Author's POV:
You immediately peeked outside to see a few men standing there along with Taehyung and Jo. The men took Joel and put him in a car trunk, immediately driving away. Taehyung ran towards the car you were behind along with Jo.
"We have to go. Get in, quick." Taehyung spoke. He sounded like he was in a hurry. Well, everyone was. The police were here. You immediately got in the car with his help as he sat beside you, Jo was driving.
You could see Taehyung's tense expression. He cocked his gun before peeking out of the window, shooting the police car which was chasing you all. You gulped and stared at everyone, flinching with every gunshot. What was happening?
"Jo! Move to the forest, immediately!" Taehyung ordered as Jo nodded. The speed of the car was illegal right now. If they got caught, they'd get their punishments increased. You noticed Taehyung's arm as your eyes widened.
His arm was bleeding and a part of his shirt was torn. Maybe his arm was grazed by a bullet. It must've hurt.
You gulped, staring at it. You saw him glance at you before looking outside again as he shot a few times. The car was soon in the forest until it entered a cave where the police no longer followed. Maybe they lost track. After all, the panicked driver made you hold the front seat for support.
You gulped as soon as the car stopped. The cave had a huge door inside making you frown. Was this some secret base? Couldn't be! Never...
—And it was. A secret base.
You all were sitting inside the beautiful and modern base. Underground yet so expensive. Rich mafia stuff, you'd guess.
You looked down, staring at your bruised wrists. Why was it always your wrists?
"We're safe for now. We have to leave this base within the next 24 hours. The police will search somewhere else. Probably in Joel's hotel soon." Jo spoke, pouring some hot water into the cups on the counter. You looked at the cups of hot water and saw him adding 3 coffee packets to them.
"Coffee?" He asked you as you nodded, looking down.
"Sir?" He asked again. You looked in the direction of Taehyung to see his bare back facing you. You gulped. He was so bulky and big. His muscles were intact.
But as soon as your eyes fell on his arm which he was dressing, you felt bad. Of course, Joel was hurt worse than him but you didn't even pity Joel a bit. He deserved it anyway. But Taehyung sort of didn't.
"Why am I thinking like this? Weird." You gulped and tried shrugging off your thoughts. Maybe the fact he saved you a while ago was good. Though it was probably for his own good, he still got a shot trying to save your ass.
You took the coffee cup from Jo and went towards Taehyung, putting the cup on the table beside him. He looked at it before looking at you. You shuddered a little. You were about to get killed very soon.
You turned around abruptly, ready to leave but his deep voice stopped you, "Stop."
"Sit here." He said sternly. He was mad.
After sneaking out and putting yourself in trouble along with him, he had the very right to be mad. But again, he was just a kidnapper so.
You sat on the chair across from him, trying to put on a normal face which said, 'Everything is okay,' though nothing was actually okay.
He quietly took the ice packet near him and said, "Press it on your wrists for 15-20 minutes."
You didn't talk, just stared at him. You didn't know what to say.
"Umm... I'm fine." You said. He raised a brow, staring at your wrists before saying, "That's why you mocked me for 3 days for a swollen wrist way better than this?"
"Why are you bringing that up?!" You asked, frowning. He just stared at you with his cold eyes as you gulped, taking the ice pack. You put it on your left wrist first and immediately hissed.
"So okay, I see it." He mocked. He stared at your foot and sighed, shaking his head.
"Don't mock me. I'm hurt." You said, frowning.
"You don't even have the guts to glare at me right now. You know well you don't get to talk right now."
He was right. But you didn't like this. You just scoffed slightly and continued. A glance at his arm and you felt bad now. You could see blood through the bandage.
"Are you grateful you didn't end up with blood?"
"It hurts either way." You said.
He looked at you before saying, "You know well, you're getting grounded for good."
There was a quiet silence as he sipped his coffee. Jo had served your coffee as well and left to make a call. You stared at your coffee and remembered what you did back there.
You jumped into his arms. The arms of your kidnapper. He didn't resist.
You hugged him. He played along.
He noticed your lips quivering as your sour face was obvious with the thoughts you were having. He noticed it all and said, "Why did you sneak out?"
