The first thing I noticed was the smell.

It wasn't the gross smell of the docks-that mix of salt, old fish, and trash. Instead, the air was clean and smelled like expensive wood and fresh flowers. It was a rich smell. The kind of smell that belonged to people who never had to check their bank account before buying dinner.

I tried to move my arm, but it felt like it was made of lead. My head throbbed with a dull, heavy ache. It was a brutal reminder of the man in the alley hitting me. Slowly, I forced my eyes open.

I wasn't in a jail cell or a basement. I was lying in a bed so big I could have gotten lost in it. The sheets were dark silk, and they felt cool and smooth against my skin. I sat up with a gasp, my heart immediately starting to race.

The room was huge. There was fancy molding on the ceiling and a thick rug on the floor that looked like it cost more than my entire apartment. Across the room, a massive window showed the city. I was high up-so high that the streetlights below looked like tiny dots. I was in the Heights, the part of the city where the billionaires lived behind high stone walls.

"You're finally awake," a voice rumbled from the dark corner of the room.

I jumped, a small cry escaping my throat. I spun around and saw Kaelen.

He was sitting in a big leather chair, watching me. He had changed out of his suit. Now he just wore a black dress shirt with the top buttons open. His sleeves were rolled up, showing off arms that were thick with muscle and covered in dark tattoos. Thorns and shadows wrapped around his skin, making him look even more dangerous than he had in the alley.

He was holding a glass of whiskey, the ice clinking softly as he moved it. He looked like a king watching a prisoner.

"Where am I?" I whispered. My throat felt like I had swallowed sand. I looked at the heavy door, wondering if I could run for it. "Why did you bring me here? If it's about what I saw... I won't tell. I promise. I don't even know what happened. I'll just go home and forget everything."

Kaelen stood up. He moved like a tiger-quiet and smooth. He walked toward me until he was standing right over the bed. He was so tall that I had to crane my neck just to see his face. Up close, he was overwhelming. He smelled like rain and power.

"You can't go home, Ivy," Kaelen said. His voice was cold. "As of last night, Ivy Thorne is dead. The police found your ID in that alley next to a lot of blood. The world thinks you're gone."

I felt a cold pit in my stomach. "What? You can't do that! I have a life. I have a job. I have a brother who needs me!"

At the mention of my brother, Kaelen's eyes got darker. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. He held it up so I could see it. It was Leo's hospital ID.

"Leo is fine," Kaelen said. "I had him moved to a private clinic this morning. He has the best doctors in the country now. No more waiting lists. No more cheap medicine. I paid his bills for the next ten years."

I reached for the card, but Kaelen pulled it back, just out of my reach.

"Why?" I demanded. My fear was turning into anger. "You don't even know me. You're a killer. Why would you help my brother?"

Kaelen stepped even closer, forcing me to lean back against the headboard. "I told you. I've been watching you. I know you work two jobs just to pay for his oxygen. I know you play the cello when you're sad because it's the only thing that makes you feel better. I didn't bring you here to kill you, Ivy."

He reached out. I flinched, but he didn't hit me. Instead, his fingers brushed against the star-shaped birthmark on my neck. I shivered, but I didn't pull away. His hand was rough, but his touch was surprisingly gentle.

"My father wants you dead," Kaelen whispered, his face inches from mine. "He thinks you're a witness who knows too much. But I told him a lie to save your life. I told him you're my fiancée."

My jaw dropped. "Fiancée? I don't even know your last name!"

"It's Volkov," he said, a tiny, dark smile touching his lips. "And for now, you're going to act like the future Mrs. Volkov. You'll live in this house. You'll wear the clothes I buy. You'll act like you love me in front of my family. Do that, and your brother stays alive. You stay alive."

"And if I say no?" I asked, my voice trembling.

Kaelen leaned in until his lips were almost touching mine. The air between us felt electric, like a storm was about to break. "Then I walk out that door and let my father's men in. They aren't as nice as I am, Ivy. They'll kill you and your brother before the sun goes down."

