unveiled

chapter 7

Ten minutes later the men returned and YoonGi drew papers from his briefcase. The owner signed and left with the check clutched in his hands.

Tae released a hard breath as the door closed behind the man. He was only now acknowledging how tense he had been for days leading up to this moment.

Funny, he thought, I didn't even know about this place a month ago, now it is my top priority.

He shook his head at the latest folly and asked Nev to bring them all drinks.

YoonGi drank his quickly while waiting for his driver, explaining there was some business with a client he had to attend tonight.

Tae looked at his friend and frowned. There was something else going on with YoonGi. Tae searched for the right questions to ask Yoongi but failed to find them as he watched his friend ease off the bar chair. At the text tone of his phone YoonGi hurried out the door with a wave thrown over his shoulder.

Nev turned to Tae and placed the remainder of the bottle in front of him. Searching behind the bar he produced a set of keys and slid them across the bar.

"Here you go boss," he smiled at Taehyung.

Tae took the keys and held them in his hand, the cold of the metal quickly warming in his grasp.

This made it real. He had done this crazy thing and he had no clue what he was supposed to do next.

He stood and walked across the café and stopped to stare out into the now darkened courtyard.

He could see a sliver of moonlight flickering through the leaves of the big tree in the back. He blinked hard, trying to decide if the shadow dancing along the wind was real or just a wish he had made.

Nev came behind him, bringing him back to reality. He took a hard look at Tae, following his glance outside. His voice was low and firm as he spoke.

"Boss or no, I will still protect her," he challenged, "you bought this shell of a place, nothing more."

Tae nodded his understanding, respecting the man's words and his protection over her.

Seemingly satisfied, Nev returned the gesture and moved away, slinging on his coat as he did.

"We will be ok then. I am heading out. This will be your first night locking up. I will call you for product order and schedule approval tomorrow," he said, turning off all the main lights, then leaving with the jangle of the door echoing behind him.

Tae stared down at the keys in his hand once more.

"You bought this shell of a place, nothing more," rumbled around in his head.

In the dim glow of the few remaining lights he nodded his head. There was no use lying to himself. He was here for one reason. Her.

What that meant or how that would happen or hell, if he would ever even see her again, none of that could be sorted right now. All that mattered was that this place would now be her safe haven if she needed it.

She would have food and a place to rest and a quiet place to do whatever she did in that notebook of hers. And Nev would protect her, even from him.

That settled, he turned toward the door, turning off the few remaining lights and checking doors as he locked up. Finally, he stepped into the street and caught a cab home.

So absorbed was he in his new tasks that his missed the dancing shadow in the courtyard as it stilled to watch him. As he turned to leave it slowly faded into the darkness beyond the gate.