Tag: Jeha Wook

Can Our Worlds Meld?

Axel watched Jeha as he asked his question.

Jeha’s blue eyes were difficult to ignore, but what was more interesting was that Jeha’s expression was blank. There was nothing to read, nothing to decipher.

Axel decided this was not the first time someone had asked Jeha if he was a mob boss.

Axel frowned.

The butterflies in his stomach turned sour.

Why did he feel so deflated at the prospect of Jeha as a mob boss?

Axel had hoped, maybe, that he had misunderstood.

Oh well.

“I-I’m sorry I asked,” Axel said, looking away from Jeha.

Axel reached for the thermometer on the bedside table. He decided to take Jeha’s vitals first. He would discover how to get out of this penthouse unscathed after.

“Axel.”

Jeha’s quiet tone had Axel looking up to meet a steady, determined gaze.

“I am not a mob boss,” Jeha said. “Do you believe me?”

Axel sat still, looking into beautiful blue eyes, and his heartbeat went into overdrive again.

God, he wanted to believe Jeha.

He wanted to nod yes, but then he remembered suturing ugly gashes on over a dozen men the last two nights and shook his head.

“No.”

“I understand,” Jeha said with a sigh, breaking their gaze. “I don’t blame you for suspecting me. You didn’t help me of your free will. Ryan can be a little extra, and caring for the brothers out there may have been overwhelming.”

“Harrowing is the word I would use,” Axel said, reaching for a new thermometer probe cover from the box on the bedside table. “It felt like I was running a shift in the emergency room.”

“We must have had a rough night,” Jeha said, nodding. “This was not how I wanted to meet you again and ask you out.”

“Are you saying you wanted to ask me out?” Axel asked.

“Yes,” Jeha said with a boyish smile that had Axel staring at him.

“Turn it off.”

“Huh?”

“That,” Axel said with a small scowl. “Don’t smile. We’re having a serious conversation, and your smile is distracting.”

Jeha blinked and then grinned.

“Is my smile that good?”

“Jeha!”

Jeha bit his bottom lip and looked down, his lips still curved in a smile.

Axel shook his head and focused on the thermometer. He fitted the probe liner and turned on the thermometer. He ensured the numbers were set to zero, then reached out and placed the probe into Jeha’s left ear.

Jeha held still until the thermometer beeped.

Axel pulled his hand back and checked the numbers on the thermometer.

“98.7 is good,” Axel said with a nod. “I hope it holds or lowers.”

Axel stood up and uncapped the probe, throwing the used probe liner into the trashcan he had set up two nights ago. Wiping the thermometer with a disposable wipe, he returned it to its holder and wrote down the temperature in the little notebook he was using as a log. He checked the previous numbers and felt a small relief.

Jeha’s temperature had been 100.8 the evening before.

Axel had been worried sick that the man would die on him. He tried to get Ryan to call an ambulance twice but Ryan was an iceberg that should be used to cool the melting Arctic. Remembering how frustrating Ryan could be, Axel placed the little notebook on the bedside table and glared at Jeha.

“Why can’t we take you to the hospital again?” Axel asked, his gaze narrowed as he met Jeha’s gaze.

“Someone is watching to see if I’m injured,” Jeha said. “He can’t know I’m in dire straits for now.”

“Why?”

“To give you that answer would mean I have to tell you a story that will pull you deeper into this mess. You will not be able to extract yourself from my problems. Are you sure you want to know?”

“I’ve been mopping up bloody wounds for two days. I can’t go home to my apartment. I can’t call my parents and I’m worried I’m going to stab Ryan if he frustrates me one more time. I think you had better tell me the truth. Then I’ll be the judge of what I need to know.”

“Axel.”

“Now, Jeha,” Axel said. “Don’t—don’t keep me in the dark. It is not helping me.”

“Alright, will you sit down?” Jeha asked, pointing to the chair next to the bed. “I don’t want to keep looking up at you. It makes me anxious.”

Axel frowned at him, then pointed to Jeha’s left arm.

“I need to check your wound. Talk while I work,” Axel said, reaching for a pair of new gloves from the table near the bedside table.

“Okay,” Jeha said with a sigh. “I’m not a mob boss.”

“You’ve said that,” Axel said, glad Jeha wore a sleeveless t-shirt. It was easy to get to his wound without having to remove clothes. He focused on arranging the items he needed for the dressing change.

“I know,” Jeha said, his voice steady. “I need to keep saying it for you to believe me. The night we met, I told you my grandfather was in hospital. Do you remember?”

“Yes,” Axel said.

“My grandfather is Chae Wook,” Jeha said.

Axel was undoing the bandages on Jeha’s left arm. He paused when he recognized the name.

“You mean the founder of Wuga Hospital?” Axel asked. “The man who chairs the ownership board? The one our hospital chief meets for funding on whole departments?”

Jeha chuckled and glanced at Axel.

“Yes, Grandpa is a board member. But he leaves the hospital’s management to qualified specialists. You should know that,” Jeha said. “The board only gets involved in funding and serious PR incidents.”

“Oh,” Axel said and bit his bottom lip. “So, your dad is Yisu Wook?”

“Yes,” Jeha said.

“I met him when I admitted your grandfather,” Axel said. “He seemed very nice. He thanked me for caring for his Dad.”

Jeha nodded.

“I’m glad you’ve met my family already,” Jeha said.

“What does your pedigree have to do with whether you’re a mob boss?” Axel asked, ignoring Jeha’s interesting chuckle.

“Wuga Hospital is a small part of our family’s investments,” Jeha said.

“Yes, everyone living in the Kingdom of Aeras knows your grandfather is the king of steel,” Axel said. “Made his money manufacturing steel rods then decided to jump into the medical field. He built Wuga Hospital and has turned it into quite an enterprise. The hospital even owns a retirement center. Your family is blessed with good fortune. You must all be happy.”

“Yes, well,” Jeha said with a wince as Axel finally undid his bandages and placed them in a small basin on the table. “I wish our existence would stay as simple as you put it.”

“Why?” Axel asked as he studied Jeha’s wound with focus.

The skin was red and raw, and his sutures were knitting well with the skin. The area was swollen, and the wound was warm, but not overheated. There was wetness, but it was not alarming; no pus, thankfully. He could not see any signs of inflammation. For now, there was nothing to cause worry. Still, he needed to pay careful attention and, if possible, maybe get Jeha’s arm X-rayed.

