“Lucas has men tracing them,”

Taeyong nodded as they got inside the elevator, Mark exhaled and glanced at his brother again.

“I don’t think she’s coming, hyung. What will we tell abeoji?” He asked as the elevator moved up, Taeyong exhaled and just shrugged.

“I don’t know, maybe he’s also expecting it. Taeri…she’s stubborn, we know that.”

“How about we tell her the truth? Maybe she’ll listen~”

“No, she doesn’t have to know. I don’t want her to know.”

“Still, he’s back in town, hyung.”

“He wouldn’t dare.” Taeyong stated as the doors opened again, he moved forward.

“So, what now? Most of our enemies probably have hear about noona being back.” Mark said as he followed him to reserved dining hall.

“I’ll have more eyes on her, but we both know she doesn’t like that.”

“She wants to get rid of Lucas, hyung.” Mark mused, Taeyong shook his head.

“But she’s tolerating him, I saw them talking to each other.” He said as they reached the doors, Mark chuckled.

“Lucas is quite patient with her. Or, it may be the other way around.”

Taeyong smiled and just fixed his tie.

“Now, what shall we tell our parents regarding Taeri’s absence?”

Taeri slid down from the car and walked towards the house, Lucas followed behind her while checking his phone.

“I thought you had that dinner thing with your parents tonight,” He spoke as they crossed the dining hall.

“Don’t feel like it.” Taeri shrugged before setting her backpack down, she took off her coat before heading to the stairs.

“Then is she planning on eating alone?” Lucas looked around the big empty house, he scrunched his nose and shook his head.

His phone pinged and he opened the message, his lips quirked up before sending the details to Mark.

Taeri stepped in her room and plopped down on the bed, she looked at her arm again.

“This wont do me any good.” She murmured as her eyes went to the tattoo on her finger, she smiled briefly.

She glanced at her phone as it started ringing, Taeyong’s name was flashing on the screen. She exhaled before taking off her shirt and changing into a pair of sweats.

She erased her makeup and let her hair down before stepping out of her room. Taeri made her way back to the stairs and went down, she paused as she heard movement in the kitchen.

“Why are you still here?” She said as Lucas set plates on the kitchen counter.

“I felt bad for you.”

“What?”

“Why would I let the princess of the mafia eat alone?”

“Why wont you just leave me alone?” She muttered back, Lucas chuckled and just gestured for her to sit.

“So, you found out who those guys are?” She asked as Lucas handed her a bowl of rice, Lucas looked at her.

“Why? Want to take care of them personally?” He replied as he sat down across her.

“I might have time tomorrow.” She replied dryly, he laughed.

“Like they’d let you.” Lucas rolled his eyes, Taeri grinned back at him. The male gasped and balked at her.

“Whoa, you know how to smile? Daebak!” He boomed, Taeri shut and eyed him warily before picking up her chopsticks.

“So, what’s your deal? How’d you end up in Seoul?” She asked him.

“Family business. And, they want me to finish my studies here.” Lucas replied, Taeri paused and nodded back.

“You? Why’d you leave Seoul?”

Taeri paused and shook her head.

“I left because of the family business.” She replied, Lucas nodded back.

“You owe me one, by the way.” He added out of the blue.

“Like you’d let me forget.” Taeri rolled her eyes at him, Lucas smiled and gestured for her to eat more.

“This,”

Taeyong picked up the photos off the desk, they were gathered at Johnny’s place, Lucas sat back on his seat.

“Do we know them?” Johnny asked from his desk, Doyoung chuckled.

“She did what?”

“She pointed a knife at them after stomping on his foot.” Jungwoo recounted with a proud smile.

“Gilbae’s group.” Taeyong spoke again and put the photos down, his eyes went to Lucas again.

“I know where they usually hang out. Should we attack now?” Lucas said.

“It’s too late now, how about we do it in the morning?” Doyoung suggested, the other three looked at him.

“Let’s do it tomorrow early morning. It’ll be more fun that way.” He smirked, Lucas nodded.

“That actually sounds good, we need the exercise.” Johnny smiled as he studied the photos, Lucas’s men had managed to locate the two males who had harassed Taeri earlier.

“What if they’re behind the drugs too?” Jungwoo spoke.

“It’s not exactly within their means, they can’t afford it.” Taeyong replied.

“How’s Taeri? Did she get hurt?” Taeyong asked Lucas.

“She’s okay, hyung. Just a bruise on her arm.”

“Which arm?” Doyoung asked, Lucas started to grin.

Taeri was dressed in an oversized sweater and ripped jeans as she rushed down the steps, the girl had a rare smile on her face as she strode in the kitchen and then she halted.

“What?” She blurted as she noticed that only one plate was set on the large dining table.

“Good morning, young miss.” The maid greeted her.

“Where’s Mark?” She asked as checked the time on her watch, she wasn’t running late.

“The young masters left early, young miss.”

Taeri blinked, she headed for the front door and found Lucas’s usual parking spot empty, no, the whole parking space was empty.

“What the~”

“Agasshi, we’ll be taking you to school today.” One of their men approached her just as a black Suburban came to view.

