April Loves Black Coffee: First Impressions (11 page)

“Really?” To have Mayhem’s undivided attention and gaze upon me is unnerving. Now, I understand why Spyder and Lina are having the nerves twisted out of them. Mayhem is intimidating in every sense of the word itself. With one look, one glance, he makes my heart tighten and throat constricts. I can only compare the feeling to meeting someone like the President or a feared figure in children’s stories–the unsettling attractive version, of course.

There is no going back now that I have lied. I can see Lina shaking with absolute fear behind me while Spyder is on the verge of bleeding internally. I can’t take my word back now. I know that the consequences are going to be far greater than I bargain for, but for the sake of my cousin and my life, I have to see this lie to the very end.

“I am,” I reply calmly. I force the words out as strong as I can. I am desperate to say something that would deter the impending violent conclusion. “I am associated with Crist.” My conscience is holding a shovel and digging in the dark, deep dirt.

“So, you know Choi Sangwoo personally?” Mayhem asks simply. The electric interest shines in his eyes.

“Yes,” I answer with unwavering fear. “So, I’ll help my cousin pay her debt.” My voice has a slight tremble to them. I do my best to control the tenor of my vocal cords to convey my promise. 

Lina trembles behind me. “. . . May.”

“I’ll help you.” I turn to her momentarily.
I got this Lina. Please don’t freak out or I’ll fall apart too.
“It’s ok. We don’t need to get violent. Right?”

“You’re right.” Mayhem’s eyes level and sweep over my body. A shock runs through me with the understanding that he is checking me out. “We don’t need to be violent.”

“That’s right.” I can hardly get the words of agreement out.
Stay strong May. Don’t let the attractive looks shake you.
My intuition is shaking in her boots.
You’re in deep shit now.

“So prove you’re associated with Crist.” Mayhem sits back languidly in his chair.

“Humph.” Danny’s disbelieving scoff sounds in my ear.

I look around the room, weary of the intense attention and scrutiny. The bottom of my throat feels as if it is going to drop. Every Mayhem member, including Mayhem himself, is waiting for me. They are all waiting for me to slip up and falter. It is similar to swimming in the ocean with sharks. They are circling me, waiting for the right moment to strike because they can smell blood in the water now.

I have no other choice but to see my lie to the very end. My hands shake as I reach into the back pocket of my jeans.

After looking at the diamond-encrusted necklace this morning, I inadvertently took it with me. I have developed the embarrassing habit of carrying it on my body every Saturday since I met Choi Sangwoo. Never in my wildest dreams have I imagined the necklace would come in handy this way.

“Is this proof enough?” I place the necklace on the dining table.

Danny’s eyes narrow as the necklace transfers from my hands to the table.
Almost immediately, as though it is a contaminated object, Danny steps away from Lina and retreats to Mayhem’s side.

That’s right. Run back to your Boss!
My conscience is doing an early victory dance.

Mayhem is looking at the face of the necklace. He doesn’t touch it, but Mayhem’s reserved facial expression acknowledges the necklace’s authenticity. The diamond-encrusted necklace is the only type of jewelry that Choi Sangwoo wears on his body.

“What is your name?” Mayhem’s eyes roll back up to my face. The muscles on his jaw clench together. If possible, his face becomes more unapproachable.

Shit. What have I gotten myself into? “May,” I answer.
Why am I whispering?
I am sure I am not the only one Mayhem makes whisper. The thought stops me in my tracks.
I should have said my name is Slicer or Blood. May doesn’t scare anyone.

“Crist doesn’t have any members, associates, or affiliates with such a name,” Mayhem retorts quickly. He narrows his eyes at me. There is something guarded behind those eyes. Mayhem is all business and he doesn’t take any bullshit from anyone. I see something in him that I do not find in Choi Sangwoo. This gang lord is much more relentless and every bit of a control freak.

“Where did you get this necklace?” Mayhem demands again.

