chapter 14
Her heart skipped a beat, and she instantly scanned around to look for the source of the noise.
She looked, and there lay the waiter, dead. She turned pale as a ghost and slowly looked up at Jinman, who was standing at his place, with his gun pointed down at the body. She was finding it difficult to breathe. She thought she was next to be on the floor or dead in the chair. Her eyes were hollow. She hadn't seen a man shot dead in front of her eyes.
Jinman looked at her face and felt bad for her, but he understood what was happening. He had no choice but to do what he did; he had to kill the assassin who came in disguise.
He noticed the waiter's behavior when he was thinking those dirty things about Jian. Usually, in places like this, waiters serve ladies first, then men. But in this case, the waiter served him first before Jian. He instantly realized something fishy. He stared at the waiter while his right hand was firmly at his waist, holding his gun,just in case.
The waiter poured the champagne on his left side instead of his right(which is a sign of death in the mafia world),placed the fork and turned around. Jinman was about to think it was a false alarm when the waiter's hand went towards his waist, and he saw the gun. He quickly stood up from his chair without making a sound. Jinman shot him right at his temple when he was about to shoot him.
The body fell back on the ground and died instantly.
Jinman hadn't wanted to shoot the assassin in front of her, but he had no option. She looked at him in fear and prayed to God. She recited all the holy prayers she knew and realized she only knew one out of the seventeen.
Jinman sat back and placed his gun on the table. He dropped the phoney gentleman behavior and returning to his usual mood. He had planned to use force in case this new behavior failed.
"Eat!" he commanded. She looked at him, shocked, thinking, "How can he ask me to eat when there's a dead body in front of me? That's just crazy."
Her eyes were filled with tears. She tried her best to hold back the sobs, but she failed.
"Don't cry," he ordered. He realized how much he hated to see her cry.
She wiped her tears with the back of her hand.
"Now eat, or else you will be next!" He faked the threat, he wanted to spend time with her, and nothing was going to get in his way.
She took the spoon with shaky hands and started eating. She was shaking like she had Parkinson's disease. She noticed her shaky hands and cursed himself for hurting her like that.
She sniffled and ate like a baby; she hated herself more.
"Stop accusing me, Jian ! I did this on purpose. I can't tell you why, but I hope you will understand it someday." Jinman defended himself, knowing she wasn't going to believe his words for now.
Thirty painful minutes passed. She finally finished her food. She had thought of leaving half of it, but she was asked to finish the whole thing.
Jinman had texted one of his men to come to the spot to remove the body. The man stood outside to make sure no one entered.
When she finished her food, he gestured for her to come with him. She stood up and followed him like a dog; after all, she had no option.
When they came out Jinman gestured his man to proceed with his work.
They drove quietly, and Jian was pleased he didn't say anything because she didn't want to talk to this murderer.
Jinman stopped in front of her house. As usual, he saw Arisu standing outside like a ballroom guard. She quickly reached for the door, but it didn't open. She looked at him as if asking why the door wasn't opening. "What does he want now!" she asked herself in fear.
"I'm sorry for what happened. I shouldn't have killed him in your presence," he said.
"Okay," she said slowly. She didn't know what to say, realizing that he was a cold-blooded motherf*cking psycho.
"I will pick you up early tomorrow, around 10 a.m. I want to take you somewhere," he said.
"I... have... a class tomorrow," Jian lied.
"It's a holiday, and all schools are closed. Stop making up excuses."
She lowered her gaze.
"Be ready on time."
"Don't you have to attend the festival?" she asked, trying to change the topic.
"So, do you think God will accept me for what I do and have done? Besides, I have stopped going to the worship place." He loved to share his life with her; he somehow felt safe and calm with her. "And I'm not asking you; I'm telling you. Be ready, or else I will make sure of it personally, love."
"C... can I go now?" she asked.
"Yh, but goodnight kiss first," he joked.
"Oh God, not again!" she whispered.
"My aunt would be worried sick, Jinman" she said.
"Oh, she can wait, and my name sounds so nice and lovely from your lips." His gaze lowered at her lips and he decided to claim it.
He placed his palm over her cheek and turned her face so that he could see her properly. Slowly, he closed the gap. She kept backing her head when he placed his hands at the back of her head, holding her in place.
"Don't resist me, Love," he said slowly.
He was very close to her lips.He moved closer, the space between them getting small as his face got near hers. She had already given up, shutting her eyes in total shame. As the last bit of distance went away, his eyes closed too. But just then, Jian peeked open one eye, quickly seeing his handsome face. The sight quickly brought her back to the main point: she couldn't let a killer kiss her.
He was lost in the feeling, holding her close, so his strong hold on her face felt weak for a moment. She quickly used this chance and turned her face away. His lips, meant for her mouth, instead just touched her cheek. He did not fight or complain. Instead, he stayed there, gently touching her cheek with his lips, happy with the small brush of skin. Jian, though, kept her eyes shut tight, trying hard to push down the bad feeling that had come up inside her.
After a long minute in that close, quiet moment, he finally pulled back, a soft smile on his face. She didn't look at him as he then reached over and opened her door.
"If you want to finish what we started," Jinman whispered, hinting at more, "I don't have a problem with that."
She quickly grabbed the handle and pushed the door open. That's when she felt something cold and sudden on her wrist. Looking down at her right arm, she saw a shiny bracelet there.
Where did this come from? Jian thought, her mind rushing.
"It's a small gift for you," Jinman said.
He must have slipped it on when his lips touched her cheek; she was too shocked by everything else to notice.
"W-why?" she asked.
"I wanted to."
"I... I can't take this. It looks too e...expensive."
His eyes stayed on hers, his voice turning into a low, strong warning. "You will take it. And if I ever see you not wearing it, I will personally make sure you never take it off again,And trust me, you will not like what I would do." He gave a clear warning.
She looked at him in surprise. How could she wear it when her aunt saw her? Her aunt would kill her if she learned her daughter was spending time... any time... with the mafia; even if it was against Jian's own choice,Arisu will skin her alive too.
"Okay," she said, and quickly got out of the car to stop more trouble.
She almost ran toward her house.
Jinman waited until she was safely inside her house. He pressed the key to start his car and began making plans for his date with his woman tomorrow. But, he didn't know what to do on a date, since he had never taken any woman out before. He drove straight towards the villa, to get some free advice from Pasin.