A Forgiving Heart - 12. Chapter 12

12

Raphael sat on the edge of the bed, his gaze on the key he now held, and the box with the note on deep sea diving in Jeju. Both items left him with an uneasy feeling. Like Hyun, they made him wonder why Nicolae would go out of his way to seal a key at the Black Orchid. In his line of work, the hardest thing to protect was a weakness. His was Talin and Dimitri, so he had locked down Colston and made sure Talin had people watching over him.

His father’s weakness was his mother. Estelle Yun lived a protected life. The Yun Family home was harder to infiltrate than any vault devised to date.

So, Raphael stared at the key he held, was he now holding Nicolae’s personal weakness?

He reached for his phone and dialed his father.

“You’re out,” Baek Yun said, pleased. “What’s the damage?”

“Sebastian Reed,” Raphael said with a sigh. “Lucian knows I’m him.”

“Understood,” Baek Yun said, and then there was a pause. “All assets under Sebastian Reed are changing ownership as we speak.”

“Thank you,” Raphael said, studying the key he held. “What is in Jeju Island?”

“What was in the vault?” Baek asked.

“No money this time, but a key,” Raphael said.

Raphael waited when his father went silent. He counted the engraved markings on the key, waiting…he had reached a hundred when his father sighed.

“Do you remember the property on a cliff in Jeju?” Baek asked.

Raphael combed his memory bank, going through the family’s assets. Pictures of a cottage house with loads of glass walls sitting on a cliff came to him, and he frowned.

“I’ve asked you to sell that property before. It needs a complete overhaul. The steps leading down the cliff to the beach are worn out,” Raphael said. “It needs constant care after the overhaul, it would cost too much if no one was living there. You refused all my requests for sale.”

“Not me,” Baek said, with a heavy sigh. “Your mother, Raphael.”

“What does Mom have to do with that property?” Raphael asked, clutching the key tight.

“I’ll send Himura the directions to that place,” Baek said. “There is a cave in the cliffs down at the beach. That key opens a door I hoped you would never have to open. We’ll talk when you get back from there. Come straight home when you're done.”

“Dad—"

“Do as I say,” Baek ordered. “I’m going in to see Nicolae. I’ll buy you enough time to get out of Jeju without his knowledge. However, once that vault is open, all hell breaks lose. Be ready.”

Baek ended the call, leaving Raphael with more questions than answers. Shaking his head, Raphael grabbed up the box that had held the key and pushed his hair back in frustration. His gaze rested on the rumpled bed, and he stopped.

Hyun.

His heart slammed against his chest. He had not missed Hyun’s little withdrawal earlier. He didn’t want to admit it, but that little withdrawal had hurt. He wanted Hyun to trust him. The hours they spent on this very bed made him hope, made him want to keep Hyun for good. Every touch had felt right, Hyun’s kisses heated and possessive, they were addictive and Raphael wanted them for a long time.

Raphael’s grip on the box tightened and he headed to the door. He paused in the act of opening the door when he heard Hyun and Himura talking.

“I’m giving you a way out,” Himura said, making Raphael wince.

He understood Himura’s thought process, respected it, as Hyun was an outsider. Matters that now concerned the Yun Family meant that Hyun needed to be away from him.

“We’ll be landing on Jeju Island in three hours.” Himura continued. “You can catch a flight to Incheon from Jeju, and then head back to the States. Will you do that?”

Raphael closed his eyes, holding his breath as he waited for Hyun’s answer. As much as he wanted Hyun with him, if Hyun didn’t want it…

“I can’t,” Hyun said.

Raphael opened his eyes in relief and almost opened the door, pausing when Hyun continued.

“I mean—”

“End it here,” Himura said, his tone enough to make Raphael growl with annoyance.

“Any further, and you won’t have any choices left. I’ll get you a ticket from Jeju to Incheon and from there to Colston. You have until we land to think about it.”

Raphael let out a sigh. Himura’s plan was solid he could not fault him for it. This was also Hyun’s decision, Hyun’s life.

Raphael could not interfere. The thought irked him, but there was no way out. His life was not easy to cope with, and he couldn’t ask Hyun to stay in danger when there was Mina to protect.

Opening the door, Raphael stared at Hyun. His heart settled at the sight of him sitting there with an adorable confused expression on his face. When had Hyun gotten so important that he would settle his heart?

