𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐒 || 𝐉𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐇𝐀𝐍 ||🥀

34

Jeonghan

I strolled into the station with a spring in my step and a dozen chocolate éclairs. 

I had my own souvenirs. Shallow scratch marks lined my back like tiger stripes. And there was the tiny, purple love bite that was mostly hidden by the collar of my shirt.

"Morning...Chief?" Jisung's greeting sounded more like a question.

"Morning," I returned. I slid the bakery box onto the counter next to the coffee maker.

"Did you do something with your...face?" Haechan asked, looking concerned.

I ran a hand over my face. "No. Why?"

"You look different."

"Different good or different 'dear God, please stop smiling'?"

He looked at me as if I'd rode in on a unicorn preceded by a marching band of leprechauns.

"You're not making me feel good about my mood."

"Different good," He said quickly.

Chan wasted no time in breaking into the box of éclairs.

"How'd it go with our overnight guests?" I asked him.

"They bitched and moaned until Jaehyun's wife showed up and posted bail," Chan reported. "Are you pressing charges?"

"If Jaehyun doesn't go quietly, I will."

Chan nodded. "We've got him dead to rights on three cases and we've only gone back eight weeks. Affidavits are on your desk. If he doesn't go quietly, he's a bigger idiot than we gave him credit for."

I was both glad to have the proof we needed to build our case and pissed off that I'd given him the opportunity to abuse his power. There was no telling what kind of damage he'd already done behind the badge. But it ended here.

Chan gave me a closer look. "Why does your face look like you got laid? Is that a hickey on your neck?"

"Shut up and eat your éclair."

I spent an hour buzzing through paperwork, including the incident report from the night before and the three affidavits from Jaehyun's victims. His presence on the force was only a formality at this point. He was never going to wear a badge again. I'd see to that.

I then opened my text messages.

There was nothing from Mina, which I'd expected.

I'd taken advantage of her sated, walls-down state to get what I wanted. A commitment. At least a temporary one. Now that I'd had her, all of her, I wasn't letting go. I just had to hang on tight and wait for her to catch up.

Me: Still freaking out? Or are you still in bed too exhausted to move?

I held my breath, then blew it out when those three telltale dots appeared below my message.

Mina: What did you do to me? I tried to go for a run and my legs wouldn't work.

I grinned, my anxious ego immediately soothed.

Me: Chan just told me my face looks like I got laid.

Mina: Joshua said I was glowing.

Me: I hope you weren't
planning on keeping this a secret.

Mina: Is that even possible in this town?