“Continue, Jeha,” Axel said when he noticed Jeha had gone silent. He looked up and found Jeha watching him. “I’m listening.”

Jeha studied him for a moment longer, then looked away.

“Grandfather’s hospitalization has placed our family in a frenzy. The company is family-owned, and there is a hierarchy of ownership. Grandfather has made his eldest son the next head of the family if something happens to him.”

“Yisu Wook is the oldest,” Jeha said. “I heard you’re Yisu’s only son, which makes you the next head of the family.”

Jeha’s smile was short.

“Yes,” Jeha said with a nod.

“So, what’s the problem?” Axel asked as he focused on medicating the wound.

“You’ll need the family tree to understand the issue. Grandpa Chae Wook has two brothers,” Jeha said. “Tae Wook and San Wook. Tae Wook has a son named Chung. Chung has three children, two sons and a daughter. San Wook has a daughter named Sae-ri. She married a British man and moved to London. She has three sons. Are we together?”

“Yes. You have six cousins,” Axel said.

“Good,” Jeha said. “Each one is somehow involved in the Wuga Group, save for Aunt Sae-ri’s two youngest sons. One is a banker, the other preferred to join the entertainment industry.”

“I kind of get them,” Axel said. “With all the resources in the family, you should be able to chase your dreams if you want.”

“Was your dream to be a doctor?” Jeha asked.

“Always,” Axel said. “I want to be a cardiothoracic surgeon focused on the heart. Same as my dad.”

“A heart doctor,” Jeha said. “And, are you close to achieving this dream?”

“Very,” Axel said. “I’m in my final residency year. I’ll sit for the certification exams, and when I pass, I’m hoping for a posting in the Wuga Cardiothoracic Team. Dr. Brown thinks I have a shot. I’m up against Dean Hill. He is quite strong, but I’m better.”

Jeha chuckled, and Axel looked up from his work bandaging Jeha’s arm to look at him.

“What?”

“Your confidence is sexy,” Jeha said.

“Stop flirting with me. You’re distracting me so that you won’t finish your story,” Axel said. “What does your interesting family tree have to do with you getting shot?”

“My Uncle Chung has a son named Moon,” Jeha said. “Moon is the oldest, and thinks he has the right to fight for a leadership position in Wuga Group.”

“I thought professionals run your family’s business?” Axel asked.

“Wuga Group is a family-owned business,” Jeha said. “Grandfather Wook has developed a diverse business. The group runs the hospital, hotels, clubs, the original steel manufacturing, and an investment firm. Professionals run each of these businesses. It is important to ensure each one is running at a profit.”

“Alright,” Axel frowned. “So, if professionals manage your businesses, what’s the issue?”

“The real issue is at Wuga HQ. Grandfather Wook is the Wuga Group Board Chairman, but the current CEO is my father, Yisu. When I finished training in the various businesses we own, I joined HQ as an executive. I’ve been working under my father as a finance director. Grandpa has been supporting him heavily, helping him manage things. So, I’ve been helping Grandpa to support Dad in his role.”

“Three months ago, Yisu declared in a family meeting that he wanted to step down and leave the job to me. It was not his fault; business is not his strongest skill. We all scrambled around to manage the consequences of his declaration. The stress of this announcement has sent Grandpa to the hospital.”

“So, you’re slated to be the next CEO of Wuga Group,” Axel said.

“Yes, but there are those objecting to the plan. One of those is Moon. Moon wants a chance to be considered. If not him, his father, Chung Wook,” Jeha said. “At least that is what I’m thinking. I’m in the middle of unraveling Moon’s true motives.”

“Uh huh,” Axel said, bandaging Jeha’s arm. “So, where do the guns come in?”

“Running Wuga Group sometimes requires a small army,” Jeha chuckled. “Ryan works in the security department of our company. The men working under him help with security and logistics. Some assets need managing across the kingdom.”

“Ryan’s men are responsible for logistics, like ensuring the hospital’s supplies arrive on time,” Jeha said. “The manufacturing side needs good drivers, security on the road, people to get the product to the port and make sure it arrives for export orders in time, among other things like guarding against company espionage. Ryan’s department is busy.”

“Hm,” Axel said, securing the bandage and helping Jeha wear his sling again. “No wonder you have access to hospital-grade medical equipment.”

Jeha tugged on his blankets, stalling.

Axel started the cleanup and gave Jeha an expectant look.

“Do you still want all of it?” Jeha asked.

“Yes,” Axel said.

“I’m afraid you won’t want to go out on a date with me if I tell you.”

“I will walk away anyway if you don’t tell me everything,” Axel said, as he managed the dirty bandages, putting them in plastic bags and then into the biohazard trash bin. He packed away the scissors, tape, and ointments into a medical bag and then wiped the clean table.

When Jeha remained silent, Axel glanced at him.

“Finish it, Jeha. Trust me to make a favorable decision after you’re done,” Axel said.

Jeha sighed, then looked away from him, his expression one of depression.

Axel hid a smile and turned away from him to remove his gloves.

“Ryan’s main job is to protect my life,” Jeha said. “Two days ago, the day his men got you from your apartment, Moon and I had an altercation.”

“What kind of altercation would include guns, and you getting shot, and half of Ryan’s brothers wounded?” Axel asked.

Jeha winced.

“Moon is manufacturing a drug that he is selling in his clubs,” Jeha said, then turned to meet Axel’s gaze. “The drug is incomplete, and it has caused quite a problem.”

“Damn it,” Axel cursed under his breath and reached for the sanitizer bottle on the bedside table. He sanitized his hands and moved to sit on the side of the bed. He narrowed his gaze as he met Jeha’s blue gaze.

“Jeha, is your cousin the reason why children lost their lives in the emergency department from overdosing?”

“Yes,” Jeha said. “Moon is manufacturing Rapture.”

“Why the hell haven’t you reported him?” Axel demanded.

“It’s not that easy,” Jeha said, shaking his head, regret in his eyes.

“Your family is hiding a vicious drug dealer!”

“We’re not hiding him, Axel. I’m managing him. You pull Moon into the police station right now, and he will walk away without charges. The worst that will happen is bad PR for the hotels under his family’s care, but the clubs he’s been running will attract his preferred clientele.”