“I told you, I’m associated with him,” I reply, every single lie drips from my tongue. I have to stand my ground. I am a bit brave after seeing the expressions change on every single Mayhem member.

“Watch your tone little girl,” Danny growls with a low threat. “This necklace doesn’t protect you from us.”

“Then why haven’t you killed me?” It is a bold statement, but I am beyond angered by the acts of unreasonable violence. “If you don’t care that I’m associated with Crist, why haven’t you made something of your empty threats?”

“You bitch!” Danny spits as he advances toward me.

“Danny,” Mayhem calls his name. It stops Danny in his tracks. He reminds me of an impulsive child who consistently needs reminding. Far from a father figure, however, Mayhem awards Danny with a cautionary look. Then the gang lord addresses me in a crass tone. Mayhem states clearly, “The reason why we are hesitating to do away with you is because we’re conducting business. You must think every gang and division is the same. But we’re not aggressive pack dogs that go in for the kill for reputation. We’re aggressive pack dogs to run a society far greater than your understanding.”

I swallow a thread of fear lodged in my throat. Mayhem’s explanation sounds like the echoes of Sangwoo’s words.

I expect more questions about Crist, but Mayhem gestures toward the necklace. “Put it away. You don’t want to lose it if you run into another rival of Choi Sangwoo’s.”

Slowly, I pick up the necklace and place it inside my pocket. Lina nudges me to sit down.

“So, how do you suppose you will help them pay back their debt, my reputation, and my pride?” Mayhem’s hands clasp together as though he finds this amusing. “Within the next week?”

“It doesn’t matter how, just as long as I do. Right?” Now that I have the couple of seconds to gather myself together and overcome the shock of speaking to him, I ask the question with greater purpose. “Within the next week, I can get you thirty thousand dollars. As for your reputation and your pride, I’ll think of something, but I can’t guarantee anything intangible like that. Money can’t buy that.”

For a high-intensity period, Mayhem stares at me. He is gauging me, determining whether my words are promises or bluffs. Stealthily, Mayhem leans forward in his seat with unexpected grace. “Who are you?”

Dumbfounded, I can only stare back at him with a blank expression. I don’t know whether I should tell him my whole life’s story or give him the reader’s digest. I end up giving him the most intelligent answer I can muster. “I’m May. I’m Lina’s cousin.”

“And you would do this for your . . . cousin?” Mayhem questions with an even tone. “You would sign your life away to pay off a debt that your cousin is responsible for? You would sign yourself away to save your cousin who was foolish enough to borrow from me?”

“Wouldn’t you?” I ask in return, proving to be more than weak sauce. “If your friends,” I pause to gesture towards the group of men surrounding him, “needed your help, I’m sure you would the same.”

“Actually, I wouldn’t,” Mayhem disagrees vehemently. “These men are not my friends.” He gestures toward them. “That’s the difference between you and me. So I would advise you to stop making assumptions about me, or anyone else that you meet for that matter.”

My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
Jeez, I take it back. You’re a jerk. A good-looking jerk.

Mayhem surveys my facial expression as he waits for another response from me. Noting my silence, Mayhem keeps his eyes on me as he motions for Danny. “Fair enough. I’ll let you play superwoman and help your friends. I would be a fool to say no to someone who wants to pay me back my money.”

I step back as Danny picks up the piece of paper in front of Spyder. He transfers it over to my side of the table. I’ve been too focused on Mayhem and the entire situation to notice its frailty on the glass table. Now that the paper is front of me, the magnitude of what I have promised begins sinking in.

“Sign and date.” Mayhem gestures toward the piece of paper. “By signing, you agree to co-sign for the thirty thousand. Since you are the third party, you are collateral at the end of the week if the terms of the contract are incomplete. I would advise you to read the terms and conditions carefully before you sign, but seeing that you are a member of Crist you should have no qualms. Thirty thousand is really nothing at all, but it is the principle you see.”

I stare at him, out of breath and at a loss for words.
Gang lord and rich snob.
But my intuition is too busy ogling at him to make a decision yet.

