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matchagator · 3 months

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Hustlers: Snow Retreat

The gems are further up the mountain, taking in the frigid air of Montreal, however, they're not prepared for the slippery slopes they will face as they enjoy their time at a Ski Resort.

*Make sure to check out previous episodes to follow the story. Let us know how you're liking the story so far by leaving a comment 😊*

{Main Pairings:} Jeon Jungkook/Original Female Character, Park Jimin/Original Female Character, Kim Taehyung/Original Female Character(s)

{Rating:} 18+

{Genre:} Alternate Universe - Hustlers/ Con Artists

{Word Count:} 24k

{Warning} Mild Sexual Content, References to Stealing, Mature Language, Manipulation, Angst, Sexual Harassment, Drugging, Drowning, and Alcohol

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Hustlers Episode Order:

Episode 1: Sin City

Episode 2: Pink Diamond

Episode 3: Cyber Flight

Episode 4: Wine Country

Episode 5: Art Auction

Episode 6: Magic Men

Episode 7: Unwind

Episode 8: Snow Retreat

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BIG FISH: Seoho

LOCATION: Montreal, Canada

As the chill of the autumnal season morphed into a flurry of a white winter, the three femme fatales found themselves traveling to the opposite side of the great white north, enjoying more time in the cold environment as they found another target worthy of their time.

Emmy and Ruby casually lounged about the main lobby of a luxurious ski lodge in the French province of the country, excited for some foreign flare as they embarked on another hustle to make up for their embarrassing loss in the Yukon. Ruby let her body melt into the plush fabric of the leather sofa cushions placed strategically beside a grand fireplace that warmed the entire space.

The girls admired the large-scale stone structure towering over the lobby as two grand wooden staircases wrapped around the stone mantelpiece. The lodge had extravagant vaulted ceilings, the walls complimenting it perfectly with round logs lining its entirety.

Jade ventured her way towards the youngest of her trio after successfully checking into their accommodations, holding up a small envelope with key cards as she proudly approached her friends. “Did someone request a luxury suite?” She grinned happily, handing off the keys to Ruby who seemed more than thrilled to have one of the nicest rooms the hotel had to offer.

“That’s more like it!” Ruby’s eyes danced with excitement as she turned to face her counterparts. “I’m warning you both right now, I’m staying inside this lodge.” Her smile faded as she crossed her arms over her chest, a sneer of attitude dripping from her words. “It’s bad enough we’re staying another week in this god-forsaken weather.”

Emmy and Jade glanced at each other from Ruby’s remark, both of them fighting a laugh as they agreed to her terms. “Don’t worry, this is my element.” Emmy reassured her as their conversation was drowned out by a group of men chattering not too far from their location.

Jade’s eyes snapped in their direction, seeing the object of their attention strolling past them with a few hotel personnel escorting him to the concierge desk. She quickly maneuvered herself to sit between the other two girls trying to make out the conversation.

“That’s him.” Jade gestured with her head ever so slightly towards the multi-millionaire checking into the infamous ski lodge. “Lee Seoho.” Her voice was just hushed enough for Emmy and Ruby to hear.

Emmy casually stretched her arm over the back of the couch, turning her body toward the eldest as her eyes shifted to find their target. She was surprised to find a devilishly handsome young man, someone who had to be relatively close to her own age. Her eyes sparkled with intent as she rested her chin in her hand. “He’s very handsome.” She cooed as Ruby finally glanced back herself.

“Shouldn’t be hard for you then.” Ruby teased as she shot Emmy a knowing glance.

Emmy shrugged her shoulders as she playfully bit her lip. “Always makes the job more interesting.” She admitted as Jade quickly nudged her side to gather her attention.

“What are they saying?” Jade questioned, pointing subtly towards two hotel staff that were now speaking the native language of the province of Quebec. Emmy turned her attention to the two male staff members, eavesdropping in on their conversation as she identified the French words being exchanged.

Emmy looked back at Jade. “They said to make sure everything was arranged for his ski reservation.”

Ruby quickly patted her hand on Jade’s shoulder, grinning mischievously. “Looks like someone needs to book a ski trip at the same time. Enjoy the cold.”

Jade laughed sarcastically as she turned her focus back onto Emmy. “Emmy will be skiing,” she chuckled until she turned back to Ruby, placing the same dramatic pat on her shoulder with a shit-eating grin. “while you and I are scoping out.”

Ruby’s eyes widened as she held her hands up defensively. “There is no way I’m going back out in that stupid-ass weather.”

While Jade and Ruby bantered for a moment, Emmy grit her teeth, feeling the bubble of irritation as she gathers the girls’ attention. “You might not have a choice, we got company.”

Jade and Ruby turned their heads towards the concierge desk once more as they followed Emmy’s line of sight, suddenly noticing a familiar man checking into the lodge. Ruby’s features twisted uncomfortably as anger seeped through her being. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

Jade felt exasperated, completely shocked that once again the annoying trio of men seemed to have found their way to the exact same location as them. “They're following us, I’m convinced.” She groaned as her eyes shifted toward a bellhop, suddenly noticing Jimin handsomely wrapped in a luxurious men’s winter coat. “And he’s not alone.”

Emmy instantly found Jimin handling their luggage as she frantically began scanning the area for Jungkook. She was trying to avoid him at all cost, yet it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to get him out of her mind. “We are not letting them fuck us over this time.” Emmy hissed, still scanning the lobby for any signs of the bane of her existence.

“Agreed.” Ruby and Jade spoke in unison as they turned back toward the fireplace, sinking into the couch in defeat from yet another unplanned encounter with the three stooges.

—

The atmosphere was cozy as Emmy settled into a tall leather stool lined along the edge of the bar with Ruby sitting beside her. Emmy adjusted the silk material of her short red dress, pulling the skirt down her thighs when it rode up. The bishop sleeves, stockings, and knee-high boots kept her warm from the crisp drafts that fluttered in from the occasional open door of the resort.

Ruby, on the other hand, spared no expense in making sure she was securely warm as she wore a cream-colored jumpsuit covered by a matching faux shadow fox coat. She held her gold clutch tightly against her torso, keeping her limbs together as she anxiously looked over the menu for a drink to warm her up.

“Which of these drinks will make me think I’m on the beach?” Ruby held the drink menu out to Emmy, looking for her opinion. Her usual drink choice would do little to keep her warm in these climates and if she was going to endure this torture, she was going to enjoy it the only way she knew how.

Emmy looked over the drink options, skimming the recipes that were in French. “Hm, I think I know what will do the trick.” She grinned, waiting for the bartender to come by before ordering two caribous.

“Don’t forget you need to stay focused, it’s bad enough the idiots are here. We can’t go empty-handed.” Emmy flinched as Jade scolded them through the earpiece.

“Alright, Mom,” Emmy said sarcastically, plucking the bud from her ear and sliding it towards Ruby. “Here, I don’t need to hear her while I’m trying to do my job.” Ruby gave her a funny look, tucking the device in her clutch without a word since she knew Jade wouldn’t realize Emmy pulled out the earbud while she was up in their suite.

Emmy glanced over the space of the bar, enjoying the homey but luxurious feeling of being surrounded by the rich cedar enhanced by the dark brown leather Chesterfield couches lining the far wall. She noticed Seoho sitting at one of the individual tables, his trench coat hanging off the back of his beige armchair. She dragged her gaze down the grey turtleneck sweater covering his lean torso.

His chair was placed just by the window overlooking the frigid environment surrounding the hotel, allowing him to keep his attention on the natural beauty of the glistening snow. He was relaxed, letting his arms rest along the chair as he crossed one leg over the other, his right ankle supported by his left knee. His focus was firmly fixated outside as he flawlessly reached for his whiskey glass, bringing the rim to his lips before tipping his head back and taking a large gulp.

Emmy felt her breath catch in her throat when he returned his dark stare out into the wilderness, an air of mystery in the depths of his dark irises. He gently ran the glass across his full lips, holding the whiskey with lithe fingers as if he were caressing the drink intimately. His being dripped with sex appeal that rivaled Jungkook’s. Seoho seemed like the type to map out the expanse of your body, discovering every shape and preference in your pleasure while Jungkook was the type to burn through you like a wildfire, leaving nothing untouched or singed from his flames.

Emmy was so captivated by the specimen of man before her that she hardly noticed the bartender had placed the drink she ordered in front of her until she heard Ruby snapping her fingers. The sound caught Seoho’s attention, his eyes snapping in her direction and locking with her own before she swiftly whipped back to her companion. “What?” She asked softly, trying to be discreet after getting caught staring at their target.

“I’ve been trying to talk to you for the past five minutes.” Ruby expressed, looking annoyed as she held up her drink. “By the way, this shit is great.” She took another swig, letting the liquid heat up her body with the potent mixture of alcohol.

Emmy took a drink as well, cringing as she adjusted to the bite of the drink. “I was not looking at him that long.” She scoffed with a swift roll of her eyes.

Ruby didn’t respond, only making a face that clearly stated her sentiments as if she didn’t agree with Emmy’s argument. “Anyway…” She stole another sip of her drink, “What’s your plan?”

Emmy glanced back, noticing Seoho’s gaze flicker away from her figure. A smirk slipped over her lips as she turned back to her companion. “Oh, you know, the usual.” She stole another look at her target, catching his eyes moving out toward the wilderness again. “Flirt and conquer, my body is already doing most of the talking for me.”

The door leading to the outside opened and Ruby bristled as a draft swept over her. “Damn, it’s fucking cold. “ She hissed, glaring at the perpetrator who allowed the crisp air to infiltrate her warm serenity. She froze on the spot when she noticed a familiar face, gently swatting her hand against Emmy’s to get her attention. “Your body better start talking faster.”

Emmy turned to see Jimin slipping in quietly, unaware of their presence until he sat comfortably along the sofas at the back wall. He had a newspaper tucked under his arm that he pulled apart, his eyes flickering over the pages and scanning over the brim of the parchment to take in his surroundings. His eyes fell on the two female hustlers and smirked as Emmy noticed his lips move as if he was talking to someone.

“I swear if I see dumb and dumber, I’m gonna-” Emmy cut herself off as someone slipped into the seat beside her unannounced.

“You’re gonna do what, baby girl?” She became stiff as she slowly turned away from Ruby to see Jungkook smiling at her expectantly. She went to argue but stopped when the green and beige tartan shirt beneath his coat caught her attention. She was almost insulted by how great he looked in the pattern, distraught that he effortlessly dismantled her with his appearance alone.

Emmy heard Ruby address someone behind her. “Ugh, not you too.” The youngest member of the female trio whipped her head to see Taehyung had come up beside Ruby. She exhaled deeply, trying to keep her body relaxed as her mind spiraled, concluding that the two men snuck into the bar when Jimin distracted them from coming in through the cold.

“So let me guess, you’re just gonna sit here looking pretty until he comes over, offers you a drink, and falls for your usual honey trap. Is that right?” Jungkook mused, his proud smirk still plastered over his features as he eyed her figure up and down.

Emmy narrowed her eyes, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she fixed her glare on the belittling man next to her. “Like it’s hard. Men are almost too easy.” She smirked back.

“I hate to break it to you, sweetheart.” Taehyung grabbed their attention as he leaned into Ruby’s proximity, his hand smoothing over her soft thighs. “Your trap doesn’t work if other bears are sniffing around.” Ruby slapped his hand away from her leg, cursing at him under her breath.

Taehyung only chuckled as he stole her nearly empty glass and finished her drink, intentionally dragging his tongue along the rim to trace the place where Ruby drank. “Fucking freak.” Ruby hissed, pushing the glass away when he placed it back down and hovered close.

Emmy tightened her jaw, realizing he was probably right. She stole a glance at Seoho and noticed he was no longer entertaining her as an option and needed to grab his attention again. She smacked her lips, turning back to the bar to reach for her caribou. “Guess I need to find better company.” She tipped her head back and downed the rest of her drink, letting the burn buzz through her system.

“Come on, baby girl. You know that’s not gonna work. Guys love the chase.” Jungkook chided, clicking his tongue in disapproval.

Emmy met his stare, “Is that why you still bother me even though I told you to fuck off?” Without another word, she slipped from the stool and slowly approached Seoho, methodically sweeping her hips side to side to accentuate her assets.

Jungkook poked his tongue against the inside of his cheek, watching her walk away toward the target. When he saw her features light up when Seoho’s gaze found her own, Jungkook chewed on the flesh in irritation. He ignored Ruby and Taehyung bickering beside him as he watched Emmy’s every move.

She sat in the chair beside Seoho, reaching to touch his arm as she addressed the handsome multi-millionaire. Seoho, on the other hand, was completely eating her attention up. Jungkook noticed both parties subconsciously were turned toward each other, completely engaged in conversation. He couldn’t pick up any pieces of the conversation over the natural ambiance of the busy lounge.

He hoped his presence would keep her distracted from appealing to her target, but didn’t anticipate the moment she walked away Seoho would be crawling back for a taste. Jungkook scoffed to himself as Emmy seemed to become bashful, her cheeks tinting to a lovely hue that Jungkook had only seen after making her an absolute mess from his attention. He knew she had no interest in this man other than the money in his wallet, but it irked him to see her biting her lip with the blush lingering.

Seoho looked down at his phone, noticing the time and addressing Emmy once again. Emmy seemed receptive to whatever he was saying until she fluttered her eyelashes, that blush intensifying as she nodded her head. Seoho smiled, his eyes squinting under the pressure of his cheeks swelling and rose from his chair, collecting his coat. He reached for Emmy’s hand, lifting her dainty fingers to his lips to place a delicate kiss upon them.

“Ma belle,” Seoho said as he stepped away from Emmy.

Emmy felt her heart race as she followed his retreating figure out of the lounge with her gaze. She lightly pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her heart race rapidly in her chest as her nerves danced through her body. A smile gleamed over her face as she stood up from the chair, making her way back to the bar to share in her success. She was so caught up in Seoho’s mannerisms that she missed Ruby’s expectant stare and Jungkook’s sad attempt to look unbothered by watching their interaction.

“So, how’d it go?” Ruby finally asked, noticing an uncharacteristic smile on her friend's face.

Emmy finally snapped out of it, the charm of Seoho falling from her mind as she noticed everyone waiting to hear if she got the target. “He invited me to dinner tomorrow night.” Emmy had never been looking forward to a dinner date more in her life. She was instantly surprised to hold a conversation with the man in her native tongue, but he was also very humble and down to earth. He wasn’t a man who flaunted his wealth openly or treated women like a piece of meat.

