Chapter 1 - THE INCIDENT
Fire every trainer.
The words hit the courtyard like a thunderclap. Pigeons scattered from the eaves, and a dozen hardened men in tailored black suits froze mid-stride. Nobody moved. Nobody breathed.
In the center of the training yard, the family's massive black cane corso stood over three professional handlers he had just dragged through the gravel like children's toys. Torn sleeves. Muddy suits. Bruised egos. None of it seemed to matter to the enormous dog. He simply yawned, stretched, and looked thoroughly unimpressed.
The senior capos exchanged nervous glances. Replacing a bodyguard was easy. Replacing the boss's favorite guard dog was another matter entirely.
Just as Aleandro Dantis looked ready to order another expensive trainer flown in from Europe, the estate gates opened.
A slightly out-of-breath woman hurried inside, carrying a faded backpack decorated with tiny embroidered paw prints. She blinked at the intimidating mansion. Then at the men dressed like they belonged in an action movie. Finally, she looked at the enormous growling dog.
Oh, she said cheerfully. Who's my grumpy baby?
Five seconds later, the terrifying guardian of the Dantis Empire rolled onto his back, exposed his stomach, and wagged his tail with complete happiness.
Silence swallowed the estate.
Earlier that same morning, Daisy Harper had been running forty-three minutes behind schedule. She blamed a stubborn beagle. The beagle blamed a squirrel. The squirrel blamed absolutely nobody.
Life, Daisy often believed, had a strange sense of humor.
At thirty-one, she balanced three part-time jobs with the determination of someone who had stopped expecting life to get easier years ago. She walked dogs before breakfast, worked afternoons at a neighborhood pet supply store, and spent evenings assisting at a small veterinary clinic whenever they needed an extra pair of hands.
Every paycheck disappeared almost immediately. Not because she lived extravagantly. Quite the opposite.
Months before her mother's passing, they had rescued animals no one else wanted. Old dogs. Abandoned puppies. Injured strays. Retired service animals. Saving them had left behind a mountain of veterinary bills Daisy refused to ignore.
They deserved love, she always said whenever friends asked why she worked so much. So the bills deserve to get paid.
It wasn't glamorous. It wasn't easy. But every morning began with wagging tails, and that made everything worthwhile.
Her phone buzzed.
New client. Emergency behavior consultation. Large breed. Excellent pay. Private security estate.
Her regular dispatcher had accidentally attached the wrong address after two appointments had been switched that morning. Daisy shrugged. A dog is a dog.
Fifteen minutes later, she arrived at towering iron gates guarded by men in black suits and earpieces.
Hi, she said, smiling brightly.
The guards looked at one another. One quietly pressed a button. Another whispered into his microphone.
Daisy glanced behind herself. Is someone famous visiting?
They didn't answer. They simply opened the gates.
Fancy security company, Daisy murmured, walking inside. Must have really expensive office equipment.
On the balcony, Aleandro watched the newcomer approach.
This is the replacement, one capo whispered. Apparently, she brought dog toys.
Indeed she had. Colorful rope toys peeked from one side of her backpack. A squeaky duck protruded from the other.
One elderly capo sighed. We're all going to die.
Aleandro remained expressionless. He had seen internationally recognized animal behaviorists fail. Former military trainers fail. Police K-9 specialists fail. This was the animal who had bitten every professional handler the family had ever hired.
If this woman failed too, at least she looked too kind to blame.
His dog certainly wouldn't agree.
The massive cane corso lunged forward with a thunderous bark. Several guards instinctively reached for their weapons.
Daisy did something completely unexpected.
She sat down right there on the gravel, cross-legged, ignoring every frightened face around her. She opened her backpack — not to pull out a leash, not a training collar, not any complicated equipment. Instead, she produced a small cloth bag.
The rich smell of homemade beef treats drifted across the courtyard.
The dog's ears twitched.
Daisy tilted her head. Oh, sweetheart. You're exhausted, aren't you?
Another growl.
She nodded sympathetically. I know. You've had strangers shouting at you all week.
The dog stopped barking.
You don't know them. Silence. They don't know you.
The giant animal slowly lowered his head.
Around the courtyard, several capos stared as though they were witnessing black magic.
Daisy smiled gently. I wouldn't trust them either.
The dog's tail gave one cautious thump.
She didn't move closer. She didn't demand obedience. She simply tossed one treat several feet away. The dog sniffed it, ate it, then looked back. Another treat landed closer. Then another.
Within moments, the enormous guardian calmly walked toward her on his own.
When he finally reached her, Daisy offered the last treat from her open palm. Instead of snapping, he carefully licked her hand.
Oh, she giggled. You're actually very polite.
Without hesitation, she scratched behind one floppy ear. The impossible happened. The giant cane corso leaned into the touch with a deep, contented sigh.
One bodyguard accidentally dropped his sunglasses. Another quietly crossed himself.
An elderly capo whispered, I've known that dog for six years. He has never sighed. Not once.
Aleandro descended the stone staircase without taking his eyes off the unbelievable scene.
The dog noticed him. Normally, he would immediately run to his master. Today, he remained sitting beside Daisy, leaning comfortably against her shoulder.
Aleandro stopped only a few feet away.
The woman looked up. Oh, she said warmly. You must own the security company.
For the first time in years, no one spoke to Aleandro Dantis as though he were an ordinary businessman. He almost corrected her. Almost.
Instead, he asked quietly, And what do you think of my employee?
She glanced at the dog. Oh, he's wonderful. He just thinks everyone expects him to perform instead of listening.
Several capos looked at one another. Had she just psychoanalyzed the boss's attack dog? The funniest part — she wasn't wrong.
The cane corso gently rested his massive head in Daisy's lap, then closed his eyes.
Aleandro stared at the sight. His most loyal protector. The dog who trusted almost nobody. The animal who had terrified every professional trainer money could buy. Completely asleep in the lap of a woman who still believed she was visiting a very serious security company.
For the first time in a long time, Aleandro Dantis felt something far more dangerous than fear.
May you like
Curiosity.
And somewhere behind him, several capos silently realized the exact same thing.