“That does not make sense at all,” Axel said. “Reporting him to the police will help get some justice for those poor children who overdosed on Rapture. At the very least, they will stop the drug from circulating.”

“I love your naïve outlook on the issue. I have wanted to drag Moon to the police station since I was sixteen. Twelve years later I’m still trying to discover how to do that. Moon Wook is a bully and a sadistic bastard with too much money at his disposal. You can’t win against him with the threat of local inspectors, Axel.”

Axel frowned as he studied Jeha.

“You have no trust in our kingdom’s legal system. Let’s agree to disagree. Continue. Why the hell was Moon shooting at you?” Axel asked.

“The only way to stop Rapture from gaining a foothold in the Capital City is to find the chemist. Destroy the lab and stop Moon from investing in a new one,” Jeha said. “It took some work, but we got Moon’s chemist. He found us in the process of destroying his lab and retaliated.”

“Retaliated, as in he tried to unalive you, Jeha,” Axel said. “You should report him to the police.”

“Ryan is in communication with a reliable one. Besides, Moon is not done trying to kill me,” Jeha said, his eyes filled with amusement.

“What’s so amusing?” Axel asked with a scowl. He had never met someone who talked about being killed so calmly. It was like Jeha expected his relatives to be shooting at him at will.

What kind of life was Jeha living to normalize such torture?

“You look like you might be worried about me,” Jeha said.

“I would be worried about anyone whose life was in danger, Jeha. What are you going to do with Moon’s chemist? What are you doing about Moon?”

Jeha shrugged.

“Ryan and I are working with a section chief superintendent who manages a drug and organized crime team. They have an open investigation running. Moon’s chemist should already be in their custody,” Jeha said, his tone confident.

“Sounds involved,” Axel said.

“It is,” Jeha said. “It is exhausting and I wish every day we could win, but I have yet to find that one thing that will dig out Moon out of our lives forever. As for reporting Moon to local police inspectors, he will have paid someone to ignore the Rapture cases at the local level. Which is why we consult with the team in the regional offices. Ryan’s brothers should have gotten injured during the fight to get the chemist to my father, and into the chief superintendent’s custody.”

“Wow, okay,” Axel said, a bit worried. “So, you’re not a mob boss. That’s a relief. Why can’t I go out? Why do I need to stay here with you?”

“Your life may be at risk if Moon thinks he can use you against me,” Jeha said. “Ryan is probably worried you’ll get caught up in the fight.”

“Jeha.”

“Wuga Group is worth too much,” Jeha said. “The Wuga CEO’s salary is attractive and comes with resources that Moon is willing to murder to acquire. You have taken care of me for two days. As much as I say Ryan’s brothers are loyal to us, there is always a straying eye. If someone tells Moon you helped me, then you go back home, that idiot, Moon, will send someone to find you.”

“Say I stay with you this week, what about when I have to go to work next week?” Axel asked. “The last of my shift rotation is starting next week. I won’t let it go when I’m this close to getting my cardiothoracic credentials, Jeha. My career is important to me. Plus, my mom is expecting me for dinner on Sunday. She’ll be worried if she can’t reach me.”

“I don’t know about next week, but we can manage Sunday. Ryan will take you to your parents.”

“No, he won’t,” Axel said, shaking his head. “What would I say to my mother if I showed up with him for dinner? Jeha, I need my freedom; I need my things from my apartment. I want my phone.”

“Can I trust that you won’t call the police now that you know about Rapture?” Jeha asked.

Axel stared at Jeha for a full minute then shrugged.

“That’s not fair,” Axel said. “I promised to share any information I found with those two police inspectors. None of us wants to deal with the hell we dealt with in the emergency room.”

“Okay, but then how would you explain knowing about Moon?” Jeha asked.

“I don’t know,” Axel said, then looked away from Jeha. “In any case, it’s a good clue; I would share it like hearsay or something.”

“Do you have to tell them?” Jeha asked, and when Axel looked at him, he sighed. “Reporting Moon might put you in danger. Moon has people watching the emergency room too.”

“I have to think about it,” Axel said. He pointed at Jeha with his right index finger. “You need to give me space to make up my mind. You can’t keep my phone from me because you’re worried I’ll call those two police inspectors. You’re going to have to trust me, Jeha Wook.”

“I—you’re right,” Jeha said with a slow nod, though he still looked nervous.

“I know I’m right,” Axel said, smiling at him.

“Your life is important,” Jeha said. “Now that you’ve saved me from bleeding out, I can’t let anything happen to you.”

“Great, then don’t,” Axel said his smile widening. “Just don’t ask me to halt my life because of what’s happening in yours.”

Jeha narrowed his gaze at him for a moment.

“You’re right. Call Ryan in for me,” Jeha said.

“What are you going to tell him?” Axel asked, worry creeping in again. He was afraid of being stuck in this place for another day.

“Go get him; I’m sure he’s waiting in the outer room,” Jeha said. “Go, Axel.”

Axel followed directions. Hurrying to the closed bedroom door, he opened it and should not have been surprised to find Ryan leaning on an armchair, but he was.

“Jeha wants to talk to you,” Axel said.

Ryan gave him a small nod, then walked into the room.

Axel stepped out and watched Ryan enter Jeha’s bedroom and close the door. Feeling tired, he stretched his arms over his head and smiled, anticipating the freedom of returning to his apartment and sleeping in his bed.

****

“I’m glad to see you awake, Jeha,” Ryan said. “It’s been hell finding you unconscious.”

“I suppose we have Axel to thank for my recovery,” Jeha said, arranging the blankets on his lap. He adjusted his position on the bed and watched Ryan sit on the chair Axel had used earlier.

Ryan looked refreshed this morning. He wore a gray suit and a white shirt. His hair was combed back in a neat style, ready for business.

“Where are we?” Jeha asked when Ryan’s expression turned grim.

“We have three fires to put out,” Ryan said. “First one, Moon has reached out to Airam for help. He feels his product will bring Airam unprecedented profits. Our side believes Moon hopes Airam will have a competent chemist to get a new lab going. Airam’s enforcer knows we are involved and reached out for a meeting.”

“When?” Jeha asked.

“Tonight at eleven o’clock,” Ryan said. “I don’t advise a face-to-face meeting. I can go on your behalf and have him talk to you remotely.”

“Plan it,” Jeha said. “Second fire.”

“Your father is aware that you were injured. He is helping to keep the truth from your Mom. He sent Moon’s chemist to Chief Inspector Jenna. He wants to talk to you,” Ryan said.

