The gaze in Seonghwa's eyes and the warning drawl in his voice had Hongjoong reconsider. Nervous fingers lost their cramped grip around the letter. It sailed to the ground, out of reach of Hongjoong.

"N-No... Let's forget about this."

If he did this, he was dead. Any chance lost. If he wanted to live, Hongjoong needed to comply with the fatal beauty. 

A grin was his reward. Seonghwa stalked closer and his lidded eyes were full of promises.

"I'm proud of you. You are so smart."

Hongjoong shuddered. His groin liked the praise, liked the sinister smile before him. But his mind was frozen in fear. What was Seonghwa's gambit? How could Hongjoong stay here, in his lair? The murderer might be stunning, but he followed no moral code.

But if Hongjoong fled now, Seonghwa might be disappointed. The only way to please him was to play along. 

Judging by the twitch in Hongjoong's pants when Seonghwa trailed a gloved hand over his bare shoulder, his body was deceptively biased.

Faced with death, the rush of adrenaline heightened any arousal.

Mortified, Hongjoong wavered in his corner as Seonghwa drew in with agile steps. His hips swung in his dress and his confidence was ever unwavering. As his scent drew near, it swaddled Hongjoong in its tempting lure. Something spicy carried under the seductive notes. Something so primal Hongjoong's nose flared. It was classy on the widow, but this hint of an animalistic hidden undertone made Hongjoong's hackles rise.

How fitting.

"I should reward you, shouldn't I? For choosing so well?" Gloved fingertips tugged apart the bows holding his dress to his shoulders. Once they dangled over the flimsy tulle, Hongjoong's throat bobbed. It would be so easy to draw Seonghwa's dress down his body now, to expose more of that ivory skin to the light.

Seonghwa halted before him, and a gloved hand caressed Hongjoong's cheek. It traced lower, over his chest and stomach, down to his crotch, where his treacherous body gave Seonghwa the answer he needed. When he was roughly packed, Hongjoong winced. His body throbbed as if in joy at getting acquainted with the widow.

Hongjoong couldn't speak. He was frozen in fear. Could only think about Seonghwa devouring those old men with his appetite. His body bumbled foolishly when he was dragged by his junk and his arms found Seonghwa's waist, holding onto its lean shape as the widow pressed up against him. A dominant hand felt over him, squeezing and fondling Hongjoong until his body was puzzled about whether it was in pleasure or pain.

"Be good," Seonghwa purred at him, and his breath was hot against Hongjoong's ear. He reached behind him to a drawer and plucked out a jar of lavender-scented oil. A perfume, perhaps. It had to be pricey. 

When Seonghwa pressed it into his hand, Hongjoong closed insecure fingers around it. He didn't know how to do this, even less so with a man. Would Seonghwa kill him if he messed up?

At his hesitation, Seonghwa snickered meanly.

"Do your best," he crooned, not expecting much. When he twirled around, Hongjoong's crotch breathed a sigh of relief. Still, it strained dumbly for the criminal.

Seonghwa's eyes fell onto the corner lit by the last light of day.

"Hmm, take me over the piano, yes? I want to look my Albert in the eyes while this handsome young copper shows me bliss." He strode over and lured Hongjoong along with a beckon of his finger. Helpless, Hongjoong stumbled after him. The panic of this new task overwhelmed him. He couldn't think beyond his arousal and Seonghwa bent over the side of the piano, legs propping his curves temptingly on his heels. 

Hongjoong gulped, all murder forgotten. How was he supposed to do this?

He inched his way behind Seonghwa and traced a hesitant hand over his hip. At the sharp look over Seonghwa's shoulder, he hurried to bunch the dress up. 

Seonghwa wore no stockings, so the next thing that came into view below the heavy fabric was a silky, lace-rimmed panty. It cupped the swell of his behind lovingly and tucked away all unsightly manly parts he didn't want to deal with. 

Hongjoong barely dared a touch. Something rooted him to the spot. He couldn't run, could only stare at the milky thighs spread before him. 

When he bundled the dress in Seonghwa's lower back, the widow hummed in amusement. The pearls on the fabric clicked against the wood of the piano. With his arms crossed under his head, almost bored, he peered back at Hongjoong.

Spurred into action by the need to prove himself, Hongjoong tugged down the panties. Long, heeled legs stepped out of them to fling them out of Hongjoong's fingers and Seonghwa's pale flesh begged for touch. Hongjoong's cheeks were as hot as his groin, so he palmed over the latter, hoping to calm down. 

