Sweet, Sweet Revenge

by Nia Arthurs

  He pictured the short and stalwart Korean woman. The Ho matriarch ruled her family with an iron-fist. Joon was not at all surprised to learn that she had a key to Tyler’s house, especially since she’d given the place to him.

  The pot of water on the stove bubbled up.

  Joon Gi cringed.

  “What are you doing here?” Tyler asked his grandmother hoarsely. He cleared his throat and in a stronger voice added, “You didn’t tell me you were dropping by.”

  Halmoni’s dry voice crackled through the room. “I brought some side dishes because I knew you’d be eating poorly. What is that? Ramen?”

  Footsteps slapped against the tile.

  Drawing nearer, nearer.

  Joon Gi scrambled to the other side of the counter as Tyler sprinted ahead of his grandmother and spread his arms wide. “Wait!”

  Halmoni stopped in her tracks. Joon could see her thick socks from his perch on the floor. “What are you doing?”

  “The kitchen’s dirty. I don’t want you to see it.”

  “The kitchen is fine…”

  While Tyler kept his grandmother distracted, Joon crawled like a desperate ninja to the other side of the counter. With his body plastered against the wooden backing, Joon whipped his head left and right, searching for a way out.

  Tyler’s house was too open. The only place he could run to was the bedroom and it would be pretty obvious that Tyler was stowing an ex-con in his guest room if Halmoni saw him sprinting across the way and crashing through the door like a maniac.

  “Tyler, what is wrong with you?” Halmoni spoke in Korean and the way her tongue clucked over the words struck fear into Joon’s heart. “Are you hiding something in here?”

  “No!” Tyler bellowed.

  Joon Gi took a chance and slowly raised his head to peek over the counter. He saw Halmoni facing down with Tyler in front of the stove. Her back was turned so all he could observe was her short grey hair cut into a bob along with her loose blue shirt and pants.

  Tyler’s almond-shaped eyes widened when he saw Joon Gi rising from behind the counter.

  Halmoni began to turn around. “What are you staring at?”

  Tyler pounced on his grandmother and hugged her tight. She squirmed in his arms, but he locked his hands and refused to let go. To his grandmother, he yelled, “I just… I love you so much.” To Joon Gi, he mouthed, “Get out of here! Go!”

  Seizing the opportunity, Joon Gi rose to his full height and tiptoed toward the front door. It was the same distance as the guest room, but at least then, he could scramble out of the house and return with Halmoni none the wiser.

  “Let go!” Halmoni bellowed.

  Joon Gi froze in the middle of his stride just as Tyler’s grandmother spun.

  He shot a glance over his shoulder.

  Eyes connected with Halmoni.

  Heart stuttered in his chest.

  The stylish older woman wore a pair of glasses that almost popped off her face when she recognized him. Wrinkly cheeks flushing with color, she stretched out a crooked finger and growled, “You.”

  Joon Gi bowed at the waist in deep respect. “Halmoni, how lovely to—” A slipper collided with his head.

  Halmoni glared, one foot missing a shoe. “What are you doing in this house?”

  “Halmoni, I can explain,” Tyler started.

  His grandmother shoved him back. “Have you been harboring a criminal?”

  Tyler snapped his mouth shut.

  Joon saw the rising intensity in Halmoni’s face. The trembling arms. The quivering lips. There was no scenario where this ended well.

  Not for Tyler.

  And definitely not for him.

  Joon had known Halmoni would freak out if she discovered he was crashing at Tyler’s, which was exactly why he’d kept his mouth shut and hadn’t even told his mother.

  So much for that plan.

  Halmoni raced around the counter like a drifter in the Fast and Furious franchise. Joon Gi dwarfed her by almost two feet, but she moved with such confidence and fire that he shirked back instinctively.

  Thin grey eyebrows arched high. “How dare you mooch off my grandson!”

  Joon Gi wanted to defend himself but two things held him back.

  The first was that Halmoni wasn’t wrong. He was banking on his friendship with Tyler to keep him afloat. Joon couldn’t pay rent in his situation. He could barely find a dollar to catch the bus every morning.