I looked into his icy blue eyes and realized he wasn't joking. He was offering me a choice: stay in this beautiful cage, or die.

"You're a monster," I whispered.

"Maybe," he agreed, his gaze dropping to my lips for a second. "But I'm the only monster standing between you and the devil. Choose, Ivy. Do you want the ring, or do you want the grave?"

He pulled a small velvet box from his pocket. He snapped it open to show a diamond ring so big it looked fake. It was beautiful, but it felt like a pair of handcuffs.

Slowly, I held out my left hand. My fingers were shaking, but I didn't have a choice. I had to save Leo.

Kaelen didn't hesitate. He slid the ring onto my finger. It was cold and heavy. It fit perfectly, as if he had measured my finger while I was asleep.

"Good girl," he murmured. He didn't let go of my hand. Instead, he pulled me a little closer, his other hand sliding around my waist. "Now, get up. There's a closet full of dresses. Pick something red. We're having dinner with the Don, and you need to look like you're madly in love with me."

He let go of me and walked toward the door. As he reached the handle, he paused. "And Ivy? Don't try the windows. They're bulletproof. And the drop is fifty feet."

The door clicked shut, leaving me alone. I looked at the massive diamond on my hand. I was alive, but I wasn't free. I was a pawn in a dangerous game, owned by a man who looked at me like I was a ghost he had finally caught.

I walked to the closet and opened the doors. Rows of red silk dresses stared back at me. I took a deep breath and grabbed the nearest one.

The red silk dress Kaelen picked was beautiful, but it felt like a trap. It was tight, showing off every curve, and the color was the exact shade of the blood I had seen in the alley.

I stood in front of the mirror, staring at the diamond on my finger. It sparkled under the lights, mocking me. To the world, I was a lucky girl engaged to a rich, powerful man. In reality, I was a witness who was one wrong word away from a bullet.

"Stop shaking," Kaelen's voice came from behind me.

I turned around. He was standing in the doorway, wearing a dark grey suit that made him look like a shadow. He walked toward me, his heavy boots silent on the rug. He stopped right in front of me and placed his large hands on my shoulders. His touch was firm, grounding me.

"My father is going to watch you tonight," Kaelen said, his eyes locking onto mine. "He's going to look for any sign that you're lying. If he thinks you're just a witness, he will kill you right at the table. Do you understand?"

I swallowed hard. "I'm not a good liar, Kaelen."

"Then don't lie," he said, his voice dropping to a low growl. "Just look at me. Pretend I'm the only thing in the world that matters. If you get scared, look into my eyes and stay silent. I'll do the talking."

He led me out of the room and down a long hallway. The house was quiet, but it didn't feel peaceful. It felt like a bomb waiting to go off. We went down a grand staircase and into a dining room that looked like something out of a movie.

At the end of a long, black table sat an older man. He had silver hair and a face that looked like it was carved out of stone. This was Viktor Volkov. The Don.

"So," Viktor said. His voice was raspy, like he had spent years screaming. "This is the girl who has my son acting like a fool."

Kaelen didn't flinch. He pulled out a chair for me and sat me down before taking his own seat. "She isn't a fool, Father. She's mine. I've kept her hidden because I knew you'd react like this."

Viktor didn't look at Kaelen. He stared at me. His eyes were cold and dead. He looked at my face, then down at my neck. He froze. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the star-shaped birthmark on my skin.

The silence in the room became heavy. I could hear the clock ticking on the wall. It felt like the air was being sucked out of the room.

"That mark," Viktor whispered. He leaned forward, his hands gripping the edge of the table. "I've seen that before. Many years ago."

I felt Kaelen stiffen beside me. My heart started thudding against my ribs. "It's... it's just a birthmark, sir," I said, my voice barely a whisper.

Viktor didn't seem to hear me. He was lost in a memory. "Silas Thorne had a daughter with a mark just like that. But she died in a fire. I saw the house burn myself."

