The Arrival

• The car stopped so suddenly that Enzra’s shoulder slammed against the door.

she didn’t make a sound.

The man beside her grabbed her arm.

“Get out.”

Enzra looked through the dark window.

A massive black gate stood in front of them. Two armed men stood on either side, watching the car closely.

Beyond the gate was a mansion so enormous that Enzra could barely see where it ended.

Her stomach tightened.

So this was the place.

The place her uncle had sold her to.

“Move.”

The man’s fingers tightened around her arm.

Enzra turned toward him.

“Take your hand off me.”

The man stared at her.

His name was Damon.

Everyone who worked for Genesis knew Damon as one of the most impatient men in the organization.

He gave a humorless laugh.

“You still have an attitude?”

Enzra pulled her arm away.

“I still have a voice.”

Damon’s expression changed.

He raised his hand.

Enzra didn’t flinch.

But before he could do anything, the driver’s door opened.

Marcus, the man who had driven them there, stepped out.

“Not here, Damon.”

Damon lowered his hand.

He glanced toward the mansion.

“Fine.”

Enzra opened the car door herself.

Her bare feet touched the cold ground.

Furthermore, she stood straight.

Her clothes were dirty. Her hair was messy. There was dried blood at the corner of her lip, but she refused to wipe it.

Furthermore, she wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

Damon slammed the car door.

“Walk.”

Enzra looked at him.

“Where?”

“Inside.”

“And if I don’t?”

Damon smiled.

“You really don’t know where you are, do you?”

Enzra looked toward the mansion.

“Apparently not.”

Damon stepped closer.

“You’re on Genesis Black’s property.”

The name made something cold settle in her chest.

Genesis.

She had heard that name before.

Everyone had.

Some said he had taken control of the city before he was thirty.

Some said men disappeared after crossing him.

Others said the police knew exactly who he was but were too afraid to touch him.

Enzra didn’t know which stories were true.

But she knew one thing.

Her uncle had been terrified when he mentioned his name.

And that was enough.

“Walk,” Damon ordered.

Enzra started toward the mansion.

Marcus followed behind them.

The enormous front doors opened before they reached them.

Enzra stepped inside.

Silence.

Not the peaceful kind.

The kind that made every sound feel dangerous.

Men dressed in black stood throughout the enormous hall.

One of them was Kane, a tall man with a scar running across his eyebrow. Another was Victor, who stood near the staircase with his arms folded.

Their eyes followed Enzra as she walked in.

Kane looked at Damon.

“Is this her?”

Damon nodded.

“Yes.”

Victor gave a quiet laugh.

“That’s the girl her uncle used to settle the debt?”

Enzra stopped walking.

She turned toward him.

“If you’re going to talk about me, at least have the courage to say it while I’m looking at you.”

Victor’s smile faded.

Kane raised an eyebrow.

“She’s got a mouth.”

Damon sighed.

“That’s what I’ve been dealing with since we picked her up.”

Enzra looked at him.

“I wasn’t picked up.”

She continued walking.

“I was brought here.”

Before anyone could respond, a voice came from upstairs.

“Who brought her?”

Everything stopped.

The room went silent.

Enzra slowly looked up.

A man stood at the top of the staircase.

Black shirt.

Dark trousers.

One hand rested casually against the railing.

He wasn’t doing anything threatening.

He didn’t need to.

The entire room had already changed because he was there.

Genesis Black.

Enzra knew immediately.

She had never seen him before, but she knew.

Damon lowered his head.

“Master.”

Genesis’s eyes moved toward him.

“I asked who brought her.”

“Her uncle,” Damon replied.

Genesis looked at Enzra.

“Bring her here.”

Damon stepped forward.

Enzra didn’t move.

Genesis’s expression remained unreadable.

“Did you not hear me?”

“I heard you.”

“Then come here.”

Enzra slowly walked forward.

She stopped at the bottom of the staircase.

Genesis descended.