Taehyung and Jungkook let their jaw drop as they realized Emmy already had the target under her thumb within only a few minutes. “How?” Jungkook’s features hardened as he looked at Emmy with scrutiny. He knew a guy would eagerly want the company of someone as beautiful as Emmy, but that seemed almost too easy. What exactly did they talk about?

Emmy smirked as she glanced at Jungkook, noticing his judgemental stare. “Try not to be jealous. Women are just better.” She winked, grabbing Ruby’s hand. “Let’s get back to the room and leave the men to drink their sorrows 'cause I’ve got this in the bag.” Her eyes flashed toward Jungkook again, looking smug. It was about time she paid him back for all his teasing remarks and reminded him why she was the face of their operation.

Jungkook felt that familiar pit in his stomach and didn’t like the slow churn as he watched the girls walk off. Something was different about this mission and he didn’t like that he seemed to lose his hold on Emmy with a single interaction with Seoho. He knew he needed to get in their way as much as possible.

—

The following morning while Ruby stayed in the warm comforts of her duvet, Jade and Emmy took a leisurely walk around the grounds, taking in the sights offered by the exclusive resort. As lunchtime soon approached, the pair made their way back to their suite with every intention of dragging Ruby out of bed to grab a bite to eat.

“So, did he mention where he was taking you?” Jade asked as her feet crunched against the thin layer of snow on the path toward the grand entrance. Coming back towards the hotel, she was reminded of their mission and was gathering intel for this evening.

Emmy hesitated, pursing her lips together in thought. “No, but I can’t imagine he’d go far. He told me to meet him in the lobby at 7.” She greeted some of the hotel staff as they passed by.

“So we’ll get Ruby ready, and head out for lunch. That should give you plenty of time to relax before you need to get ready.” Jade planned out as she glanced at the time on her phone before sliding the device back into her pocket.

Emmy went to respond until she spotted the squinting smile of Seoho across the lobby, standing near the staircase as he seemed to be chatting with another man. She nudged her friend, gesturing with her head towards his presence. “Hide, he shouldn’t see you.”

Jade quickly turned, trying to look inconspicuous as she found a display of pamphlets. “Whose he talking to?” She whispered, keeping her eyes on the variety of activities offered in the local area.

Emmy quickly whipped her phone out, pressing the screen to her ear like she was taking a call. “I don’t know. I can’t see their face.” The man wore a large insulated jacket and slacks, but with his face turned away the only thing Emmy could identify was his dark, slicked-back hair and slight undercut.

Seoho averted his eyes away from his company briefly, spotting Emmy in the distance, and locked eyes with her. He waved her over, looking eager by her presence. The man Seoho had been engaged with, slowly peaked over his shoulder and Emmy cursed when she saw it was Jungkook. She should have known.

“That asshole.” She hissed, still holding the phone to her ear and giving the illusion that she was trying to finish her conversation. “He’s talking to JK.” She informed her friend.

“How do they keep finding us?” Jade hissed with irritation. “I got rid of my phone. I make sure there’s not a trace of us.”

Emmy hummed, nodding her head almost dramatically like the figurative person on the phone was keeping her on too long. “I don’t know, but I gotta go. I’ll see you back in the room.” She finally pulled the device from her ear before sliding it back into her pocket as she swiftly made her way towards the two men.

“Emmy, it is so lovely to see you.” Seoho pushed past Jungkook, gently guiding her hand up to his lips for a sweet kiss.

Her gaze flicked to Jungkook’s momentarily to see him rolling his eyes before smiling back at Seoho. “Thank you. It is lovely to see you as well. How are you?”

Jungkook felt his jaw drop when he heard her speak French. When he heard Seoho speak to her, he didn’t imagine she would respond and certainly wasn’t ready for how sexy she sounded. He had to restrain himself from jumping her bones in the middle of the lobby. He was so blindsided, that he almost didn’t realize they continued their conversation and were completely ignoring him.

He waited a moment, watching Emmy giggle at what he could only assume was nonsense since he didn’t understand the language they were speaking. When Seoho had yet to turn around, Jungkook felt that pressure against his cheek as his frustration began to build. He cleared his throat, grabbing their attention.

“Ah, sorry! Emmy, this is -” Seoho went to introduce the man behind him, but Jungkook spotted an opportunity.

“JK, nice to meet you.” Jungkook stepped up, standing awfully close to Emmy as he placed himself in between them. He followed Seoho’s guidance by also grabbing a hold of her hand and placing a kiss on her knuckles. However, he did not bring her hand back down, but instead kept it in his palm, cradling it close to his chest. “Mr. Lee, I had no idea you had such beautiful company.”

Emmy slipped her hand from Jungkook’s, eyeing him suspiciously as he schmoozed her target. Seoho chuckled, “What can I say? I have exquisite taste.” He stepped away from Jungkook again, slipping an arm around Emmy’s waist.

Jungkook chewed his bottom lip, watching Emmy’s face flush from the attention. “It would seem so.” The smile didn’t quite reach his eyes as he glanced between the pair, unnerved that they looked like a proper couple. He shook his head, fixing his demeanor as he refocused his objective. “So, will she be joining us?”

Emmy curled her brow, looking curiously towards Seoho. Joining them? What could he and Jungkook possibly be up to? Seoho brightened at Jungkook’s suggestion as he addressed Emmy. “Oh, we’re going to go snowboarding. Would you like to come?”

Emmy contemplated her approach, realizing that Jungkook was trying to weasel his way into stealing from Seoho. She needed to get close to her target and fast so that by the end of dinner there were no other hiccups in the plan. As a natural-born Canadian, winter sports were her specialty, but if she really wanted to play into Seoho’s kind nature she would have to dumb down her skills.

It took everything in her not to declare a competition with Jungkook as she displayed uncertainty. “I’ve never been, so I might not be very good.” Her large eyes bore into Seoho with a small pout.

“I will teach you, ma belle.” Seoho cooed, “Don’t worry.”

Jungkook chuckled to himself as he watched Seoho eat out of the palm of her hand, acting coy when deep down the multi-millionaire had no idea of the little viper hidden within. While Jungkook had the urge to kiss the stupid pout off her lips, he knew he would have plenty of opportunities to sabotage her advances and possibly redirect her attention onto himself. “This is gonna be fun.” He muttered, grinning as he fixated his stare on his pretty little klepto.

—

The enchanting melody of Emmy’s laughter rang in Jungkook’s ears as he bitterly clenched his teeth. With a slick roll of his eyes, he dropped his gaze upon Emmy after falling on her bottom with Seoho chuckling over her. Seoho reached down to offer her assistance and she happily accepted, her cheeks swelling from the large grin on her face. Jungkook continued to watch with disdain, his tongue breaking through the barrier of teeth to push against the inside of his cheek.

He was beyond agitated to see Emmy stealing Seoho’s attention with the clumsy and coy act, his nerves burning rapidly the longer he was forced to wait around for the pair to get their shit together. “Why don’t we catch a slope real quick and leave her down at the bottom to practice?” He suggested with every intention of keeping them apart to build Seoho’s trust as a comrade.

Seoho was working on helping Emmy to her feet, swiftly dusting the snow from her light blue, insulated coat, and soft pink toque. She noticed Seoho glance back at Jungkook as they had completely forgotten that he was there and seemed to be considering his idea. She knew she needed to step in before she got left behind. “Maybe you can hold my hand on the way down? I just need help balancing.”

Seoho seemed enthused by her proposal, bringing her in close with an arm curled around her waist. “I think that can be arranged.” He hummed softly as Emmy’s body effortlessly molded against his own, one of her hands coming up to rest against the thick material of his black jacket.

Jungkook cracked his jaw, tension building in his muscles. “Well, let’s get going then.” He huffed, impatience embedded in his being. He bristled when he was forced to remove his hands from the pockets of his white coat, forgetting to bring gloves in his process to sabotage Emmy’s chances with the multi-millionaire. He clambered in grabbing his snowboard and tucking it under his arm before shielding his fingers from the freezing air.

Emmy and Seoho looked toward the third wheel as he grumbled to himself. “Seems someone’s having a bad time.” She spoke in her native tongue, keeping the words between herself and Seoho.

Emmy pouted as Seoho stepped away, kneeling down to detach her boots from the board. “He’s only jealous because he does not have such a beautiful companion.” Seoho reassured her, glancing up at her with a charming smile while his gloved hands worked meticulously on her straps.

She bit her lip as his dark eyes looked up at her, his stare almost hungry. Heat returned to her cheeks, nearly making her lightheaded from the difference in temperature. Seoho broke away to look down at his work, allowing her the chance to spot a sulking Jungkook. She imagined that maybe he was being so difficult because he hated seeing her with someone as chivalrous as Seoho, but she quickly shook the thought from her head, keeping her goal in sight.

Her eyes flicked over Jungkook’s all-white attire, a smirk pulling at the corner of her lips before she peered down at Seoho. “I sure hope he doesn’t get lost in the snow, we’d never find him.” The man at her feet slowly registered her joke, looking back at Jungkook to see what she was talking about before he slapped a hand to his mouth, smothering the laughter under his glove.

The male hustler would have been drooling over the smooth vocal inflections slipping from between Emmy’s soft lips, but he was already on edge with every touch shared between the couple. Jungkook was watching the whole exchange, only partially aware that they could be talking about him. When Seoho turned his head toward his direction and busted into a fit of laughter, Jungkook knew they were talking about him. “What’s so funny?” The smile on his lips was tight, hugging his enamel from the profound stretch across his face.

Emmy cleared her throat, stepping off the board when she felt Seoho nudge her leg. “Oh, nothing. It’s a Quebec thing.” She lied, peering over at Seoho to see if he would agree to her deceit.

“Yeah, I don’t think you’d understand,” Seoho added, standing upright with his board tucked under one arm and hers under the other. “Shall we go?” He cut in quickly before Jungkook could investigate further into their joke.

Jungkook glared at the two, following them as they walked past him in the direction of the chairlift. He grunted with frustration when they arrived at the revolving lift, only to see Seoho sitting at the edge of one while Emmy sat on the other end to make sure Jungkook had to wait for the next chair. She smiled triumphantly, waving to him as they pulled away. “See you at the top!” She hollered back.

The third wheel of their snowboarding excursion contemplated his next course of action as he impatiently drifted to the top of the mountain. He watched Seoho wrap his arm over Emmy’s shoulder, pulling her in close to his side with her bell-like laughter dancing in the wind. He desperately needed to get them away from each other for the sake of making a clean steal, and his sanity. He almost missed the breathtaking scenery on his way up while the pit in his belly simmered, nearly ready to boil over.

It was unsettling how irked he was by their proximity. Jungkook witnessed her seduce men before, but something felt different. Emmy seemed more susceptible to Seoho’s attentive charm, which developed almost too quickly for Jungkook’s liking. Emmy was always great at getting a man’s attention, having them eating from the palm of her hand. However, Seoho had the very same effect on her, and Jungkook did not like it.

As he reached the top of the slope, he noticed the pair waiting for him and choked as her blue irises sparkled in his direction. He could see the small pull against her lips, tucking into her cheek as she glared at him challengingly. The sunlight peaking over the mountains shined in her eyes, enhancing the color along with her light blue coat. After hopping off the chairlift, he felt out of breath, but he wasn’t sure if it was the density changes or how beautiful she looked.

Jungkook was able to shake himself out of it when Seoho interrupted yet again to get Emmy ready for her first trip down the slope. The agitation soon returned as she allowed Seoho to coddle her onto the board. Jungkook prepared himself beside them, crossing his arms over his chest while he waited for them to finish. This particular hill they were going down was mild compared to the other options, and Jungkook hoped they’d get a chance to run down one of the harder tracks to let out some aggression.

Once Seoho was finished getting them ready, he turned back to Jungkook. “Are you ready, JK?” He was standing close enough to Emmy so that she could hold onto his hands just as he promised.

Jungkook forced a smile on his face as if he wasn’t completely bored out of his mind. “Why don’t you two get a headstart?” He suggested, knowing Emmy would be milking this moment as much as possible to distract Seoho and gain his favor. Snowboarding after them gave him a clear view of what they were up to the whole way, allowing him to analyze an opportune moment to sabotage their natural chemistry.

There was no further communication as Seoho coaxed Emmy down the hill, taking their time to slide as she clung to him. Emmy couldn’t help but steal glances at the man supporting her, her heart fluttering at how genuine he seemed. There was a sense of endearment when she falsely fumbled, trying to get closer rather than the heavy lustful stares she received time and time again. Her pulse ran wildly when he smiled, his face illuminating as the swell of his cheeks overwhelmed his features.

Jungkook slowly shuffled his board, making sure to keep behind them despite the urge to leave them in his dust. He hated that he had to hold back, but even worse, he kept his smart mouth shut as he watched them ogle over each other for doing the bare minimum. He clicked his teeth against his lip piercing, the metal freezing as he teased it with a quick swipe of his tongue. He searched for an inconspicuous way to wedge himself in the middle of their little mush fest but huffed when he realized anything he did at the moment would be obvious.

He perked up when he noticed Seoho drifting her towards a small jump, aligning it so that she would be able to go over while Seoho stayed firmly on the snow-covered ground. The lightbulb sparked in Jungkook’s brain, and he adjusted his stance on the board to speed up and race toward the small ramp of snow. As he approached, he could vaguely hear Seoho telling her how to prepare for the jump while Emmy anxiously giggled like she was nervous about falling.

“Watch out!” Jungkook warned as he pivoted up the jump, successfully bumping into Emmy’s shoulder. He heard her shriek, imagining they would become a tangle of limbs, insulation, and laminated wood. However, to his surprise, he made it safely back to the ground and quickly snapped his attention behind him to see Seoho lying on top of Emmy.

Jungkook felt a stab in his chest, coming to a stop as he turned fully toward them. Emmy was panting beneath the handsome multi-millionaire who curled his arms protectively behind her head. Their lips were nearly touching, and everything about the scene screamed intimate as fire scourged through Jungkook’s veins. He panicked when he noticed their proximity growing smaller, their eyes drooping closed as Seoho cupped her cheek with his gloved hand. “Hey! Are you okay?”

Jungkook felt sick to his stomach when he thought they didn’t hear him until Seoho pulled away, easing his odd spout of nausea. He sighed with relief, waiting slightly downhill for them to join him. Emmy glared at him the entire way, communicating that she knew he did that on purpose. “Sorry!” Jungkook apologized not even trying to hide behind genuine concern as he nonchalantly addressed his “mistake.”

