Black Diamond

7. Chapter 7

“Boss Lady! Wait up!”

Kamella turned with a wide smile to find one of her favorite employees, Nokomi, running towards her from the hotel’s employee break room. Nokomi was from the States too, though she was currently living with her parents on Osan Air Force Base. She had just turned 21 a month before, but her family move to South Korea when she was in high school. Kamella was extremely fond of her.

Nokomi was a rarity in Seoul, just like Kamella. Her skin tone was even deeper than her manager’s -- a lovely umber tone that highlighted her startling blue eyes. She had an oval shaped face and naturally heart shaped lips. Customers at the hotel constantly commented on her appearance, and Kamella constantly told her that she should get into modeling, but standing at a mere 5’1”, modeling was the furthest thing from Nokomi’s mind. Instead, she wanted to be a pastry chef.

“Koko, why are you in such a hurry?” Kamella grinned at the shorter woman, smoothing a stray lock of hair back for her. Nokomi had a gorgeous mane of voluminous black hair that broke her hair ties constantly. Kamella carried spares whenever Koko was on shift.

“Belle just texted me from the front desk saying there’s a bunch of people walking around with notepads, taking pictures of everything, and asking a lot of questions. It’s really suspicious, right?” Koko frowned thoughtfully, falling in step beside Kamella.

“I was actually on my way to the front desk. Let’s see what’s going on.”

The two women walked to the hotel lobby together, Kamella plastering her customer service smile on her face the moment she stepped onto the floor. The other employees behind the counter greeted them both, and Belle took a step away from the front desk.

“Mel,” Belle whispered lowly, moving to stand between Kamella and Koko. “You see those men over there?” She nodded her head in the direction of a group of four men, dressed in casual clothes with cameras around their necks, a notepad and pen in each of their hands, “Should we call security?”

Kamella laughed, shaking her head, “No, just let me talk to them first.”

Kamella went directly from behind the counter to approach one of the men. She bowed respectfully, “Hello, I’m the Front Desk Manager on duty this afternoon. Is there anything I can help you gentlemen with?”

“Oh, we’re just scouting this hotel for a photoshoot. I have an appointment with the General Manager in about thirty minutes.” The man replied, handing Kamella a business card. She paused, reading over the name of the company he worked for, and then did a double-take. She looked up to see the man watching her, and quickly recovered her customer service smile.

“If that’s the case, the secretary should be on her way to you to his office. Please give me a moment.” Kamella bowed again, and went back to join the girls behind the front desk.

“Who are they?” Koko attempted to whisper, but she did a horrible job at it, and Kamella nudged her with her elbow.

“Girl, learn how to whisper, damn.” Kamella admonished, muttering behind her hand.

Beside them, Belle giggled at Koko’s awful attempt to be discrete, “But really, who are they?”

“They said they’re scouting the hotel for a photoshoot.” Kamella paused, contemplating if she should share the rest of the information she had gathered from her brief exchange. She threw caution to the wind, “...For SM Entertainment.”

Both Belle and Koko grabbed Kamella by either arm at the same time, “WHAT?!” They shouted in unison, and Kamella cut her eyes at both of them as a few heads turned in their direction.

“You two will get us all fired,” She hissed, frowning at them both. Kamella moved away from them to call up the GM’s secretary, ignoring the two people behind her that were positively fangirling at the idea of a star-studded photoshoot happening at their job. They were completely unfazed by Kamella’s warning, but unlike the two of them, Kamella was internally panicking.

SM Entertainment wasn’t a small company, by any means, so literally any group at the label could be participating in a photoshoot for them. It was ridiculous and irrational of her to think that of all the groups, NCT would happen to have a photoshoot at her day job.

Reassuring herself that there was no way that would happen, Kamella confirmed that the secretary was, in fact, on her way. After hanging up the phone, she turned back towards her two beloved juniors, to find them still fangirling by the key wall.

She walked over to them with a grin, “Wanna take bets on who’s coming? I bet you five bucks, it’s SHINee.”

“Nah, it’s gotta be Red Velvet,” Koko murmured, adding her hand to the bet, “I’ll take your five, and up it to ten.”

