Prologue

Clara

“ H mph"

I slouch in the backseat, arms crossed, refusing to look at Jake.

The leather seats creak as I shift, the familiar scent of the ultra-tinted Jaguar F-Pace filling my nose. “You’re always late, Jake. You promised you’d be on time today.”

Jake sighs, his 6’3” frame taking up space beside me. “Come on, bug . I had some important stuff to take care of. You know how it is.”

My eyes roll to the car ceiling, and I draw my lower lip out in a mock pout, my 15-year-old attitude in full swing. “More important than your sister’s first day of summer break?”

And more important than the promise I made to Elle , I think bitterly.

I promised her a front-row seat to the “Jake Show” on her first day of summer break. She’s had the hots for Jake since what, elementary school? And I told her I’d make sure she’d get to see him today. But no, my brother just had to go and ruin it, like always.

I shoot him a scowl, but he just flashes me a cheeky smirk.

It’s not like I can blame Elle for crushing on him, though. Jake’s always been “Captain Dreamy,” the former football hero with that swoon-worthy smile, his athletic build, and chiseled features.

He’s the popular guy every girl wants to date, and every guy wants to be. Heck, he’s been turning heads for twenty-seven years.

But to me, he’s just my annoying older brother, the one who loves to tease me and ruffle my hair like I’m still a little kid. He might be Mr. Popular to the rest of the world, but to me, he’s just Jake.

And Jake’s all the family I’ve got. Dad might as well be a stranger.

Jake chuckles, his deep voice filling the car. “Nothing’s more important than you, Clara. But sometimes, grown-up stuff gets in the way.”

I scoff, turning to stare out the window at the passing scenery. “You’re not that grown-up. You’re only 27 .”

“And you’re just a kid at 15 ,” Jake teases, reaching over to ruffle my hair.

I swat his hand away, trying to hide my smile. “Stop it, Jake! I’m not a kid anymore.”

Jake grins, his clear blue eyes crinkling at the corners. “You’ll always be my little baby sister, no matter how old you get.”

“I’m not a baby, okay.” I snatch Jake’s hand and chomp down—well, pretend to. It’s all gums.

Jake’s eyes widen, pure mock horror. “Oh, no! The mafia princess has turned cannibal!”

I keep my teeth on his hand, eyes narrowed. “Better watch out.”

“Ouch! My hand!” Jake yelps, throwing his head back against the SUV’s seat dramatically. “I need that for, you know, mafia boss stuff!”

“Mafia? Yeah, right.” I let go and give him a light smack. “Drama king.”

I glance outside just in time to catch sight of a small lake. The sunlight sparkles on the water, sending flashes of light that dance across the interior of the SUV.

The sun streams in, heating my face, and I can’t help but break into a grin.

Summer’s the best .

Summer means no boarding school, just Jake and I. It’s the best part of the year, really. Getting to hang out without any rules or schedules—it’s like we’re kids again, just goofing around. I count down the days until summer every year, just waiting for that.

“ Ohmygod , bug.” Jake wiggles his fingers, inspecting them. “Look at these teeth marks. Brutal!”

“Please. You’d cry if I actually bit you.” I cross my arms, shooting him a challenging look.

I see Mitch crack a smile at our quip fest in the rearview mirror.

“Mitch would cough up cash to watch me chomp on you.”

Leaning close, I catch a whiff of Jake’s cologne—Tom Ford, his favorite. The familiar scent wraps around me like a warm hug, making me feel safe and loved. It’s moments like these that remind me how lucky I am to have a brother like him.

“Is that true, Mitch?” Jake asks, turning to our bodyguard-slash-driver. “Would you pay to see my little sister bite me?”

Mitch, a large, imposing figure wearing dark sunglasses, keeps his eyes on the road. “Yes, boss. I’d love to see that,” he replies in a serious tone, but I catch the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“See?” I grin, nudging Jake. “Even Mitch’s on my side.”

He rolls his eyes, hiking his shoulder lightly. “He’s just scared you’ll bite him instead if he doesn’t agree with you.”

As the SUV cruises along the private roads, I gaze out the window, realizing we’re not heading toward our usual route home. Frowning, I turn to Jake. “Where are we going? This isn’t the way back to the house.”

Jake’s jaw tightens, his eyes flickering with an emotion I can’t quite place. “We’re going to see Dad.”

