Chapter 10 - July 27, 2024

Taehyung POV

"Taehyung, I need you to close up tonight if that's okay," Seokjin said as he approached the bar, stress painted across his face. I couldn't shake the worry I felt after seeing Lola take a nasty spill on stage.

"Yeah, no problem, Boss," I replied, accepting the keys he held out. I'd handled closing duties before, so I was familiar with the routine. "Is Lola alright? That fall looked rough."

Jin grimaced, his jaw tightening. "Thank god she is. It shouldn't have happened, but at least she's okay. One person's recklessness could've really hurt her."

I nodded, recalling the whispers from some of the showgirls about how Jin had torn into the stagehand for not properly mopping up the water. Just as he was about to leave, I reached out and grabbed his forearm. "I know it's not my place to ask, but do you think Lola would let me come by sometime to talk?"

His expression shifted to one of disbelief and simmering anger. "Are you fucking serious?" he hissed, lowering his voice to avoid drawing attention. "You broke her heart! Do you have any idea how much it hurts her to come in and see you? See Natalie? Catching you two in the bathroom shattered her into a million fucking pieces."

Seokjin leaned in closer, his intensity undeniable. "You lost any right to seek forgiveness from that incredible woman. You're just one of the many who have hurt her. So no, you don't get to fucking ask that."

I swiped a finger beneath my bottom eyelid, brushing away the tear that gathered there. I nodded, my heart heavy with the weight of my mistakes. I'd ruined everything with her—all because of my job.

As the clock ticked closer to my break, I couldn't bear the thought of anyone seeing me cry at work. I decided to slip out a few minutes early. I told Shaun, the other bartender on duty, where I was headed, then stepped into the back alley.

My stomach rumbled in anticipation of the slice of pizza waiting for me. Chloe and I had discovered that little hole-in-the-wall place a few months ago, and it had quickly become our favourite spot for dinner when at work.

"Vante! Hold up."

I groaned at the sound of Big Jay's voice. He and Red Velvet pushed off the wall, striding toward me with a confident swagger. "What?" I replied, my irritation evident. I didn't need this interruption, especially not from the people who had played a part in my relationship's unravelling.

"Gee, nice manners there," Red Velvet sneered, stopping a few feet away. "Don't forget your place, Boy. Fucking snitches don't get to speak to us like that."

"Snitch?" I shot back, glancing at Big Jay to read his reaction. "You honestly think that after all I have done for you by working here undercover that I would be that fucking stupid to snitch?"

"Isn't that what you're doing, though? You're basically being a snitch for me, listening to what others are saying." Big Jay tilted his head, his cheek bulging as he pressed his tongue against it. My stomach dropped as both of them pulled out guns with silencers, aiming them at me.

Big Jay chuckled, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "You know, I've got to hand it to you, Vante. As a high-ranking member of the Serpents, you're literally the last person I expected to be selling information to the Feds."


︵‿୨ 🌸 🖤 🌸 ୧‿︵

Chloe POV

Voices in the alley jolted me from my memories. It was hard not to eavesdrop—they were being so loud. As I listened, I realised the voices belonged to Taehyung and Red Velvet. Curiosity piqued, I leaned closer, peering through the gaps in the wooden slats. To my surprise, I spotted Hoseok standing with them.

I couldn't help but wonder what Taehyung was doing in an alley with the two gangsters. My question was soon answered when I heard them refer to him by what I assumed was his gang name—and label him a snitch.

"Snitch? You honestly think that after all I have done for you by working here undercover that I would be that fucking stupid to snitch?"

The moment that question burst out of Taehyung's mouth, my heart shattered all over again. It seemed he had been pretending to be a bartender while hiding his true identity as a gangster. To me, that was worse than cheating. I'd lost a friend to gang violence, and I wanted no part of that world.

From my vantage point, I could see my ex's body tense, adopting a defensive stance. Though his back was turned to me, I could picture the way his jaw clenched when he was angry.

"Isn't that what you're doing, though?" Hoseok asked with a clipped tone. "You're basically being a snitch for me, listening to what others are saying."

A gasp escaped my lips as I watched Red Velvet and Hoseok—no, Big Jay—draw their guns, levelling them at my ex-boyfriend. My heart raced, and I held my breath, praying to every deity and cosmic force that my gasp had gone unheard.

Big Jay let out a low, mocking laugh that sent a chill down my spine. "You know, I've got to hand it to you, Vante. As a high-ranking member of the Serpents, you're literally the last person I expected to be selling information to the Feds."

Panic surged through me. Vante? Taehyung is one of Big Jay's gangsters and has been snitching to the FBI? Doubt clawed at my mind, leaving me questioning everything I thought I knew about him.

"I might be guilty of a lot of things, including what you are accusing me of," Taehyung spat in disgust and defiance. "But at least I'm not a sick freak who gets off on making others fuck each other for information. Forcing me to fuck Roxy for information otherwise, your lap dog here will put a bullet in my brain? What kind of perverted freak thinks up an idea like that?"

I was reeling from Taehyung's words, shock and betrayal flooding through me like ice water. My new friend had orchestrated my boyfriend's infidelity, all for the gang's twisted gain. It felt surreal, a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.

Big Jay's face twisted through a tempest of emotions. In moments of shock and confusion, I caught fleeting glimpses of Hoseok—but when fury ignited in his eyes, he transformed into something primal, a force of nature ready to explode.

I was so fixated on Big Jay's transformation that I nearly missed Taehyung's voice, low and seething, cutting through the chaos like a blade. "You spiteful, manipulating bitch! I hope you're proud of yourself, knowing you're the reason Chloe's heart lies in pieces."

Red Velvet's smirk faltered for just a moment, but then returned, sharper than before. "There are casualties in every war," she shot back, her tone dripping with mockery. "One broken heart? It's just collateral damage."