Raphael thought about Gabriel’s assessment in their dream. He couldn’t imagine what would make Hyun love him. Still, the idea was so attractive, he found himself wishing it were true.

***

Seoul was a different perspective, Ilia Pajari decided as he rode the elevator to the penthouse at the upscale hotel they were using for their stay here. The intricate mix of tradition and modern culture intrigued him, but only enough for the week they would stay here. The elevator doors opened and he walked down the hallway to their suite. He swiped the hotel card over the lock and entered the elegant suite.

Calina sat on the couch watching a music program on the television. The volume was low, but she was bopping her head to the music. She had a blanket thrown over her, and she was still in pajamas. Lucian was spoiling her.

She gave Ilia a short wave when she noticed him, and continued watching her show. Ilia continued on to the study where he knew Lucian would be working. He didn’t bother knocking the door, and just walked in unannounced.

Lucian sat behind his desk, reading ledgers he had obtained from Vlad’s office when they left Colston. He looked tired, but Ilia would never mention that fact.

Ilia closed the door and moved to sit on the couch when Lucian didn’t look up from his reading.

“Raphael’s pilot filed a new flight plan. He’s making a move to Jeju Island,” Ilia said, watching his brother. “Are you sure this is our endgame?”

“Pajari Industries free of Petrov influence is my endgame,” Lucian answered, not lifting his head up, his concentration on the ledgers before him. “The only beast big enough to take on Petrov is Yun. The money from Petrov would be good too. Hyun Lee is an asset I need back.”

Ilia sighed.

“Raphael seems attached to him. He turns into a rabid dog when it comes to people he cares about. Are you sure you can handle that?”

“He almost took Vlad’s head when she poisoned Talin Sato,” Lucian shrugged. “I handled that fine. Besides, Hyun Lee is not family to him.”

“No, but the level of care is definitely different,” Ilia pointed out.

Lucian closed the ledgers on his desk, sat back in his chair and let out a long sigh.

“We’ve chosen this path, Ilia,” Lucian said, his tone thoughtful. “We’ll need to see it through to the end to survive.”

Ilia folded his arms against his chest, narrowing his gaze as he studied Lucian. The dark shadows under Lucian’s eyes were new. Pajari Industries, their family business, was on shaky ground financially. Ilia understood that better than anyone, he’d run the place for years. They needed a cash injection that required investors. It was difficult to do business in a hostile environment. Their business associates all thought Lucian had deceived Nicolae Petrov, and killed his most trusted ally, Vlad Petrov.

Ilia shook his head.

Irina 'Vlad' Petrova was dead, but Lucian was not the one who killed him, that honor fell on Dimitri Sedlackov, Raphael’s brother in-law. Ilia could not blame Dimitri’s reasons for taking out Vlad. The woman had threatened Dimitri’s very heart when she tried to kill Talin Sato.

Still…Ilia’s gaze returned to Lucian.

His poor brother was now in a quest to win back the standing Pajari Industries had lost in the aftermath. This quest meant destroying Petrov for good. Lucian was greedy though, he wanted Petrov’s empire too.

No matter how Ilia looked at it, this was a dangerous path. Lucian’s plan included pitting two giants against each other: Yun vs. Petrov could leave them devastated.

“Catrina will need to return to her father’s side soon,” Ilia said, thinking of the girl in the living room. He had tried to keep her in a safe place but Lucian preferred to travel with her. “We can’t hold on to her forever.”

Ilia noted the wince that crossed Lucian’s face before it disappeared, carefully hidden.

“I know,” Lucian opened his eyes and met Ilia’s searching gaze.

“She’s pretty,” Ilia said, trying to read his brother.

“She is," Lucian agreed in a flat tone.

His face too composed. He was holding back.

Ilia looked away with a smile.

Lucian was not as heartless as he tried to look.

“Will you be heading to Jeju Island?”

“We need the key to the vault,” Lucian said, frustration clear. “I can’t believe Raphael got it before we could. We can’t access the vault without the key.”

“You sound disappointed,” Ilia said.

“I am,” Lucian said, shaking his head. “I was curious to know more about the history hiding on Jeju Island. I would have loved to hold something over Raphael’s head.”

“Should we try to get it from Raphael?” Ilia asked.