The rest of the way down, Jungkook kept to himself to avoid driving her further into Seoho’s arms with another failed attempt. He made sure to stay close, interrupting their conversations as he lingered off to the side or slid slowly behind them. His presence naturally killed the mood, and he couldn’t have been happier.

Back at the bottom, they took a small break to rest their limbs before trying another slope. Emmy gave her review of her first trip down the mountain, fluffing Seoho’s ego with compliments for his guidance while resisting the urge to chew into Jungkook for his collision.

Seoho glanced at the time, humming to himself for a moment. “It looks like we have time for one more. We should probably start heading back up now.” He mused, making sure to allot time for their return and preparing for a romantic dinner with Emmy.

Jungkook and Emmy did not argue, gathering their things and following Seoho’s lead towards the ski lift. However, just as they approached the mechanism there was a ring of someone’s cell phone. The trio paused, looking at each other expectantly since the noise was close by. Seoho sighed when he realized it was his device, pulling the source of din from his pocket to check the caller's identification.

Emmy noticed a flash of annoyance cross his features before he tore his glare away from the phone. “I’m so sorry, but I need to take this. Why don’t I just meet you there in a minute?” He smiled, lifting the device toward his ear and preparing to accept the call.

Emmy was almost stunned when Jungkook swept her away unapologetically, pulling her from Seoho. She glanced back, catching the millionaire turning away as he greeted the person on the other line. She finally adjusted to her circumstances, slipping from Jungkook. “You’re such an ass.” She hissed, stomping toward the chair lift as Jungkook’s laughter echoed from behind her.

They clambered onto the dual seat, holding their boards against the safety rails while the mechanism was in continuous motion. Emmy kept her gaze set on the forest surrounding them, breathing in the fresh air and admiring the spectacle nature provided. “So what’s your deal?” Jungkook asked.

She huffed with annoyance, swiveling her head in his direction, picking up the way he obnoxiously stretched across the lift and leaving her little to no space between them. “My deal?” She inquired, not understanding what he was referring to.

She watched as he adjusted himself, subconsciously pulling at his pant leg to pull the cool fabric from his thigh. “Yeah, you’re going around speaking French,” He paused, his eyes flickering away as he clicked his tongue against his piercing. Emmy hated how much the metal resting on his lip taunted her to kiss him and stop whatever stupid nonsense was coming out of his mouth. “Having little inside jokes,” He mocked, poorly mimicking Emmy with a flutter of his eyelashes and pretending to curl his finger in his hair. “And don’t think I didn’t notice you copying their accent. What are you trying to be, a queeb?”

Emmy pressed her lips together, debating whether it was worth correcting him or not. However, the slang hit a little too close to home and her need to dismantle his attempt at belittling her was far too strong. “For your information, I was born here and lived in Quebec until I was 18. My first language is French.”

Jungkook blinked, interest swirling behind his dark pupils. His expression of surprise morphed into his usual smug smirk. “Born here, huh?” He leaned back against the chairlift, ignoring the small jostle as the mechanism ran over one of the riblet towers. “Are you going to tell mommy and daddy about the rich millionaire you’re trying to steal from or are they not aware of your…behavior?” He made a point to look her up and down, silently judging how she uses her body as a tool against those who are being targeted by the femme fatales.

Emmy cringed when he mentioned the titles of people she barely knew, let alone recognized even if they were standing right in front of her. “I haven’t talked to them in years.” Her voice was oddly quiet, turning to face forward as distant memories slowly resurfaced with blurred images of what she could vaguely remember from her childhood. “So, no. They’re not aware.”

Her eyes return to the forest with a heavy heart, avoiding whatever Jungkook might say next. Her heart beat against her ribcage, anticipating some remark from the male hustler that enlightened him about her past. She half expected him to make a joke about her having “daddy issues” but she was happy for the silence. It assured her that maybe his past life wasn’t so spectacular either or at least that he understood it was a sensitive topic.

The rest of the ride was mostly silent between the two, Jungkook wordlessly grabbing their boards as his eyes met her own. Their gaze locked for a brief moment, their pupils drifting into the deep pools of each other until Jungkook looked away first. He moved toward the edge of the hill, waiting for Emmy to follow before plopping her board onto the ground. “Here, let me-”

“I can do it.” Emmy interrupted Jungkook’s offer to help with her boots. She swiftly stepped into place and strapped herself in effortlessly before Jungkook could finish his sentence.

Jungkook chuckled to himself in mild disbelief, he knew she was faking it, but he had no idea how much she was playing Seoho with her naive persona. “So, you have been playing dumb…I knew it!” He grinned, feeling oddly satisfied that he was aware of her mannerisms to know when she was being genuine or not.

Emmy scoffed, rolling her eyes at the joy across his face. “I’m Canadian. Of course, I know how to snowboard.”

“Then race me.” He suggested, eagerly smiling at her, hoping to poke at her competitive side.

Emmy curled a brow, looking him up and down. Part of her wanted to show him up and beat his ass on the slopes, but the more rational part of her said she needed to stay put until Seoho reunited with them. “No thanks.” She stated simply, shrugging as if she had not a single care to compete with the infuriating man in front of her.

Jungkook smirked, seeing right through her indifference. “What? Afraid to lose to me…again?”

Her head snapped toward him, fixing a glare in his direction. She bit her lip, keeping her aggravation at bay as she continued to be nonchalant. She needed to save her energy for Seoho. “No, I just don’t feel the need to waste my time.”

Jungkook was licked by the flames of irritation, finding her lack of reaction more bothersome than when she outwardly argued with him. “Waste your time?” He reiterated as if her words didn’t brand themselves into his hippocampus.

Emmy crossed her arms over her chest, cocking her hip to the side. “That’s what I said,” She concurred. “I’m here for Seoho, not you. I’m not playing your little games anymore and I’m certainly not going to bother fucking around with someone like you when I can easily have someone like him.”

Jungkook was taken aback by her dismissal, finding her rejection painful as he replayed the tiny interactions she shared with Seoho so openly in front of him. There was an unsettling churn in his stomach as his gut boiled over, pouring through his veins as he moved into her space. He noticed that his abrupt approach startled her for a moment until she readjusted her glare back onto him.

The heat behind their eyes would have melted the whole mountain as he grabbed her shoulders firmly in his hands, making sure she couldn’t look away from him. “You know what’s really fucking annoying?” He spat, leveling his eyes with her own. “You rather play pretend with some millionaire than be yourself with someone who thinks you’re perfect.”

Emmy felt her heart stop, her lips parting while Jungkook glared at her with the power of an unstable wildfire.

Perfect.

The organ in her chest seemed to pulse with the echo of that word pounding in her head. She was suddenly all too aware of how close he was to her lips, or how he held her firmly to keep her close rather than to inflict pain from his blatant frustration with her. Despite the frozen environment surrounding them, heat engulfed her as she glanced down at his lips, moving back up to search both of his eyes. “W-what did you say?” She managed, her breath drifting like small white clouds between their lips as she urged him to elaborate.

Jungkook’s blood ran cold as he registered what spilled from his lips. “I-I…” He was lost for words as he tried to escape his impulsive actions smoothly. He allowed his irrationality to take over and was now facing consequences he never anticipated dealing with. “Well, I-”

“Yes?” Emmy encouraged, wanting him to say it again and confirm she didn’t make it all up in her head.

Jungkook opened his mouth, his throat suddenly tight as the air density made it difficult to breathe under the pressure of his situation. “Sorry!” The voice didn’t match Jungkook’s, causing the pair to turn their head to see Seoho running up to them from the drop-off area of the chair lift. “I didn’t think it would take so long.” Seoho smiled, noticing that Jungkook and Emmy seemed close, but not acknowledging it.

Emmy felt cold when Jungkook released her, moving away from her so that Seoho could take his place. She glanced toward Jungkook hoping to get a read on what must be going through his head, but Seoho demanded her attention while guiding her to the beginning of the slope. She inhaled deeply, letting the odd mixture of confusion and disappointment get pushed aside to resume her pursuit of the multi-millionaire.

—

The grand scale of the lodge's vaulted ceilings and large glass windows reflected the snow flurries outside as the warmth of the inside ambiance cast a romantic setting for an evening dinner. Intimate tables of mahogany with lavish leather seating allowed couples to enjoy each other’s company while indulging in some of Montreal's finest cuisine.

Emmy and the handsome multi-millionaire were indulging in expensive house wines as the native French Canadian recommended ordering a duck a l’orange or a wood fire smoked steak. Seoho was putty in her hands, soaking up her beauty and foreign flare as they conversed in her native tongue, laughing and enjoying each other’s company.

Not too far from their corner table sat the mischievous male trio, each enjoying their own luxurious meal from the upscale dining experience as they stalked their wealthy target. Jimin seemed completely unbothered by the pair as he cut into a juice coq au vin, savoring the liquor-infused poultry as he brought the meat to his lips. Taehyung and Jungkook sat opposite of him, their positions offering them just the right angle to spy on the feisty brunette, watching her effortlessly seduce the man across from her.

While Taehyung seemed amused by her flirtatious gestures, Jungkook sat beside him with a heated glare burning through his pupils. He couldn’t help but let his eyes drink in the sight of Emmy’s leg scandalously peeking through the slit of her velvet gown, the terracotta color enhancing the glow of her skin beneath the dim lighting of the intimate dining room.

“I wonder what her body count is?” Taehyung’s playful voice instantly pulled Jungkook’s attention back onto his partners in crime, watching a smirk pull across Jimin’s lips as his face morphed into one of judgment.

“Well, she’s already slept with the two of you,” Jimin pointed out, bringing another bite of his truffled potatoes to his mouth before speaking once more. “Who knows how many men she’s screwed over in bed.”

Jungkook’s jaw tightened as he pressed his teeth together, feeling the obnoxious churn in his stomach return as he imagined her following Seoho to bed. “Probably isn’t far off from yours.” Jungkook’s voice was harsher than he intended, thankful that his comrades didn’t notice the tension in his voice.

Taehyung shrugged his shoulders at Jungkook’s comment, knowing if there was anyone who came close to seducing as many people as Emmy, it was definitely him. Taehyung reached for his glass, noticing it was empty as he glanced around to spot the closest waitress. “Excuse me, miss.”

To the men's surprise, Ruby turned around to greet them, the false smile falling from her lips as she clicked her tongue in annoyance. “What do you want?”

Taehyung seemed far too excited to see the brawn of the female trio, leaning into his elbows as he waved around his empty glass of wine. “Would you be a doll and fetch Daddy a bottle of wine?” Taehyung shamelessly ran his tongue across his bottom lip, grinning proudly at Ruby’s disgusted snarl.

“Fuck off.” She spat as she turned around, prepared to completely disregard his request as the house manager walked through the space to check on their guests.

Taehyung repeatedly clicked his tongue in disapproval as he shook his head, “Such terrible service.” He grinned, watching that Jimin and Jungkook were just as amused as he waved down the manager. “Pardon, Monsieur!”

“Ruby!” Jade snapped in her earpiece, quickly catching onto the fact that they fully intended to complain about their service to the boss. Ruby groaned loudly as she turned back around, forcing a smile on her face as she walked back toward Taehyung who was still making eye contact with the manager.

“My apologies, sir.” Ruby grit between her teeth, leaning forward to grab his glass. “One glass of wine, coming right up.”

“Make that two,” Jimin smirked, holding up his own empty glass as Ruby fought back her urge to cuss them out.

Their table was suddenly greeted by a man in a suit, a French accent gracing his lips. “Good afternoon sir, is everything to your liking?” He seemed hesitant as he awaited Taehyung’s review. Taehyung leaned back in his seat, enjoying the surge of power he felt far too much.

“Everything is excellent.” He finally spoke, slicing the tension in half as he glanced up at Ruby, winking at her as she swiftly made her way to fetch their wine. “My compliments to the chef.” The man in formal attire nodded politely, satisfied with his customer’s comment as he urged them to enjoy the rest of their meal before continuing his rounds.

Jungkook’s attention flickered back toward Emmy and Seoho as the sound of her bright laughter echoed through the small space, his eyes narrowing in on her as she attempted to contain her giggles. Jungkook couldn’t help but feel the annoyance return as he thought back to their interaction on the ski slopes. One minute, he managed to falter her with his careless comment, and the next she seemed to completely forget about it, which only added to his frustrations. He was usually the one to have such an affect on her, and now he was forced to watch Seoho charm her mindlessly.

“I’ll be back.” Jungkook finally spoke, his resolve snapping as Seoho leaned into Emmy to whisper something into her ear. Jimin and Taehyung watched as their youngest counterpart suddenly stood to make his way toward the couple, confidence exuding in each step. “Lee Seoho, what a pleasure.” Jungkook unapologetically interrupted, greeting Seoho as he turned to face Emmy. “I see you’ve managed to enchant your beautiful company.”

Emmy felt her throat run dry, stunned to hear Jungkook refer to her as beautiful after calling her perfect just a few hours ago. Seoho smiled brightly, glancing back toward Emmy as he gently grabbed ahold of her hand, lifting it to his lips to place a swift kiss on the backside of her hand. “On the contrary, for it’s she who has enchanted me.”

Jungkook felt the urge to laugh at his corny response, however, the way Emmy’s eyes sparkled at the interaction distracted him too much. He noticed a spare chair at the table beside them, pulling the piece of furniture over as he plopped down directly between them. “Mind if I join you for a moment? There was something I was meaning to discuss with you.” He smiled charismatically as Seoho glanced toward Emmy who simply smiled brightly.

“Not at all. I was just heading to the ladies' room.” She fought the urge to smack Jungkook for once again interrupting but decided to continue her charming facade. “Will you excuse me a moment?” She glanced back toward Seoho, batting her eyes sweetly as he gestured for her to stand.

“Of course.”

Emmy flashed a glare toward Jungkook as she twisted her body to seek out the restrooms. She took slow steps, switching her hips as she walked, knowing that Seoho was most likely watching her strut away, admiring the curves of her body. What she didn’t notice was that Jungkook was also tempted to watch her, both men secretly fantasizing about her form. “What was it you wanted to talk about?” Seoho finally glanced back toward Jungkook who smiled childishly as he discussed another opportunity to ski down a black diamond trail.

Jimin and Taehyung were surprised to see Jungkook smoothly capture Seoho’s attention with the daring sport while Emmy finally reached the women’s room, groaning in her earpiece as she glanced at her reflection in the mirror.

“What the hell is he doing?” She snipped in her earpiece, hearing Jade’s voice on the opposite end.

