“You will live at my estate.”

“You will have your own wing, absolute privacy, and security.”

I shook my head. “It sounds like a prison.”

“It is a fortress,” Lucian corrected.

“And right now, the streets of this city are not safe for anyone associated with me.”

“The fact that Bishop chose you makes you a target, whether you like it or not.”

I looked down the dark alley.

A pair of headlights turned the corner two blocks away, moving slowly.

The car was a black sedan with tinted windows.

It felt like the shadows were closing in on me.

My apartment was cold, the heater was broken, and the landlord was threatening eviction.

But entering the world of the Draven syndicate felt like stepping into a cage.

“Ten times my salary?” I asked quietly.

“Direct deposit, every two weeks,” Lucian said.

“Plus a wardrobe, medical care, and whatever else you require.”

“And I can leave if the dog stops following me?”

Lucian paused, his eyes studying my face in the dim light.

“Yes,” he said. “If he lets you leave.”