“I can do that in the next hour,” Jeha said.

“The final problem is the largest,” Ryan said. “Your granduncles Tae Wook and San Wook visited your grandfather in the hospital. Tae Wook is willing to control Moon but fears his son, Chung, will oppose Moon’s harsh treatment. He warned your grandfather that Chung may try to win the CEO’s position using his share value. In response, your grandfather ordered his lawyers to add his ownership stake to yours, officially making you the largest shareholder. The decision on what to do with Moon now lies with you.”

Jeha closed his eyes, shaking his head. He had hoped to hold off this fight for a while.

“What is grandfather thinking?” Jeha sighed. “How did my granduncles react?”

“They were offended,” Ryan said. “They wanted to see you yesterday, but you were unconscious. I stalled them, but they called a family meeting. They have opened a conference room at the Anastasia Grand, and will meet with your extended family to discuss the issue.”

“What can they decide? Moon is harming innocent lives,” Jeha said, shaking his head. “Uncle Chung is not willing to face the fact that his oldest son is a psychopath. I’ll have to help him deal with it. I have no choice but to attend this family meeting to show strength.”

“What about the doctor?” Ryan asked. “We can’t leave him here alone.”

Jeha frowned, his conversation with Axel filling his thoughts.

Axel was a good man, a talented doctor, and an innocent. He had no place in Jeha’s crazy world.

Jeha had explained his family’s problems to Axel, hoping to convince him that a deeper connection between them was viable. Yet, after he finished explaining, he suddenly realized that he might be wrong. He imagined Axel facing off with Moon on the street, or even in the hospital halls for a minute and shuddered at the result.

“Release Dr. Graysen,” Jeha said. “Put Simon and James on him. Nothing should happen to him.”

“What about your wound?” Ryan asked, his gaze shifting to the bandage on Jeha’s left arm.

“Call Dr. Raff,” Jeha said with a sigh. “He’s the family doctor, and we already have sufficient protection for him. He also knows not to ask questions.”

“Right,” Ryan said. “Are you sure you want to release Dr. Graysen?”

Jeha touched the sling on his left arm, his frown deepening. He would want to keep Axel next to him forever if it were up to him. But Axel had his dreams, ideas, and a life he wanted to build.

Who was he to interfere?

“Yes, release him,” Jeha said.

“The brothers have grown to like him these last two days,” Ryan said with a wistful smile. “They will miss him.”

“We can always visit him later when it’s calmer,” Jeha said. “Let’s get it done fast. Call Ned; he can help me find clothes to help me hide my injury. First, ask Axel in, so that I can thank him before he leaves.”

“Alright,” Ryan got up and went to open the door.

****

Axel eagerly entered Jeha’s bedroom when Ryan called him. He hoped Jeha had allowed Ryan to take him back to his apartment.

Axel would shower, then nap for two hours, pack a change of clothes, and then return here in the afternoon. If Ryan remained nice to him during his ride home, he would consider buying takeout from his favorite bistro.

Maybe Jeha would enjoy the Thai chicken soup and a veggie sandwich. Axel frowned as he realized he did not know what Jeha liked to eat. They had not had a meal together. Maybe they could have dinner later. After all, Jeha would be stuck in bed.

Axel entered Jeha’s bedroom in a light mood. Jeha’s next words shocked him.

“Ryan, make sure Dr. Graysen gets back home in one piece. Let’s not interfere with his life anymore.”

“Huh?” Axel frowned, looking at Jeha, who studied his arm sling as though it was interesting.

“Yes, Sir,” Ryan said, taking out his cellphone.

“Jeha, what are you talking about?” Axel asked, moving to the foot of the bed. “I just need a few hours at my apartment. I’ll pack up a few things, then I’ll be back here before you know it.”

“There is no need to come back. Do what I say. It will be better for all of us,” Jeha said, his tone dismissive as he watched Ryan finish with his call. “Ryan, send him Chief Inspector Jenna’s number. Dr. Graysen handled the Rapture cases in the emergency room. He wanted to help catch the culprit. It will be good for him to share the number with the police inspectors he’s been working with.”

“Jeha.”

Axel bit his bottom lip to stop protesting as he realized Jeha was giving him everything he wanted. He was pushing him out, releasing him.

“Dr. Graysen saved my life,” Jeha continued, looking at Ryan. “Don’t cause him any more trouble.”

“What about your wound?” Axel asked, hating the sourness growing in the pit of his stomach. “Will you go to the hospital for care?”

“I will make the necessary arrangements,” Ryan said. “Jeha will be well taken care of.”

Of course, Axel thought, looking at Ryan’s closed-off expression.

“Axel, thank you for taking care of me,” Jeha said, finally looking at Axel.

The indifferent expression on his face made Axel want to punch him.

Who said he wanted thanks from Jeha?

“When I’m well again, I’ll find you to apologize for how my people brought you to find me. It was truly wrong. I owe you.”

“What are you doing?” Axel asked, suddenly annoyed.

“Giving you what you want. Ryan, it would be best if you started. There is a lot to get done,” Jeha said.

“Jeha, I still need to make sure your wound heals. Ryan’s brothers are also—”

Axel’s eyes widened when Ryan turned to him.

“You don’t have to worry about it anymore,” Ryan assured him.

“Jeha,” Axel said.

“Go, Axel. Good luck with your exams. I’m sure you’ll make a wonderful cardiothoracic surgeon,” Jeha said. “Our Wuga Hospital will be lucky to have you work in our halls.”

The door opened wider behind Axel, and he turned to find Simon and James waiting in the hallway.

“The car is ready,” Simon said, entering the room when Ryan motioned him closer.

Simon and Ryan gripped Axel’s upper arms and led him out of Jeha’s bedroom before Axel could fully articulate any protest. The two hooligans gave him no chance to struggle. Once again, they marched Axel out of Jeha’s penthouse as though he were a criminal. Tough brutes, they were so strong, Axel had no real chance of getting away from them. He was in the elevator in minutes.

Then, he was in the back of a black SUV, with Simon driving and James in the front passenger seat.

“You pulled me out so fast, I never got a chance to say goodbye,” Axel complained as he shifted on the back passenger seat. “We didn’t even have breakfast together.”

“It’s for the best, Doc,” Simon said, meeting his gaze in the rearview mirror. “You won’t have to deal with us anymore.”