“I don’t know. Ruby, what are they talking about?” Jade asked, a slight hint of concern laced in her voice.

Ruby moved to serve a table nearby, confirming their conversation. “They're talking about skiing.” Her voice was less than enthused as she continued to make her way through the intimate room. “And his goons seem far too satisfied with their meal.”

Emmy pressed her palms against the sink counter, adjusting her hair and making sure her makeup was still fresh on her complexion. “Jade, figure out a way to get them out of here.”

“Me?!” Jade protested as Ruby quickly joined in on the discussion once more.

“Unless you want to come serve these idiots, get your ass in here and figure something out.”

Jade let out a huff as she contemplated a way to cause enough of a distraction. Emmy smacked her lips together as she smoothed over a fresh layer of lipstick, stuffing the small tube back in her clutch as she took another glance into the bathroom mirror. “I’m not letting him get in the way again.” While her partners heard her words, she mostly spoke them to herself, refusing to let Jungkook get under her skin and take another victory away from her.

The youngest took a soothing breath before making her way back out toward her private table, noticing Jungkook and Seoho were still engaged in an intriguing conversation. She took her seat, smiling up at Seoho as he excitedly let her in on the information. “JK was just telling me about another trail. We might hit it up tomorrow before the end of my visit.”

Emmy clenched her teeth together, bringing her wine glass to her lips. “Sounds delightful.” She lied, taking a sizeable swig of the alcohol-infused concentrate.

“I can’t believe he managed to snake his way into their date.” Jimin shook his head in surprise, impressed by his comrade's ability to charm their targets.

Taehyung finished the last bite of his meal, leaning back in his chair to let his stomach stretch out from the large amount of food he indulged in. “He’s a little shit, but he gets the job done,” Taehyung adds playfully, exchanging a satisfied smile with Jimin as they grabbed their wine glasses. “To another hopeful victory.”

Just as Jimin was going to clink his glass together with Taehyung’s, he felt a sharp sting across his cheek, glancing up frantically to see Jade standing before him in hysterics. “What the…”

“How dare you!” She continued, threatening to smack him again as Jimin quickly seized the opportunity to snatch her wrist.

“What the fuck are you doing?” His eyes were wide as Jade channeled her inner Emmy, pulling out her dramatics.

She began to cry, drawing the attention of a few tables beside them. “I knew you were cheating on me, but I didn’t know you were gay!”

Taehyung practically choked on his wine as Jade gestured toward him, her accusations accompanied by gasps from neighboring tables. Taehyung felt his cheeks flash red in embarrassment, suddenly looking at their table, realizing to an unsuspecting person they sure looked like they’d be on a date.

“I’m not gay!” Jimin quickly retaliated as Jade let out a loud wail of sorrow. Jimin felt his body become tense in anger as he gripped her wrist tightly, his eye flashing red with wrath. “Can I speak to you a moment, privately?” He grit between his teeth, trying not to draw more attention to them as he stood from his chair, practically dragging Jade off behind him.

It wasn’t until they were finally in the hallway that Jimin released her wrist, pushing her up against the wall as his irritation boiled over. “What the hell were you thinking?” He smacked his hand against the wall beside her head, causing her to flinch for a moment as she glared up at him.

“What’s wrong? I figured since you clearly aren’t concerned with ruining someone’s date, I might as well ruin yours.” Jade couldn’t help but grin between each word as Jimin pressed forward, trying to intimidate her until they heard the door of the lounge open.

Jimin quickly stepped away from her as a bystander glared in his direction, making him feel even more uncomfortable than he already felt. “This isn’t over.” He threatened back toward Jade who instantly began fake crying again as the witness continued to stare at Jimin as if he was a terrible human being. “And cut the bullshit.”

Meanwhile, Emmy’s table seemed to be distracted by the commotion until Jungkook suddenly stood from his seat with the sound of glass breaking beside him. Ruby was inches away with a now empty tray, wine spilling all over Jungkook’s trousers as the chilled liquid seeped through his clothing. “Shit.”

“I’m so sorry, monsieur.” Ruby falsely apologized as Emmy bit her lip, desperately attempting to contain her laughter. Jungkook seemed as flustered as Jimin while Ruby attempted to wipe his pants with her towel, shooing her away as he noticed Seoho’s attention directly on the situation.

He chewed on his lip piercing as he kept his cool. “An accident, of course.” He hissed through his teeth, knowing it was clearly no accident. He took a cloth napkin from the table, wiping away any reminisce of the liquid from his pants, annoyed to see the fabric was now stained. “I should go get cleaned up. I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

Seoho was quick to stand and politely say goodbye to Jungkook, confirming their plans before telling Ruby to get something to clean up the mess. Jungkook found Emmy’s glare once more, burning through her resolve with his fiery stare before turning to dismiss himself, the girls suddenly feeling proud of their chaotic distractions.

Emmy respectfully called after Jungkook, waving him off as she turned her attention back to Seoho. A few staff members bustled to clean up the spilled wine as Seoho signed their receipt to have their meal charged to his room. Emmy simply brought her glass to her lips, watching the scene unfold as Seoho stood beside her.

“How about a stroll, ma belle? To finish the evening?” He offered as he held out his hand. Emmy’s smile reflected in her pupils as she politely accepted his hand.

“That would be wonderful.” She beamed, thrilled for another opportunity to get close to her target and enchanting date. “I have to admit.” She continued on, placing a playful pout on her lips as she stood up from her seat. “I was hoping for the chance to see you again tomorrow.”

Seoho’s charming smile stretched across his lips as began guiding her out of the small dining room. “I’m sure I can arrange that.” He maneuvered himself beside her, snaking his arm around her waist as they retrieved their coats from the hostess. “How about ice skating tomorrow night?”

Emmy contemplated his proposal, bitter that he was still entertaining his morning skiing with Jungkook. She batted her eyelashes flirtatiously, leaning her hip into him as he retrieved her coat and draped it over her shoulders. “Sounds perfect.”

—

“Breakfast is ready!” Jade announced, moving out of the way for their dining cart to roll into their suite. The server pushed the collection of breakfast foods into the middle of the living room space, placing it at the end of the dining table. Jade slipped him a small tip, leading him back out the door as Ruby started sniffing at the food hidden beneath the silver plate lid on the large platter.

Emmy was in the bathroom, taking a thorough shower in anticipation of her date with Seoho. “Why’d you say it like you made?” Ruby pulled off the giant lid, spotting her plate of pancakes and bacon before shooting Jade a judgemental side-eye.

Jade swooped in, grabbing her plate of eggs, sausage, and toast with a side of maple syrup to sweeten her savory meal. “Technically, I ordered it so…yeah. Sorry, not sorry.” She quickly dashed off towards the sofa, curling her feet underneath her as she leaned against the arm of the couch, balancing her plate in her hand.

Ruby shook her head, getting comfortable at the table with every intention of drowning her plate in syrup. “Hey,” She called out to Jade softly, hoping Emmy wouldn’t hear them under the stream of her shower. “Do you think we need to come up with a plan B?”

Jade curled her brow, pausing after already stabbing into the yolk of her egg. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, it’s just this is our last chance before our window closes. What if we lose again?” Ruby subconsciously poured syrup over her stack, her eyes flicking between the amber liquid and Jade’s thoughtful expression.

Jade contemplated their predicament, feeling her instincts screaming at her that Ruby was only suggesting a proper backup in case all else failed, but she tried to stay positive. “Don't worry, this guy has already taken the bait. Emmy is gonna reel him in and we’ll all reap the benefits.”

Ruby hummed, pursing her lips together as she glanced toward the closed door of the bathroom where Emmy was located. “I guess so.” She paused when she heard the shower turn off and the harsh raking of the hooks dragging across the curtain rod. “It just feels different.” She added, quickly dropping her concern onto Jade’s lap before cutting into her pancakes.

Before Jade could dig further into Ruby’s comment, the bathroom door opened to reveal Emmy wrapped up in a white cotton robe, soaking up the dew from her skin as her hair was wrapped up in another smaller towel. “It smells so good.” Emmy commented, her eyes falling on Ruby’s plate that needed disaster relief. She chuckled as she grabbed her plate with a little bit of everything on it, joining Ruby at the table and making sure to face Jade.

“Oh, by the way, nice job chasing the guys away.” Emmy complimented, looking at their intellectual counterpart. Jade snapped her head up, pausing mid-chew with a piece of egg in her mouth. She made a noise of acknowledgment, but Emmy continued. “I didn’t know you had it in you to make such a scene.”

Ruby laughed beside her, covering her mouth to hide the fact they thought the spectacle was hilarious. Jade swallowed the egg down her throat, clearing the remnants that lingered on her tongue. “Well, I just thought what would Emmy do and went with it.” Ruby’s laughter turned into a cackle at the back-handed compliment while Emmy narrowed her eyes at the oldest.

“Haha.” She stabbed into her slice of bacon before lifting it to her lips to steal a bite, gnawing at the meat with her canines harshly.

The girls ate in silence as Ruby settled her fit of giggles, choking down another bit of pancake before she decided to discuss their plans. “Anyway, what are you doing with Seoho today?”

Emmy paused, biting her lip as she thought of the handsome gentleman with the all-encompassing smile. “He’s taking me ice skating.” She mumbled before shoveling more food into her food to distract from the blush that slowly invaded her complexion.

Jade noticed the suddenly bashful Emmy and made a teasing oooo sound with Ruby joining in for the fun of it. “Don’t tell me you're getting soft on us.” Ruby added like a cherry on top.

“No, don’t be ridiculous.” Emmy dismissed, waving off the pink hue on her cheeks. “He’s just really sweet, that’s all.” She couldn’t help but admit as she thought about how charismatic and down-to-earth he was.

“Maybe we should ask if he wants three sugar babies and we can have unlimited spending money.” Ruby suggested, continuing to cut her stack of pancakes into uneven bites.

Emmy nearly cried watching the chaos unfold on her plate and Jade laughed out loud. “Yeah right. Between your drinking “habit” and Emmy’s maintenance routine, he’d be drained dry within a month.” Jade put quotation marks around the reference to Ruby’s daily alcohol consumption. The girls were all aware that she drank the burning substance like water, but luckily, she always managed to stay coherent in most situations.

“Oh, don’t you even start. I’ve seen how much you spend on food, my little gourmet glutton.” Emmy snapped back, calling Jade out for indulgent and expensive eating habits. Ruby nodded in agreement, eyeing the plate of protein on the oldest’s lap.

Jade waved her hand as if she were shooing them away. “Whatever, I do what I want.” She said defensively, unapologetic for her spending habits. “So, what do you plan on wearing?” She narrowly changed the subject trying to keep them focused on the task at hand.

Emmy quickly clambered out of the chair and raced to her bedroom, pulling off the outfit she laid out before she jumped into the shower. “What do you think?” She displayed it against her frame, only showing off the layers that would be hidden underneath a large faux fur coat.

“Won’t you be cold?” Ruby nearly choked at the thin fabric that made up her outfit.

“I’ll have a jacket obviously, but once we settle somewhere a little more private, this is what he’ll see.” Emmy seemed proud of herself as she imagined his eyes bulging from his sockets when she revealed the form-fitting outfit that showed off her legs that she hoped would be wrapped around his waist later that evening.

“I’m sure he’ll be drooling on the floor.” Jade encouraged, noticing the genuine smile and giddiness in each step Emmy took on her way to place the outfit back in her room. She shared a knowing look with Ruby from across the room before Emmy returned. She waited as the youngest member got comfy in her seat, “Hey, are you sure you can do this?” Jade asked, trying not to show that she had any doubt in Emmy’s capabilities.

Emmy seemed to shake out of her excitement, noticing her partners looking at her expectantly. “Yeah, trust me. I have him completely wrapped around my finger and we’ll be gone before tomorrow morning.” She ignored the slight tick in her smile as she assured the girls of her confidence, knowing their success depended on her. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep the subtle frown from pulling at her lips as she poked the prongs of her fork against the syrup-soaked pancakes.

—

A brisk wind rushed by, seeping the touch of ice through Emmy’s layers. She adjusted her little blue coat around her torso, hugging the fabric tighter to smother her body heat. Seoho chuckled beside her, pulling her in close as he reached for her hand. “Here, allow me.” He wrapped an arm around her waist, guiding her forward as he cradled her palm within his other hand.

Emmy allowed him to manipulate her body, his directions so gentle and nurturing that even his gestures warmed her up. She moved her legs, gliding across the ice as the cable knit of her light blue stockings flexed with every movement. “I know how to skate, you know.” She offered, her tone soft so that she didn’t offend his intimate nature.

“Yes, but you seemed cold.” He offered, slowly slipping away.

Emmy grabbed him, bringing him back so that he continued holding her in his embrace. “I think I still am.” She lied, feeling the heat swell within her chest as his large smile overtook his features. She found the way his eyes closed endearing whenever he seemed excited or bashful. As she leaned into him, she couldn’t help but be perfectly aware of his fingers teasing the sequins of her silver skirt that accentuated the light blue ensemble.

She stole this opportunity to enjoy her surroundings, skating over the ice with the assistance of Seoho while passing by the small village they had walked through just the previous evening. During the day, the white-painted shops and little red roofs were vibrant with life under the beaming sun. Layers of snow were scattered amongst the tops of every surface, decorating the scene in a natural winter scheme. During their stay, Emmy felt a combination of emotions as she thought of her life before she met Jade and Ruby, but tried to stay in the moment and thrive in the memories of the places she visited rather than the people she knew.

“Excuse me!” Someone shouted, causing Emmy to jolt back into the present as a young teenager sped in front of them. Seoho was able to stop them just in time before they collided with the adolescent, nearly tumbling backward when he yanked Emmy against his frame. When he braced for impact, he naturally curled his arms around the woman, bringing her to face him where their skates were knocking into each other.

Luckily, he managed to catch himself and looked sheepishly at Emmy who seemed startled by the abrasive course of action. “Sorry.” They stood still amongst the rink, looking into each other’s eyes, the tension slowly dwindling the longer they stood facing each other.

Emmy blinked, the spell broken as she smiled up at him. “Something tells me you’re not that sorry.” She boldly slipped her arms around his neck, drawing him in close until his lips were level with her own. Her heart pounded in her chest when his eyes flicked across her face, taking in every detail and watching his pupils enlarge.

Seoho’s eyelids dropped, feeling heavy as he returned her gaze. Their breath began to mingle as he leaned in, his arms curled around her snugly. “You might be right.” His lips brushed against her own, nearly pressing them together until a fit of giggling children skated by and interrupted the mood. He pulled back abruptly, looking at their surroundings as if he had forgotten they were in the middle of a skating rink. “How about we get something to eat?”

