Page 29 of Ruthless Touch

“I see,” he says finally, clicking his tongue against his teeth. “How often are you taking the current medication?”

“Every few hours when it gets bad.” I roll my shoulders, trying to work out the heavy tension that’s settled like dried concrete. “Sometimes more.”

He grunts, a sound that could mean anything. “I’m going to prescribe you something stronger. Oxycodone. It should help manage the pain more effectively.”

He reaches for his prescription pad, but before he can write anything, he picks up a small penlight from the metal tray beside him. “Let me check your pupil response first.”

The moment he flicks on the light and aims it at my left eye, white-hot agony explodes behind my skull like a grenade going off. I jerk backward with a sharp grunt, my hand flying up to shield my face from the assault of brightness.

“Fuck!” I hiss through gritted teeth. The pain is so intense it radiates down my neck and into my shoulders.

Dr. Song’s expression darkens with concern, immediately switching off the light. “That reaction is not normal, Gun-woo. The sensitivity has increased significantly since your last visit. I’m referring you to a neurologist. Dr. Kim at Seoul National University Hospital is excellent with traumatic brain injuries.”

“Forget about it,” I snap, already reaching for my shirt. “My brother Ho-seok is a neurologist. He’s poked and prodded me dozens of times over the years. He’s run every test in the book—and nothing. If he can’t help me, some stranger sure as hell won’t be able to either.”

Dr. Song’s frown deepens, though he doesn’t argue. He knows better than to push when I’ve made up my mind. Instead, he tears the prescription from his pad and holds it out to me.

I snatch it from his fingers along with my shirt, the cotton wrinkled from being balled up on the chair. “Thanks for the drugs, Doc.”

The door rattles on its hinges as I yank it open and storm out of the office.

There’s no question about where I’m headed next. The Cheongryong are hosting a vital meeting to discuss last night’s events.

Black Silk’s assassination attempt on Lieutenant Im has left the entire gang bloodthirsty. Everybody wants revenge for the enforcer that was slain.

I show up to our headquarters in Inwangsan, a palace-like blue house in the foothills of Seoul. It’s where our leader, the Cheongryong-je, resides and the main base of our operations.

Security is airtight at all hours and no one gets through without authorization.

The interior is luxurious and fancy, with our signature midnight-blue color and platinum trim everywhere you look.

I make my way through the ground floor, passing the murals on the wall that pay homage to the mythological blue dragon we’ve named ourselves after.

Several lower-ranking Jeokpa’s nod their heads at me, eager and willing to please. As a Yongsa—what we call a captain—they’re automatically intimidated by my presence.

I ignore them all on my way to the chamber where the meeting’s being held.

I’m still disgruntled after last night’s events.

It’s not often that somebody bests me. Yet Jamie did just that; she not only seduced me, she almost succeeded in killing me.

The rest of the syndicate still believes Black Silk to be a man. I haven’t made up my mind if I’m going to tell them the truth.

Honestly? I like the idea of getting even myself.

An eye for an eye.

Nobody should get to put that beautiful feline in her place butme.

Joon-gi stands with another intel guy as I stride down the corridor. He mutters some parting words to him and then comes up on my left side.

“How’s the battle wound?” he asks.

“Yesterday’s news,” I answer, jaw clenched. “Today’s news? I have myself a stray kitten to find.”

He chuckles with a shake of his head. “But the real question is, are you going to tellthem?”

Joon-gi’s question goes unanswered.