Page 31 of Damian & Jun: Episodes 1-4
“I’d rather marry you.” The words slipped out, Damian’s attention on finding someone to call security. Where was everyone?
“Probably a bad idea with my debt. It’s not even legal here,” Jun whispered.
“It’s legal here.”
Jun laughed. It wasn’t a full laugh, but it was a laugh. “Da, this is not how you propose.”
“Hmm.” Damian made it downstairs and found Collin stretched out on top of Émeric on the couch, dozing. Alice, Linda, and Dana were playing the board game Ticket to Ride. “Why not?”
“Because I’m sitting here shivering in wet clothes, running for my life. This is not romantic. And you’re emotional. You’ll regret it later.”
“Ah, yes. You probably don’t have the full capacity to say no. I’ll kidnap you, then propose. Is that better?”
Jun sputtered into the phone and giggled, finally. “DaSu! This is serious.”
“Yes, it is.” Damian leaned forward, smiling. If Jun could laugh, he wasn’t too far gone. He turned toward Collin. “Bro, I need Richard. Could you call one of the team up to drive me to O’Hare?”
Émeric opened his eyes as Collin sat up. “What’s going on?”
“My person needs me. I’m leaving for Seoul.”
On the other end, Jun sputtered. “That’s how you talk about me?! My person? I don’t even have a name?”
“Fine. Émeric, Collin, meet Jun. Jun is my person. His full name is Gang Junseo. He’s being blackmailed, and I need to go to South Korea and retrieve him or knock some heads together. Is that better, Jun?”
“When did I consent to being your person?” There was something bratfully sweet in Jun’s voice that made Damian want to burn the world down just to be able to reach him at that moment.
Émeric grinned and eased off the couch. Collin motioned Damian to follow him to the office off the great room. His phone was in the basket on the desk. He held it to show that he was texting their security team down at the guesthouse.
“You didn’t,” Damian answered Jun while nodding to Collin. “You just kept texting me back and making me fall in love with you and meeting me for dates.”
“I think that makes you my person.”
No argument there. “I already am.”
Richard and Émeric entered the office.
“Jun, I’m going to call you back. I need to get ready to leave for the airport and make some calls. I’m going to text you some other numbers and names of people you can talk to if you can’t reach me because I’m on another line.”
Jun agreed. Damian hung up and turned toward his family. “Jun’s manager is attempting to force him into sex trafficking. Jun refused to cooperate, and they locked him in his dormitory without money, ID, or a phone. For now, he’s escaped through a window and borrowed a phone to reach me. I’m going to go meet him.”
Richard absorbed the information with a passive face and then nodded once. “I’ll come with you if you’ll have me.”
A warmth rushed through Damian’s chest. “Please.”
“Master,” Collin addressed Richard, “I offered to pack for Damian. Should I also pack for you?”
“I’ll do Richard’s, pet. You tend to Damian,” Émeric directed, meeting Richard’s eyes and getting a nod of agreement. “Damian, I’ll arrange flights. Do you have a hotel you want reserved in particular?”
“The one I usually use downtown, but a fourteenth-floor suite would be best.”
Émeric nodded. A quick call to their personal VA service would be able to retrieve the exact information from his records for which hotel. Damian put it out of his mind, trusting Émeric.
Collin leaned against Richard, received a kiss, then went out followed by Émeric.
Richard regarded Damian with somber eyes. “Assessment, Pup.”
Damian let out a breath. “This is high profile, sir. If you and him are seen together, it will make the news.”