Emmy pouted as the cool air swirled over her face, craving the taste of Seoho’s lips over anything that the village of small shops had to offer. She bit her lip, falling back into a slow glide beside him as they made their way towards the exit. She peered over towards Seoho, trying to read his expression, and noticed the hungry look in his eyes still lingering. She chewed the inside of her cheek with anticipation, wondering how soon she could bring him to his primal instincts.

She coyly moved her pupils in the opposite direction, spotting a small poutine cafe. She salivated at the thought of the comfort food she grew up with and turned to look at Seoho, “Do you like poutine?”

Seoho turned his head, keeping his gaze down to avoid skating into someone. “I’ve never tried it.”

Emmy gasped, moving her feet faster to race to the exit. “Well, let’s go then!” She squealed in excitement, eager to get a serving of a long-forgotten pastime.

Seoho chuckled at her mannerisms, noticing she was like a child in a candy store. He reached out for her, slowing her stride down slightly as he threaded his fingers through her own. “Don’t leave without me, ma belle.”

Emmy nearly swooned as he used his term of endearment for her, slowing down as they approached the threshold for the skating rink. She bit her lip when he swooped in front of her, stepping onto the stable ground with the blades of his skates before helping her across. As she stepped close beside him, she continued to hold his hand and stood on the tip toes of her skates to place a kiss on his cheek.

The moment was swift, but the dumbstruck look on his face was more than worth it. Emmy settled with her victory before stepping towards the benches to take her skates off while Seoho seemed to collect himself.

After returning their skates and adjusting back into their boots, the pair made their way to the cafe Emmy had been eyeing. Seoho held the door open while Emmy stepped inside getting draped in the warmth and rich, savory scents of cooked food. The cafe wasn’t particularly big, but it was bustling with customers waiting in line to grab a basket which made it fairly easy to walk with. There were a few barstools along the wall leading to the counter and a handful of small tables that could seat up to four people.

Seoho came up behind Emmy, lightly placing his hand on her back. “Why don’t you find a seat and I can get it?” He offered, noticing the line was going to be a decent wait.

“No, I’ll get it. Especially since you never had it before.” Emmy smiled back at him, insisting she treat him. She nearly screamed at herself when she realized that she should be making him pay, he was the target of their hustle after all.

Seoho smirked, finding her determination amusing before fishing out his wallet and pulling his card out. He placed it gingerly in her hand, pulling away so that she could not return it. “Put it on my card at least.” He suggested. He brought the hand that was resting on the small of her back up to pull her hair off her shoulder, dipping down to brush his lips across her cheek. “I’ll save you a seat.”

Emmy felt as if her whole body stopped functioning as he left her in shambles; her heart stopped working, she couldn’t breathe, and every muscle in her body was frozen. Her sparkling irises followed him as he moved to a table by the large windows facing the front of the establishment, sitting with the same magnetism he had when she first encountered him.

His sharp eyes found hers and she snapped out of her daze, a harsh blush slapping over her cheeks as she quickly shielded herself from his calculating gaze. She moved with the line as another customer successfully received their order, biting her lip as she tried settling her nerves. She took the opportunity to take out her phone, texting her friends with an update to help ground her from the treacherous emotions swirling within her. “I’m in trouble.” She mumbled to herself, her heart still dancing wildly in her chest.

Every time she was with him, it was like she completely forgot about what her goal was. She wasn’t sure why he was like kryptonite, but she couldn’t say this experience was frustrating in the least. She glanced down at the card he had given her, thinking that she could simply run with it and have her victory right then and there. It could have been possibly the easiest steal of her life, but she hesitated. Not only because they were in broad daylight and she could easily be caught, but because she didn’t want the date to end.

Seoho had been one of the few men to actually treat her with any ounce of decency and Emmy could honestly say it was refreshing. He didn’t try to sleep with her at every turn or treat her like some piece of decoration on his arm, he was intrigued by her presence and very attentive to her needs. She glanced back at him as the line moved up again, wondering how she was going to deal with the guilt of fucking him over by the end of the night.

She pursed her lips together as the guilt set it, trying to think of something else that would distract her from potentially sabotaging the mission. They already lost to the guys, they couldn’t have another loss on their hands. Emmy nearly groaned as Jungkook’s face mocked her in the back of her head, the reminder that he was just on her coat tail with gaining Seoho’s trust considering they had just gone skiing this morning.

You rather play pretend with some millionaire than be yourself with someone who thinks you’re perfect. She vividly replayed that moment in her head, wondering if she heard him wrong. He seemed so frustrated and genuine when he spit the words from his mouth, but Emmy had yet to see his behavior change to make her think it was anything more than just another little game of his.

“Hello, what can I get you?” The sweet voice of a middle-aged woman disturbed Emmy from her thoughts, realizing that she traveled to the front of the line and it was her turn to order.

Emmy quickly scanned the menu, embarrassed that she wasn’t more prepared and instead thinking of the bane of her existence even though she was on a date with a complete gentleman. She then placed her order, making sure to get enough for both of them before stepping aside to wait for her portions. She watched intently as they poured the seasoning and gravy over the small baskets of fries sprinkled with cheese curds, eager to dig into the dish once she sat down with Seoho.

They shortly offered her the baskets of food, gesturing towards the utensils and napkins for them to use. Emmy hurried to grab the tools she needed before scurrying to the small table Seoho claimed. “Here you go.” She said, placing the food on the surface prior to handing him back the card.

Seoho’s eyes were wide as he looked at the meal before him, slipping his credit card back into his wallet without tearing his eyes away. “This looks delicious.” He moved his gaze towards Emmy, noticing her sitting across from him at the table. “Sit here.” He quickly pushed the seat out adjacent to him, allowing her to sit closer to him.

Emmy happily placed herself by his side, grabbing the forks and offering him one. “You should try it first.” She waved the fork in his direction, her teeth shining in the natural sunlight that beamed through the glass window. She held her breath as Seoho took the utensil from her, eyeing his first bite for the most covered morsels in his platter. He finally stabbed his fork into a covered fry, making sure to stab at a cheese curd like a small kabob on the prongs.

He parted his lips, placing the food on his tongue before chewing, letting his expression do most of the talking while Emmy watched. The tension was high as she noticed his brows furrowed and he chewed slowly, taking in every flavor as he went. She relaxed when she heard the satisfying hum in the back of his throat, nodding his head as he stabbed into another piece. “Very good.” He uttered between a small seam in his lips as he finished up his first bite.

Emmy felt giddy as she grabbed her fork, looking for her first bite until Seoho placed his hand over her own, keeping her utensil down. She curled her brow over her forehead, turning to look at him in confusion. “Is something wrong?”

She was startled by how softly he looked at her, cherishing her like she was a work of art worthy of such admiration. “Well, I thought maybe since it was my first time eating poutine, I could make this time special for you.”

“Oh?”

Seoho continued to hold her hand as he scanned his smothered fries for another worthy piece. Once he found it, he offered it to Emmy at the end of his fork. “This could be the first time you eat it served by me.” He almost said it like a question, almost as if the idea was silly, but Emmy found his sudden shyness charming.

Without any response, Emmy felt her lips pull at the corner as she leaned into him, guiding her mouth towards the food hanging off his fork. Seoho met her halfway, gently slipping the bite past her lips until they closed around the portion he offered her. Emmy blushed as he focused his gaze on her lips, watching her chew and savor the taste that reminded her of home.

She moaned to herself in enjoyment, ready to dig in and demolish the rest on her plate but stopped when his hand curled under her chin, his thumb swiping the corner of her mouth. He quickly pulled away, teasing his tongue against the pad of his thumb to collect whatever remnants were on her face. “You had some gravy.” He mentioned, smiling as he realized what he had just done.

Emmy bit her lip to keep from giggling as he looked down, suddenly enamored with the dish as the tips of his ears became red. Without another word, she started to dig into her own meal her heart thrumming against her ribcage as the heat of her emotions overwhelmed her beyond that of the warm food and atmosphere.

Their time eating had gone silent as they picked apart the poutine, and slowly reached the bottom of the serving basket with every bite. Seoho glanced outside, noticing the sun start to make its way down from its peak. He cleared his throat, grabbing Emmy’s attention. “I was wondering if you would like to join me back at my cabin tonight?”

Emmy’s interest was piqued, her heart racing ever faster at the implications of his proposal. She subconsciously licked her lips as if she had a drop of gravy on them. She hesitated, knowing this was the moment she’d been waiting for. However, it was also the moment this charade of leading a normal, romantic life would be over. She looked at the man sitting beside her, finding him tense with anticipation as if she would reject him at any moment. Despite the pout pulling at her lips, she forced a soft smile over her face. “I would love to.”

Seoho’s cheeks swelled against his eyes, causing her heart to drop as she imagined what he would look like when he realized she was only using him. She suddenly found she wasn’t hungry anymore and pushed the rest of her delicious poutine away. “I’m full.” Seoho seemed none the wiser to the change in her demeanor as he finished up the rest of his meal.

The walk back up to the main resort was filled with light chatter, but Emmy found herself lost in thought as they turned off toward the private cabins. Her stomach churned with an odd mix of emotions. Being with Seoho was fulfilling in a way, therapeutic almost.

He was a rare specimen that treated her better than she ever dreamed a man could. No one in her life really made her feel normal, but with him, it was the closest she ever felt and despite all the excitement of hustling, she was fond of the ease that came with doing the mundane. However, she wanted to prove that she could overcome these emotional obstacles and get a win against the guys. She couldn’t let her girls down.

Then a small part of her kept playing her interaction with Jungkook infuriatingly calling her out on the top of a ski slope. Even if there was a future to be had with a man like Seoho, there’s no telling that he would like her as she truly was. She created a more timid version of herself, appealing to his more doting personality that seemed to want to cater to her and treat her like a princess. Not that she can really complain, but yet again, Jungkook was right.

“Are you alright, ma belle?” Seoho’s voice brought her back. Realizing they were walking down the path along the large lake overlooked by the resort’s property. She admired the expanse of the frozen surface, a world covered in white as even the tree tops were covered in snow.

She finally turned to Seoho, noticing his concerned expression. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She shook herself out of her overthinking mind and curled her arm through his own, bundling up into his warmth. “Are we almost there?”

Seoho relaxed when she cuddled against his frame, flicking his attention up ahead to see where his cabin was located along the path. “It should be the next one.” Their feet crunched the snow-covered ground, the colors of the sky painted across the ice in darkening pastels with the setting sun.

Emmy noticed a sparse line of lampposts following the path as they suddenly switched on as the evening progressed. She then spotted a small chalet not too far from the lake that she could only assume was the cabin he rented for his stay. It had large windows facing toward the speculator view of the winter scene and had enough distance from the other neighboring cabins for plenty of privacy.

Emmy was eager to get inside, getting a break from the cold and becoming toasty with Seoho. He moved up the short set of stairs leading to the entrance and quickly opened it, allowing Emmy into the warmth first. She shuddered from the difference in temperature as Seoho slipped inside, closing the door behind him.

The space was mostly dark except for a light he left on by the entrance and the dim sunshine that peeked in. “Wait, right here.” He said, moving around her to turn on some more lights. Emmy was pleased to see the cozy loft, from the dark leather furniture accentuating the wood of the cabin structure and the stone fireplace beside the quaint kitchen area. “That’s better.”

Emmy stood patiently waiting to see where he wanted her to sit, surprised when he came over to help her out of her coat. He paused when he noticed her form-fitting long-sleeve shirt underneath, eyeing her frame up and down completely now that the bulky coat was off her shoulders. He placed the article on the hanger, his attention undivided as he offered her to pick a seat in the living room.

Emmy kicked into gear, swishing her hips side to side until she perched herself on his couch. She crossed one leg over the other, allowing her skirt to ride up along her thigh and exposing more of the stocking that covered her legs. Seoho removed his jacket, showing off the crisp clean white button-down he had hidden underneath. She nearly jumped when he started rolling up the sleeves, watching the muscles of his forearm. “Are you thirsty?”

“Huh?” Emmy felt like she was caught red-handed checking him out, heat rising to her cheeks as he seemed to smile to himself.

“I asked if you were thirsty. I have some wine.” He offered, switching to the other cuff and rolling that up his arm. He slowly moved toward the kitchen, waiting for Emmy’s response.

She smoothed out her skirt, pulling the fabric down as she swallowed her spike of nerves. “Yeah, that sounds good.” She smiled at him, glancing at him as he went into the kitchen to grab two glasses. She waited until he seemed distracted before pulling her phone out and texting the girls. However, when she opened the device, she noticed there was no reception at their location. “Shit.” She cursed under her breath, slipping the phone away.

Seoho appeared shortly with a bucket filled with ice, the bottle tucked securely in the cubes and two glasses threaded through his fingers. He placed them on the coffee table before lowering himself to sit beside Emmy, knocking his knee against her leg. “Sorry.”

Emmy giggled, “It’s okay.” She anxiously fiddled with the hem of her skirt as he popped the cork off the bottle. He then poured them each a glass, filling them with a rich cabernet. After both were poured, he dunked the bottle back in the bucket of ice and handed one of the stemmed glasses to Emmy.

“Should we make a toast?” He proposed, opening up the air for any suggestions. Emmy could see by the intent look in his eye that whatever she said next would set the path for the rest of the evening. This was her opportunity to get him vulnerable and make her grab before she dashed back to the girls for a quick getaway.

Emmy fell into character, pulling on her most seductive mannerisms as she twirled the liquid in her cup nearly tracing the rim against her lips. “A simple cheers will do, don’t you think?” She leaned into him, her eyes dropping low before traveling back up to meet those piercing dark irises. “I think I’m tired of talking.” With that note, she tipped the glass against her lips, taking a sip as she tilted her head back.

Seoho instantly picked on her innuendo, taking a gulp of his wine as he relished the way she slowly swallowed her wine down. After finishing every drop, she placed the wine glass on the coffee table and noticed Seoho looking at her with lust set in his features. He moved his glass out of the way, scooting in closer to her as he cradled her face within his hands, his thumb finding its way back to the corner of her mouth. “What is it this time? Wine?” She asked, her voice changing into a purr as she nuzzled into his warm palms.

“No,” He whispered, leaning in close so that their lips brushed. “I just want to touch you.” He moved forward encasing her lips with his own, feeling her shiver beneath his hold.

