Page 106 of Ruthless Touch

The hotel really has descended into pure pandemonium. People scream and flee toward the exits, desperate to escape not only the smoke but the gunfire.

I reach into my shirt and deploy another smoke bomb in the main lobby, watching the poison clog the air and make it even harder to pick people out in the crowds.

The only way we’re going to make it the hell out of here.

Joon-gi appears as more smoke spreads. He immediately joins our side in fighting off the security guards who are trying to regain control over the scene.

The three of us make our way toward the exit. Guards finally locate us through the rolling clouds and start rushing our position. My hand slips from Gun’s as he’s forced to engage two attackers at once, his martial arts training kicking into gear.

I find myself facing my own opponent—a security guard who swings a knife through the haze. I throw up my arms to block his strike, hissing as the blade opens a gash along my forearm. Blood beads to the surface and drips down the inside of my arm.

But I’m ready for him on his second strike, ducking under his swing and driving my dagger into his stomach, twisting until his eyes go wide and he collapses.

As if waiting for the opening, someone else grabs me from behind. His hand snaps shut on my upper arm and he tosses me backward to the lobby floor like a discarded toy. I land hard, my ribs aching from the collision.

I scramble to get into a defensive position before he can do any more damage. Then I freeze once I look up and realize who’s the culprit—Rhee Tae-hwan stands over me with the same gun he used to execute KD still gripped in his hands, his expression tense and unreadable.

His eyes gleam in recognition.

And it’s in that moment that I know one thing for certain—he knows who I am. He knows I’m my father’s daughter.

A long moment passes where he peers down at me and I look up at him, heaving ragged breaths, waiting for the inevitable kill shot.

It would be so easy. All he would have to do is raise his arm and squeeze the trigger.

I’m only human. I’m on the ground at his mercy. There’s no way he would miss and no way I’d be able to move quick enough to dodge the bullet.

He could so easily do it and end things right now. It would put an end to the thorn in his side that I’ve been.

And yet… he doesn’t.

He stares for several seconds on end, his face made of stone. Then… then he simply turns and walks away.

I blink, completely thrown by the moment. Confused as to what the hell just happened. Why did the hell Rhee Tae-hwan, the man who murdered my father, let me live? Why wouldn’t he take the opportunity to kill me like he did Dad?

I don’t have any more time to ponder it. Gun snatches me up again, having finished off the two guards he’d been fighting. He grabs me by the arm and takes off toward the nearest revolving doors.

I’m dragged along, still covered in KD’s blood, still in a daze.

We make it to the Porsche he drives with him barking at me and Joon to get in. I dive to get into the back as Gun takes the wheel and Joon drops down into the front passenger seat.

The Bellmare becomes a building fading in the rear view mirror. Gun’s hit the gas and sped off into the city streets.

Joon slides fingers through his shaggy hair. “That was fucking insane, Gun-woo! What the fuck was that?”

“They’ve found us out,” Gun grinds out. His expression is sharp, his brows furrowed in rage. He’s clutching the steering wheel with bruised, bloodied hands, looking like he wants to break something… or someone. “My father’s discovered Elise is one of the Black Suits and everything went to hell from there.”

“Crazy shit!” Joon exclaims. While Gun looks furious, Joon looks like he’s on the most thrilling ride of his life. He twists in his seat to address me. “Wow, feline. You’re one relentless woman! I’d never want to get on your bad side. An assassination at an engagement dinner? What a night!”

I can’t bring myself to respond. I look out the window as the tall, sleek buildings zip by and city lights blur around us, and I can’t ignore the heavy pit in my stomach.

KD’s dead, and it’s all my fault.

He died trying to protect me. He died because I confronted him.

I never let him in the way he wanted to be let in. For years I kept him at arm’s length despite the fact that he had always been good to me.

He had been a friend, even if I never wanted to admit it.