Page 1 of Ruthless Touch

ONE

GUN

Most people avoidbright lights and loud noises when their brain feels like it’s splitting in half. But me? I surround myself with them.

I’m standing under the neon-lit sign outside Club Eclipse as if I don’t have a migraine bad enough to make a grown man cry.

I probably would if I weren’t already used to it; it’s less unusual when I go a daywithoutthe severe pulsating inside my skull.

After twenty years dealing with the daily pain, you learn to live with it.

I pop the lid on the orange pill bottle I keep on me at all times and toss back two large, chalky tablets. They taste like shit going down, but give it twenty, thirty minutes, and they’ll do the trick.

As I’m leaning against my Porsche taking my meds, a parade of gorgeous women struts by. All in dangerously low-cut dresses that barely cover their asses. Each one in sky-high heels that make them look like Amazons.

They’re on their way into Eclipse to party the night away.

…which means that’s whereIshould be too.

If there’s anything that’s going to distract me from the splitting pain in my skull, it’s a beautiful, curvy American tourist?—

I’m winking at the group of girls when my phone buzzes from inside my pocket.

Fuck.

That better be Joon-gi. His ass better be nearby.

I fish the phone out of my pants pocket, even more disgruntled when I see the name on the screen.

“Appa,” I answer. “Always good to hear from you. How have I disappointed you today?”

My father’s grimace might as well be a sound. “You disappoint me just by waking up each morning, Gun-woo. But I didn’t call to discuss your mediocrity. This is business.”

I glance over my shoulder at the American cuties entering Eclipse and sigh. Stepping away from my Porsche, I put some distance between me and the dance club.

It’s hard enough to hear my father through the throbbing in my head without adding the club music to the mix.

“If this is about the weapons deal, no worries. I’ve got it under control.”

“There are no words more terrifying from Rhee Gun-woo than those five. This is not about the weapons deal, aegiya.”

I scowl to myself.

He knows I fucking hate when he calls me that—Hangul forchildish one. But he does it anyway, just to get under my skin.

“This is about the other task I’ve given you,” he goes on, tone dripping with disapproval. “Your tasking to investigate the Black Suits in Seoul.”

Shit!

“That,” I say slowly. “That is underway, Appa. I’ve had Joon-gi?—”

“Enough! Quit your lying now, Gun-woo. You have made no progress. And now a Jeokpa is dead.”

“A red breaker is dead? Buthow?!”

“Is it any surprise? I’ve warned you that these Black Suits were not to be taken lightly. They are here to disrupt the Cheongryong by any means possible. From the insideandoutside. There was an assassination attempt on Lieutenant Im and the breaker took the bullet instead.

“The word is, they’ve brought in some of their tier ones—specifically someone by the name of Black Silk. He’s the best in the business,” my father says. “Do you realize what this means? Everyone high ranking is a target until this is sorted out—including you.”