"Are you sure about this, or do you just need an excuse to visit a brothel?" Jisoo groaned as they stepped into the building.
Taeryn didn't even have to answer before Jisoo's gaze slid hungrily toward a half-naked male Omega by the bar. His expression changed instantly.
"Correction," Jisoo grinned, already walking off. "I love this place!"
Taeryn watched him disappear into the crowd with a quiet chuckle before turning to Gihun, who was scanning the space with mild interest.
The House of Crimson was chaos dressed in sin. It was part nightclub, part brothel, drenched in red light and pheromones thick enough to choke. Laughter, moans, and music tangled together in a haze that reeked of lust and alcohol.
He could handle it. Gihun could too. But Jisoo? Gone. Predictably useless.
They weren't here to have fun. They were here to check on the place Park Minsoo spent most of his days and Taeryn knew it would be impossible to move through this crowd alone, which was why he'd dragged his friends along.
"Brothel sounds so old-fashioned," Gihun muttered as they approached the bar.
Taeryn snorted. "I know, right?"
"What's your poison?" the bartender asked flatly. He was a Beta, and Taeryn couldn't help but be impressed. The guy looked half-dead, dark circles under his eyes, yet somehow surviving the storm of pheromones around them.
Most clubs like this required their staff to use pheromone blockers. This one didn't bother. It breathed sex. It was almost disturbing.
"How about actual poison?" Gihun grumbled.
The bartender froze, eyes widening. "What?"
Taeryn groaned. "Ignore him. Just whiskey is good."
The Beta nodded quickly and turned away, and Taeryn shot Gihun a sharp look. The kind that clearly said, Really?
"What?" Gihun grumbled. "I'm grumpy today. Don't ask me why."
Taeryn didn't need to. He already knew.
Gihun only got this wound up when things went south with his boyfriend which was almost every week. Their relationship was toxic as hell, and Taeryn tried not to think about it. He had enough on his plate already… like trying not to text his detective.
Pure torture.
The bartender poured them both a drink, the ice clinking softly against the glass. Gihun downed his like it was water, while Taeryn just took a sip before grimacing in disgust. He'd never been a fan of alcohol.
"So, uh," he said, pulling out his phone. He turned the screen toward the bartender, showing a clear photo of Park Minsoo. "You know this guy?"
The bartender's face immediately twisted with distaste. "Yeah, Minsoo. He's a regular here."
He said it like the man's name tasted foul on his tongue.
"I know." Taeryn smiled faintly and slipped the phone back into his pocket. Then he fished out a lollipop, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth letting the sugar drown out the bitterness of the whiskey.
"He's a friend of mine," he lied smoothly, his grey eyes darkening at his own lie. "I'm a little worried about him."
The bartender blinked, clearly surprised. "That guy has friends?"
His disbelief was almost comical.
"Yeah," Taeryn said, twirling the lollipop lazily between his fingers. "He's coming here soon, right?"
The man hesitated, his brow furrowing. "Yeah. Usually in an hour or two. That's when he always shows up."
Something flickered in his eyes. It was unease, maybe even disgust. Like he was remembering something he'd rather forget.
Of course, Minsoo was a disgusting, open predator and Taeryn wanted nothing more than to text his detective for strength not to just kill the bastard the moment he laid his eyes on him, in front of everyone.
He stood, tapping Gihun on the shoulder. "Call me."
Gihun gave a lazy thumbs-up, already nursing his second drink, and Taeryn headed toward the VIP section. He slid his access card over the scanner at the register and stepped through. The air was thicker here, heavy with pheromones so strong it made his head spin.
He pushed open a random door, half-expecting to hear moans or see bodies tangled together, but instead...
His heart skipped.
Rihan was sitting there, alone, staring back at him in surprise.
"You again?" Rihan's deep voice rasped, slurred around the edges.
Taeryn's eyes flicked to the table. Empty bottle. Half-full glass. So the detective was drunk and alone in the VIP section of a sex palace. The thought made something protective surge through him, fast and hot.
He shut the door behind him and locked it, ignoring the sharp frown that crossed Rihan's face.
"This must be fate, Detective," Taeryn said, his voice laced with amusement and something else he didn't bother hiding.
Rihan immediately rose to his feet. "You're stalking me and calling it fate?" His tone was sharp, angry, and that edge didn't sit right with Taeryn.
He stopped, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish pout. "I said I'd leave you to think about us, and I did." He gestured vaguely around the room. "This—" he pointed between them, the room, the dim lights, "is just a coincidence."
Rihan raised a brow, surprised. Did he actually believe him? But then he groaned in pain, rubbing his forehead, and Taeryn immediately stepped closer, worry flashing across his face.
"Are you alright? You drank too much," he said, reaching out to touch Rihan's shoulder.
Rihan's face went red, his hazel eyes widening at the sudden contact. In the next second, Taeryn's world spun. His wrist was caught in an iron grip, his body slammed against the wall, cheek pressed against the cold surface. Rihan's weight pinned him easily, his breath hot against Taeryn's ear.
"Do not fucking touch me," he growled, voice low and rough, vibrating with restrained anger.
Taeryn froze. His pulse raced, heart hammering at the sheer force of his detective's presence. He couldn't move. Not that he wanted to but Rihan was too strong. Too close. Too everything.
"Fuck," he breathed out, a dazed smile tugging at his lips despite the situation.
Every nerve in his body screamed in reckless joy at the contact, at being pinned by his detective. He didn't even try to hide the grin spreading on his face.
"Yes, sir," he breathed out more heavily this time, feeling his cock harden.