PROLOGUE
245 Words
The rain was coming down hard that night, beating against the big windows of Blackwood Mansion like tiny fists begging to get in.
I was standing in the dark living room, holding a framed photo of him close to my chest. His smile in the picture made my heart race – even after all this time, just looking at him does that to me.
“Mr. Blackwood?” My right-hand man Marco stood at the door, his voice careful like he was talking to a wild animal. “The men found out who’s been asking about you two. Should we... take care of it?”
I didn’t look away from the photo. My thumb traced over Jake’s face, smooth as silk even through the glass.
“Take care of it,” I said, my voice low and steady. “But make sure they know why they messed up. No one touches what’s mine. Not now, not ever.”
Marco nodded and backed out quietly. I sat down on the couch, still holding the picture tight.
Jake thinks I’m just some wealthy businessman who fell for a coffee shop owner. He doesn’t know about all the blood on my hands, or how I’ve built an empire just so I can protect him. He doesn’t need to know – not as long as he stays with me.
I’d burn down this whole country if it meant keeping him safe. He’s mine, and I’ll never let him go...
- Writer