Belle crossed her arms thoughtfully, reaching up to tap her chin. “It’s going to be NCT,” she said resolutely after a moment, “I’ll be willing to throw ten dollars in that pile.”

“Nah, there’s no way -- they’re in LA right now,” Kamella shrugged off Belle’s suggestion, for nothing more than her own sanity. If Taeyong came to her day job, she had no idea how she’d hide from him.

“How do you know? Are you a fan of them? ...You’re a little old for that group, aren’t you, Boss Lady?” Koko teased, cracking up when Kamella glared at her.

“Get out of my face and get back to work, infant,” Kamella deadpanned, walking away from her giggling coworkers. Another employee at the opposite end of the front desk called for her, drawing her back into work. She’d have to worry about the photoshoot later.

Thankfully, it was already Thursday, and she had work at the House tonight as well. Taeyong told her that his group wouldn’t even be back in town until Friday or Saturday, so Kamella was sure she didn’t have anything to worry about… Or at least, she really hoped so.

With Taeyong

For the first time ever, Taeyong was going to the House of Cards alone. He probably should have brought someone along with him, but most of the other members were tired from their LA trip, and he didn’t want to bother them.

He set out for the club at 9 pm, knowing that Diamond was always there until late in the evening. In the back of his mind, Diamond’s warning to notify her of his arrival echoed in his ears, but he pushed that thought away. There was no way he could surprise her with his early return if he told her he was at the club -- that defeated the purpose of a surprise. Plus, someone on her staff would definitely let Diamond know that he had come to see her once he arrived at the door.

“Diamond-noona’s with a client right now, but we’ll let her know you’ve arrived,” A worker about his age told him at the door, with a welcoming smile. The man had a diamond tattoo on his left forearm, so Taeyong knew he was someone he could trust, “Follow me -- I’ll take you to a room so you can wait for her.”

The two guys headed down the hallway, the club’s usual, upbeat music playing in the background. The hustle and bustle of the first floor echoed up to the VIP section on the second floor. The karaoke bar was busy, as usual.

Taeyong followed the other man silently, making sure to keep his head down. Diamond had warned him that there were cameras in many places, and not every person on staff was trustworthy. He pulled his baseball cap lower to help cover his face.

“Oh? Who do we have here?”

The man leading Taeyong visibly stiffened at the sound of a high-pitched voice behind them. Both men turned at the same time though Taeyong remembered to keep his head down.

A pale beauty stepped forward, with bone straight hair that reached the top of her shoulders. She was dressed in a form-fitting dress, but compared to Kamella’s curves, she was basically a board. She had dark, downturned eyes, and a smile on her face that bordered a sneer.

“I asked you a question, boy,” she stated, glaring at the man that had been leading Taeyong down the hall.

“This guest is here to see Diamond-noona,” The man murmured, and Taeyong could hear a tremble in the other man’s voice.

“Oh? You’re her Ace, aren’t you?” Mi Na crept closer, that eerie smile on her face spreading wider. She reached out a hand to get a better look at Taeyong's face, but he took a step back. Everything about the woman in front of him set off the alarms in his mind.

“Mi Na-noona, I was instructed to take the guest directly to-,” The young man tried to speak, but Mi Na cut him off, fixing him with a glare.

“You, stop talking. I was asking our guest a question; not you.” Mi Na’s gaze landed back on Taeyong, and he frowned. He didn’t want to make a scene and get Diamond in trouble, but there was no reason for this woman to speak to others like that.

Taeyong lifted his head indignantly, opening his mouth to admonish the woman when the sound of high heels clacking against the floor caused him and the others standing there to turn around.

Striding towards them purposefully was his Queen of Diamonds, in a fire engine red romper featuring a deep V-neck that showcased her ample cleavage, and thin, heels. Her hair was an ombre of black and silver, styled in a sleek bob that stopped just below her chin. She looked beautiful... and angry.

Diamond’s gaze was pure ice as she glared over Taeyong’s shoulder at the woman causing trouble. A pleasant cinnamon fragrance filled his nose when Diamond finally stood directly in front of him. Without a word, her sepia toned hand reached for him, pulling Taeyong forward, her other arm sliding over his shoulder possessively. In no time, he found himself in Diamond’s arms, his chest pressing into something soft, and definitely feminine.