  The second reason he kept his trap shut was out of respect.

  No matter what Halmoni did or said, she was his elder. Joon had been trained from childhood to respect those who were older than him and such deeply ingrained habits were hard to shake.

  “Halmoni!” Tyler skidded around his grandmother and held her arm. His expression was pleading. “Joon caught a tough break but he’s still—”

  “I don’t want to hear it.” She shot her hand up and glared at Joon. “Your poor mother can barely hold her head up back home. If it wasn’t for Sun Gi holding things together, she would have lost everything.”

  Joon clutched his fingers into fists. His complicated relationship with his mother was private, not something that Halmoni could pick apart.

  Just stay quiet. Remain respectful.

  Halmoni turned away with a huff, dark eyes flashing. With anger. With purpose. “I want him out.”

  “Halmoni,” Tyler begged.

  “NOW!”

  “It’s okay.” He looked at Tyler.

  Guilt flashed in his friend’s eyes.

  Joon woodenly turned around and strode to the door. Shame burned two circles into his cheeks. As he stepped out into the cold night with nothing but the clothes on his back, his phone and his socks, his hatred for his brother burned bright.

  Sun Gi.

  Sun Gi would pay for this.

  14

  OPERATION: Avoid Joon Gi Kim was a rousing success.

  Thanks to quick thinking and a little bending of the truth when it came to the dire state of her organization abilities, Sky managed to kick Joon Gi out of the shop for the rest of the week.

  Today was Sunday and all the little butterflies that had fluttered in her stomach when Joon Gi’s piercing gaze tore through her had crumpled to ashes, never to beat their little wings again.

  Out of sight, out of mind.

  The truth of that statement knocked her flat off her feet.

  Things had gotten confusing for a while. She’d admit that. But Sky was the one in charge of her heart, not the other way around. Anything she put her mind to could be accomplished, even shaking off the beginning stages of a forbidden infatuation.

  Getting over someone was like fighting against the flu. Easily conquered by a little forethought and effort.

  Her fledgling feelings for Joon Gi were, luckily, in their beginning stages so she felt confident that her mind was back in order.

  Things were finally settling back to normal. A good normal.

  As far as she knew Vince hadn’t unleashed the video yet. And even if he had, she’d deny her part in it until her deathbed. Time was her friend and with each day that passed she’d put as much distance between her life and that stupid mistake as possible.

  Today was a new day.

  As Sky got ready for her meeting with Hanna, she found herself growing more and more excited. There was just something about Hanna Park that made Sky want to be better, do better.

  Girl power.

  Hanna was on another level.

  Sky wanted to get there. Someday. Hopefully. If her giving nature ever got out of the way.

  She finished applying lipstick to her plump brown lips and smacked them together. Her hair had not been cooperating this morning. At all. She’d eventually given up and slathered it in gel to slick it back into a thick bun. Curls still popped up everywhere but at least she didn’t look like a jerry-curled verson of Mufasa from The Lion King.

  The novelty of wearing her natural hair had worn off quickly and Sky remembered why she on
ly wore her hair in braids and faux dreads.

  Suck it up, girl.

  She set the lipstick on the bathroom sink and appraised herself in the mirror. Her warm brown skin caught the light and glowed beautifully. The makeup accentuated her eyes and lips, her two best features—in her humble opinion.

  She was ready for whatever project Hanna wanted to discuss.

  Save of selling her store, of course.

  After slipping on her heels that added about two inches to her height, Sky strolled outside just as Hanna’s car pulled up to the curb.

  The sleek vehicle glinted in the early afternoon light. Every inch of it screamed that a person of class was behind the wheel.

  The window rolled down with a mechanical whirr.

  Sky leaned slightly over as Hanna’s face came into view. She had her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her high cheekbones protruded against her pale skin and her almond-shaped eyes were ringed with eyeliner, immediately drawing attention there.

  Sky swallowed nervously. Why’d she bother dressing up when Hanna was so effortlessly gorgeous?

  Pulling her purse strap higher, she smiled nervously. “Hey.”