Axel stared at him in shock as he realized that maybe he wanted to deal with them and their delinquent boss a bit more than he wanted to voice.

****

Jeha’s Delinquents

Jeha passed out before they reached their destination.

Axel checked his vitals with a deep frown.

“What is it?” Ryan asked from the front passenger seat.

Ryan held a walkie-talkie, and his attention was on the black SUVs ahead of them.

Axel assumed he was talking to his colleagues, so he worked on resting Jeha’s head back against the backseat. He checked Jeha’s left wrist and was glad to discover an expensive watch. He removed it from Jeha’s wrist and pressed his fingers on Jeha’s pulse, counting the beats.

“Dr. Graysen,” Ryan said. “I’m talking to you. What is wrong?”

Axel finished his count and glanced at Ryan.

“We need him lying flat soon. Jeha is unconscious. I can’t figure it out when we’re on the move like this.”

“Okay,” Ryan said and reached into his pocket. He produced a phone that he handed to Axel. “Write down everything you need for his care. Don’t worry about the cost. I’ll make sure you get it.”

“What is going on?” Axel asked as he took the phone.

To his greatest consternation, it was a phone without a SIM card. He could not make a call even if he wanted to. He scowled at Ryan, who smirked at him.

“Why can’t we drive to the hospital? That would solve everything.”

“It’s complicated,” Ryan said. “Use the note app to write your list. Get to it, Dr. Graysen.”

Axel sighed, found the app, and got started.

Ryan’s walkie-talkie came alive.

“Big Bro, we’re in the clear. We’ve diverted Moon’s team. They think we’ve gone to the main house.”

“I’ll send you a message in four minutes,” Ryan said. “Get everything on the list before you follow. Don’t delay. Doc needs it all for Boss.”

“We’ll make sure to get it all.”

Ryan looked at the driver.

“Race to the new building,” Ryan said, then turned on the walkie. “Simon. Wait for us at the service elevator.”

The driver increased speed, and Axel held on to Jeha to keep him from falling forward. Axel sighed with defeat, meeting Ryan’s gaze in the rearview mirror.

“Nothing can be so complicated that you would keep your friend out of the emergency room,” Axel said. “Out here with a gunshot, there is danger of infection. If you cared about Jeha you would drive to the closest emergency room.”

“It’s not my place to explain our predicament,” Ryan said, as the driver drove too fast into the underground parking of a building that looked under construction.

Axel gripped Jeha’s right arm tight holding him in place, frowning when Jeha’s head shifted on the backseat.

The car stopped at a service elevator, and Ryan got out first and stood waiting for the service elevator doors to open. Axel noted the gun in Ryan’s hand. A pang of uneasiness swept through him. Jeha’s world was too scary. The elevator doors opened and Ryan put away his gun when he saw the man coming out of the service elevator.

“Simon,” Ryan said with a nod. “We need to get Boss upstairs fast. The Doctor is worried.”

Opening the back passenger door on Jeha’s side, Ryan gave Axel a warning glance.

“Doctor, please don’t think of running,” Ryan said. “Someone may have seen us get you, so your life is in danger. I hope you can cooperate with us until Boss can answer your many questions. Simon and I will carry the boss upstairs, please help us close the elevator doors.”

Axel scowled at Ryan’s matter-of-fact tone with the moment. His head hurt thinking of running from a building that looked under construction. Ryan’s teammates were also driving in behind them, each of them holding a gun.

Where was he going to run?

Cursing out Ryan under his breath, he followed both men as they hauled Jeha out of the backseat with as much care as they could manage. Once they were in the elevator, Axel stared at the numbers as they rose to P3 after an astounding thirty-six floors. The elevator doors opened into a bright hallway.

“This level is complete,” Ryan said to Axel as they entered the short hallway. “No one will come up this elevator without the code we used downstairs.”

Axel filed the info as it seemed important. He hurried after Ryan and Simon who carried Jeha into a spacious living room. Ryan gave him no time to appreciate the Capital City View, as they were already going up a set of wide stairs to a second floor. The trio disappeared into double doors on the second floor and Axel ran after them. He stopped at the door when he realized this was Jeha’s personal space. The handsome living area was decorated in dark brown, leather and wood.

“Dr. Graysen,” Ryan called out and Axel forgot the momentary urge to explore.

There was a second door open directly opposite, so Axel hurried to it deciding it was a bedroom.

Jeha lay on the right side of a king-sized bed, his shirt removed. Ryan was working on removing his shoes and trousers.

“Check on Boss,” Ryan said. “He feels too warm. Is there anything we can do?”

Axel pushed the sleeves of his jersey up to his elbows and hurried to the bed. Axel pressed his palm to Jeha’s forehead and sighed.

“He has a fever. Where are they—?”

Axel broke off when a commotion at the door had him straightening to find two men walking in carrying boxes of medical equipment and cartons filled with medicine.

“Big bro, how is it?” One of them asked Ryan as he placed the box he held on an armchair. “Will Boss wake up soon? Those bastards that Moon keeps are too much. How dare they hurt him?”

“The doctor is working on it,” Ryan said, nodding to a frozen Axel.

“Good,” the second man walked to Axel and held out his right hand.

Axel took it because of the manners his mother had drummed into him.

“Thank you for looking after our Boss. We’re relying on you. I’m Ned.”

Axel nodded but had no chance to respond as the first man came to greet him too.

“You tell us if you need anything. I’m James. I can help you set up the equipment we brought. I worked in a clinic when I was younger.”

“Thank you, James,” Axel said. “Show me what you found. We’ll improvise with what you don’t have.”

Axel hurried to the boxes, expecting meager findings from a convenience store. Instead, he found medical-grade equipment, and medicines he would get in an emergency room cart. He paused, looking at the new stethoscope in one of the boxes, and then his gaze shifted to Jeha.

Just what did his handsome knight do for a living?

James was very helpful. He responded to instructions quite quickly. Between them, they set up the Vital Signs Monitor and connected the cables so that Axel could read Jeha’s vitals. James sent Simon and his friend Ned downstairs to bring a box with the antibiotics that Axel requested.

“How is it?” Ryan asked, from his spot at the foot of the bed. He had not moved away since Axel started working on Jeha.

When the monitor came on and a steady heartbeat started on the monitor, Ryan stared at the screen.