She leaned into him and Taeyong swallowed thickly when Diamond’s breath tickled the hairs on his neck. She had turned his back to Mi Na completely, and angled his head so that the only thing that the other woman would see was his back. Taeyong was sure Diamond had a reason for her public display, but at the moment, he couldn't figure out why. Diamond’s close proximity didn't help either -- she nearly made him forget why he had been standing in the hallway in the first place.

Diamond brushed her lips against the sensitive skin of his neck, whispering low enough for only Taeyong to hear her, “Hold still, and don’t turn around.”

Taeyong had no trouble doing exactly as he was told.

“Unnie, are you causing trouble for my precious client, and my staff member?” Diamond questioned, speaking loudly this time. Taeyong had no idea what expression Diamond wore since she had him facing the opposite direction, but from the look on her staff member’s face, it had to be something fierce. “I won’t be polite if you keep bothering them,” Diamond added, an unspoken challenge in her tone.

Mi Na scoffed as if she hadn’t been doing the very thing Diamond was accusing her of, “Why would I want one of your clients anyway?”

A deep chuckle erupted from the direction Diamond had come from earlier, and this time, Taeyong watched as a tall man came forward. The man regarded Taeyong curiously for just a moment, then turned his brown eyed gaze to Diamond, “Calm down, Kammie-yah. You know how Mi Na-ssi loves to play around. I’m sure she was just teasing your new client.”

Diamond eased up on Taeyong just a bit to turn towards the newcomer, sighing deeply, “Oppa-”

Sung Joon approached the group in the hall, giving Taeyong a once over. The young man that had been escorting Taeyong bowed his head and scurried away, not wanting to be a witness to the fight that was sure to break out.

Sung Joon lifted an eyebrow at just how close Diamond was standing to Taeyong, but he kept his comments to himself. At the same time, Taeyong felt a feeling of dread growing in his stomach when he finally looked over at Sung Joon. The other man was taller than him, dressed nicely in slacks and a blazer, and he was wearing an expensive watch… Taeyong had heard the way Diamond had addressed the older man too.

She was an only child, so one thing was for sure -- he definitely wasn’t her actual brother.

A smirk spread across Sung Joon’s face, “It seems my time with you is up, Kammie-yah, but I still want to play. Mi Na-ssi, do you have some free time?”

Mi Na rolled her eyes, crossing her arms indignantly, “Everyone knows you’re Diamond-ssi’s pet.”

Sung Joon’s smirk widened into a full out smile, another low laugh emitting from his lips. Diamond knew that look, and she did her best not to chuckle darkly. Mi Na had no idea who she was messing around with, “Oppa, did you know you were my pet? Shall I let you off your leash then?”

“If you’re giving me permission, we definitely have to remove it,” Sung Joon put both his hands in his pockets, taking two steps towards Mi Na, that petty smile still on his face.

Diamond released Taeyong for a second to grab Sung Joon by the shoulder, “Be careful, Oppa,” she murmured softly.

Sung Joon nodded once, and Diamond let him go. Taeyong watched the entire exchange with that feeling of dread steadily growing stronger. Was Diamond like this with all her clients or just this man? Who was this Oppa she so familiar with?

Sung Joon reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a Red Ace card. Taeyong internally breathed a sigh of relief -- it appeared he was still the only person with Diamond’s black Ace card, at least.

“Mi Na-ssi, I haven’t used up my wish for today. Does the Queen of Hearts accept my request?” Sung Joon asked her smoothly, holding the card up between them.

Mi Na took one look at the card, then glanced at Diamond, who gave a saccharine smile, “He didn’t use it. Look at the card, Unnie. There’s no lipstick stains.”

“Then… I accept.” Mi Na replied cautiously, accepting Sung Joon’s card, and pressing her lips against it.

Sung Joon nodded, a lopsided smirk covering his face, “Let’s go fulfill my wish then, Mi Na-ssi.”

With Mi Na completely distracted, Diamond tugged on Taeyong’s wrist slightly, “Let’s go. Quickly.”

