"Do you miss him?"

"I do. I miss them all. I sometimes forget that it's only me around now. It's lonely."

With his recent conversation with Lora, he now saw the more vulnerable side to this woman. She wasn't just a capo's daughter. A fighter. A force of nature.

As he looked at her, he saw the only daughter left, a sister, someone who had no one other than a soldier who swore his loyalty to her father. There was no one to take care of her, to love.

Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her close.

She was tense. "What are you doing?"

"I'm your family now."

"Taehyung, we're not even married yet."

"We will be soon." He ran his fingers down her back and even as she probably wanted to fight him on it, she didn't. She wrapped her arms around him, holding on. "I was going to ask you about your family."

"Go ahead, I've got nothing to hide."

"I'm aware of your father's viewpoints on women. You've told me yourself that I'm nothing more than a baby-making vessel."

"Yes?"

"How can someone who is raised by a man who sees women as property like me be at your side? Respect me and even grant me all the freedoms I have now?" she asked.

"Watching men and women. The guards and soldiers."

"That's it?" she asked.

"My training started when I was very young. Being in pain became second nature to me. It's all I've known for a long time. My father took me everywhere with him, but because I was a kid, I wasn't exactly considered that important. I'd wander off. I hated my father and following in his footsteps was never what I wanted to do. Most boys want to impress their dad, me, I wanted him to regret ever having me."

"That's ... er ... intense."

"It's who I am. Each day I got stronger but I also saw the way other men treated their women. My father beats my mother, or he used to. I've seen the state of the women, and I have no desire to hurt a woman. There's no power in that. I have killed women, Y/n. Traitors. Women who will try and get us arrested, or rat us out. I'm not perfect."

"All of this is to spite your father?"

"Yes, and I believe women should be cherished." He stroked her cheek. "I will cherish you, Y/n. Every single day."

"I don't know why you're telling me this, but I appreciate it, Taehyung. I do."

"We have to go and start making the necessary arrangements for our wedding."

She groaned. "Shopping?"

"Either that or we organize a planner for us."

"I think a planner would be better. I don't want to have to deal with all of the fine details." She wrinkled her nose, looking cute.

In her own time, she'd tell him the truth about her setup, until then, he was going to trust her judgment as to why she kept it a secret from him.

_

"You're getting married in three weeks," Daniella said.

Y/n looked up from the baby boy in her lap and smiled. "I know. I wanted to invite you but Hoseok didn't think it would be a good idea."

Danielle sighed. "It's fine. I'll be with you every step of the way, even if I can't, you know, be there."

Glancing around the apartment, Y/n felt so happy for the young woman. Daniella and Jaise were her friends. She held the little boy on her lap as he played with her hair.

"We heard about your father," Daniella said. "We're both so sorry."

"I hope Jaise doesn't even know what it means."

"He's growing up so fast."

"Tell me about it. I can hardly believe this guy is two years old already. I remember when he was nothing more than a baby bump." She blew on Jaise's cheek and the little boy giggled.

"So tell me about your husband-to-be?" Daniella said.

"You know who it is."

"Kim Taehyung."

"Yes. I don't suppose you know too much about him?" Y/n asked.

"The usual information. He's a monster. Scares his enemies. Doesn't feel pain." Daniella handed her a cup of coffee, taking a seat opposite her.

She didn't have long before she needed to get back. The only reason she'd been able to escape Taehyung's rather invading presence was under the guise of going to try on her wedding dress. She'd tried on the wedding dress, and for the first time since she was twelve, she felt like a woman. A rather strange feeling to her.

"What about the women? Did he visit them?"

Daniella raised her brow.

"What?"

"I have to wonder why you want to know these things."

"I'm curious about what he'd be like, you know. Nothing more."

"There is always more to it, but I'll let this one slide."

"If you must know, he did visit some of the clubs, at least if the rumor was to be believed, but he never took women."

"He didn't?" Y/n asked.

"No. He was only ever there to relax. Enjoy a drink. I did hear that if any clients were mean or hurt, he'd be the one they had to deal with. Some consider him a monster, me, I thought he sounded more like a hero."

Jaise wriggled out of her lap and she helped him down to the floor so he could crawl around after his toys.

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out an envelope.

"Y/n, don't. You've already done so much for me."

"I want you to leave town," Y/n said. "I organized some passports for you both. I've even opened up a bank account with enough funds. You can leave all of this behind."

"You're my best friend," Daniella said.

"And you're one of mine, but I need to know you're safe. Please, take it." Ever since Y/n had learned of the women who were taken off the streets and sold on the black market like nothing more than cattle, she'd made it her mission to help as many women as she could.

There was an entire apartment block on the outskirts of the city that helped to house those who were saved, only some of them were in such need as they'd been physically, sexually, and mentally abused by men, some of whom were in the Family.

Daniella was one she'd found during a social meeting in a capo's home. She'd been chained up with the dogs, covered in all kinds of disgusting mess. She'd been heavily pregnant.

She shouldn't have been snooping around but social events bored her. She hated being around pompous assholes who believed they were better than everyone else. That night, she'd snuck Daniella out of the house. She'd never returned to the party, and for the last two and a half years, she'd helped her at every chance she got. She was there when Jaise first came into the world.

Y/n had purchased this apartment, and anything Daniella ever needed, she provided. It had been two and a half years, and Daniella was only eighteen. She'd been taken young, hurt in ways that Y/n could only imagine.

"I don't want to do this," Daniella said.

"Someone within the Family is trying to kill me," Y/n said. "I've been selfishly allowing you to be so close for so long." She reached out, taking Daniella's hands. "I cannot bear the thought of anything happening to the two of you. Please, when all of this blows over, I want you both back, but I can't guarantee your safety, and to put a guard on you, it could risk you even more."

In the past few weeks, there had been two other attempts in her life. One was trying to run her and Hoseok off the road. The person responsible ended up dead in the middle of the city. Someone had put a bullet through his brain, which ensured he was unrecognizable as well.

The second attempt was at a department store. This one she didn't know if it was just a coincidence or not. Either way, Taehyung rarely let her out of his sight. Hoseok was the one down at the car while she came to see Daniella.

"Promise me, you will do whatever it takes to keep yourself and Jaise safe?"

"I will."

She wrapped her arms around her neck and held her close. "I love you, Daniella."

"And I love you too. Don't let this new husband of yours change you. You're too good for anyone."

She burst out laughing but was just happy to be able to help her friend again. After hugging each of them again, she left the apartment, heading down to Hoseok.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I will be."

"Will she leave?" Hoseok asked.

"I hope so." She blew out a breath. "I don't know what to do right now, Hoseok. I can't think without feeling sick for potentially putting them in danger."

"When you started to help them, you put them in danger. There's another shipment of girls coming in next week," he said.

"Great," she said. "I get married and a bunch of girls loses their freedom."

"Your father never agreed to the sale and distribution of women. You should know that."

"It doesn't make this any easier, does it?" She blew out a breath. "I don't know how he did it, you know."

"Your father?"

"I want to hurt every single person who even thinks about touching them. Daniella, was so young when she was taken. She should be in high school right now. Organizing prom or something."

"You never went to prom."

"My life is different. You know that. I'm not like other girls."

Hoseok patted her hand. There was a time she would have seen that simple action as being condescending, but right now, she accepted it for the comfort it was.

_

In a few days, Taehyung would be a married man.

His father wanted him to move back into his home with his wife. He declined. Until Y/n was ready, they were staying here, in Min's home. He glanced around at the large house, imposing in its way. The decor spoke of a man of power.

_____________________________

____________________________________________

Vote and Comment