Dance Monkey | Park Jimin (On Hold)

Chapter One~Jovi

I slid into the darkened theater box quietly as the lights had already gone down. The students and graduates of a local performing arts college were doing a two-week charity production benefiting the dance department, and they had done it up right. Arranging the use of a posh downtown theater, they were able to charge a small fortune for the tickets. Despite the expense, this was not the first time I had been in attendance, not by a long shot. I had been in this very same luxury box several nights ago on a date set up by my father—and I had come back every night since then.

I settled into the plush velvet seat, crossing my legs, as the music began and the stage lights rose. Three male dancers, dressed in all black, became visible through the mist that shrouded the stage. Only one of these, however, had my attention.

He was beautiful.

His lines were perfect, accentuating his muscular thighs and lean figure. The relentless, almost cocky way he moved his hips robbed me of whatever innocence I may have come into the building with, which admittedly was not much. I leaned back in my seat, barely breathing as he oozed sexuality all over the stage with every move he made.

I knew this dance by heart; I had seen it enough times by now. I knew the exact moment he would tear his shirt open, sending shiny black buttons skittering across the stage floor. When his fingertips ran seductively down his neck and chest, disapearing into the most intimate of shadows, my fingertips followed course, lightly feathering along the silk stockings that hugged my trembling thighs. It was a good thing I was inconspicuous, hidden in the shadows as I was. My breathing intensified and an ache filled my loins as I lingered over the softness of my inner thigh.

Abruptly, I froze, my cheeks going crimson.

He unexpectedly focused on me, his hooded eyes brazen with desire. Was I simply still in the midst of a lustful fantasy? All my focus centered on him. Obviously, I must be crazy for thinking he would notice me.

But no—as the music died away he once again stared in my direction, but this time he added a one-sided smirk, his small tongue poking out to enticingly sweep across his full lips. He bowed his ash blonde head in my direction, his eyes holding my gaze shamelessly, before he turned and disappeared from the stage.

My face burned, but my fingers were icy cold as I covered my cheeks in embarrassment.

I shouldn't be behaving like this in public!

Just as that thought crossed my mind, I felt the vibration of my phone and picked it up. Breathlessly, I answered, "Yes Father?"

"Why do you sound like that? What are you doing, Jovi? You should have been here an hour ago."

Damn.

"Do what I'm asking of you just this once and I'll reward you nicely," he cajoled. "I know you've had your eye on that new Maserati. Do this for me without making a fuss and Daddy will set you up nicely."

I was by no means a Daddy's girl; he only used that term when he wanted me to do something objectionable. It was easier for him to bribe me than have to fight with me about it. However, even though his wheedling tone suggested that he was soft and easily disregarded, I knew differently. My father ran an empire. He ran it with an iron fist. If his orders were not carried out, people paid with their lives.

"Yeah, yeah," I said as I gathered up my things and left my seat. "I just got caught in traffic. Why do you need me at dinner tonight anyway?"

"I wanted to talk to you about..." he noisily cleared his throat, and I knew whatever he had to say I was not going to want to hear. "Sung-nam will be joining us tonight."

What? No!

Choi Sung-nam, my date a few nights ago, was at least forty years my senior. He could be very loosely considered a colleague of my father's, but in reality was more of an enemy. My father wanted Sung-nam's territory and would do almost anything to get it.

~~~

I sat at the table in the massive ornate dining room ignoring my father as he droned on about the benefits of merging Mr. Choi's territory with his own. I kept my eyes down, not wanting to encourage the unwanted attentions of the man who had leered at me all through dinner from across the table.

As my mother was deceased, I acted as lady of the house, serving the food and pouring the wine as I was expected to do. It was not normally in my character to be this submissive, even with my father, but not wanting to embarrass him I quietly performed my duty, paying scarce attention to the conversation. I knew that it was best to know as little as possible. Plausible deniability was key to staying out of trouble in this family. I briefly lifted my eyes from my plate and caught Jungkook, one of the hired guns that kept my father safe, sympathetically smiling at me.

"We have a deal," Mr. Choi stated loudly, startling me. He was a burly man with a scar across one cheek and a permanent scowl on his face. There was nothing attractive about him, not his appearance nor his disposition. Nothing, including his massive fortune and power, was enough to make him the least bit appealing. He was an unscrupulous businessman with a reputation for being merciless. It was impossible to escape the gossip of the household help and I had overheard many rumors of his cold-blooded brutality.

My father and Mr. Choi stood and shook hands across the table, sealing whatever deal they had just made. They moved toward the smoking room to light up a couple of cigars and drink something much more potent than wine.

"Thank you for your company at dinner tonight, Mr. Choi," I remembered my duty as hostess at the last possible moment. I would be glad when this man left my home.

He turned, just before going through the doorway after my father and said, "Considering the circumstances, you may call me Sung-nam. Very soon more than just my name will be in your mouth."

His disturbing chuckle confused me and it took several seconds before it sunk in what his words implied. My eyes widened and I felt all the color drain from my face.

"What did he mean?" I looked around the room at the well-trained triggermen who did my father's dirty work, zoning in on the one that I had always been the closest to. "Jungkook, what did he mean by that?"

He looked down at his shoes, clearly not wanting to look me in the eye.

"Jungkook!"

His eyes warily watching the door my father had just exited through, he reluctantly answered me,  "Your father arranged a marriage between you and Mr. Choi to gain his territory. Jovi, he sacrificed you for the deal."

"Sacrificed me?" I shook my head angrily, "What you really mean is he sold me."