14. Jack

CHAPTER 14

JACK

" W ell, I've got to give it to you, Kevin. This is great."

Seojun's apartment looks more luxurious if that is even possible. The end where the dining table had been up until yesterday is now occupied by a string quartet dressed to the nines and entranced by their own music. In the middle of the living room, there's now an ice sculpture of two swans forming a heart with their necks and beaks. There are flowers everywhere I turn, from the windows to the walls to the floor, but the most impressive features are the champagne and chocolate fountains taking center stage and making this party feel as expensive as it probably is.

"Thank you, sir." Kevin bows for me, but I shake my head.

"You can call me Jack. I'm not your boss."

"I'm sorry, si—Jack."

A girl in a ponytail, white shirt, and black skirt approaches me with a tray and presents the food.

"Caviar and salmon blinis?"

I carefully lift one of the beautifully presented canapés and take a small bite.

It tastes horrible, but seeing as both Kevin and the server are staring at me, I shove the rest of it in my mouth and pretend to enjoy it.

Rich fishy food has never been my cup of tea. I wonder if it's Seojun's. We've been stuck together for five days so far, and while he's eccentric, he hasn't struck me as a food snob. Besides, he only seems to be particular when we're out and about trying to find the answers he's looking for. If anything, he's like a puppy at home. Which is probably why Shuga is obsessed with him.

After dinner at Lily and Annie's, I couldn't burden my friends with looking after my pet any longer, especially since it was only raising more scrutiny about my relationship with Seojun than we needed.

I hated lying to them, but these were extenuating circumstances, seeing as I couldn't spill the truth to them no matter how hard I tried. I just hope they'll understand and forgive me when all this is over.

If it's ever over.

Seojun has never signed for anything that lasted this long, so we're officially in uncharted territory. We've actually been in uncharted territory from day two, but now it is officially official.

As more and more people arrive, more and more servers offer food and drinks to the guests clustering in smaller groups. If I didn't know any better, I'd think this was a genuine engagement party.

"How did you manage all this in two days?" I ask Kevin, who stands in the corner admiring his handiwork while wearing the most unflattering attire. White chinos a size too big, a pink sweater vest over a white shirt, and pink shoes.

Kevin notices me staring.

"Mr. Sinister's orders. He wants people to know I work for him when we're in public," he explains. "And as for the party, it's simple. I found the best catering and party companies and created a backlog of contracts and paperwork that made them think they had forgotten about their most prestigious event of the year. Grass even sent some of their staff to cater because they felt so guilty."

"Grass? My friends have been trying to get a reservation there for months. How the heck did you do that?"

Kevin shrugs. "You'd be surprised how much people are willing to do when they feel guilty. Plus, it doesn't hurt that they've found themselves with contracts that could get them sued for not delivering."

I smile at him, but it doesn't feel quite as warm as most of my smiles. This is wrong. On so many levels. Right? But if I know Seojun—and after five days of being inseparable from him, I feel like I do know him—he will find a way to compensate these people for their work. Will it be with stolen billionaire money? Very likely. I know it doesn't make it entirely okay, but well, these people won't miss their insurmountable wealth. Besides, only bad people get so much money, so in a way, the Sinister Seomyeong is a superhero. A modern-day Robin Hood.

"Jack!" someone behind me says, and I turn to find Annie, Lily, and the rest of the gang dressed in their usual casual clothes, sticking out like sore thumbs amid all the tuxedos and dresses.

"Guys! You came!" I put my drink down and go over to them to embrace them all one by one.

"I thought this was a nothing party," Annie says when I hug her last.

I look at them and bite the inside of my cheek.

"It is." I chuckle.

"It doesn't look like a nothing party," Lily says, and Zeke snaps his fingers in agreement.

"I know, but…" I startle when Bob and his wife enter. "See? Bob is here, and he's not overdressed."

Bob stops and looks down at his casual, jacket-less suit and frowns.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Nothing. That's exactly what I'm saying." I pat his shoulder before I turn to greet his wife, Martha.

"How are you, sweetie?"

I kiss her on the cheek and turn to look at the room.

"Quite the turnout," Bob comments and picks up a glass of wine from a roaming server.

I nod and inspect the faces.

I find a few familiar ones from the office, including Karen and Mortie and other SPAM agents I've dealt with in the past.

How did Kevin find these people? Even I don't have their contact details. I could use the database to find it, but I wouldn't abuse the system like that, especially for a party that isn't even real.

"That guy looks familiar, but I can't place him." Bob points to one of the men in a black suit standing by the champagne fountain and throwing daggers at everyone around him.

"He does look familiar," I answer.

"Well, I, for one, don't know who anyone is," Zeke says.

"Yeah, it's like Jack has more friends he hasn't told us about," Brandon cries, and I bite the inside of my cheek again.

I hate doing this to them. I hate that I even had to get them involved in this or that I can't tell them it really means nothing. I don't even know why we're throwing this thing. It seems only Bob cared about missing it. I could have told him we moved the date to give us more time. But no, for some strange reason, I went with Seojun's terrible plan of trying to wine and dine my colleagues so he can find his missing family.

What if this signature never ends? What if I'm tied to him for the rest of my life? Does that mean I can never tell my friends and colleagues this isn't real? Will I have to marry Seojun next? This charade has gone far enough. I know he didn't mean any harm when he said we're engaged. It was more like a slip of the tongue, but it's still hurting my friends.

He's not a bad guy. I know he isn't. Every day I spend with him is further proof of that. He's kinder than he lets on and sweeter than he allows people to see. Even when he thinks he's being devious or cunning, I can see right through him. I can see everything he's been through, everything that's shaped him, made him believe he had to be ruthless to succeed, to be cruel to be heard, to be bad to be good.

But even good people make bad decisions, and this has been a terrible one. Maybe I can talk to Seojun. Maybe he can do something about it. Especially if this signature bonding thing doesn't go away like he's convinced it will.

Yeah. That sounds like the best path forward.

"Where even are we?" Robin asks.

"Seojun's apartment.'

"Hang on. He lives here? What does your fiancé do, exactly, Jack-Jack?" Zeke asks.

What do I tell them now? And how? How can I tell them what happened to me and still convince them Seojun isn't a bad guy?

"That-that's…complicated," I manage to say. It's better than lying again.

"This is so weird," Brandon says, and I smile at him.

"Weird doesn't necessarily mean bad."

Brandon grimaces.

"Didn't say it does, but now that you mention it, it's usually bad. Actually, it's always bad. Oh God. Am I weird?" He breaks into tears again and Zeke hugs him, patting his back affectionately.

"Where is the man of the hour anyway?" Robin asks.

I open my mouth to answer them when it hits me.

He's not here.

How is this possible? And why didn't I realize how weird it was that he wasn't with me when he excused himself to go get ready?

I look around, searching for him. He must be near if I'm not in pain. Right? He must be here somewhere.

I push my jacket sleeve up and unbutton my shirt so I can look at my arm when the room goes quiet.

Seojun appears in the hallway in a striking salmon-shaded, loose-fitted suit made of silk and crystals that make him look like a walking gemstone.

He takes in everyone in the room, a blank but fierce expression on his face, and then he stops at me. I smile. He smiles. He's never looked like he belonged here more than he does now.

In fact, he doesn't even look like he belongs in my life. Or, more specifically, like I belong in his. I could never look like that—so confident, handsome, or stunning—or be able to carry myself through a room like it belonged to me. Yet, when Seojun does it, he looks like this is right where he was always supposed to be.

But then he glances at my exposed arm, and his smile drops.

I look down and catch my breath.

His signature…is gone.