Kaelen laughed, but it sounded forced. "You're seeing ghosts, Father. Ivy is from a foster home in the city. She has nothing to do with the Thornes. She's just a girl I fell for."

Viktor finally looked away from me and stared at his son. "Is she? Because a witness needs to die, Kaelen. That is the rule. If she is truly your fiancée, she needs to prove her loyalty to this family. We don't have room for weak women."

He snapped his fingers. Two guards entered the room, dragging a man whose face was covered in bruises. They threw him onto the floor at the end of the table. The man groaned, coughing up blood.

"This man was caught stealing from our warehouse," Viktor said. He picked up a sharp steak knife from the table and held it out toward me. "If you are going to be a Volkov, you can't be afraid of blood. Finish him, and I'll believe you're one of us."

I stared at the knife. The metal glinted in the candlelight. My hands started to tremble. I looked at the man on the floor. He was begging with his eyes, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

"She doesn't need to do this," Kaelen said, his voice turning dangerous.

"Yes, she does," Viktor snapped. "Or she dies with him."

I looked at Kaelen. He was watching me, his jaw tight. I knew what he was thinking. Do it or we both die.

I reached out and took the knife. It was heavier than I expected. I stood up, my legs feeling like they were going to give out. I walked toward the man on the floor. Every step felt like a mile.

I looked down at the prisoner. I couldn't do it. I was a musician, not a murderer. But then I saw Viktor watching me, a cruel smile on his face. He wanted me to fail. He wanted an excuse to kill me.

I turned the knife in my hand. Instead of stabbing the man, I pressed the blade into my own palm and sliced hard.

I let out a sharp gasp as the pain flared. Red blood began to drip from my hand, splashing onto the white rug and the prisoner's shirt.

"What are you doing?" Viktor barked, standing up.

I turned to face him, holding my bleeding hand out so he could see it. "In my world, we don't kill the help for small mistakes," I said, my voice surprisingly steady. "I've already bled for this family tonight. My blood is on your floor now, Don Volkov. Is that not enough proof? Or do you want to keep testing the woman your son chose to marry?"

The room went dead silent. Kaelen stood up and moved to my side, his eyes wide with shock. Viktor stared at me, his expression unreadable. For a long moment, I thought he was going to kill me right there.

Then, he started to laugh. It was a dry, hollow sound.

"She has claws," Viktor said, sitting back down. "Dangerous claws. Fine. The girl stays. For now."

Kaelen grabbed my wrist, his thumb pressing against the wound to stop the bleeding. He didn't say anything, but the look he gave me was full of something I hadn't seen before. It wasn't just protection. It was respect.

He led me out of the room before the food was even served. As we walked back up the stairs, I felt dizzy from the pain and the fear.

"That was the bravest, stupidest thing I've ever seen," Kaelen whispered once we were in the hallway.

"I saved him," I whispered back.

"You saved yourself," Kaelen corrected me. He looked at my hand, his face darkening. "But now my father knows you're a threat. And in this house, threats don't live very long."

The door to the bedroom clicked shut, and the silence felt like a heavy weight. I stood in the middle of the room, my hand still wrapped in a bloody napkin. Now that the adrenaline was fading, the pain was starting to scream.

Kaelen didn't say a word. He walked to a small cabinet, pulled out a black medical kit, and pointed to the edge of the bed.

"Sit," he said. His voice was different now. It wasn't the cold, hard voice he used with his father. It sounded tight, like he was holding back a storm.

I sat down. My legs were shaking so hard I wasn't sure I could stand anyway. Kaelen knelt on the floor between my knees. He reached out and took my hand, his touch firm but careful. He unwrapped the napkin, and I hissed as the fabric pulled at the cut.

"I told you to act," he muttered, looking at the deep slice in my palm. "I didn't tell you to mutilate yourself."

