Empire | ATEEZ

036

I could tell that Seonghwa was mad, livid, over the fact that Jeongguk had offered to show me around, casually talking and laughing, and over the fact that I had joined him, having fun and feeling tipsy from the drinks he had bought us.

I could tell that Jeongguk was enjoying it, the power he had over the right-hand man who was trailing after me as the embers in his dark eyes slowly began to burn brighter and hotter with every fleeting touch or brush of a hand against mine.

I was too, and I didn't even try to hide it as, at last, the youngest member of Nova bid us goodbye to return to the party and the rest of his members, leaving the two of us alone as I slowly turned to face Seonghwa.

But I barely got the chance to utter a single word before Seonghwa had suddenly grabbed me and pulled through one of the many doors littering the hallway before slamming it shut, his chest rising and falling in irregular intervals.

I crossed my arms over my own, tilting my head a little in mixed amusement and anticipation as I watched him glare at me for a moment, taking in the dress before rolling his eyes and turning his back to me with a scoff.

"And to think that I was worried for you, worried that you would be scared or in danger-" Seonghwa trailed off, pacing back and forth as he ran a hand through his ashy blond hair, occasionally glancing at me as if he couldn't bear to look for more than a second at a time.

"What?" I mused, watching him closely, amused more than anything as I watched him struggle to hold himself together, "Are you angry at me?"

He immediately halted, breath hitching as I let my arms fall back down my sides and made my way towards him. "I don't like the way he was looking at you," he croaked, and I could see the tips of his ears turning red as he held my eyes, "The way he was touching you. I- Everyone was looking-"

"Are you embarrassed by me, then?" I pressed, watching retreat with every step I neared him until his back hit the wall, "Are you frustrated because I didn't listen? Because I didn't do as you told me?"

Seonghwa's eyes widened a little, but he didn't answer, "I was never in danger, so what exactly were you worried about? No one would dare hurt me with the tattoo on my back. It would start a war, you would start a war."

"But he was touching you," Seognhwa breathed, eyes momentarily flickering to my lips as he swallowed thickly and his eyes darkened.

"He dared touch you even when I was right there. You could see it in his eyes, Nari, you're not that naive, if at all. You could see- Everything in the world is about sex, except sex. Sex is about power."

I could see the frustration in the working of his jaw as it went taught, and I could feel the hammering of his heart as I pressed myself against him, wanting nothing more, right then and there, than to kiss him, to see the blush burning across his cheeks.

"But power- The thing you have yet to learn is that nobody gives you power, Nari. You just take it."

I nodded a little, reaching up to touch his cheek.

It was almost sickening, the satisfaction and pride I felt knowing that the man in front of me, one of the most powerful and dangerous people in the entire country, was wrapped around my finger.

He was the Big Bad Wolf and he was all mine.

We were all alone and I was all his-

"Should I?" I mumbled, leaning a little closer as Seonghwa leaned into my touch, "If I want power, should I just take it, then?" I breathed against his lips, trailing my hand from his cheek to his chin as I pulled him closer.