“Where are they? Even Wong Yukhei isn’t here. Did something happen?” She asked them, the male shook his head.

“No, they just have some business to attend to.”

Her brows rose up, two more males appeared before her. She exhaled before handing them her bag.

“Bring me to them.”

“Agasshi, we can’t~”

“Bring me to them or else I’ll run away. I’m sure you wont like that.”

“Taeri?” The male looked up, his friends grew tense.

“I saw her the other day at school. She was with her younger brother.”

“She’s really back for good?” The male pressed, his other friend stood up and walked towards the billiard table.

“She’s in the business department. She’s officially enrolled.”

“Hyung, please don’t start this again.” One of his friends spoke, but the latter shook his head.

“I want you to see her.”

“We know that, but what happened before…Her brother will have you~”

“Do you think Lee Taeyong can scare me now?”

“Hyung,”

“I will make him pay. I can have Taeri again and I will make him pay.” He stated before leaving his seat, he picked up his laptop off the table before heading out of the room.

“He’s lying.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s thinking of using Taeri to get back at him, but,” The older male exhaled before putting his drink down.

“With Taeri…it’s different. He wants her back, but his pride wont let him admit that.”

“Hyung, what about her brother?”

“We can deal with Lee Taeyong later. But we need Taeri back on our side no matter what.”

Taeri ignored her guards’ calls and slid down from the car, he could see the silhouettes of her brother from afar, they were facing away from her. She also recognized Johnny and Lucas standing with the group, while Jungwoo stayed a few steps behind.

“Why are they here this early?” She muttered under her breath as her eyes roamed around the empty alley.

“What are you~” She paused as she neared them, she noticed there were two males kneeling on the ground before Taeyong, their wrists were both bound together.

“Jungwoo,” She spoke quietly, Lucas glanced behind him just as the girl walked up to Jungwoo and wrapped her arms around his arm.

Jungwoo smiled at her.

“What are they~” Taeyong leaned forward and the two males flinched away, Taeri could see how badly beaten they were.

“Gilbae sent you, obviously. So what does he want?” Taeyong spoke, his tone flat and icy. Taeri’s eyes zeroed on the males and she recognized them.

“The guys from yesterday.” She stated, Jungwoo gave her a nod.

“Do you think we’d let you and your spoiled brat friends now?” One spat at him, Taeyong chuckled.

“You touched one of ours, it’s actually a miracle both of you are still breathing.” Johnny spoke, Taeyong moved forward, it was then when Taeri noticed that her older brother was holding onto a steel baseball bat and Lucas was swinging around another one. Both were stained with blood.

“Ya,” Taeri spoke, Taeyong glanced at her, but her eyes were on Lucas.

“I..I have somewhere to go to. I don’t like riding with them.” She spoke, the two males looked at her.

“Left arm, hyung.” Lucas said to Taeyong, the latter smiled before leaning forward, his placed his shoe over the male’s bruised left arm and started to press on it. The male yelped in pain.

Taeri moved forward, Mark tried to reach for her but she shook him away.

Taeyong was about to lift his bat, but one male spoke.

“Someone wants her!”

Taeri halted, her brows rose.

“Someone’s offering a large sum just for her head.”

“Excuse me?” Johnny moved forward, his shoulders tensed.

“But the pay’s higher if she’s alive.” The male continued quickly, both of his eyes were swollen and the front of his shirt was bloodied, while his partner looked like he was about to pass out.

“Who is this someone?” Mark spoke, Jungwoo moved forward, his brows furrowed.

“No one knows, but word has been spreading around. They want her.” The male cackled, Taeyong’s jaw clenched and unclenched.

“Lee Taeri. Dead or alive.” He said in a teasing tone and that was when the bat hit him across the face.

Taeri could only stare at the male in confusion, then she was being pulled away from the group.

“Come on, let’s get you to where you want to go, princess.” Lucas said, she tried to push him back, but his grip on her tightened.

“Let your brothers take care of them. You’ll be safer away from here.” He said firmly as they approached his car.

“Is it too soon for Red Queen jokes?” She whispered as Lucas opened the door for her.

“What?”

“Off with his head!” She blinked at him, Lucas sighed.

“Sometimes, I wonder, are you really human?”

Taeri shrugged at him before sliding inside the car, Lucas exhaled and he looked at his friends again.

Johnny gave him a nod before Lucas got inside the car.

“Gilbae? Isn’t his group from the south of Gangwon?” Taeri said as the car sped away from the alley.

“Yeah,” Lucas replied.

“That doesn’t bother you?” He asked her carefully, Taeri paused.

“A little, but I have other things to looks forward to.”

“Impossible.” Lucas muttered, she started to smile excitedly.

“Did I get the wrong Taeri?” Lucas blinked at her, this Taeri was too smiley that it freaked him out.

“Let’s go to the airport.”

“No, I do not want to run away with you.” He replied.

“Idiot. My kids just arrived. We’re picking them up!” She beamed at him, Lucas’s jaw almost dropped to the ground.

“So, this is what Jungwoo has to put up with.” He said under his breath before stepping on the gas, Taeri just smiled and leaned back on her seat, but her hand hovered over her neck.

Are you back?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++