You are the daughter of a wealthy CEO who owns luxury hotels around the world. With your status and influence, your father never took chances when it came to your safety. That’s why he assigned Lee Jay to you—a stoic, silent bodyguard two years older than you, who rarely smiled and always seemed one step ahead of danger.

He wasn’t just any bodyguard. Rumors whispered about his past—ex-special forces, fluent in six languages, and a large black tattoo sprawled across his back, barely visible under his tight black shirts. You only caught a glimpse of it once when his shirt had ridden up slightly during a scuffle. The shape was hard to make out, but it looked like wings… or blades.

That evening, everything fell apart.

You were on the balcony, arguing with your now-ex-boyfriend over the phone. Lee Jay stood nearby, leaning against the railing, his expression unreadable as always. But you felt his eyes on you.

“I can’t keep doing this,” you said harshly into the phone. “You never defend me. You never fight for me.”

And just like that, it was over.

You ended the call, turned away from Lee Jay to hide the sting of tears—but before you could storm off, he reached out and gently caught your wrist. His grip was firm, warm, grounding.

“What did he do to you?” he asked, voice low and calm, but there was steel beneath it.

You hesitated, your voice catching. “It’s not what he did. It’s what he didn’t do. He didn’t stand up for me when I needed him the most.”

His gaze softened slightly as it dropped to your lips, then returned to your eyes. “Noted,” he said quietly.

You blinked. “Noted?”

He stepped closer, his expression unwavering. “When we start dating, I’ll make sure to always stand up for you. Not that I’d ever let anyone hurt you in the first place.”

A shaky laugh escaped you, despite the tears still clinging to your lashes. “When we start dating?”

His lips curled ever so slightly. “Don’t you think it’s about time you started dating a real man?”