Step.

Step.

Step.

Nobody spoke.

When he reached the last step, his eyes settled on her face.

“You were sold.”

The words hit harder than she expected.

Enzra swallowed.

“I know.”

“Your uncle owed money.”

“I know.”

“He couldn’t pay.”

“I know.”

Genesis tilted his head.

“Then why are you asking questions?”

“Because I’m not a package.”

Silence.

Someone behind him shifted.

Genesis didn’t look away from her.

“Apparently you are.”

Enzra’s jaw tightened.

“Then your people have made a mistake.”

Genesis’s eyes narrowed.

“How?”

“My uncle doesn’t own me.”

For the first time, something changed in his expression.

Not kindness.

Not sympathy.

Interest.

“Everyone has a price.”

“Then he gave you the wrong one.”

Kane looked at Victor.

Victor slowly shook his head.

Neither of them had expected her to say that.

Genesis took a step closer.

His eyes dropped to the dried blood on her lip.

“Who did that?”

Enzra wiped it with the back of her hand.

“Does it matter?”

“I asked a question.”

“And I answered.”

“No. You didn’t.”

Enzra stared at him.

Genesis turned toward Damon.

“Take her to the east wing.”

Damon nodded.

“Yes, Master.”

Enzra immediately stepped back.

“No.”

Genesis looked at her.

“No?”

“I’m not sleeping anywhere in this place.”

“You’re not here to sleep.”

Her heart skipped.

“Then why am I here?”

Genesis didn’t answer.

He simply turned away.

That frightened her more than an answer would have.

“Wait.”

He stopped.

Enzra stared at his back.

“You said my uncle paid a debt.”

“Yes.”

“How much?”

Genesis turned around.

“Why?”

“Because I want to know what my life is worth.”

The room went quiet.

Genesis studied her face.

Then he said,

“Your uncle didn’t pay his debt.”

Enzra froze.

“What?”

“He made a deal.”

“What deal?”

Genesis walked toward her again.

This time, there was something different in his eyes.

“Your uncle owed me money.”

“I know.”

“He promised something in return.”

Enzra’s breathing became shallow.

“What?”

Genesis stopped directly in front of her.

“You.”

Her face went blank.

For the first time that night, she had nothing to say.

Genesis watched the realization settle over her.

Then he continued.

“And there’s something your uncle forgot to tell you.”

Enzra’s fingers curled into fists.

“What?”

Genesis turned away.

“Take her upstairs.”

Damon stepped toward her.

“Come.”

Enzra didn’t move.

“Wait!”

Genesis stopped.

Enzra looked at him.

“Genesis!”

The entire room froze.

Kane’s eyes widened.

Victor immediately looked away.

Damon’s face changed.

Even Marcus, who had been standing quietly near the entrance, looked nervous.

Genesis slowly turned around.

His expression had completely changed.

He walked toward Enzra.

She remained still.

He stopped directly in front of her.

Slap.

The sound echoed through the hall.

Enzra’s head turned slightly from the impact.

Nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

Genesis stared at her.

“Never call me by my name.”

Enzra slowly turned her face back toward him.

His voice was cold.

“Do you understand?”

She said nothing.

Genesis stepped closer.

“Everyone in this house calls me Master.”

Silence.

“Do you?”

Enzra stared at him.

Her eyes were burning, but she refused to let the tears fall.

She didn’t apologize.

She didn’t lower her head.

She simply said nothing.

Genesis watched her for several seconds.

Then he turned away.

“Damon.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Take her upstairs.”

Damon immediately moved.

Enzra followed without another word.

As she climbed the stairs, she could feel everyone’s eyes on her.

But she kept her face expressionless.

She had learned something tonight.

Genesis Black didn’t want respect.

He demanded it.

And Enzra had just broken his first rule within minutes of entering his house.

But there was something Genesis didn’t know.

Enzra had never been good at following rules.

And this house was about to learn exactly how dangerous that could be.