  “Hello, Sky.” Hanna gestured with her head. “You ready?”

  Sky popped the door open and climbed in. When she got inside, her eyes scanned Hanna’s outfit from head-to-toe. She wore a simple pink silk blouse and tailored shorts. A chunky necklace adorned her neck and the cutest wedge heels hugged her feet.

  Sky smoothed the hem of her skirt with a fidgety hand. “Thanks for picking me up like this. I could have just caught the bus.”

  “Nonsense.” Hanna flicked the indicator and pulled into the street.

  Sky yanked her seatbelt in place and peeked at the speedometer. Either those wedges were weighing Hanna’s foot down or she had a serious thirst for driving in the fast lane.

  Glancing over, Hanna noticed her clenching the seat belt and laughed. “Am I going too fast?”

  “A little.”

  “I tend to do that.” She eased off the gas and Sky released a pent-up breath. “My mother hates driving with me. She says her life flashes before her eyes every time I hurl a curve.”

  “I get that.”

  Hanna chuckled again, the sound as glossy and sophisticated as the rest of her. “Don’t you drive, Sky?”

  “I have my license, but not a car. It’s just too much to pay for maintenance, gas, insurance and everything else.”

  Hanna’s lips puckered out in a half-pout and she tilted her head as if to say, ‘that’s so sad’.

  “It’s not like I go out much anyway so I haven’t missed it.” Sky rushed to explain.

  “Ah.” Hanna jutted her chin down once. “Is the café still struggling?”

  Sky squirmed, uneasy discussing such privileged details with a stranger. As much as she admired and respected Hanna, she’d only met her once. Assuming her intentions were pure before hearing the full extent of her proposal was unwise.

  And she was done being a fool.

  Sky decided to skirt around the truth. “It’s doing okay. I’ve got someone looking over the books for me so I’ll be able to reassess and implement some new ideas very soon.”

  “How exciting.” Hanna adjusted her grip on the steering wheel.

  The huge rock on her finger picked up the light and redistributed it like a disco ball. Sky shaded her eyes with a hand so she wasn’t blinded by the bling.

  Hanna noticed and turned the rock slightly so the glare lessened. “Sorry about that.”

  “Are you married?”

  “Engaged. My fiancé has a flare for the ostentatious.” Hanna smiled glibly. “Not that I mind. You know what they say about girls and diamonds.”

  Sky wished she could relate to that, but right now, if she got a diamond ring, she’d probably hock it to pay some bills.

  “How’d you two meet?”

  “We were family friends. As you can imagine, there aren’t many Koreans in the Caribbean so everyone tends to stick together. I didn’t really have a choice so I was very close to him and his brother.”

  “How adorable.”

  “Are you seeing anyone, Sky?”

  Her mind darted to Joon Gi for some stupid reason. Clearly, she wasn’t as over him as she’d conditioned herself to think.

  Glad that Hanna couldn’t hear the chaos in her mind, she shook her head. “I’m too busy right now. I only have time for Sweet Treats. Nothing else.”

  “I wish I could tell my parents that, but they’d probably strap me down and wheel me down the aisle.” Hanna sighed.

  “Harsh.”

  “Korean parents don’t take well to anything that bucks tradition. The fact that I’ve waited this long to get married when all my sisters have already tied the knot is a huge deal. But I’m sure you didn’t join me today just to hear me complain.” Hanna grinned and turned on the radio. “Let’s have some fun.”

  The women enjoyed the music until Hanna parked in the lot of the Seaside Tavern—a very expensive restaurant facing the Caribbean Sea. Sweat beaded on Sky’s temple as she mentally counted through the money in her wallet.

  There was no way she could afford a carrot stick here.

  As Hanna confidently shook her pony over her shoulder and armed her car, Sky approached her. “Uh, Hanna. You didn’t tell me we were going to eat at the Seaside Tavern.”

  “Didn’t I? Silly me. I must have forgotten.”

  Sky squeezed her eyes shut and searched for a way to tell Hanna this place was way too expensive.