“We can try,” Lucian got up from his chair. “I’ll chase after him in Jeju. Give him something to think about.”

“Why are you so intent on pushing Yun against Petrov?” Ilia asked, curious.

Lucian went around his desk and perched on the corner, also folding his arms against his chest.

“I discovered an interesting secret when I was working for Vlad Petrov,” Lucian said, his gaze narrowed for a second. “I once walked into Vlad’s office after she’d had a harsh call from Nicolae Petrov. They argued a lot. She wanted shipping rights, and Yun Shipping is attractive. Nicolae told her to back off when she tried an aggressive approach with them. They argued about it constantly.”

“That is no secret,” Ilia said. “Baek Yun argued with his son too over working with Petrov. This strife got Gabriel killed, didn’t it?”

“Yes. Yes, it did. That was about the time, wasn’t it?” Lucian murmured, his gaze shifting to his shoes. “Vlad opened up in a rare show of weakness. She wished she had the power to get rid of Nicolae, but couldn’t because Baek Yun would retaliate. Baek Yun and Nicolae have an undisclosed deal that protects their mutual interests. They make a show of being rivals, but not once—except for Vlad ordering Gabriel’s murder—have they ever intruded on each other’s business. The deal is said to have started with their wives. Vlad hated the existence of this deal, which was why she interfered with Raphael’s twin brother.”

“Wives?” Ilia frowned. “You mean Raphael’s mother and Calina’s mother?”

“I would hope so,” Lucian scoffed. “Raphael is so sour I sometimes forget he has a mother.”

Ilia chuckled.

“Are you sure Calina does not have information on this deal?” Ilia asked.

“It was the first thing I asked her,” Lucian said, shaking his head. He scratched his jaw with his right hand and scrunched his nose. “She said her mother is paying back a debt but would not elaborate further.”

“That is a very interesting statement,” Ilia said. “Nicolae does not currently have a wife. Calina’s mother died years ago, when she was little. Calina should not refer to her in the present tense.”

“I asked her why she was tied to the two idiots who were responsible for her, and that was her answer.”

“Looks like there is more to this deal,” Ilia got up. “I’ll have our people discover more about Calina’s mother. Meanwhile, if you’re going to Jeju Island, try not to piss off that rabid dog. We can’t handle his brand of trouble, Lucian. You should already know how much we’ll lose if you fuck up.”

“Don’t lecture me,” Lucian growled.

“I’m telling you to be careful,” Ilia reminded his brother, then left the study eager to explore the truth about Calina Petrova's mother.

***

Baek Yun rolled down the window of his car and glanced at his most trusted aide standing by the back passenger door. Moran held an umbrella to ward off the light drizzle. Behind Moran, stood a large, drafty, English mansion, the type Baek Yun hated the most. Old, filled with history and spent an obnoxious amount of money to maintain. He had no love for old estates.

“Sir, we’ve made contact,” Moran said. “He’s in the workshop behind the house.”

“Making furniture?” Baek asked, thinking his old friend’s habits had not changed one bit.

“Yes, Sir,” Moran said.

Baek Yun sighed and opened the door. He got out of the car and stepped under the umbrella Moran held.

“How many do we have to deal with?” Baek asked.

“One business manager in the workshop,” Moran answered. “We’ve incapacitated all others. He doesn’t have a large number of people on site.”

Baek’s smile was quick, disappearing before Moran registered it.

Nicolae Petrov was trying to keep a low profile in the quiet English town he was calling home. He never had unnecessary staff on site. Calina lived away from Nicolae, Baek couldn’t understand how Nicolae could manage that. If Calina were his, she’d be protected like his wife.

“Alright, let’s get this done fast before they call in help,” Baek said, pulling the ends of his coat tight around him.

***

Nicoale wiped off a speck of dust on the newly dry stool he had designed two days ago. He had left it on a stand for the varnish to dry. Stepping back, he checked the level again to make sure the stool was balanced. Satisfied, he moved to the matching chair standing next to the stool.

“Mr. Petrov, the search for Calina continues,” his business manager reported behind him. “We’ve requested help from InterPol. Dima and Nadia’s bodies were found on a cargo ship at the Port of Mombasa. The investigators discovered the murder scene in Malaysia.”

“Calina’s house?” Nicolae guessed, wondering what Calina had gotten herself into this time.