Taeyong nodded, glancing over his shoulder to see the tall man and Mi Na, the Queen of Hearts, walking in the other direction. A thousand questions were swirling in his mind, but everything came to a screeching halt the moment Diamond led him out of the club by a fire escape at the opposite end of the hallway. They burst out into the warm night air on a spiral staircase that led down to an alley behind the House of Cards.

The moment the door was closed behind them, Diamond released her grip on his hand, moving over to the railing to collect herself. Taeyong pulled his hat off of his head, running his fingers through his hair.

Diamond rounded on him, her lips pursed in frustration, “Lee Taeyong, I specifically told you not to come here without-!”

Taeyong was a lot closer to Diamond than she had originally thought, his arms trapping her between his own body and the stair railing. Bathed in the dim light from the street lights below them and the few lights shining over the stairwell, Taeyong’s new blonde hair color looked warm and inviting, distracting her momentarily. It was the perfect contrast with the dark pants and white button down shirt he wore, with the top three buttons undone. His visible clavicle was enticing her.

Diamond her lips and Taeyong moved closer still, his gaze making her melt. Whatever words she was going to say died in when he finally closed the space between them and kissed her.

Maybe it was a bad idea to shut Diamond up by kissing her, but really, Taeyong couldn’t help himself. First off, he refused to be outdone by Diamond’s oppa, whoever the hell he was. Secondly, he hadn’t seen her for almost a week, and when he finally did, she had the gall to publicly embrace him and claim him in the middle of a conflict with another Queen -- his heart was racing from a combination of emotions that he didn’t have time to explore right now.

When he was sure he had kissed her soundly, Taeyong finally pulled away to let her breathe, watching Diamond with a heated expression. He was mad, worried, upset, confused, but most of all, he was in awe of the gorgeous, protective woman in front of him.

“Noona, grant my wish,” Taeyong murmured lowly, leaning in to whisper in her ear. In lieu of kissing his card, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her again, leaving her head swimming in a foggy haze. Without realizing it, Diamond was nodding her head in agreement.

Taeyong gazed directly in her eyes when he made his request, “What is going on with you and the Queen of Hearts? Who was that man just now? I need you to explain this situation to me. My wish is for you to tell me the truth.” He told her evenly.

Diamond’s eyes grew wide and she tried to step away from him, but she quickly realized she had nowhere to run.

“You already agreed to my request, Noona,” Taeyong informed her smartly, a small smile quirking up his lips.

“Fine,” Diamond grumbled out, pouting and looking away from him.

“Noona, don’t be mad at me.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek, drawing her focus back to him. ”This is your fault, you know? You promised me everything, but you keep holding back from me. Now I have to resort to tactics like this.”

“I regret promising you so much,” Diamond bit out, and Taeyong chuckled lowly, knowing she didn’t mean it.

“Don’t be a sore loser, Diamond-noona.” Taeyong chided, and Diamond smirked in response. She hated to admit it, but Taeyong was right. She had agreed to his request before knowing what it was, so it was her fault that she was in this situation right now.

“Have it your way, Taeyong-ah,” Her low, seductive voice sent shivers down his spine as she splayed her left hand across his lower back, “But... you need to receive your punishment first.”

“Punishment?” Taeyong lifted his eyebrow curiously, wondering what Diamond meant.

“Haven’t you learned already? When you break the rules I set for you, there’s always repercussions. I told you not to come here without contacting me first, and did it anyway. You’ve earned yourself a punishment, my Taeyong-ah.”

Taeyong wet his lips, his heartbeat accelerating in anticipation, “Then, I’ll have to take full responsibility.”

Diamond’s cheshire grin was too y for Taeyong to look away from. She reached for his shirt, unhooking the fourth button, and pushing the fabric aside. She traced her finger nails slowly against his exposed skin, “Are you ready, Taeyong-ah? This might hurt a little.”

Instead of replying, Taeyong stood in place, tightening his grip on the railing behind her. When Diamond’s teeth grazed his skin just above collarbone, he bit his lips to keep quiet. There was no way he was going to make it home unscathed, and he was perfectly fine with that.

End Chapter 7