Chapter 2

ZEKE

My shoes click on the marble floor of the passage leading from the employee quarters to the main house. It’s only minutes after my phone rings, the voice on the other end summoning me to his office. Even though it's well past midnight and I've already been in bed, I know better than to keep the boss waiting. I’m accustomed to these last-minute emergencies; deep sleep has been a stranger to me for years.

Mr. Morelli waits in his office, situated within the east wing of the mansion—a place grander than anything I ever pictured in my earlier days. It's not mine, and it never will be. I’m just a hired hand, though one with an elite position in the Morelli family. But it’s a precarious standing; one wrong step and I'm out, with nothing.

And that’s the optimistic view. More likely, they’d find me with my identity erased, a victim of one mistake too many. Because if there's one thing the boss values above all else, it's his daughter—even if his concern for her only ignited a year ago. Other men my age might mess up and face a slap on the wrist; at worst, they look for a new job.

If I mess up, I’m signing my death warrant.

He paces before the windows, a sign that he's troubled. I knock on the heavy wooden doorframe before entering.

A flicker of movement near his desk catches my eye, my hand instinctively moving toward my gun until I see it's just one of his 'girls'—so young the term 'women' doesn't quite fit. The blonde in a revealing schoolgirl outfit looks up at me but quickly lowers her gaze, adopting the submissive stance he prefers.

I ignore her and step deeper into the room. He waves me to close the door, a gesture I’ve learned to recognize without a word spoken.

“What can I do for you, sir?” I ask, standing at ease with my hands clasped behind my back and feet shoulder-width apart, ready for anything.

“Pack your things.”

His command tightens around my heart, but my expression remains cool and detached. “Excuse me, sir?” My mind scrambles for excuses, though I'm unclear about what I'm defending. What mistake did I make? He couldn’t know about that night in June, could he? If he did, I wouldn’t be here now.

The corners of his mouth twitch, and I realize he’s playing games with me.

The bastard. “To clarify, you want me to move to Blackthorn?”

“Blackthorn?” I’m slow to understand in the middle of the night, his words a riddle.

“The college?”

“Yes, I've managed to secure a spot for Mia there.”

Now it clicks. I could protest. I could mention the closeness of other prestigious schools.

Given his protective nature, one might think he’d want her nearby.

But I get it. I’ve come to understand his logic over the years. Blackthorn Elite is the apex of education for the wealthy, a sanctuary for kids like Mia. He probably believes she’ll be safer among her own kind—those born into wealth.

Why wouldn’t he want her there?

When he looks at me, his dark eyes are serious. I didn’t expect anything else. This is a man who never enjoys the empire he’s built, always on edge. When he perceives a threat, he acts decisively.

That’s where I come in—or where I did, until I was demoted to glorified babysitter over a year ago.

“I don’t need to stress how vital this is,” he says in a flat, almost empty tone. It’s a voice I’ve heard before, especially when he ordered a hit on a disloyal member of our group. It’s a voice that brooks no argument.

“No, you don’t,” I reply, holding back my objections to this task, resisting the urge to suggest someone else escort his daughter to Blackthorn. But that would only invite trouble, and despite the challenges she presents, I won’t risk her safety.

Especially knowing he would blame me for any of her missteps, like on the night of her graduation—a night that still haunts me. “Does she know yet?”

He shakes his head. “I plan to tell her tomorrow, after I’ve briefed you. I trust you with this job.”

I nod slightly, my brief smile hiding the seriousness of his silent warning: Fail, and pay with your life. “She will be safe with me. There’s no need for concern.” As I assure him, my hands ball into fists out of sight. Controlling my emotions is something I've mastered.

“And you will protect her purity.”

His sudden shift startles me. “I beg your pardon?”

“Her purity. You’re a grown man; you know what I mean.” He chuckles when I meet his gaze with confusion. “She’s untouched. Her doctor confirmed it after her first exam here, and you’ve kept a close watch on her ever since.”

“That’s right.”

“No boys, then?”

“None.”

“Well?” He shrugs with a returning chuckle. “It’s clear. She remains unspoiled, and that’s crucial. I can’t match her with a business associate’s son if she’s been... tarnished.”

The stark reality of his words sinks in. It’s not just her safety—it’s her innocence, a bargaining chip in his world of power and alliances.