Emmy moaned as she closed her eyes, getting drunk off the plush feeling of his pillowy lips against hers. She was amazed by how gentle his kiss was, yet so demanding as his tongue prodded against the seam. She teased him, not allowing him to deepen the kiss as she slipped her arms around his neck, pulling him into her.

Seoho moved one of his hands down her side, gripping firmly at her figure as his fingers traced along the curve of her spine and his thumb grazed the peak of her breast. The same hand continued to conquer her body until it mapped the expanse of her thigh and manipulated the crook of her knee so that her leg curled around his waist. He laid her down along the sofa hovering above her as the other hand cradling her cheek slid down to gently grip her throat. “Open up for me.” He softly commanded, pulling away from her intoxicating lips to catch his breath.

He nuzzled his nose across her features, calming himself down as she panted beneath him. When he found that the air was properly circulating through his lungs, he sealed his lips back over hers. Her moan vibrated against his palm as he held her throat, keeping her from evading his kiss.

Emmy felt his tongue come knocking at her lips for entrance and giggled as she continued making him chase her. His hips retaliated against her with her refusal. He nipped at her bottom lip with his teeth as he grew impatient, the bulge in his pants serving as a reminder of the sexual tension coursing through his veins. Emmy finally gave in when he pulled her lip with his teeth, stretching the skin just enough to get her attention and have her chasing after his kiss.

“I want you.” She managed, pulling him back and allowing him to slip his tongue between her lips. She felt his hand around her throat tighten but only acknowledged the rush of blood in her ears from the sensation as her senses were overloaded.

Suddenly she felt a sharp pain on the side of her neck where he wasn’t holding her. She quickly pushed him away, opening her eyes to find that he had a syringe in his hand and a cruel smile on his face. She pressed her hand against the wound, noticing the syringe was completely empty. She felt cold as ice as fear struck her. “Why did you do that? What is that?” She managed before crawling away from him, unnerved by this sinister grin she had never seen from the man before.

He didn’t answer, only chuckling as she backed away towards the door. When he stood up, she grabbed the win bottle from the bucket ready to use it as a weapon if he got any closer. “Are you scared? That only makes the drug work faster.”

Emmy could feel her heart racing, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her from trying to leave. She felt her back collide with the wall adjacent to the entrance ready to make an exit, but when her hand went to grab the handle, it flopped against the cool metal instead. “Fuck.” She muttered, trying again only unable to use the function of her hand. She felt her leg muscles get weak as she slowly slid to the floor, her arms no longer lifting up or supporting her from falling towards the ground. There was the sound of breaking glass as the wine bottle cracked against the floor, shattering to pieces while she crumbled to the ground. As her world became blurry, the last thing she heard was the chilling laughter of Seoho before she was left helpless in darkness.

—

Jade’s eyes skimmed the screen of her phone, chewing on the inside of her cheek nervously as she anticipated a message from their youngest as the numbers on her screen shifted to read four o'clock in the morning. It was highly unusual for Emmy to go such a long time without updating her teammates on her progress, even if she did get sidetracked by bringing one of their targets to bed. Jade expected her to have returned hours ago, a nervous pit forming in her stomach as she glanced towards the door of their suite.

She took a deep breath, tapping away on her device as she located the Find My app, clicking it open to see if she could at least find Emmy’s location based on the whereabouts of her phone. Unfortunately, the minute the app ignited, she noticed a small message under Emmy’s icon, indicating that there was no location found for that user.

Her eyebrows pinched together at the sight, assuming wherever she was there most likely wasn’t any service to accurately display her location. Thankfully for the tech guru, she knew exactly how to go around the system, tracking the device with her own hacked rescue network.

To her surprise, there was still nothing showing her any glimpse at Emmy’s location, leaving her with nothing but suspicion of her friend’s whereabouts.

The soft hums of Ruby echoed from beside her, the brawn of the group resting on the couch, utilizing the opportunity to gather some energy as Jade grew more and more worried. “Ruby.” She spoke softly, glancing toward her as she sought out a pillow from the couch beside her, tossing it in her direction.

The plush fabric refused to spare Ruby as it whipped against her face, causing her to jolt up from her slumber. “What?!” She groaned, her eyes clearly heavy with exhaustion. “Is she back yet?”

As Ruby rubbed the exhaustion from her features, Jade stood up, feeling suddenly anxious that something wasn’t right. “No.” She spoke plainly, moving to retrieve her coat from one of the hooks near their hotel door. “She hasn’t even messaged.”

“Did you track her?” Ruby inquired, watching Jade’s face fall pale as she twisted the screen of her phone towards her teammate, displaying the failed connection to locating Emmy’s phone.

The reality of the situation caused Ruby to quickly sober up from her sleepy haze, watching the frightened expression stretch across Jade’s features. “Nothing?” Her agitation from being woken up seemed to dissipate as she plucked herself from the soft cushions, moving to grab her own coat from the opposite hook.

“Something’s wrong,” Jade stated plainly, glancing over at the clock once more to make sure she wasn’t over-exaggerating. “She would’ve sent something by now. It’s been hours.”

Ruby knew that Jade was the first to go into an instinctual protective mode, but she also had to admit that it was far too long for Emmy not to be back, let alone drop a text to fill them in. “Let's go down to the lobby.” Ruby offered with a hushed voice, knowing that it was far too early for anyone to really be up at this hour. Hopefully, it would help enlighten them on a possible lead to find their friend and comrade.

Jade nodded nervously, feeling Ruby’s hand rest on her shoulder, attempting to comfort the eldest as she suppressed her own growing concerns. Did Seoho discover her true intentions and have her arrested? Did something happen on their date that led to them being stranded out in the frigid wilderness?

The girls made their way out into the lobby, hoping to see Emmy walk through the corridors on the opposite side of the door. To their dismay, it was eerily silent given most of the guests in the area were fast asleep. The walk to the elevators was deafening, the stillness only adding to Jade’s worry as they made their way down to the lobby.

Downstairs, the lobby was vacant, except for a few resort staff and some alcoholics somehow still mingling at the bar. Taehyung was sunk into one of the leather couches adorning the lobby adjacent to the grand stone fireplace, his head slouched forward as he fought off a raging headache from indulging in one too many drinks.

Jimin was sitting across from him, typing away on his laptop like a busy businessman when in reality, he was trying to crack the resort's software to gain access to Seoho’s information. Surprisingly, it was proving more challenging than he cared to admit.

Jungkook was fighting off sleep beside him, his limbs now sore from his ski trip down the black diamond trails. “That’s weird,” Jimin’s voice echoed softly beside Jungkook as he peeked an eye open to hear out his colleague. “Seoho’s bank account is virtually untraceable.”

Jimin’s eyes scrunched together as he tried to follow the cryptic code leading to the multi-millionaires information. It was as if someone had already hacked his account, blocking out any cyber attempt to steal his information.

Jungkook adjusted himself in his seat, running his hand through his hair as he pushed the dark strands back. “I’ll give it to him. He might be a rich prick, but he’s a smart one.” There was an odd bite in his voice, his jealousy still bitterly threatening to reveal itself in regard to the handsome target.

It wasn’t often that the boys encountered a target who seemed smart enough to guard their belongings in such a secure way, almost manipulating the scammers away from the real location of his money. Jimin let out a long breath, shutting his computer screen as he sunk back into the couch, shifting his gaze toward Taehyung.

Jungkook suddenly noticed the elevators draw open to reveal Ruby and Jade’s concerned expressions as their eyes helplessly scanned the environment of the main lobby. Jungkook kicked his leg forward, hitting Taehyung in the shin as a groan festered in his chest. “What the fuck, JK?”

“Look alive.” He spoke unapologetically as Taehyung ran his hand against the bone of his leg, annoyed by the sudden jolt. “We’ve got company.”

Jimin shifted his gaze toward the direction of Jungkook’s, noticing Jade hesitantly gesture toward them with the silent protest of Ruby’s eyes. After a moment of communication between the pair, the girls made their way towards their adversaries, causing Jungkook to sit up in interest, his curiosity whirling as to Emmy’s whereabouts if her friends were here.

Taehyung heard their footsteps, finally lifting his head to break free from his grog as his eyes lit up with mischief at the sight of Ruby. “If it isn’t the alcoholic.”

Ruby couldn’t bite back the laugh that broke through the barrier of her lips, rolling her eyes as she observed the dark circles under his eyes. “I’m not the one currently hungover.”

Jimin ignored their exchange as his eyes shifted up to find Jade’s, admiring the way her coat hung loosely on her shoulders, exposing a cropped sweater underneath. “To what do we owe this pleasure?” Jimin inquired, Jungkook stirring beside him.

“Where’s the klepto?” Jungkook finally spoke, unable to prevent his eyes from scanning their surroundings in hopes of seeing Emmy joining them instead of being somewhere he didn’t want to imagine.

Jade crossed her arms in front of her chest, feeling her worries return as Jungkook brought up their youngest. “Have you seen her?” Jade hesitantly questioned, wondering if they would even help them in this matter.

“She’s probably getting her brains banged out.” Taehyung shamelessly added, causing Jungkook's expression to harden at the thought of Emmy being touched by yet another man. “He’s probably got her going all night long.”

Jungkook bit down against the inside of his lip piercing, hating the familiar sour sensation churning in his stomach. He hated the way Emmy suddenly had him tripping all over himself, feeling an insatiable jealousy brewing.

“Just track her phone,” Jimin commented nonchalantly. “I’m sure she’s not concerned about texting while her legs are spread open.”

Ruby shot her eyes over toward Jimin, annoyance bubbling in her core as she pressed her palms into the back of the sofa. “Like we haven’t already tried that, shortstack.” Jimin’s jaw tightened at the insult as Ruby held him pinned with her intense stare. “She was supposed to be back hours ago and her phone has suddenly gone dark.”

Jungkook’s brow pinched together, recalling just how obnoxiously charming Seoho had been this entire time. Something was off about how alluring he was to Emmy and the sudden news of her absence only stirred his thoughts further. He whipped the back of his hand against Jimin’s chest, his eyes filled with serious intent. “Look on the tracker.”

His words were soft enough for only Jimin to hear as the eldest of their trio lifted the screen of his laptop, typing away as he pulled up a program. Jade suddenly became suspicious of his actions, moving to stand closer to him as her eyes studied the contents of his screen. “Why are you pulling up spyware?”

Jimin ignored her question, maneuvering the program until he suddenly obtained a pinged location from what looked like a small portable microchip. As he zoomed in on the map, he noticed a small chalet on the lodge's property, pointing to his screen as he tilted it toward Jade. “This is the last location of her phone.”

Ruby adjusted her stance, glaring down at Taehyung threateningly. “And how exactly would you know that?”

Taehyung’s post-intoxicated state didn’t aid in his discreetness as he chuckled mischievously. “It’s a tracker. JK put it on Emmy’s phone when he drugged her.”

Taehyung suddenly groaned loudly in pain as Jungkook sent his foot directly into his shin. Jade and Ruby shot their glances at each other, suddenly realizing why the boys happened to show up everywhere they were seeking a hustle.

“I swear, I’m gonna beat your ass.” Ruby hissed, latching her hand around Taehyung’s collar as she pulled the fabric up, causing him to follow. Jade’s expression was just as deadly as she leaned closer to Jimin who cleared his throat, fiddling with the program in an attempt to distract her.

“Wait!” He interrupted abruptly, causing Ruby to release her grip on Taehyung as he plopped back onto the leather sofa. “Someone tampered with the tracker. It hasn’t updated since almost an hour ago.”

Jade and Ruby’s anger simmered for the time being as Jungkook snatched the computer away from Jimin, finally putting together all of the pieces of the puzzle. “Something’s not right.” He spoke quietly as he switched screens onto the hotel's system. “Seoho rented the cabin yesterday morning but his transaction isn’t linked to a bank account or credit card.”

Jade’s eyes widened at the realization, knowing that only scammers and highly skilled computer geniuses could complete those types of invisible transactions. “Emmy isn’t with a multi-millionaire is she?” Jade’s words were haunting as she spoke them, causing everyone to sober up at the severity of the situation.

Jungkook stood from his spot, leaning forward to grab Jade’s elbow as he began guiding her towards the front doors of the lodge. “We need to get to that chalet…fast.” Part of him was thrilled that Seoho wasn’t this charming wealthy bachelor that could seduce Emmy, however, his excitement was rapidly replaced with concern for his adversary, wishing he would’ve tried harder to pluck her away from Seoho.

“Come on.” Ruby gestured, encouraging Jimin and Taehyung to quickly follow. Despite them all being enemies in their hustles, they had grown to respect each other enough to feel worried for Emmy’s well-being. Jimin closed out all of his programs, leaving his computer at the front desk as he chased after them, realizing that the sun would soon rise to reveal light on the truth of Seoho’s intentions.

—

Emmy stirred as she heard shuffling around her, her eyes struggling to focus as took in her surroundings. Her pupils danced around frantically, noticing she wasn’t back in her hotel room with the girls. She rested along a leather couch surrounded by a darkened room she vaguely remembered. Panic set in as she heard boots against the floorboards in the background while she tried to move her limbs.

Her heart pounded against her ribcage, air pacing rapidly through her system when she realized she couldn’t move anything but her vision. It was like her soul was stuck in the body of a doll, observing the world from wherever she was perched. She glanced toward the large windows, noticing that it was fairly dark outside but she could not indicate the time of day. Her attention dragged across the living room, glancing over the cleaned-up coffee table before catching a glimpse of her things bundled together on an armchair by the entry. She spotted the glimmer of silver that resembled the material of her skirt and the fluffy coat she wore during her date with Seoho. She glanced down quickly, finding she still had the white shirt she wore and a white blanket over her lap.

“Ah, you’re awake.” Emmy looked up to find Seoho smirking down at her over the back of the couch. He checked the watch on his wrist swiftly, “I guess that means it's almost time to check out.” He hummed with amusement as he strolled over toward the entryway gathering her things. He cradled the items into his arms before walking them to the kitchen where Emmy remembered he got the wine from.

The visions of Seoho’s seductive eyes flashed in her mind as she was jolted back to the events that transpired before she seemingly blacked out. The way his hands mapped her body as his lips caressed her skin. The sudden prick from the needle he punctured through her vein. His smile sent haunting chills along her spine, grinning as if he were the Cheshire cat watching a helpless bird trapped within a cage of his own making.

She continued to try gaining function of her limbs by any means necessary, fear trickling deeper into her heart the longer she lay there uselessly. She nearly cried with frustration as her view was restricted by the lack of control of her neck muscles, rendering her completely immobile. Shortly Seoho returned, placing a bag on the chair where her things previously laid, and turned his focus on her.