My stomach drops at the mention of our father. “Why? He doesn’t give a shit about me.”

“Clara…” Jake sighs, running a hand through his hair. “He’s still our father.”

I scoff, tossing my head. “Yeah, some father. He barely acknowledges my existence, and when he does, it’s like he’s looking at the person who killed Mom.”

Jake winces, and I feel a twinge of guilt. I know it’s not fair to bring up Mom’s death, but it’s the truth. She died giving birth to me, and ever since, Dad’s treated me like a constant reminder of what he lost.

“Fine, I apologize for coming up late to pick you up. I had to meet with Dad, and things turned out quite differently than I expected,” Jake admits, his voice strained.

“Let me guess, more important heir-to-the-empire stuff?” I roll my eyes.

Jake doesn’t answer, confirming my suspicions. It’s always been clear that he’s the favorite, the chosen son destined to take over the family business. I’m just the spare, the unwanted daughter.

“Is that true?” I ask, eyeing him suspiciously.

Jake tries to hold back a laugh, reaching over to pat my head. “Would I lie to you, bug?”

“Yes,” I deadpan.

“Don’t worry. We’ll drop by your favorite ice cream shop on the way.”

I narrow my eyes. “Are you trying to bribe me?”

“If you want to think of it that way, but I think of it as appeasing my baby sister,” he says with a wink, adjusting his tie. Jake’s always dressed to impress, just like Dad. Black suit, white shirt, the uniform of the family empire.

“Motherfucker!” Mitch suddenly curses as a car tries to overtake us.

“Language, Mitch!”

“Sorry, boss,” Mitch apologizes.

“Come on. I’m 15! I know how to curse, too. Henry taught me a bunch of British swear words,” I protest, wanting to sound grown-up.

Jake raises an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. “Oh, really? And who’s this Henry guy?”

I feel my cheeks heat up. “No one. Just a friend from school.”

“A friend, huh?” Jake teases, nudging me with his elbow. “Is he your boyfriend?”

“What? No!” I splutter, my face burning. “He’s just a guy from my class.”

Jake chuckles, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “If you say so, bug. But I bet he’s totally into you.”

I open my mouth to retort, but before I can, the SUV suddenly swerves sharply, throwing me against the door. “What the hell, Mitch?”

Mitch doesn’t answer, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. Jake’s head snaps up, his eyes alert. “What’s going on?”

“We’ve got company, boss,” Mitch grits out, his eyes locked on the rearview mirror.

I twist in my seat, my heart pounding as I see two black cars tailing us, gaining speed. “Jake…”

“It’s okay, bug. We’ll handle this.” Jake’s voice is calm, but I can see the tension in his shoulders.

Gunshots ring out, making me scream. Jake yanks me down, shielding me with his body.

“Stay down, Clara!”

Mitch swerves, trying to lose our pursuers, but they’re relentless. Bullets ping off the SUV’s reinforced exterior, each one feeling like a countdown to our doom.

I cling to Jake, tears stinging my eyes. This can’t be happening. We were supposed to have a normal summer, not be caught in the middle of some fucking car chase.

“Hold on tight,” Mitch growls, jerking the wheel hard.

The SUV careens off the road, plowing through underbrush and trees. I’m thrown against Jake, my breath knocked out of me. The car comes to a jarring halt, and for a moment, everything is silent.

Then Jake’s shoving me toward the door, his eyes wild. “Go, Clara! Run!”

I stumble out of the SUV, my legs shaking. Behind us, I can hear the screech of tires, the shouts of our pursuers. Jake and Mitch are on my heels, urging me forward.

We crash through the woods, branches tearing at my clothes, my lungs burning with each ragged breath. I don’t know who’s after us or why, but I do know one thing—we’re in deep shit.

A bullet whizzes past my ear, making me yelp. Jake grabs my hand, pulling me faster. “Don’t look back, just keep running!”

My mind’s reeling, trying to make sense of it all. Is this because of Dad? Because of the “ family business ”? I always knew there was something shady going on, but I never thought it would put our lives in danger.

We keep running, the sounds of our pursuers fading behind us. Finally, when we can’t run anymore, we collapse behind a large oak tree, gasping for air.

Jake pulls me close, his arms trembling. “You okay, bug?”

I nod, burying my face in his chest. “What the fuck was that, Jake?”

He shakes his head, his jaw tight. “I don’t know yet. But whatever it is, we’re in trouble.”