House of Cards | Bulletproof book 2 | A BTS Gang AU

16: Go Baby

The Underground was not what I expected. Though, once I saw it, I wasn't sure what I had expected anyway. The only thing that was fitting was the fact that the space was, in fact, underground.

Large industrial lights hung from the ceiling between steel beams and exposed duct work. People crowded in everywhere the eye could see - on the ground level, hanging over railings at the balconies, and especially crushed in together near a large ring set up in the center of the space. I stayed close to Minnie and Soyeon so I wouldn't get lost. My event was somewhere else and I would never find it if I got separated.

"Yuqi and Soojin are in the basement preparing for their rounds," Soyeon said as she craned to see over the people that were generally much taller than her. The place smelled of thinly veiled sweat, alcohol, and something metallic and floral that I couldn't define. The combination of it all had me wondering if I should have ate more before I left. Or nothing at all.

"You mean this isn't the basement," I asked more to distract myself than anything else.

Minnie giggled. "Well, this is one of them."

We shoved our way forward. A huge guy stepped backwards, landing on my foot and nearly crushing it. I screamed and reflexively punched him right between his shoulder blades. He arched against me and whirled around, grabbing me by the collar and picking up so that I was face-to-face with him.

"What the fuck, Matthew? Put her down you big, dumb, ape!" Soyeon reached forward and wrapped her hand around his large forearm, but he had a death grip on my shirt. I was half a second from crotch kicking the bitch before he smiled and set me down.

"Your girl's got quite a punch on her. She fighting tonight?" His voice was low and smooth and his face looked completely different when he smiled. Somewhat squishy. Like a teddy bear. A muscular, arguably dangerous, teddy bear.

"No, she's racing. Yuqi and Soojin are in the ring."

Matthew tilted his head back in a half nod before looking over his shoulder at something. "I should've known. I'll let Jiwoo know. She's been looking for a rematch ever since last time."

"I'm sure she has," Soyeon said absently as a new man walked up beside Matthew. "J.Seph. Good to see you again."

The new guy, J.Seph from the sound of it, simply tilted his head in response, looking us all over sharply before leaning over to whisper something in Matthew's ear. Matthew nodded before smiling down at the rest of us.

"Well, ladies, I'll see you around. And you," he pointed down at me, "save that hook for the ring."

"Watch where you're putting your giant ass feet and I will."

Matthew threw his head back and laughed as he turned to follow J.Seph through the crowd. I waited until they were gone to cock an eyebrow at Soyeon.

"Friends of yours?"

She laughed. It may have been the first time I'd even seen her crack a smile. "KARD is one of the gangs that has hands in this place. J.Seph handles the financials while Matthew is more of the muscle. There are several others involved, but those two plus the girls in their crew are the faces of this place. They're not bad once you get to know them, even if J.Seph can be a little scary sometimes."

"Good to know."

"Come on," Minnie interrupted, "we've got to get out back. The races will start soon and Morgan needs to get an idea of what's going on before her heat."

Soyeon grumbled and fought harder to get through the crowd. I saw a few faces I knew, but tucked my head down and stood closer to Minnie so they wouldn't notice me. If anyone did, I wasn't aware of it. There were so many people crammed into that dimly lit space, that I would have to have exceptionally bad luck to be recognized by anyone.