Chapter 16: Keeping it
Seoha’s POV
I have been replaying everything Yuki told me in my head
Saying them over and over again to myself because I know...one mistake can put and end to my life with a man as unforgiving as Kang Taesan is.
I don’t want to die yet, I need to at least make sure my mom’s guitar is somewhere safe, and even I don’t do anything else useful after that...maybe that one thing will make the few days I lived after my parents deaths worth it.
"What do you mean you’re not coming home? Seoha, what really is going on?" Minjae’s worried voice says on the other end of the line as I squat in front of the mansion.
I have been here for over two hours. Apparently, as a bodyguard, I’m never supposed to leave Kang Taesan’s side, I should stand by him at all time like a shadow.
"Minnie-yah, I’ll explain later, I promise " I murmur and he makes a noise of distress, not believing that I’m okay...I want to tell him everything and get out of here but I can’t...what if that man goes after him?
"I’m really okay, Minjae, really" I lie through my teeth and rub my free hand up my arm to ward away the cold, "everything’s okay" I add for safe measure.
"Seriously, if you’re in trouble, tell me Seoha-yah, Seungmin and I will find a way to get you out" he says, and before I can respond, a car drives into the house.
The car parks at a small distance from me, coming in like a prowling animal and I squint against the brightness of the headlights as I stand up slowly with my phone still held to my ear.
Oh...he’s here, my breath catches when the headlights goes off...he’s here.
"Seoha? Seoha, you’re making me more worried" Minjae says, and I watch with open mouth as Kang Taesan steps out of the car.
Something about the burning red of his alpha eyes as he approaches me makes me stumble backwards, pressing my back against the marble wall behind me.
The alpha looks at me directly and it’s like a repeat of every single time we’ve ever locked eyes; the tiger and the deer, one confident and ready to crush, the other scared and ready to bolt.
Only that there is no bolting for me...I carry his black card, I accepted his offer and I am in his territory.
I am not just a deer, I am a sitting duck.
"Seoha! Fuck, send me your location, I’m coming to get you right now-"
My phone is snatched out of my hand and held in my face as Minjae yells about calling the police to find me.
"Who are you talking to?" Kang Taesan growls and I fold in on myself even while standing straight.
"My friend" I manage to get the words out and Taesan tightens his grip on the phone, the call is still ongoing and Minjae is still threatening.
"Rule number one, thief bodyguards don’t have friends" he says and lets my phone drop out of his hand to the floor.
The action happens so fast that the phone’s screen has separated from the rest of it before I realize what happened.
"M-my phone..." I stutter and fall on my knees to the floor to pick what I can of the broken device and Tasesan grabs my hair, making me scream in pain as he pulls me up.
"Rule number two, nothing is yours. I own you" he says and I can barely hear above the way my blood rushes in my ears, the way my eyes flood with tears and the way my scalp burns from being pulled on like this.
"Let go..." I whimper, wrapping my hand around his wrist to get him off me as my scent sours quickly.
"Rule number three, you kneel, but you only fucking kneel to me. Understood?" he asks, voice going deeper as his minty breath fans my face, and unable to talk, I nod my head, still trying to get his hand out of my hair..
"Use your mouth, omega" he says, and a wave of his scent hits me, it comes out dark and hungry enough to make my omega fall on his belly and press his ears flat against his head.
"Ye-"
"Daddy? DADDY!" Sooin’s happy scream breaks the bubble of intensity between the tattooed alpha and me.
He lets go of my hair as his little girl runs from the door to hug me first.
"Dad, you brought daddy back!" the child says with her arms around my waist and my scared omega immediately corrects our pheromones to cater to the young pup.
Almost like...I’m truly her daddy.
She rubs her face into my stomach and I stand frozen, heart racing and eyes wide as I smell a touch of bitterness seep through Taesan’s strong scent.
I sneak a glace at him and he doesn’t look pleased to see his daughter’s small arms around me, I pat her head carefully, not wanting to anger her already bitter father.
"Baby, look, it’s your dad" I say, faking a cheery tone and Sooin leaves me to hug her father who picks her up immediately and press his nose to her gland, a greeting between father and pup.
"Dad, were you hugging Daddy? Why did you grab daddy’s hair?" Sooin asks and Taesan’s eyes flickers to me, flashing red and returning to brown.
"Hmm, Seoha had something in his hair" Taesan says, keeping his eyes on me like a pin on paper.
My scalp still hurts from being pulled at like that, but who am I to speak up, I am nothing in this place after all.
"Dad, be nice to people hair, don’t pull daddy’s hair" Sooin scolds and wraps her arms around her father’s neck fully, resting her chin on his shoulder.
"Let’s go" Taesan says and jerks his chin to the big door of his mansion, he doesn’t wait to see if I would follow, because he already knows I would.
I wish I can turn around right now and run for my life, but it’s too late, I have given in to this already...I just hope I make it out alive.
"You, take him to his room" Taesan orders the young maid that kneels to take off his shoes and Sooin whines about wanting to be with me.
Hands folded in front if me, I watch the terrifying alpha take his daughter up the stairs while I stay standing in the middle of the oversized living room, waiting for the girl to complete her task with her master’s shoe.
"Sir, come with me" she finally says tiredly and I follow her up the same stairs, down a long hallway and to a room that is locked.
"This is yours, master’s room is right there, so please be as careful as possible" she says and opens the door.
Why do I get a room next to Taesan’s? How do I sleep when i know he would be lying right next door?
I give the lady a fake smile and polite bow before she leave me to my fate; a spacious room with a large bed, a large wardrobe, a stocked vanity, a full length mirror and...my mom’s guitar.
Oh...Taesan kept it for me...