With the jar of oil in his hands, Hongjoong shuffled up against Seonghwa. The hole before him was clean and pink, used to this in a way Hongjoong wasn't.

Feeling supervised, Hongjoong stuttered mostly to himself.

"I-I think I should prepare you."

Seonghwa lifted a leg and knocked Hongjoong closer. His rich chuckle vibrated through their bodies when Hongjoong's middle dragged against him. He had never been this hard. His plunger direly needed to bury into the inviting body before him.

Only the collar still decorated Seonghwa above his chest when he craned his head. Looking ever so unbothered and put together despite being bared to the room and bent over a piano.

"Don't think too highly of yourself, boy. You aren't that huge to need anything more than some oil."

A mocking brow lifted as if challenging Hongjoong to refute that.

The detective bit his lip. He needed to prove himself. Seonghwa was the sole judge of his abilities. 

He freed himself from his pants and was gracious with the oil. Though he worried about Seonghwa, he had the experience. He would know if his body was fine to take it like that. 

When Hongjoong pressed his tip inside, he had to tiptoe and support his palm onto the piano to match the height of Seonghwa's heeled legs. His hands braced on the flat surface and he exhaled in shuddered delight at this feeling. This heat. This tight grip on him.

This was Hongjoong's first and while it was overwhelming, the reminder of danger lingered in the back of his head.

Seonghwa moaned, spreading his legs further. His eyes drifted to a portrait of an old man on the wall above the piano. The wicked smirk on his lips was accompanied by rolling eyes when Hongjoong bottomed out.

When he hesitated once more, his punishment was another glare.

"Aren't you so young and full of energy? Take me like you mean it. Otherwise, I will find someone else to satisfy me."

Irked by the big talk and insinuation of others when Hongjoong was right here, Hongjoong knocked his hips into the man. He quickly figured out the right method and used his leverage to knock into the soft jiggle of the pale flesh. Seonghwa's noises spurred him and finally, their bodies danced that animalistic dance Seonghwa invited everyone to. 

Tonight might be dreadful, but it was Hongjoong's chance to make the most beautiful person he would ever know moan. 

And his hard work paid off. As he knocked them into the piano until Seonghwa's knees buckled, the widow's noises gained in volume. He gasped and sighed, grabbed onto the edge of the piano and rocked his hips back into Hongjoong's. His beautiful dress was tattered around his hips and his straining arousal leaked over the edge of the instrument.

No longer afraid to be killed, Hongjoong chased that feeling of superiority.

The slide between them was obscenely wet. Hongjoong tried to bury as deep as he could, serving his itch and Seonghwa's greed. As he grabbed onto his heated hip to pin it to ram into, Seonghwa choked on another moan.

"That's it. Just like that," he praised, finally breathless. Dark curls loosened from his updo and framed his features. His smile was breathless and full of euphoria.

He was gorgeous, taken by someone younger, who could show him actual bliss.

So proud of himself, Hongjoong quickened his pace when his orgasm approached. He chased after it, rutted like a wild animal into Seonghwa's tempting scent and heat. The body before him convulsed as Seonghwa reached below, jerking his tip with gloved fingers. Soon, everything became too much, too hot.

Hongjoong pulled out before he could come inside and his hand found his throbbing length. Seconds later, his seed splattered over Seonghwa's backside and entrance, making him groan through his orgasm.

Hongjoong panted. The surface of the piano was wet with sweat and they were sticky all over. Paired with Seonghwa's perfume, they smelled awful.

Though he could go for more, the chill of his blood was still wary. Reading Seonghwa's exhausted huff for what it was, the detective hurried to pick up Seonghwa's panties. When he spotted it on the ground, he hastily stuffed the fallen letter into his pocket.

Seonghwa needed a hand in support to stand up. His hips were bruised, but his cheeks glowed as his dress cascaded over his grimy body. He didn't bother with the underwear and his smile was secretive when he pressed the detective's hand against Hongjoong's chest. 

"A keepsake," he offered, before he crossed the room. He quickly regained his pace, unbothered while Hongjoong rightened his tie and collar, his pants. Looking ruffled, he slinked out of the sitting room behind the other man. The love nest stank of their bodies. How many others had there been?

"Best leave now. Neither of us knows anything."

Seonghwa opened the door to the cold London air for Hongjoong. The detective shivered when their heat quickly dissipated. 

With a hasty nod, he grabbed for his lid and coat. He hurried away with his blood still speeding through his veins, trying to wrap his head around what he had done.

Go to chapter 23