He could see the whites of her eyes while her pupils continued to flicker across the room, trying to decipher what was happening and why she couldn’t do anything about it. During the night he changed out most of her clothing, anything that identified her on any surveillance during their date. He made sure to put her in a pair of white pants and kept her covered by a blanket while she was unconscious.

“Aw, ma belle. You seem so confused.” Seoho’s usual term of endearment was far less comforting as his boots scuffed against the floorboards with every step he made toward her. His strong hands grabbed ahold of her body, adjusting her to sit up and making sure to cradle her head to keep her upright. “It’s nothing personal. You should know better than anyone it’s just business.” His cruel smile returned as her pulse quickened, her nostrils burning from the friction of air speeding through her system.

Seoho watched her eyes scan the room, picking up on the perfectly cleaned area everywhere her focus landed. He savored the fear as her eyes became wide, her irises dilating. Seoho sighed as he sat on the coffee table, slowly drinking in the rapid pulse under his fingertips. He moved a hand away from her to pull out her cell phone, waving it at her as he tutted in disapproval. “You’ve been a very bad girl, Emerald…or should I say Emily?”

Emmy would have flinched if she wasn’t already a motionless corpse. How did he know her real name? Who exactly was this guy, and what was he going to do with her?

Seoho sighed, placing the phone back in his pocket. “I get it…Our line of work doesn’t make it easy to use our real identities.” He noticed the subtle way her eyes relaxed, more intrigue behind her stare than fear. He released the support of his hand keeping her head up, letting it slump to the side toward her shoulder. He got up from the coffee table, moving toward the entry to bundle up in his jacket.

He slipped his arms through the sleeves of his black coat, “The other downside is we make a lot of enemies,” He paused as his hand poked through the cuff, his arm stretched out to easily place the thick fabric over his shoulders. “Don’t we?” He grinned like he was sharing an inside joke. “Well, I know you made at least one.”

He zipped up the jacket, relishing in his success as he noticed the subtle furrow of Emmy’s eyebrows, indicating that the paralysis was starting to wear off. “See, my client has been desperately trying to find you for quite some time, but after a while, he contacted me, and well…I always find my target.”

Emmy noticed the pride seeping from his being, suddenly seeming taller with her draped on his couch like she was his catch of the day. She wondered who this “client” was and what she could have possibly done to make him want to hunt her down? Then an unsettling thought occurred to her as she considered what else Seoho or his client planned to do to her.

He grabbed her large white coat before moving back toward Emmy, slumping her forward as he wrapped the coat around her torso. “You could say he’s an eye for an eye kind of guy,” He got comfortable on the coffee table again and then helped her limp limb into the arm of the coat. “Well, more like an eye for a life.” He chuckled at his own joke as he flicked his eyes up to catch the realization etch across her face.

The pieces were falling together as Emmy realized why he cleaned up the suite so nicely and drugged her. He was taking care of the evidence. She shuddered to think of how he’d kill her and what would become of her body. What would happen to her friends? Would they find her? Would he hurt them too? Her insides were frantically fighting to get her muscles moving again, trying desperately to protect herself to the best ability.

Seoho slipped her arm through the other sleeve and zipped it up, making sure to tuck her phone back into her own pocket. His eyes darkened with intent as he stood back up, walking into the kitchen. Emmy could vaguely hear him shuffling through some items, noticing a small clink of glass and gentle tapping sounds.

She slouched against the armrest of the sofa, her body feeling heavy and light all at once since her mind acted as if she was constrained to the furniture with the most secure fastens. She huffed through her nose wishing she could scream or yell for help in this lifeless state. However, she glanced down at her fingertips wiggling on the cushion, the small appendages nearly tap-dancing along the leather. Her heart leaped with joy, wishing the rest of her hand to move, but found the rest of her was unresponsive.

She was startled back to reality when she heard his boots again, stomping their way back to the living room. She noticed another syringe in his hand and panicked to lose consciousness again. She relaxed only slightly when he slipped the covered device in his pocket. “Your little friends made things difficult, but don’t worry…” He loomed over her body, pulling the blanket from her lap and wafting it in the air to fan out. He swept it around her shoulders, tucking it securely around her body. “You’ll see them shortly.”

Emmy felt tears pool in her eyes as his deep chuckle reverberated through her core, his smile blurring behind the liquid veil distorting her vision. She raked her brain for who would want to kill her. She knew she fucked over people of all kinds, but she never imagined anyone would wish her dead. And because of her, Jade and Ruby were in danger as well. There was nothing she could do but listen to his monologue and watch as he made his preparations.

Seoho yanked Emmy up, quickly lifting her into his arms like a bride. His expression seemed indifferent as he cradled her, moving toward the door after grabbing the bag he placed on the chair. Emmy was grateful for the layers that kept her warm when he opened the door. The cold darkness engulfed them as he stepped down the small set of wooden stairs, crunching on the thick layer of snow.

Emmy was putting pieces together as events progressed, realizing why he changed her clothing before taking her outside. The further they got from the light bleeding from the windows of the chalet, Emmy could make out the dark hues of the morning sky which meant it was nearly sunrise.

Seoho wordlessly held Emmy against him, their breathing coming out like small puffs of smoke. He moved across the path they walked along earlier and made his way toward the frozen lake. Emmy felt her heart sink, tears icing over her eyes as she realized what he would be doing. Her ears filled with her internal screaming, the sound loud with desperation but silent amongst the trees.

Seoho slowed down to a stop, looking over his shoulder to analyze the distance from the cabin. From his vantage point, he could not see any other cabin within sight and deemed this the perfect distance before placing her on the ground. He hummed contently when he observed her lying helplessly in the bundle of white, the only striking feature being her bright blue eyes and dark curtain of hair.

He cupped her cheek, bringing her eyes up to look at him. “The ice is really going to make your eyes…pop!” He laughed to himself as he dropped her face, moving to shuffle through the bag to grab something. Emmy wanted to cringe at his attempt to compliment her in the form of a sadistic joke.

“Perfect.” She heard him say quietly, flicking her attention towards the item he retrieved from the bag. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the axe in his hand. Perfect. She scrunched her features together as a wave of emotions crashed through her as she thought of Jungkook. Would he notice she was gone? Would he even care? She thought back on their odd moment on top of the mountain, wondering if she made the whole thing up in her head, hearing what she wanted to hear. She blinked her eyes rapidly as tears invaded her vision. Seoho noticed.

He held the axe towards her face, showing it off in a way. “Oh, don’t let this frighten you. Blood is too messy to clean up.” He brought it back to examine, his eyes sparkling the same way they did when he looked at her during their previous interactions. Now, the affectionate expression only made her wonder what he was thinking in those moments of the past. “No, I plan to let the lake take you.”

Crack!

Emmy would have jumped when Seoho slammed the axe against the ice, creating a clean divot with the blade. “Keeps my hands clean.” He laughed to himself before taking another whack at the ice, creating another notch into the surface holding them from the cold water below.

He let out a relaxed sigh to see his progress as he effortlessly sliced through the ice. He glanced up at the sky noticing the coloration changing as daylight started spreading across the atmosphere. “I wonder what will kill you first…the cold or the water?”

Crack!

Emmy watched the breath from his lungs come out in strong huffs as the clouds of air leaving his lips grew in size. He panted as his muscles strained with the weight of the axe and the impact when he struck the solidified liquid. “Do you know what it feels like? Being trapped under ice?”

His eyes swept up to clash with her own and with his bangs hanging within his view, he looked absolutely sinister as a smirk smeared over his lips. “You’ll feel the ice stabbing you like a million little needles, your clothes dragging you down further.” He dug the blade of the axe into the ice, testing to see if he could break through the barrier. “Then you’ll go numb while water smothers you in its icy, cold grip.” He lifted the axe again before thrashing it back down. “You’re insides will burn for air until all you can think to do is open your mouth to scream.” He worked faster against the ice, smashing the axe down with more power and setting his pace aggressively. “Water will flood your lungs, and the shock will make you black out.”

Emmy watched as he attacked the ice like a deranged animal, chiseled ice flying into the air like a small flurry. Her heart could no longer beat in tandem with the fear spiking through her, skipping beats from the overwhelming tremors that shook down to her core. She could feel her hand rotate under the confinement of the white blanket and prayed the sensation would continue to move through her body.

He paused in his efforts, sighing deeply as he caught his breath. “Then finally, you’re organs will shut down one by one.” He glanced at her, smiling softer than before as he relaxed. “At least you won’t have to struggle too much.” Emmy scoffed as he said the statement like he was doing her a favor.

—

“Do you hear that?” Jade asked as the group of five quickly moved down the snow-covered path toward the chalet Seoho reserved. There was a strange echo moving through the atmosphere as they came closer to their destination. It rippled through the trees but the source was hard to pinpoint.

Jungkook quickened his pace, feeling uneasy the closer they got to the private chalet as he realized how far apart the suites were from each other. Seoho picked these for ample privacy and something told Jungkook it wasn’t for sex. “Let’s hurry.”

Jimin spotted the light post that indicated the suite number of Seoho’s chalet as Jungkook blindly rushed by it. “Wait, this is it.” He kept his voice low, trying not to call too much attention to their suspicious actions in the early morning when the sun had barely risen.

Jungkook stopped, turning around to look up at the dimly lit chalet that seemed lifeless other than the warm light burning off of it. He locked his jaw when he noticed a series of heavy prints in the snow that were far too fresh to be from the evening before. The others had started sneaking their way toward the entrance when he heard the sharp echo again.

“That sounds a lot closer.” Ruby acknowledged as they all stopped.

Jungkook followed the line of footprints, noticing them going down by the lake which had a line of trees in the way of his view. “I don’t think they're in his room.” He said, his tone severely on edge. Without any regard for the others, he proceeded to make his way down to the water.

“JK! Where are you going?”

He could hardly recognize the voice as he focused on keeping his eyes forward and vigilant for anything out of the ordinary. As the tree line started to break apart, he caught a glimpse of someone out in the middle of the lake. He narrowed his eyes and recognized Seoho’s crop of hair before frantically looking for the familiar frame of Emmy.

“Seoho!” Jungkook called out to the supposed millionaire, trying to catch his attention. His heart stopped when Seoho turned around with Emmy slumped within his arms. His mind ran with a million thoughts and scenarios, his only concern being that Emmy was still alive “Seoho!” He called out again as a warning, picking up his feet and dashing across the slippery ice.

Seoho did not heed his tone and instead, quickly tossed Emmy into the hole he created as if she were a ragdoll. Jungkook felt the cold air stab his lungs as he began pulling his jacket from his shoulders, mentally prepared to dive in after her.

“Emmy!” The rest had arrived just in time to see Seoho drop the brunette in the water. They followed after Jungkook, shock overtaking them as they saw this unrecognizable man reaching for an axe that was stabbed into the ice. “JK, watch out!”

Jungkook tore his gaze from the hole Seoho made to see his opponent holding a weapon, sharp stare trained on Jungkook. The youngest male hustler was undeterred as he advanced, prepared to get passed Seoho. He had to save Emmy and he wasn’t letting anyone get in his way.

There was a scream from one of the girls as Jungkook tossed his coat into Seoho’s face, moving out of the way of the blade when Seoho tried to swing at him. Without missing a beat, he pushed off the balls of his feet and dove into the icy abyss.

Seoho growled, ripping the material from his face, turning to see the water slosh over the edge of the ice. He smirked to himself, twirling the axe in his palm “Idiot.” He turned his attention to the others. “I hope you’re ready to join them.” He yelled out, preparing to kill off the two men first before finishing with the girls.

Taehyung reached Seoho, staying a safe distance from the psycho as he made sure to keep him distracted while the others caught up. “I know she was trying to rob you, but this is a bit much, don’t you think?”

Seoho chuckled darkly, dropping the tense facade for a second before quickly swiping at Taehyung to throw him off. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with.”

“I’m gonna help the others!” Jade shared, grabbing everyone’s attention. She tried to run past Seoho but jumped back when the axe came swinging towards her.

Jimin took his opportunity while Seoho was distracted and collided against his waist, knocking him to the ground while Taehyung and Ruby grabbed his arms. “Go!” He yelled at Jade, keeping his weight on Seoho who fought against the three with surprising strength.

Jade quickly slid to the edge of the hole and quickly placed her hand through the water in hopes Jungkook would find her appendage in the darkness. “I need a light!” She screamed, looking into the dark pool below them, fear spiking her heart when she realized she couldn’t see a thing.

Taehyung had tossed the axe away from Seoho while he and Ruby held him down by his arms. Ruby was struggling to keep him still as he tried to pry himself from her grip. Jimin glanced back at Jade, his brain working overtime to find a solution. “Your phone! Use your phone!”

Jimin was suddenly tossed off from Seoho, crashing against the ice. “Shit!” Ruby cursed when she realized he had broken away from her and attacked Taehyung. He punched him in the face, knocking his skull against the cold surface before crawling toward the axe. His eyes were frantic and wild as he focused on the weapon. Just as he reached for the handle, Jimin came up and kicked it away.

He grabbed Jimin and yanked him down to the ground. He moved quickly onto his feet, stealing the opportunity to kick Jimin against his stomach until Ruby jumped on his back. “Fuck you, asshole.” She hissed between her teeth, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He pulled her arms apart and turned around, bending her elbow unnaturally with one hand. Ruby screamed out in pain, looking down at Jimin to see him struggling to get back up. “You were supposed to wait your turn.” Seoho spit in her ear, reaching into his pocket to pull the syringe out. He lifted it to his lips, trying to pull the cap off with his teeth, but stumbled when something blunt smacked the back of his head.

The syringe dropped onto the ice as Seoho collapsed to see Taehyung standing with his axe being held so that he was it with the handle rather than the sharp end. Blood dripped from Taehyung’s nose while he tossed the axe away and plucked the syringe. “What is this?” He asked, looking down at Seoho with hatred. When Seoho didn’t answer, he pulled the cap off and held it threateningly. “What is it!?”

Seoho laughed in his face, “It won’t kill me.”

Taehyung kneeled down, pressing on Seoho’s chest to keep him on his back. He stabbed the needle into the only exposed patch of skin available on his neck. “Good, then I’ll sleep well tonight.” He pushed the substance into Seoho’s system, quickly discarding the syringe when Seoho started fighting against him.

