Page 54 of Signed, I'm Yours!
“Yes, of course. I am building a criminal empire, after all. And a criminal empire requires henchmen. Lots of them.”
He’s so serious when he talks about crime, but so far, his worse infractions are breaking into SPAM offices and skimming on cab rides, which, if he’s to be believed, he makes up for through donations.
Whether he does or not, he still doesn’t strike me as a crime lord, and I’ve yet to see what other criminally terrible things he’s done or is planning to do.
“Now what?” I ask him.
He’s such an interesting creature. I can’t help but want to know more about him. If only to help me build a case against himwhen I’m out of his thrall. Although he’d look so bad in prison stripes.
“Now…” He grabs my arm and lifts my sleeve. His signature is still there, over my inked skin, as bright as it’s ever been. And I did try to remove it this morning in the shower while Seojun pretended to stare at the wall because apparently luxury apartments don’t believe in shower curtains. “We go back to SPAM and some more snooping.”
“Oh, come on. No. We can’t?—”
“We can and we—” He starts when my phone rings.
We both stop and stare at each other. I retrieve my phone from my pocket but don’t answer it. It’s Bob. Why does it feel like I’ve been caught with my pants around my ankles?
“Are you gonna get that or what?”
I nod and slide my thumb across the screen.
“Morning, sunshine. They’ve struck again. I’m sending you the address,” he snaps before I’ve even said anything.
“I need to go,” I tell Seojun.
“What? Go where?”
“Crime scene.”
His eyes go slightly wider at my words, but he tries to hide it by moving his head as if he’s dismissing me.
“We don’t have time for that.”
“We don’t have an option, I’m afraid. It’s my job. If I don’t show up, Bob will get suspicious, and that will only raise alarm bells?—”
“Just tell him you’re busy with the engagement party.”
“I can’t do that. Work is work,” I insist. And besides, maybe I’ll find a way to warn someone about my predicament.
“Fine,” he says, taking us back out on the street and hailing a cab.
The driver drops us off at an old, bricked-up bodega with yellow tape and police cars across the sidewalk, and I have to flash my CREEP badge to get through.
We find Bob leaning next to the door, holding his stomach as if he’s just been sick, though there’s no puke on the ground.
“Seojun!” he says as soon as he sees us. “You brought your fiancé to a crime scene, Happy? What is wrong with you?”
Seojun wastes no opportunity to drape himself over me and wrap both hands around my arm.
“I’ve wanted to see a crime scene for, like, ever!” He’s so convincingly giddy about it that I wonder if it’s actually true.
Bob puts his hands up and gags.
“Be my guest. But there’s a decapitated woman in there. I’m warning you.”
Seojun gasps.
“Actually, darling, you go right ahead. I’ll stay right here keeping Bob company.” Seojun lets go of me and stands next to my partner.