His daughter could be difficult. She refused to live a quiet life, always getting into trouble. He’d sent her to Malaysia after she clashed with one of his business associates here in London. She’d dated his business associate’s son, and the kid was already married. When the boy wouldn’t leave his wife, Calina tried to end the boy’s wife. He sighed at the memory of that unpleasantness.

“Yes, Sir,”

“Do you have leads on who did it?” Nicolae asked, wiping his hands with the clean cloth he held.

“We’ve yet to find a good lead,” the man standing by the door said. “There’s one more thing to report.”

“Simon, there is already so much incompetence to deal with. Do you think I need more problems right now?” Nicolae asked, turning to look at his business manager.

“Sir,” Simon said, his tone urgent. “You gave us explicit instructions on the account at the Black Orchid.”

“What about it?” Nicolae asked with a scowl. That account was important, on a very personal level.

“The Black Orchid is undergoing a routine security upgrade,” Simon said, talking fast. “They assured us there was nothing to worry about. I’m only letting you know as you insisted on updates.”

Nicolae nodded, making a note to fly into the Black Orchid in the coming days. However, his thoughts were more concerned with Calina. She tended to get into trouble too easily. Nicolae sighed. Whom had she upset this time?

“Are there any local incidents in Malaysia?” Nicoale asked. “Did she buy drugs and forget to pay? Or gamble?”

“She’s been clean for two years,” Simon said.

“I don’t trust that,” Nicolae said, shaking his head. “She’s been clean before.”

Simon bit his bottom lip, a frown creasing his forehead.

“Was there a ransom note?” Nicolae asked.

“No ransom demand yet,” Simon answered. “It’s strange. She’s disappeared—”

“I don’t believe in such words,” Nicolae said, dropping the cloth he held on the worktable. “How many times have I asked Dima to keep accurate daily logs? When done right, there is always a clue.”

“Dima has kept the logs, Sir.”

“Then, why can’t your people discover where Calina would run off to?” Nicolae asked.

“I’ll answer that question for you.”

The door to the workshop opened and five Asian men walked in, each holding a baton ready for a fight.

Nicolae sighed when he saw Baek Yun follow them in to the workshop.

“What brings you to my home, Old Friend?” Nicolae asked, after the Asian men went around the room and settled in a circle. Gosh, he had forgotten how over the top Baek Yun could be.

“Can’t I miss you?” Baek asked, taking in Simon who was reaching for the holster hiding under his suit jacket.

Baek closed the distance between him and Simon, reached into his suit jacket, and took the gun from Simon.

Baek smiled at Simon, patting Simon’s jaw with his free hand before he gave the gun to the man following him like a shadow.

“Guns are so noisy,” Baek said to Simon. “Very messy too, they alert neighbors to private scenes. Nicolae, don’t you train your staff on these things?”

Nicolae schooled his features at the indirect insult and leaned on the worktable.

“Not like you,” Nicolae said, keeping his tone nonchalant, his gaze moving over the men Baek Yun had brought with him. Each one looked skilled enough to kill him in the blink of an eye. He respected Baek Yun for this one thing. The man knew how to inspire loyalty in his staff. It wasn’t easy joining the Yun Family, near impossible to leave it.

Baek gave a short chuckle and turned to look at him.

“I have a question for you,” Baek said, with a slight smile. “I came all the way here to see your face when you answer me. Otherwise, the weather would have put me off.”

“What question?” Nicolae asked.

“Are you breaking our agreement?” Baek Yun asked, this time, there was no trace of warmth in his voice.

Nicolae narrowed his gaze.

“What makes you think I’m making such a reckless decision?”

Baek Yun gave a short laugh and folded his arms behind his back. He walked closer to the worktable, studying the finished chair and stool.

“My son’s cargo ship, The Helena, was at port in Sri Lanka. Someone gave their all to make sure the bodies of Calina’s caretakers made it on board. You have pulled us into an Interpol investigation. Are you trying to make a move on Yun Shipping?”

Nicolae glanced at Simon, checking to see if the accusation was just. Simon’s single nod made him give an internal sigh.

“Baek Yun, if Dima and Nadia’s bodies were found on your ship, shouldn’t I be asking the questions?” Nicolae frowned. “My daughter is missing. I’m more concerned with finding her.”