“His fever is expected,” Axel said. “I’ll give him meds to manage the worst of it. I need to monitor his wound to make sure he doesn’t develop an infection. The next forty-eight hours will be tough on him.”

“Please don’t hesitate to ask for anything you need to save his life,” Ryan said. “James, Ned, and Simon will help you with any requests.”

“Can I send them to my apartment to get my phone and fresh clothes to change into?” Axel asked, meeting Ryan’s dark gaze.

“No.” Ryan shook his head. “They can help you find anything but stuff from your apartment and call your family or workmates.”

“Why?” Axel asked.

“We’ll wait for Boss to wake up so he can explain,” Ryan said. “Simon will get you clothes. There are toiletries in the bathroom cabinets, and the kitchen downstairs is stocked. Please take care of Jeha.”

Axel sighed at the forbidding tone Ryan used. It looked like he was stuck here until he could get Jeha functional again.

“I should say this is still kidnapping,” Axel said, even as he adjusted the flow of the fever reducer he was using on Jeha. “I can sue.”

“Then sue after Boss wakes up,” Simon said, as he studied Jeha with a worried look. He pulled the light sheet over Jeha’s chest and arranged his right arm to make sure it was straight. Ned and James came to stand next to Ned, all of them watching Jeha.

Axel had released the sling on Jeha’s left arm, and Simon was reluctant to touch Jeha’s wounded side.

Simon brushed the hair out of Jeha’s face and nodded as he stepped away from the bed. He met Axel’s gaze and smiled.

“Boss won’t mind compensating you with money if you help him wake up,” Simon said.

Axel sighed at the trio of loyal employees. They all watched Jeha with similar worried expressions. It suddenly felt as though he was meeting Jeha’s three sons.

“Okay, fine, I’ll take care of him. Don’t stand there watching him,” Axel said, waving his hands at the four men. “You’re making me nervous. Jeha needs to rest. Go wait elsewhere.”

Ryan sighed and nodded to his three subordinates.

“We’ll step out,” Ryan said, making Axel scowl at him. “We’ll be in the living room out here. Call out if you need help.”

Axel nodded and watched them leave, all of them gave Jeha one last glance before they walked out the door. They did not close it but left it a bit open.

“How did you raise such tall sons?” Axel asked the unconscious Jeha as he sat in a chair pulled close to the left side of the bed. He glanced at Jeha’s vitals and was glad to see they were stable.

“You have a lot of explaining to do,” Axel said. “Wake up soon. This is the first time I’ve been kidnapped. I can’t believe it’s for being a doctor. Who would believe this story if I told it? You don’t want to ask for a ransom, but want to use my skills.”

Axel shook his head and settled in his chair. He looked at Jeha’s exotic features. His dark hair was damp from sweat. Axel had wiped it earlier, but until Jeha’s fever broke, he would need to keep drying it. Axel’s gaze lingered on Jeha’s patted lips.

How easy it would be to lean in and steal a kiss. Axel winced at his thoughts. He was beyond help if he wanted to kiss a patient, who had kidnapped him.

“Great job lusting after a patient, Graysen,” Axel said, shaking his head.

He wiped a hand down his face and wondered what time it was. Glancing at the bedside table, he saw an alarm clock that told him it was almost ten o’clock at night. He had slept the day away and the bandits in the living room must have broken into his apartment in the evening. Shaking his head, his attention was drawn to a picture hidden behind the alarm clock. Looking at the door, Axel was glad to see no one so he reached for the picture frame.

Axel smiled when he saw a picture of teenage Jeha standing between his parents with a wide smile on his face. Axel touched Jeha’s smile in the picture.

“Who can believe you ended up so tall and mysterious?” Axel murmured, studying Jeha’s parents.

His mom was pretty and short, compared to Jeha’s dad. Axel suspected Jeha probably towered over her now. Jeha’s dad looked serious and reliable. He had an arm around Jeha’s shoulders and stood in a protective stance. Jeha had grown up in a loving home.

“Dr. Graysen,” Ryan’s voice startled him.

Axel looked up to find Ryan and Simon standing at the door.

“We need your help,” Ryan said. “If you let James know what to look out for, he can look after Boss for a while.”

“What’s wrong?” Axel asked, returning the picture to the bedside table. He checked on Jeha’s vitals and was glad to see they were still stable.

“It’s like this,” Simon said, interrupting Ryan before he could speak. “Our brothers were caught in a fight. Some of them are injured. We all need to protect Boss’s position until he can wake up. We’re hoping you can help us patch up the worst hit.”

“Patch up,” Axel chuckled. “As in like needlework and quilts? What do you think I am?”

“Dr. Graysen,” Ryan said, scowling at him. “Simon is worried we will draw attention to Boss if we head out to find an emergency room. There is no way Jeha would sit out if one of us was hurt. He always follows up and makes sure we are not alone in the hospital. If he doesn’t show up—”

“The enemy will know he is hurt,” Simon said, his tone anxious.

“And that is why you’re keeping him here,” Axel said, studying the two men who were looking at him with pleading gazes.

Simon was easier to read. His worry was evident on his face, but Ryan was a blank stone. Axel bit back a scoff.

Wait, there was one thing he could read off of Ryan. Ryan wanted to shake him into submission.

Simon brought his hands up in a heartfelt request.

“Dr. Graysen, please help my brothers. We’ll owe you.”

Axel sighed and glanced at Jeha. Confident there would be no immediate emergency, he gave Simon a nod.

“Get James,” Axel said.

James dashed in as though he were waiting right outside Jeha’s room.

“I’m here,” James said, meeting Axel by Jeha’s bed.

Axel pointed to the thermometer and the notebook he had found to track Jeha’s fever.

“Check his temperature every thirty minutes. If his temperature rises, you get me. Call me if the numbers on the monitor change, and it beeps; I’ve already set it up. If he wakes up and is in unusual pain, or seems delirious, call me. Understood?”

“Yes, Doctor. I’ll do a good job,” James said.

“Don’t thank me, yet,” Axel said, glancing at Jeha’s unconscious face before he followed Ryan and Simon out.

Downstairs, Jeha paused at the last step when he saw at least fifteen men scattered around the large living room.

“What the hell is going on, Ryan?” Axel asked, wanting to step back.

Ryan gripped his left arm and led him to the dining table near the open kitchen. It was piled high with medical supplies.