  Before she could, Hanna reached out and touched her shoulder. Sky opened her eyes and found the stunning woman peering at her face. “It’s alright. Brunch is on me.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “I want to. Come on. I’m starving.”

  Sky blew out a relieved breath and trotted after Hanna. On the bright side, she’d always wanted to try the food at this place and never had the money. She’d take Hanna’s generosity. Just this once.

  The restaurant was filled with dark woods and green booths. A bar was built in the middle of the large room and two women stood behind the counter mixing drinks. Whicker fans whirred overhead and Belizean artwork with stunning detail of the jungles and Mayan ruins filled the wall.

  The waiter at the door smiled at Hanna and called her by name as he led her to a table that was obviously reserved just for them.

  Sky took a seat and plunked her hands into her lap, feeling strangely overwhelmed.

  Everyone treated Hanna like a celebrity. Sky even caught a few men eyeing them from around the other tables. And by ‘them’, she meant Hanna.

  Obviously.

  The woman stood out wherever she went, and it was very easy to tumble into her shadow.

  They made small talk until the food came, sharing shallow, get-to-know-you stories that were expected upon first meeting with a complete stranger.

  Sky found Hanna’s accounts about Korea fascinating. By the time their food arrived, she’d added Korea to her list of ‘Places She Wanted To Visit If She Ever Got The Money’.

  It was a pipe dream, of course. Sky highly doubted she’d ever be able to fly to San Pedro, much less halfway around the world to Korea.

  “Ehem.” Hanna cleared her throat and set her knife down. “There’s actually something important that I’d like to talk to you about.”

  Sky nodded and swallowed her mouthful of rice and beans before answering. “Go ahead.”

  “It’s about Sweet Treats.”

  “What about it?”

  Hanna set her hand on the table and leaned over, dark eyes glimmering with determination. “I think you’re sitting on a gold mine. Those fried jacks of yours… they’re glorious. I’m seeing branches of Sweet Treats opening up in all the districts. I think, eventually, we can find a way to preserve them and ship them out internationally. It’ll be huge.”

  “Wow.” Sky blinked. “You sound… excited.”

  “I knew from the moment I met y
ou that the two of us would be a good match.” Hanna gestured between them.

  “A good match for what?”

  Hanna lowered her voice to an animated whisper, “You’re too talented to stay tied down to a hot kitchen in a small bakery. How do you feel about becoming the C.E.O. of an enterprise?”

  “I think that would be lovely.”

  “I can make that happen for you.” Hanna leaned back with a satisfied smirk.

  “I appreciate the enthusiasm. I do.” Sky tilted her head. “But what’s in it for you?”

  “Girl power, remember? I want to see you succeed, Sky.”

  Her eyebrows knitted. “You don’t even know me.”

  “I know enough.” Hanna folded her arms over her chest. “I know that you’re meant for greatness. If you follow me, I can make that happen for you.”

  It was a tantalizing offer. Success was all she’d ever wanted in life. To be someone. Someone note-worthy. Someone respected.

  Still, this sounded a little too good to be true.

  “What do I have to do?”

  “Just sign over Sweet Treats.” Hanna snapped her fingers. “And I’ll make all your dreams come true.”

  “And if I say no?”

  Hanna blinked innocently. “Why would you do that? I’ve already told you what you stand to gain. You’re too smart to make such a bad decision, Sky.”

  She bristled. Hanna’s tone rubbed her the wrong way. “What if I decided to make that decision?”

  “Then…” Hanna bent over and sipped from the straw dunked into her glass of lime juice, “I’ll just have to change your mind.”

  15

  JOON GI WOKE WITH A START. He shot off his makeshift bed, mouth arching in a silent roar of pain as his stiff shoulder and back muscles punished him for his choice of mattress. The chairs beneath him wiggled, legs scraping the floor as they skidded back.

  Joon rubbed his eyes and glared at the sunlight that still managed to creep past the shaded glass in the café.

  What time was it?

  He swung his legs and arched his hand out toward the table, feeling around with his eyes half-closed until it landed on a hard surface. Scraping his phone into his hand, he peeked at the screen and gasped.