“As you should be,” Baek agreed. “Your daughter is too beautiful to be missing. Someone murdered Dima and Nadia. I hope you don’t think we’re involved.”

Nicolae studied Baek in silence, anger rolling deep in his stomach. Someone was poking at him, and had chosen to pit him against the one opponent he dared not fight. Gritting his teeth, Nicolae folded his arms against his chest.

“I have no such thoughts,” Nicolae told Baek. “As you can see, I have my staff working on finding Calina without reaching out to you. I imagine this is an internal problem, and has nothing to do with the Yun Family.”

“Oh, but you’re wrong,” Baek said, facing him. “The bodies on The Helena made it my business. I can’t have Interpol sniffing in my businesses, Nicolae. That would put us all at a disadvantage, me more than you.”

“Baek Yun, I have not made an attempt to provoke you for years,” Nicolae reminded his old friend. “A fact you should appreciate, as of late, your side has cost me millions. I lost a very useful asset to a man under the Yun Family’s protection. Vlad was quite valuable. You owe me a blood debt.”

“If we’re counting blood debts, then your blood debt is heavier than mine,” Baek said, his tone cold. “Vlad cost me a son.”

Nicolae looked away from Baek, unable to forget the tragedy that was Gabriel Yun’s death. The good twin, as Raphael was the messier twin.

“Should I mention the older blood debt that has brought me here?” Baek asked, studying Nicolae. “I came to remind you that Raphael’s Yun Shipping is off limits. Get Interpol off our backs.”

“My daughter is missing,” Nicolae felt compelled to remind Baek Yun. “I don’t care—”

“Raphael has nothing to do with that,” Baek cut him off. “If your daughter is missing, why don’t you think of the people you’ve pissed off lately?”

“We’ve been pretty quiet,” Nicolae said, thoughtful. His businesses were in a very quiet state now. Apart from Vlad’s death, all other parts were running without an issue.

“What about the Pajari brothers?” Baek asked. “They gave Raphael a hell of a time in Colston. Are you sure they are not after you now? After all, Lucian is someone very ambitious. Pajari Industries is struggling because of you.”

Nicolae frowned. “Lucian is from a small town. He wouldn’t dare.”

“Don’t make me laugh,” Baek said, shaking his head. “Living in this quiet place, making furniture, is lulling you to sleep, Nicolae. I’m disappointed.”

Nicolae scoffed. “Lucian would not dare.”

“Moran,” Baek said, looking at the man following him like a shadow. “Why don’t you give Simon over there the footage we found from the dashboard camera of a delivery truck at the port in Sri Lanka?”

Moran reached into his pocket and handed a micro card to Simon. Simon got his phone and for a minute worked on accessing the card. His eyes widened when he found a video on the card. Simon crossed the room to show it to Nicolae.

“The van you’re seeing in that video belongs to a Pajari Industries employee,” Baek said. “That man put Dima and Nadia on The Helena. That should answer the question you asked Simon when I walked in.”

Baek looked around the workshop and then nodded.

“You’re Calina’s father, why don’t you know that she would not have ran off? The Pajari brothers probably have her. Consider this a show of my respect to you, Nicolae. In turn, get Interpol away from Yun Shipping.”

“You’re very confident to show up here,” Nicolae said, annoyed that he now owed Baek Yun a favor. “I could have you killed in the next hour.”

“You could try,” Baek said, meeting his gaze. “We both know what that would lead to. Tatiana, your wife and Calina’s mother, still needs your compliance.”

Nicolae bit his bottom lip hard to hold back a curse as Baek walked out of his workshop.

***

Jeju Island was beautiful on a sunny Saturday morning. Time was blurring in the face of the whirlwind of travel. Hyun leaned on the back passenger door, the window was rolled down and the wind felt good on his face. Resting his chin on his right arm, he held out his left to feel the wind sift through his fingers. He closed his eyes, enjoying it for a moment.

“Put your hand back inside,” Raphael said.

Hyun ignored him until he saw a delivery truck coming toward them and stopped sticking his hand out.

Hyun shifted in his seat, his gaze sweeping over Himura who was driving and the second man sitting in the front passenger seat. He had joined them when they landed in Jeju Island. Himura had not bothered introducing the new man. Neither had Raphael, Hyun noted.