Her words hung in the air, cold and unforgiving, igniting a fire of rage in me. How could someone be so heartless? The weight of betrayal pressed down, and I felt myself teetering on the edge of an abyss, desperate to pull myself back.

"I mean, it got the job done, right?" she added with a sadistic smile.

"FUCK! You're more of a fucked-up psycho than I thought!" Big Jay shouted, furious at the indifference and heartlessness coming from his second-in-charge. "I'm so sick of all your fucking bullshit. Give me one reason why I shouldn't shoot you."

"Ummm, he's the snitch selling out to the Feds," she deadpanned, pointing an accusing finger at Taehyung. "I might use unorthodox methods to get what I want, but I'd never betray the Serpents like he did."

As much as I loathed him for breaking my heart, the thought of something happening to Taehyung sent a chill down my spine. I silently pleaded with him to defend himself, to push back against the two gun-wielding gangsters who loomed like shadows, ready to strike. My heart raced as I willed him to declare that they had him confused, that he wasn't a gangster—anything to clear his name.

But he didn't.

He remained frozen, stoic and silent, his expression a mask of resignation. The tension thickened in the air, heavy and suffocating. I recalled reading about twisted individuals who revelled in the desperation of their victims, savouring the moment of fear. Would Red Velvet and Big Jay be like that? From what I had seen of her, I wouldn't doubt it for a second.

With every second that passed, the silence felt like a countdown, the atmosphere crackling with danger. I watched helplessly as Red Velvet's smile widened, an unsettling glint in her eyes that promised cruelty.

My heart thundered in my chest. Each beat was a desperate prayer for Taehyung to break his silence before it was too late. I found it hard to reconcile what I had learned tonight about both of these men—Big Jay's vindictiveness and Taehyung's deception.

*THWUMP*

*THWUMP, THWUMP*

My heart stopped as I heard the three muffled gunshots. At first, I didn't know where they had come from or if everyone was okay. But then I saw red splotches blossom across Taehyung's white dress shirt.

I threw my hands over my mouth, trying to stifle my scream as I watched my ex-boyfriend's body fall to the floor. My feet were rooted to the spot, and my breath caught in my throat. I couldn't tear my eyes away from him as I watched his chest rise and fall, the movements slowing down.

Rise and fall.

Rise... and fall.

Rise... ... and fall.

Rise... ...

Questions raced through my head as I stared in disbelief. What the fuck did I just see? Did Taehyung do something so bad that he deserved this fate? Why didn't he didn't he tell me he was in a gang? Was he going to let me live blissfully with a murderer? Shit, has Taehyung killed someone before?

I didn't know when the tears began their relentless descent down my cheeks, but I became acutely aware of them as I watched Taehyung's chest finally stop moving. My heart raced, fear gripping me like a vice, squeezing out any rational thought. The part of me that still functioned screamed that I should run, to seek help. However, the instinct for self-preservation held me captive.

Instead of fleeing, I moved with agonizing slowness. My fingers trembled as I switched my phone to silent. I had seen too many horror movies where characters died because their phone had given away their location. Panic surged through me as I heard Big Jay's heavy footsteps approaching, each thud echoing like a countdown in my mind.

I barely dared to breathe, my body tense and coiled as he drew closer to my hiding place. Time stretched into an unbearable eternity, each second felt like an hour. I could see him peering through the slats, his eyes scanning for any sign of life, and I clung to the hope that the dim lighting of the courtyard would conceal me. My heart pounded in my ears, a desperate prayer that the shadows would protect me from his gaze. The reality of my situation bore down on me like a suffocating blanket.

Did he know I was here?

'Stay quiet, stay quiet,' I told myself, repeating it like a mantra. 'Don't breathe, Chloe. Don't move, not a single sound.'

I forced myself to control my breathing, keeping it slow, deep, and quiet. The moment Big Jay moved away, I slithered behind one of the large planters to my right, moving with the stealth of a predator stalking its prey. From my new hiding spot, I could still see where Taehyung's body lay on the ground, a haunting reminder of the violence that had erupted just moments ago. My heart raced, and a chilling thought pierced through the chaos in my mind.

'What if I'm next?'

'What should I do?'

Panic spiralled within me, my heart racing. I wondered whether I should stay hidden and pretend that I hadn't seen anything—it would be plausible seeing that the guns had silencers on them. Or should I flee before they realised I was even here? My stomach churned at the choices that felt like a noose tightening around my throat.

'Fuck, I wish Jin was here so I could talk to him.' The thought was a lifeline, but it quickly twisted into guilt.

'No! I can't put him in danger if he doesn't know. And how do I know he doesn't know? How do I know he's not in a gang? I mean, Taehyung was and I had no clue.'

As I crouched in the shadows, I began to formulate a plan, though each idea felt more desperate than the last. Staying here was a death sentence if anyone suspected I had witnessed the horror unfold. I needed to escape before they realised I was still alive.

'Once the coast is clear, I'll flee back to my apartment,' I told myself.

It was a risk, but I hoped that because of my fall, the two gangsters would think I had already gone home. I wouldn't stay in my apartment for long; I'd just grab the essentials and then go on the run.

'Run where? And for how long?'

The questions loomed large, terrifyingly vague. I had no answers, only an overwhelming urge to survive. My heart felt like a sand timer, each beat a grain of sand slipping through an hourglass. With every thump, a second vanished, marking the dwindling moments of my life. The rhythm quickened, echoing the urgency of my fear, as if time itself was aware of the peril I faced. Just like the sand, each heartbeat seemed to carry me closer to an inevitable end, a silent countdown to an unknown fate.

I needed to get out—before all my sand ran out.

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