"It was the only way," I whispered. I watched him pour antiseptic over the wound. It stung like fire, and I gripped the silk of my dress with my other hand. "Your father wanted me to be a killer, Kaelen. I couldn't do it. I'm not like you."

Kaelen stopped what he was doing and looked up at me. His blue eyes were dark. "You think I like doing what I do? You think I enjoy having blood on my hands every night?"

"You're good at it," I said, looking away.

"I'm good at it because I have to be," he snapped. He went back to stitching the wound. He was fast and precise. "In this family, if you aren't the one holding the knife, you're the one feeling the blade. You just invited my father to look at you more closely, Ivy. That was a mistake."

"He already knows, doesn't he?" I asked. "He mentioned the name Thorne. He saw the birthmark. He knows who I am."

Kaelen finished the last stitch and began wrapping my hand in clean white gauze. "He suspects. But as long as I say you're a nobody from the streets, he can't prove it. If he finds out the truth-that you're Silas Thorne's daughter-nothing I say will save you."

"Why does he hate my father's name so much?"

Kaelen stood up, towering over me. He walked to the window and stared out at the dark city. "Because Silas Thorne was a man of honor. My father... my father is a man of power. You can't have both in this world. Silas wanted to change things. He wanted to stop the drugs, stop the killing. So my father removed him."

I felt a chill run down my spine. "He killed him? My father was his best friend."

"Friendship means nothing to a Volkov," Kaelen said, turning to face me. "Only loyalty to the crown matters."

I looked at the diamond ring on my finger. "And you? Are you loyal to him?"

Kaelen walked back to me, stopping so close I could smell the whiskey and the iron on him. He leaned down, his hands resting on the bed on either side of me, pinning me in.

"I've spent fifteen years doing exactly what he told me to do," Kaelen whispered. His face was so close to mine I could see the tiny gold flecks in his blue eyes. "I became his shadow. His weapon. But then I saw you again in that alley. And for the first time in my life, I wanted to break the rules."

"Why me?" I breathed. My heart was beating so fast I thought he could see it through my dress.

Kaelen reached out, his thumb tracing my lower lip. It was a slow, heavy touch that made my breath hitch. "Because you're the only thing in this world that isn't stained, Ivy. You're the girl from the fire. And I'm the boy who should have let you burn but couldn't."

He leaned in closer. I should have pushed him away. I should have been afraid. But all I could feel was the heat between us.

"Kaelen..." I started, but my voice failed me.

"Don't," he murmured against my lips. "Don't say my name like that unless you mean it."

Just as his lips brushed mine, his phone vibrated on the nightstand. The sound was like a gunshot in the quiet room.

Kaelen pulled back, the warmth in his eyes vanishing instantly. He answered the phone, his face turning into a mask of stone. "Talk to me," he said.

He listened for a few seconds, his jaw tightening. "How many? Fine. Lock the gates. I'll be there in ten minutes."

He hung up and looked at me. The romantic tension was gone, replaced by pure, cold danger.

"What's happening?" I asked, standing up.

"The Romanovs," Kaelen said, grabbing a jacket from the chair. "They heard a rumor that I've found a 'prize.' They think if they kill you, they can start a war with my father while he's distracted. There's a hit out on you, Ivy. One million dollars to the man who brings them your head."

He walked to a drawer, pulled out a small, sleek pistol, and handed it to me.

"Kaelen, I don't know how to use this," I said, holding it like it was a poisonous snake.

"You'd better learn fast," he said, his eyes fierce. "I have to go to the docks to handle the breach. I've put guards at your door, but don't trust anyone. If someone who isn't me tries to come through that door, you pull the trigger. Do you understand?"

I looked at the gun, then at him. "Will you come back?"

Kaelen paused at the door. He looked at me, and for a split second, I saw the boy from the fire again. "I've been looking for you for fifteen years, Little Bird. I'm not losing you to a Romanov bullet."

Then he was gone, and the sound of the lock clicking felt like the start of a countdown.