Himura met his gaze in the rear view mirror, his dark eyes narrowed. It was enough to remind Hyun of all the reasons why he was supposed to be making a decision. Hyun sighed and looked away. He decided to focus on Raphael instead. He shifted in his seat until he faced Raphael who sat in the back with him.

Raphael was busy reading messages on a tablet. Hyun had almost forgotten he ran a business. There were occasional calls on decisions to do with cargo delivery, and payments. Hyun wondered if Raphael enjoyed his work, what that meant for them. Could he love Raphael, and not take his dark sides too? Hyun frowned and rubbed his nose before he decided to probe for more information.

“Why do you know where we’re going?” Hyun asked, realizing that Himura had a clear destination. They had not discussed much on their flight to Jeju. Raphael had spent his time reading the book with strange numbers. Hyun had been content to watch him as he tried to sort out his thoughts.

“I talked to my father,” Raphael said, not looking up from his tablet. "

Hyun kept his gaze on Raphael’s face, studying every micro-expression, and fixating on the slight frown playing between Raphael’s eyebrows. He had this insane urge to reach out and smooth it out. Twice he clenched his fingers tight to keep from reaching out.

Hyun bit his bottom lip and watched Raphael write a message, send it and then turn off the tablet. When Raphael turned to look at him, he couldn’t resist taking in a quick deep breath. The punch of green eyes on him, looking directly into him, it felt as though Raphael saw all that he had.

“What are you thinking about?” Raphael asked, taking Hyun’s clenched left hand. He worked on straightening Hyun’s fingers until he could trace his thumb over Hyun’s palm.

Hyun stopped biting his bottom lip, and spoke without thinking.

“How long have you known Talin?” he asked.

Raphael’s responding smile at the mention of Talin was torture.

“Grade school,” Raphael said. “He was the cutest little boy you’d ever seen. He never broke the rules, so it was my privilege to teach him how.”

Hyun nodded, wondering how he could compete with a lifetime of memories.

“He’s with Dimitri now?” Hyun asked, trying to understand how Raphael managed it.

“He is,” Raphael nodded, squeezing his hand. “Dimitri makes him happy. I respect that. Talin deserves to be happy and more.”

Of course, Hyun bit his bottom lip, staring at their clasped hands. Raphael would do anything to make Talin happy, including stepping back to let Talin be with another man. Where did that leave Raphael’s heart then?

Where did it leave him?

“Hyun,” Raphael started.

Hyun took in a deep breath and pulled his hand out of Raphael’s gentle hold.

“I’m kind of excited to discover what kind of vault that key opens,” Hyun said, hoping to change the topic.

He wanted to hold on to the idea of him and Raphael a little longer. Just a little longer, until he couldn’t anymore. This dream of kissing Raphael, having him to hold, he wanted to keep it if only until the danger ended. That meant he could not in any way bring up Talin again, or Raphael’s feelings. He wouldn’t push for answers because it frightened him to know the truth.

Hyun sighed and shifted to the middle seat, right next to Raphael. They were driving along the coastline now, with the sea spreading wide in a dramatic view on Raphael’s side. Hyun rested his head on Raphael’s shoulder and directed Raphael’s attention to the view.

Hyun opened Raphael’s window, and reached up to remove the rubber band holding Raphael’s hair in place. The wind blew it into a wild mess making Hyun laugh. Raphael wrapped a strong arm around Hyun and pulled him on his lap.

“You’re dangerous,” Raphael said, when Hyun rested his elbows on Raphael’s shoulders, sinking his fingers into Raphael’s long hair. “You’re making a mess of me.”

“Don’t you like it, Rafa?” Hyun asked, holding a green gaze with more danger in it than he could handle.

Raphael brought his thumb to Hyun’s bottom lip, his touch a rough caress before he cupped Hyun’s jaw and pulled him in for a not-so-gentle kiss. The window stayed open, whipping Raphael’s hair into a dark curtain that hid their wild, desperate kiss.

When Raphael held him and kissed him as if he couldn’t have enough, Hyun forgot all his worries and Himura’s warnings. He forgot they were heading to more danger, and that he might not get to keep Raphael as he wanted.

***

Hyun and Rafa are brewing, steady, steady...this one makes me struggle. Thank you for being patient, and also being impatient with me...hehehe.
Sui.