“We’re at war with an idiot,” Ryan said. “I hope we win otherwise, Moon will find us here in this penthouse and cause more trouble. We’re relying on you to save our brothers.”

Axel turned to find Ryan’s ‘brothers’ had all stood up and were looking at him with expectation.

Axel gripped the stethoscope still around his neck and moved closer to Ryan.

“Is this a gang?” Axel whispered, wanting to know and being afraid to discover more.

“If I tell you, you may have to join,” Ryan whispered back.

“Don’t tell me,” Axel said, shaking his head. “Hanging out with a bunch of bad boys is not part of my future.”

“So you say, but you are sweet on our big boss,” Ryan said, with a small smile, then whispered. “Which makes all these brothers part of your future.”

“You wish,” Axel scowled at him. “Start with the one who is most hurt and work it back to the least injured,” Axel said.

Ryan relayed his order and soon two burly men carried a groaning man to the dining table. They laid him on the dining table and stepped back. Axel wore gloves and started his examination.

It took him a minute to find the injury. When he did find it, he could only scowl with annoyance.

“Doc,” his patient said, his voice laced with pain. “Do you think I’ll make it?”

Axel watched the man pull up his dark jacket to reveal a stab wound on his left side that was stuffed with gauze and wrapped with a belt. The knife was still in there.

“Ryan! You lying, mad, ridiculous delinquent! This is an abuse of my skills. He should be in an emergency room. Why do you keep thinking I can bring people back from the dead?”

“I believe in you,” Ryan said with an expectant nod.

“Doc,” Simon said, coming to help him settle the man with the knife on the table. “Big bro trusts you. You can do this.”

Axel cursed under his breath when he met his patient’s hopeful gaze. He had no choice but to get to work. Relying on skills acquired in the harrowing emergency department, he removed the knife, managed the wound, and offered the necessary aid. Once again, the availability of hospital-grade meds made him want to ask questions, but he never got the chance. He treated cuts varying from severe to minor, bullet grazes, bruised ribs, broken arms, a sprained ankle, and finally, Ryan sat on the stool Axel was using. The dining table had turned into a hospital bed for his knife wound patient.

“Where?” Axel asked, looking at Ryan and seeing only a neat black suit jacket. There was no blood on him.

Ryan gave him one glance, and then he shrugged out of his suit jacket with a wince.

Axel changed his gloves and watched Ryan undo his shirt buttons. Simon helped him remove the white shirt, and that’s when Axel saw the raw skin on his back.

“Shit,” Axel cursed, moving the lamp Simon had found him to study the red-grazed skin. “Have you been moving around with this the whole time?”

“Got it when I was racing to find boss,” Ryan said. “I only had time to change my shirt.”

Axel shook his head.

“What are you guys into? Drugs? Guns? Which one? I don’t care what it is but your life is not worth this much pain. Do you know you can walk away from workplace abuse?” Axel asked, as he rummaged through a carton filled with supplies and found a pack of sterile gauze, antiseptic, sterile saline, and a nonstick dressing.

Axel glanced up and found Ryan and Simon watching him. He was surprised by the hurt look in Simon’s eyes.

“We’re not drug dealers or gun peddlers,” Simon said, his tone forceful.

“Simon,” Ryan said. “Go check on James and the Boss.”

Simon scowled at Axel before he turned away and headed upstairs.

Axel frowned. “What did I say?”

“You insulted our brothers,” Ryan said with a small scoff. “Judged us all with one bad day.”

“Can’t help it,” Axel said, as he examined Ryan’s wound. He got to work, cleaning the graze and making sure there was no debris in the raw skin. He expected some complaints of pain from Ryan but got none. So, when he was done, he covered the wound with a nonstick dressing.

“Don’t get it wet for the next twenty-four hours,” Axel said as he removed his gloves. He looked around the large living room and let out a sigh. His sixteen patients were sprawled on couches and armchairs in various levels of rest. Those who were uninjured were restless and moved in and out of the hallway.

“It feels like I’m working a shift at the emergency room,” Axel said, sanitizing his hands.

“Thank you for helping us,” Ryan said, folding his shirt as he got up. “Try to get some sleep. We’re going to be here for another twenty-four hours, or until Boss wakes up. I’ll let you return to him.”

“You never answered my question,” Axel said as Ryan turned to leave.

“I don’t think I’ll be the one to give you the answers you need,” Ryan said. “All I can say is that we’re not villains. We don’t sell drugs or guns. Do you believe me?”

Axel met Ryan’s harsh gaze and was surprised to find that he did believe Ryan’s explanation. So, if not drugs and guns, what would put Jeha’s people in so much danger?

“Stop speculating, and head upstairs. I’ll find you something hot to drink. Are you hungry?”

Axel shook his head.

“Get me fresh orange juice. No food. I can’t eat after all that.”

“Okay,” Ryan gave him a ghost of a smile and turned around heading to the kitchen.

“Doc,” James called from upstairs.

Axel hurried to the staircase his thoughts shifting to Jeha’s condition.

Everyone watched as he ran to reach Jeha’s suite. He never stopped to wonder what they thought of his panic. He never saw Ryan step out into the living room to watch him with a slight smile.

****

Jeha woke up two days later to a comforting weight on his stomach. He blinked sleep away, his eyes adjusting to the dim light in his bedroom. The curtains were drawn over the floor-length windows. A dim lamp at the corner was the only source of light.

Jeha brought his right hand up to rub the last of the sleep cobwebs away and lifted his head to see brown wavy hair scattered on the white t-shirt he wore. He smiled and moved his right hand to touch the messy hair.

Axel’s bed hair was a thing of beauty. The tangled strands felt soft under his fingers. He combed his fingers through Axel’s hair, unable to stop the grin that curved his lips.

Jeha shifted on his pillows and winced at the numbness on his left arm.

The numb pain was a violent reminder of his confrontation with Moon at the industrial workshop. He cursed under his breath, his thoughts on his cousin.

His team had picked up Moon’s Chemist as he entered the industrial warehouse his cousin was using as a lab. Jeha had hoped to avoid a confrontation with Moon, but luck was not on his side. The moment Ryan got a hold of the chemist, Moon and his band of idiots opened gunfire on them.

Jeha remembered urging Ryan to drive off with the Chemist and take him to his father, Yisu.