Jade worried as time went on, flashing her light down into the water and still not seeing any movement. “Come on, come on.” Her hand was numb, sitting in the freezing water, hoping and praying that someone touched it. She glanced up to see Jimin and Ruby crowding over Seoho who lay almost lifeless beneath Taehyung.

She gasped when fingers wrapped around her own, quickly pulling her arm out when she saw the pale complexion of Jungkook burst through the small opening in the ice. He inhaled sharply as Jade helped pull him up, frantically looking to make sure he had Emmy with him. “Oh my god!” He lifted the youngest woman up toward Jade, her features completely gone of color.

Jimin quickly hurried over to help Jungkook out, the younger male feeling his muscles strain against the cold that wrapped around him. “Are you fucking crazy?” Jimin asked lightheartedly, knowing that Jungkook was reckless but on this occasion, he ended up saving someone.

“Emmy? Emmy!” Jade called to her friend, lightly tapping her frigid cheek with the palm of her hand. She ignored the alarming coloration of Emmy’s skin and the lack of movement from her diaphragm as she continued to try waking her friend up.

Jungkook quickly crawled toward Emmy, “Watch out.” He remained calm as he pushed Jade away, situating himself on his knees and hovering over Emmy. He could vaguely hear the others in the background, but he was trying to take in as much air as possible before diving down and sealing his lips over Emmy’s cold ones. He forced the air bewteen their lips, making sure it would push to reach its proper destination.

He moved away, placing his hands on the center of her chest. He began pumping against her torso, counting to himself before trying to rush more air into her lungs. As he stared down at her, her features became unrecognizable. No longer was she looking at him with a challenge in her vibrant eyes or smirking with seduction and triumph. Now she lay beneath him, fightless and dull. Lifeless.

His vision blurred as his heart raced, his muscles tired from the harsh cold. He could hear someone softly calling his name while others sobbed. Whoever spoke to him, placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. Despite the heaviness of their palm on his shoulder, he easily knocked it away still hellbent on bringing Emmy back from unconsciousness.

He bent down, sparing more air from his lungs, and pushed a couple times before her body lurched up, water spewing from her mouth. She gasped as her eyes shot open, sputtering when she coughed up more fluids. Jungkook could hear the others singing praises as they crowded around them but ignored them as he looked down at her, blinking the blur away from his eyes.

He watched her as color started to slowly creep back over her features, moving her head ever so slightly to take in her surroundings. When her blue eyes found Jungkook, she paused. Her lips moved, but at first, no sound came out. She tried again. “JK?” Her voice croaked from the icy water and the drug still running through her system.

Hearing her say just his name had him melting with elation, it was as if hearing her speak confirmed that she was well and alive. Jungkook couldn’t help but chuckle as his hand supported her head, bringing her body towards his chest and his forehead to her own. His other hand came and cradled her cheek as he leaned into her, their lips inches apart. “You’re safe.” It was a promise that not only reassured her but reassured him.

—

The sun finally peeked from behind the vast mountains, gracing the frigid atmosphere with its warmth. Red lights flashed over the pure white snow and soft blue frozen lake as the emergency vehicles parked along the path that led to the resort’s private chalets. Seoho was immediately apprehended with no struggle from him since the paralysis kicked in well before the officers arrived. Detectives were called in to investigate the scene while the group of hustlers were checked for their injuries.

Ruby and Jade were mostly unscathed, while the others had some lingering trauma from the incident. Jungkook and Emmy were pulled apart for examination, working quickly to warm their body temperatures. Jimin was checked for any injuries on his abdomen while Taehyung was treated for his busted nose. Taehyung had no shame in flirting with the attractive EMT.

Jade sighed as she tapped away on a cellular device, Ruby glancing curiously beside her. “Did you get rid of everything?” The brawn of the group wondered.

“There wasn’t much to erase. This was a burner at best.” Jade huffed with defeat. Before the emergency officials arrived she made sure to swipe Seoho’s phone to get an idea of who exactly he was and erase any incriminating evidence he had on Emmy. However, she found the data was nearly empty other than a few exchanges with one particular phone number.

Ruby hissed as she stretched out her arm, flinching in pain as it unnaturally popped. “Damn, asshole nearly took my arm off.”

Jade glanced at her partner with mild concern. “You should have that checked out.”

“Ha! You wouldn’t catch me dead hanging around a bunch of cops.” Ruby laughed sarcastically, tucking her arms back into themselves to bundle up in the cold.

Jade rolled her eyes, turning to spot Emmy bundled in a blanket offered by the EMTs. It seemed she was being questioned by one of the detectives, going over the events since Seoho brought her back to his suite. Her eyes moved across the landscape, noticing Jimin and Taehyung sitting beside each other on the bumper of the ambulance as Taehyung held a pack of ice to his nose.

Jade nudged Ruby, gesturing with a jerk of her head towards the two men. Ruby sighed, cringing at the idea that she had to endure Taehyung who unconventionally saved the day and she was not ready for his gloating. Her shoulders fell in defeat as she followed Jade toward the ambulance, her lips sealed together as the cold wind drafted over her body.

The female EMT giggled yet again as Taehyung complimented her bedside manner causing Jimin to roll his eyes. He then noticed Jade and Ruby approaching them, jerking his elbow into Taehyung’s side to silently grab his attention. The EMT noticed a shift in the air as the two women approached, sensing tension amongst the group. “Are these your friends?” She asked Taehyung, looking for clarity on his availability.

“Something like that,” Jade answered with a false smile, her eyes narrowed in Jimin’s direction.

The EMT observed the four individuals and felt there was some unspoken communication between them she wasn’t aware of and made a quick decision. “I’ll give you a minute and be back to check on your nose.” She smiled sweetly at Taehyung before quickly evading the awkward situation hanging amongst the group.

Jimin waited until her footsteps faded away before turning toward Jade. “Find anything on his phone?”

Jade pulled the device out, offering it to Jimin. “Hardly, anything. Just a phone number.” She watched him take the cell phone, quickly scrolling through it and looking through the data for any irregularities. She waited a moment as he scanned the information before a thought crossed her mind. “Are there any more tracking chips we should know about?”

Jimin broke his attention away from Seoho’s phone, biting his lip to stop his smile at her attempt to look intimidating. She had her arms crossed over her chest, hip cocked to the side, and a deep furrow to her browline, but he just couldn’t take her seriously. She didn’t have a violent bone in her body. He lowered the device from his face, smirking up at her. “And what if there is? What are you going to do about it?”

He noticed her expression falter for a brief second before Ruby took a step forward to block his view. She leveled herself with his stare, ��If I catch you following us again, I’ll castrate all of you.”

Taehyung laughed beneath his ice pack, the sound getting muffled under the cool gel. “If it wasn’t for us, you’re little friend would be dead, sweetheart.”

Ruby snapped her head in his direction, burning a glare deeper through his skull. “Don’t make me break that nose.”

Jade pulled Ruby back, feeling slightly guilty that they were giving them a hard time when ultimately their enemies ended up helping them. Despite all the trouble and grief they caused each other, they were able to work together seamlessly to save Emmy. “Thank you by the way.” While the notion was genuine, it felt odd on Jade’s tongue as she addressed the two infuriating men.

Ruby scoffed as Taehyung ate up Jade’s gratitude, letting it go straight to his ego and display across his engulfing grin. Jimin’s smirk deflated, his features softening with the interaction. “There’s no more chips either…I promise.” He offered, hoping this might settle some turmoil between the two groups. While they were far from being friends, maybe it was safe to have an ally in situations like these.

—

“Alright that should be all for now. I’ll try and get in contact with you if I need any more information.” The officer questioning Emmy quickly wrote down some information on a small notepad before tucking the article into his inner coat pocket. He nodded in dismissal, turning to head back to the suite to gather any other evidence against Seoho’s actions.

Emmy pulled her blanket tighter around her torso, her hair slightly frosted from the cold air freezing the water soaked within her strands. She relaxed as the police stepped away, finally catching her breath since they arrived. When Jungkook pulled her from the ice, her muscles were still gaining their ability to move as her vocal cords struggled to function. By the time the emergency vehicles arrived, she was able to move most of her upper body and got assistance from Jungkook across the ice to seek warmth.

Once she was settled, they pulled him away to another area to be checked when they noticed his pale complexion. During her conversation with the officials, her voice was course from the constriction of the frigid environment she endured nearly all morning. She would glance in Jungkook’s direction off in the distance every once in a while but always looked away when their eyes met.

“How ‘ you feeling?” Jungkook poked his head out from around the opened door of the ambulance Emmy was currently occupying.

Emmy observed him, watching him come sit beside her. He had none of his usual mannerisms at the moment, and she was a little thrown off by how calm he seemed under the circumstance. “I’m fine.” She finally answered, bundling further into her blanket.

The air was still around them as silence settled into the atmosphere. Emmy suddenly felt uncomfortable by this unusually quiet side to Jungkook she never encountered. “Did they find anything on this guy?” Jungkook asked, disrupting the suspense.

She wondered what Jungkook might have been looking for in regard to Seoho’s character and was unsure what she could share with him. She bit her lip as she debated her response. When she talked to cops, she left a few details out that would cause them to start digging into her past, but with Jungkook she felt a little more lenient to share her side of the story. He knew parts of her life that any average person wouldn’t understand, not to mention, he also saved her from drowning.

“Not really. Seoho’s not even his real name.” She said, gauging Jungkook’s interest. She was surprised when his large eyes were looking at her, his lips parted in shock. “He told me he was hired by someone…someone who wanted me dead.”

Jungkook’s heart plummeted to his stomach, the tranquility he had once knowing Seoho was arrested disappeared within an instant. He thought her near-death experience was an isolated incident with a psycho, but if he was hired to kill her that only meant the threat was still out there. “Any idea who hired him?”

It all started to make sense to Jungkook as he replayed the last couple of days in his head. The way Seoho seemed so intent on Emmy’s attention despite Jungkook’s meddling. During their time on the slopes, Jungkook remembered trying to get more information from Seoho on a personal level, but his answers were always vague and left room for interpretation. Jungkook knew there was something wrong, but he just assumed it was his jealousy.

As Jungkook digested the realization of his emotions, Emmy thought back on Seoho’s one-sided conversation in the chalet. Eye for an eye…eye for a life…She went through her past targets, thinking of their eyes and wondering what he could have meant by that. “I mean, technically it could be anyone...” She laughed bitterly, “Look at Seoho. He was perfect until he tried to kill me.”

Jungkook was comforted by her sarcasm, slightly grateful that the man she was previously enamored with had at least one major flaw. He sighed, looking back at her as he noticed her conflicted expression. He knew besides the obvious trauma of the situation, Emmy was probably having a mental breakdown about Seoho. Even though he was a target, Jungkook could tell she liked him, and knowing that every interaction with him was an act had to be unsettling.

“People like us…we can’t live normal lives.” Jungkook spoke softly. It was a hard pill to slow, but it’s what they both needed to hear in the moment. Feelings were making their jobs more complicated and more dangerous. Jungkook nearly killed himself trying to save her, and it shook him to think he would probably do it all over again if he needed to. “You just never know who to trust.” Seoho was a clear indicator of that comment as even Jungkook spent time with the unsuspecting hitman.

Emmy digested his words, pressing her lips together as a pit formed in her stomach. While she knew he was right, she couldn’t help but see the flaw in his statement. There was a world full of people that she would always keep at arm's length, but there were also a few that she could trust with her life. If this situation proved to her anything, it was that there were at least five people who knew her better than anyone else.

“You know, despite the fact that you’re an ass…I kind of trust you.” She admitted softly, refusing to look in his direction as she suddenly felt vulnerable.

Jungkook felt an unnatural warmth radiate from his core, biting the inside of his cheek to keep the grin from displaying across his face. He never imagined her saying those words to him or how his body would react. He wasn’t used to this feeling, but he couldn’t argue that it felt nice. “You know, even though you called me an ass, “ He kept his eyes forward, worried that if he looked at her he would be tempted to kiss her. “You're welcome.”

The air was still once again as silence drifted over them like a calm blanket, the tension dissipated as they savored each other’s company. It was unspoken that Emmy was grateful for his efforts to save her, but as she leaned her head against his shoulder, enough was said within the small gesture. The pair took in the scenery, no longer feeling the cold that clung to their frames, but enjoying the heat between them. The sun glistened off the crystal snow, reflecting its light beautifully over the crisp morning. The world was calm beyond the chaos and in that moment, everything seemed perfect.

—

“He did what?” Emmy’s voice flared through the lobby of the resort. After things settled from the events in the early morning, the girls were able to make their way back to the hotel and properly check out. As they maneuvered their luggage downstairs, Jade and Ruby filled her in on what happened before their rescue mission. “That little shit.” She hissed, realizing Jungkook drugged her well before Seoho ever did.

She remembered their time on the plane, obviously, some interactions sticking out more than others, but she always wondered how the few drinks she had completely knocked her out on the plane ride. She never imagined that Jungkook put something in her drink.

“Yeah, and then put a chip in your phone so they could follow us.” Jade added while Ruby returned their room keys.

Emmy was in utter disbelief. No wonder they were always infiltrating their hustles and stealing out from under them. They were always two steps ahead because they were already expecting to deal with their female adversaries. “Of fucking course.” She huffed, still digesting the information.

“At least you lost your phone.” Jade mentioned, knowing that there was no way they could be tracked now that the chipped device was at the bottom of the frozen lake.

Emmy laughed sarcastically, “Yeah, just perfect.” She shook her head, locking her jaw in annoyance. “He better hope we don’t run into them again 'cause I swear…” She groaned in aggravation, upset that she couldn't dig into him at that moment.

Jade shrugged her shoulders, “Listen if they didn’t follow us, who knows what would have happened.” Jade hated that it was ultimately because of the three men that she was even talking to Emmy. If it was just her and Ruby, there was no way they would have been able to handle Seoho on their own.

Emmy sighed deeply, still slightly agitated that Jungkook manipulated her, but then remembered how he treated her during this particular mission. He might have been difficult in the beginning as he usually was, but he was so attentive when he resuscitated her.

“Alright, can we leave now? I’m so done with the cold.” Ruby interrupted after leaving the desk. She was ready to get back to the desert as fast as possible. Jade and Emmy chuckled as Ruby set a fast pace for the large doors leading outside until Emmy caught a glimpse of a beach poster.

Her interest was piqued by the friendly salesman standing behind a hostess stand, discussing their cruise line options that have discounts associated with the hotel. A thought crossed her mind, snapping her attention toward her friends who were still heading out the door. “Hey, girls? How about we take a vacation?”

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