"I wanted some freedom..." You said, gulping.
"You put yourself in trouble along with Jo." He said. You bit your lips and said, "I know, okay? Don't remind me. It is bad enough as it is.."
"Still stubborn." He shook his head as you gulped, looking away.
"Why did you come out? Don't you fear death?" He asked, staring at you.
"I thought you were fighting in the forest! Why did you all come inside a public place to fire guns?" You asked in disbelief. He raised a brow and said, "Mafia business is not as easy as you think. He tracked us before we could attack him. And therefore, change of plans."
"Why did you attack him?" You asked.
"Enmity." He said, shortly. You saw how he looked away before sighing.
"Was this a small fight?" You asked as he nodded.
"This was a kidnapping plan. We planned to kidnap Joel. It turned messier than expected, thanks to someone." Your face shrunk as soon as he said that. He noticed it and said, "Your puppy eyes do not work on me. I'm not Jo."
"Hey! I wasn't showing you my puppy eyes! Gosh, what do you think you are?! I was just annoyed. You didn't have to point it out like that. I didn't know that Joel guy would follow me." You said. Right now, though the whole situation was a crime, you could say sorry but your ego was too high.
He shook his head and took the ice pack from your hands before putting them on your right wrist making you look at him a little flustered.
"Don't stare at me like that." He ordered. You glared at him immediately, looking at your hands. He noticed your scrunched-up face and leaned in closer saying, "You are so unbelievable."
"You say that every day?" You asked, irritated.
You knew he didn't mind at all. Your irritated replies like a brat, he was so used to those by now. Maybe your being nice would surprise him more. He gently patted the ice pack on your wrists. You saw him stopping as he hissed slightly. His arm was hurting.
"Do you know how to dress wounds properly?" You asked, suspecting him. He scoffed and said, "I've treated myself when I was nearly dead, what do you think?"
"Understandable. You're pro at treating yourself when you're nearly dead that's why you can't treat minor wounds. I get it." You said, nodding.
You saw his creased forehead and a chuckle died to escape your lips. You annoyed him. He was annoyed. You wanted to chuckle so badly. But no, not in his presence and knowledge, never.
Soon, the chuckle died in your throat as he spoke, "You're dead once we go back in. Mark my words."
"Anything but feeding me grass." You said. He looked down, his lips twitching.
You couldn't help but remember that moment when he saved you from Joel. That feeling of security and warmth that you found in his arms, you couldn't forget. It was roaming in your head. You gulped and muttered, "Thank you."
You saw his head shoot up as he raised a brow. You stared at him saying, "For saving me."
"That was for my gain. I only saved a hostage who I needed."
You rolled your eyes at his statement and said, "Fine, cold b*stard."
"Imagine cursing someone who saved your life."
"You said you did it for yourself!"
"But it was your life which I saved."
"Are you guilt-tripping me?"
"No. You belong here with us. It's my duty to save you from other predators."
You went quiet. 'I belong here?'
A feeling. Belonging somewhere was feeling. And he said you belonged here, with them. Maybe after 2 months, you wouldn't belong here anymore but he was the one to accept you with them right now. An invitation you've always rejected.
Of course, he probably hated the idea of a stubborn girl like you being with them as well but maybe, like you— he was learning to accept. You were already starting to accept many things around you. Maybe you hated the idea of you accepting everything but as more and more time passed, you realised you were already accepting them. Accepting them didn't necessarily mean liking or loving them but, it was simply accepting them.
And you were sure of it. He probably accepted this stubborn girl as well. He had to, he kidnapped you anyway.
"Until 2 months and 5 days." You said. He looked at you, staring right into your blue eyes. Once again, you noticed those pretty deep brown eyes of his staring into your azure blue eyes. And the same tingle arose in you, the tingle only he managed to bring in. The tingle which you termed as a misunderstood feeling due to not interacting with boys for years, was good-looking and always scared you somehow, so maybe it was normal, different.
"2 months and 5 days." His deep voice repeated as you nodded.
2 months and 5 days until you were out of here. And it was the time you'd belong here, with them.