Park Jimin: Romeo and Juliet

ᴄʟᴇᴀɴ ᴜᴘ

CHAPTER SIX
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"I'll be very respectful, Mr. Park," I part my lips and bat my eyelashes, "I won't fight at all. Hell, I might even sit in your lap. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Jimin chuckles softly under his breath. I look up at him beneath my eyelashes.

"Untie me?"

He leans close to me, reaching for my wrists. The heat from his body coils against me.

"Only because you asked so nicely," He smirks and the ropes fall from my wrists.

Color rushes to my face, "Thank you, Jimin."

"You're welcome, bella."

"Out of curiosity, do you still think it was necessary to tie me up?"

Jimin studies me for a long moment. Too long. I wish I knew what he was thinking.

"You're safe with me, I told you that."

"So kidnapping me and tying me up was for my protection?"

He swiped his nose with a curled index finger, "Some might say I was protecting myself."

I raise an eyebrow, "Seriously? Mr. Big Scary Mobster is afraid of a girl?"

"So now you're just a girl? Before, you were a hacker. Which is it?"

My jaw drops. The gall of this man, I swear.

"I can be both, you know."

Jimin shakes his head, a ghost of a smile on his lips.

"Okay, fine. Let me re-phrase. Do you still think you need to protect yourself against me?"

"I've seen you with a gun."

"Yeah? Did it scare you, Park?"

Jimin takes a step closer to me. I meet his gaze, lifting my chin. I can't show weakness. Not in front of him.

"I'm not afraid of girls with guns, bella."

"Why? Do you think girls don't know how to use them?" I squint.

"Most don't. But you're not most girls, are you Sam Cordano?"

I take a step closer, almost closing the body gap between us, "I'm definitely not like other girls. You've never met a girl like me, have you?"

"No. But I look forward to making her acquaintance."

Once again, his face is too close for comfort. He inches forward. My pulse races. And just as suddenly, I remember I'm still covered in blood from the massacre last night. I wince, rubbing at the sore skin around my wrists.

Jimin takes one of my wrists, gentle, "Are you hurt?"

He runs his thumb along my wrist bone, handling it as if it was made of precious glass, "Let me massage you. I can take the pain away."

On one hand, he's an enemy of my family that kidnapped me but on the other, he could've taken me and my father's lives yesterday. And he didn't.

I let his fingers trail across my skin for a moment longer... before pulling away.

"I'll accept a massage from you. If you promise you won't tie me up again."

"Oh, bella. You play dirty..." He pauses. I hold my breath, "...but I was never one for playing clean, anyway. A deal's a deal."

He holds out his hand, expectant. My brain rationalizes my options.

If he doesn't tie me up again, I can find a way to escape. This is my shot. But something in me tells me to reject.

"No, thanks. I can massage them myself."

A quick spark of hurt, followed by anger, appears in his face. Gone as quick as it came.

"You'd rather rope than my hands? Suit yourself."

I bite my lip, ducking my head. The heat of his stare is too much. As soon as my head lowers, Jimin immediately grabs it.

"What are you doing?"

"Your cheek. Who did this?"

Oh, right. I almost forgot about my father vigorously backhanding me last night. He runs his thumbs along my cheeks, the heat turning into soft sorrow, "Tell me who did this, now."

"Who do you think?"

"Your father."

I don't confirm one way or another. As much as I'd like to admit it, family is family. I can't rat. And if my upbringing proved anything, it's that the family business isn't to be discussed. Especially not with the enemy.

He's still caressing my cheek and examining my face carefully. As good as his touch feels, I know I'm entering dangerous territory.

I take his hand and gently remove it from my face. Jimin raises his hands in surrender.

"If that's what you want."

He glanced over at his men, both watching the exchange carefully. Jimin leans closer to me, lowering his voice, "You need to respect me in public. It could get a lot worse for you, you know."

My stomach twinges in slight fear. I know he needs to show strength in front of his men. But I deserve respect too.

"Respect goes both ways, Jimin. Understand that."

"I do. But you're in my house now. That means my rules."

My heart is racing again. He lifts my face to the light. There's still dried blood on my check. He clenches his jaw.

"We need to get you cleaned up. I have a first-aid in the bathroom... and I'm experienced in treating wounds," He cups my cheek again, staring deep into my eyes, "Let me clean you up, bella."

Why is he treating me with such kindness? And why does it feel so good?

Hesitantly, I nod. Jimin guides me toward the bathroom, "Ready?"

My gaze travels to Jimin's hands. He's holding a first-aid kit from the cabinet. I nod. Jimin lifts me onto the sink as if I weigh nothing.

"I promise this won't hurt," Ever so gently, Jimin dabs at my cheek with a damp towel, "almost got it."

One he wiped all of the blood off, his fingers linger on my cheek. I swallow, hard. His face is just inches from mine. His lips, centimeters away.

"Bella..." His eyes search mine, deeply. His eyes drop to my mouth. His tongue darts out to lick his lips.