Jeha was left dealing with Moon’s gang and their deadly assault. One of Moon’s men shot Jeha in the left arm. From there, it had taken everything to get out of the industrial district alive.

Jeha sighed thinking about the blood soaking his white shirt—Ryan’s panicked face when he saw him after leaving the Chemist with Yisu.

Then, there was Axel.

Gerard, Ryan’s most trusted, picked Axel up. It was too bad that Gerard was a lot rough around the edges. He had been unkind to Axel.

Jeha closed his eyes, his fingers stilling in Axel’s hair.

In any case…he was grateful for Axel. Otherwise, he would have bled out without Axel’s help. He had hoped to meet Axel in a normal, understandable way. Let their relationship progress naturally.

Now, this situation had dragged Axel into the deepest part of his world. There would be no turning back for either of them. He hoped Axel would agree to stay with him. If Axel really could not stand it, then Jeha would work to make sure Axel stayed safe as an outsider.

Jeha let out a soft sigh hoping Axel would decide to stay with him.

Axel shifted, and Jeha pulled out his fingers from his hair, afraid he would tug on Axel’s hair. He smiled when Axel yawned and sat up fast. Axel smoothed Jeha’s t-shirt, as he wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth. Then he leaned over to check on the bandage on Jeha’s left arm.

The frown creasing his forehead made Jeha smile wider. He felt oddly happy to see the concern on Axel’s face.

“You’re awake,” Axel said when he noticed him looking.

“Mm,” Jeha said. “You were asleep. I didn’t want to wake you.”

Axel let out a short yawn and stretched his arms above his head.

“You were running a fever last night,” Axel said, getting up from the chair pulled close to the bed. He pointed to a table on his left, packed with washcloths, a bowl of water, ice packs, and medicine packs. “I’m glad you’re over it now. You’ve stressed me these past two days, Jeha.”

Jeha started to sit up, but Axel placed a gentle hand on his right shoulder.

“Not too fast. Don’t undo my hard work.”

“I want to sit up,” Jeha said, feeling restless, his legs were stiff, and he wanted a moment in the bathroom. “Maybe visit the bathroom.”

“Okay,” Axel said, with a nod. “Slowly, we’ll take it bit by bit. You’re on painkillers but there will still be discomfort. We need to manage your pain levels and prevent any infection. So, we’re stuck together. I’ll help you to the bathroom, no full showers for you, though you can wash essentials. I’ll help unless you don’t want me to.”

Jeha nodded, caught between embarrassment and excitement at the thought of Axel helping him to the toilet. He felt groggy and out of balance. Axel was gentle even as he was firm. He used a sling to immobilize Jeha’s left arm. Then, he helped Jeha sit up and pulled a wheelchair close.

“Where did you get a wheelchair?” Jeha asked as he shifted on the bed, holding on to his wounded arm. He relied on Axel’s strength to stay up.

“Ryan is quite resourceful,” Axel said, as he made sure the wheelchair was locked. “We’ll need it for a few days. The meds I gave you are heavy. I don’t want you falling and ruining my work.”

Jeha followed instructions, allowing Axel to help him into the wheelchair. The bathroom was spacious and it was easy to maneuver the wheelchair in there. The logistics of sitting on the toilet with Axel’s help left no room for pride. Axel was matter-of-fact about helping him use the toilet and clean up after. Jeha had no time to feel embarrassed.

When he was back in the wheelchair, Axel flushed the toilet and used a warm washcloth to wipe Jeha’s face. Folding the washcloth, Axel met Jeha’s blue eyes and smiled.

Jeha stared because Axel in the morning was handsome as hell. From his messy brown hair, which Jeha had mussed even more with his fingers to his honey-brown eyes. He could stare for days.

“Jeha,” Axel said, touching his right shoulder to get his attention.

Jeha blinked and found Axel holding his electric toothbrush already with a dollop of toothpaste. Jeha took the brush and started brushing his teeth. Axel moved the wheelchair closer to the sink and turned on the tap, using a mug to get water for Jeha. Jeha watched as Axel moved away to get a towel. Jeha finished brushing his teeth and rinsed his mouth.

Axel returned with a towel and helped him wipe his mouth.

Jeha smiled and met Axel’s inquiring gaze.

“What?”

“It’s been a long time since someone wiped my face for me,” Jeha said.

“How long?” Axel asked, folding the used towel neatly and placing it on the sink counter.

“My mother when I was young enough to be unable to avoid her,” Jeha said with a laugh.

Axel shook his head and pressed his left index finger into his right cheek.

“You have dimples when you laugh,” Axel said. “They’re cute.”

“Cute?” Jeha scowled and shook his head. “What about me screams cute?”

“Your dimples,” Axel said with a small smile. “Alright, we should get you back to bed.”

“Can’t I sit up for a while?” Jeha asked. “I don’t want to be in bed all day.”

“Step by step, Jeha. I need to check on your wound,” Axel said, taking control of the wheelchair. He led it out of the bathroom and they returned to find the sheets on the bed had been changed, and the covers smoothed and pulled back for Jeha.

James or Simon must have come in to check on Jeha. They were both very worried that Jeha had not woken up yet.

Axel arranged the pillows, locked the wheelchair, and concentrated on getting Jeha back on the bed.

Jeha was not proud of how weak his legs felt, and the dizziness that assaulted him as he stood. Letting out a soft breath, he sat on the bed and was grateful for Axel’s arm around his shoulders. He was afraid he would have fallen back like a log. The little trip to the bathroom had tired him out.

“The meds are heavy,” Axel explained. “It will take a bit of time for the meds I’ve pumped into you to leave your system. So, it’s going to be tough on you. Now, let’s move you up a bit.”

Axel used considerable strength as he helped Jeha shift back and settle on the bed half-sitting half-lying down. Axel pulled the covers over Jeha’s lap and sat on the left side of the bed breathing hard.

“You’re a workout, Jeha Wook.”

Jeha could barely laugh at the comment. He felt exhausted by the whole exercise.

Then, Axel took in a deep breath, let it out, and shifted to face him.

“Now that you’re awake and refreshed,” Axel said, narrowing his gaze. “I have questions that need answers, Jeha. I have spent the past two days patching up all the men who work under you. Cuts, stab wounds, bruised ribs, sprained limbs, the list is endless. As a doctor working in the ER, I should report suspicious situations. I should call the police.”

“Axel.”

“Jeha, are you a mob boss?” Axel asked.

****

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