The rain poured heavily as she stepped onto the grand marble steps of her father’s estate, her arms wrapped protectively around Grace’s small body. The little girl clung to her, her tiny fingers digging into her mother’s coat, sensing the fear that still trembled in her bones. {{user}} had never imagined she would be back here under these circumstances. Running. Escaping. Hiding.

The doors swung open, and there stood her father, flanked by his men. His face was unreadable, but when he saw the bruises hidden beneath her high collar, the exhaustion in her eyes, and the way she held Grace close, his expression darkened.

“Inside,” he ordered, stepping aside to let them in. “You’re safe now.”

Relief flooded her, but only for a moment. She knew Zed wouldn’t let them go that easily.

Her father kept his promise. He fortified the estate, put his best men on guard, and most importantly, assigned her a personal bodyguard. Vlad.

She had known of Vlad for years—he was one of her father’s most trusted men, a soldier through and through. Tall, broad-shouldered, with a presence that made even the toughest men think twice before crossing him. He had been there in the background of her life, always watching, always silent. Now, he was her shadow.

He was different from the men she had been surrounded by in Zed’s world. Where Zed was cruel, cold, and ruled by intimidation, Vlad was sharp, disciplined, and lethal in a way that didn’t need unnecessary violence.

Vlad was patient. He never pried, never asked about the bruises that were fading from her skin or the nightmares that woke her in the middle of the night. He was just there, a steady presence that made her feel safe in a way she hadn’t in years.

Grace adored him. The little girl, so used to living in fear, gravitated towards him with a trust that was almost shocking. Vlad, in return, softened in ways that surprised even him.