to talk to May.”
Sensing the impending turmoil, I have no other choice but to shoo Bryan away. “Go. I’ll be fine.” I nudge his shoulder gently.
Bryan looks at me with a desperate look in his eyes. “May, I can’t leave you.”
“Bryan. Please. Just give us a minute.” Now I have to work on getting him off my back.
Bryan fights with me through our eye contact, but decides he’s better off letting me win. “Fine. I’m only going because May is asking me, okay?” Bryan asks Sangwoo before he gets up. Bryan gives me a longing look before he leaves the table.
Sangwoo waits until his men escort Bryan downstairs. Then, Sangwoo faces me next. His eyes are burning with an indescribable intensity. “Are you dating that boy?” There is possessiveness and jealousy in his voice.
Excuse me! “No.” My eyebrows come together in question. Why would Sangwoo ask me such a thing? It is pretty clear Bryan and I do not match.
Sangwoo studies my face. “Why is he with you tonight?”
There is no reason why I should be explaining myself to Choi Sangwoo, but before I can help it, I want to justify myself. “I was having drinks with my co-workers after work. I bumped into Bryan after I left the bar. Of course, you would know all of this if Ren did his job as my security guard instead of seeking revenge.”
Even though the nightclub is dark, it’s still easy to see the colors creep up on Sangwoo’s face. It is difficult to decipher if it’s the alcohol he’s consumed or my biting words.
What Sangwoo says next spins me on my head. “Danny was found loitering in front of The Trax, while Ren was waiting for you to complete your shift. Apparently, he is not done harassing you even after I paid the thirty thousand dollars, complete with a bullet wound to my arm.” As if this is a regular conversation, the corner of Sangwoo’s mouth twists into a subtle smile.
April Loves Black Coffee: First Impressions Page 31