“Saturday night, at approximately seven o’clock, you will have the money for me. The location will be determined later. A black vehicle will pick you up to transfer the money to my personal accountant. Thirty thousand dollars cash,” Mayhem adds with a harsh tone.

“Sign.” At the end of Mayhem’s words, Danny extracts a ballpoint pen from inside his vest pocket. Danny makes sure my eyes are following the pen when he places it on top of the paper.

“May.” Lina tugs at my arm.

“It’s fine, Lina. I’ll help you.” I try my best to reassure my cousin. The brave face I am putting on is faltering as the seconds tick by. I can kick and fight like my cousin or I can figure a way out of this. I am in too deep to back out now. There is no way Mayhem and his men will let us leave without a guarantee.

Spyder keeps quiet in the corner of the room. Lina is chewing on her bottom lip. I avoid Mayhem’s piercing gaze.

Just get it over with.
I pick up the pen and compose my signature on the contract. My eyes scan it, but nothing stands out except for Lina and Spyder’s name with the amount of money they owe. Their signatures, along with dark blotches are already on the paper. The contract is professionally articulate; the amount of legal jargon and context parades the entire piece of paper. It will take a day to read all of it, but the main stipulations are there.

Just as I finish the last letter on my signature, Danny’s quick hand takes the paper from me. Then, with speed that rivals lightening, Danny extracts the pen from my hand and a small blade juts out. It is too fast for me to see, but Danny nearly slices my right index finger with the point. A droplet of blood falls onto the piece of paper.

“Ow!” I jerk my hand back in pain.
Son-of-a-bitch! He cut me!

“Thank you for your cooperation.” Danny flicks the pen into the air, catches it, and then proceeds to tuck into his suit.

Without another word, in a simultaneous manner, the chairs around the dining room table groan as their occupants leave. Mayhem is the first one to stand from his seat. At his height of what must have been at least six-feet, he states simply, “I hope you are better at paying debts than your cousin.”

I can really get violent right now.
I press my thumb against my palm. The pain is throbbing. I bite my lower lip to prevent myself from crying aloud. The look in my eyes must surprise Mayhem because a cool look crosses his face.

“You people are so cruel,” I mutter. All the pent up tension and anguish unleashes. “Do you enjoy serving people death sentences?”

Mayhem raises an eyebrow at me.
Shit. Don’t piss the attractive gang lord off.
My conscience is not on my side at the moment. Behind Mayhem’s devastatingly handsome face is a force to be reckoned with.

“Your innocence is humbling.” Mayhem surprises me with his answer. His eyes are burning with such intensity that I naturally shy from the heat.

What does that mean?
I find my tongue in knots again. This man is the complete opposite of the way he looks. How can such a contrast be probable? There’s no ounce of sweetness or willingness to compromise.

“Just focus on the debt. You have no idea exactly how much I revel in other people’s miseries. You have seven days.” Without lingering, Mayhem proceeds out of the dining room. His men follow in a line with complete unison. Then, he pauses at the threshold of the dining room. Mayhem looks over his shoulders at me. His stunning profile contrasts his sarcastic nuance. “Please give Choi Sangwoo my regards.”

Then, he is gone.

“See you!” Danny approaches Spyder on his way out. Before anyone can stop him, Danny draws the same pen straight across the right side of Spyder’s cheek. The sharp blade marks Spyder’s skin.

“Ow!” Spyder howls in pain as the cut nearly splits his cheek open.

“No! Stop!” Lina pushes Danny away. But the damage is done.

Danny steps back with an amused expression on his face. He watches Lina’s reaction with an indescribable expression his face. “Isn’t love amazing? Even after all the shit he’s putting you through, you still care.” He tucks the pen inside his suit and moves away from Lina and Spyder. Mohawk follows Danny out with a fiendish grin.

“See you next week little girl. You better have the money or I’ll cut both sides of your cheek like little Spyder over there.” Danny winks at me as Mohawk’s laughter trails behind him.