Chapter 1 - The Bloodline of a Beast
Lorenzo Castellano did not trust things that showed mercy, and he certainly did not trust miracles.
He stood frozen as the creature he had spent three fortunes and two years training—a dog bred from elite contraband lines to tear a grown man's limb from socket without hesitation—now whimpered softly against a terrified, twenty-four-year-old catering girl.
"Get away from her, Grimm," Lorenzo commanded, his voice cold.
The dog didn't budge. It merely tucked its tail closer to its massive legs, its amber eyes glaring sideways at its master with sudden, fierce defiance. It threw its body heavier against Nina’s shoulder, anchoring itself as if it believed she might vanish if it let go.
Nina’s hands, shaking uncontrollably, rose to trace the thick, studded collar. Her fingers brushed the familiar lump of scar tissue just behind the left ear—a distinct, jagged knot left over from a barbed-wire fence accident behind her childhood home six years ago.
"Ghost," she choked out, a tear finally breaking free and tracking down her cheek. "My God... it's you."
Lorenzo stepped closer, his boots clicking sharply against the stone. "You know this animal?"
"He was stolen," Nina whispered, her voice fierce despite her terror. "When he was six months old. They took him from my yard."
"Impossible," Lorenzo said flatly. "I bought him from an underground broker in Bucharest. He was raised in a combat pit until I bought his contract in blood."
"I don't care where you bought him," Nina looked up, her tear-filled eyes flashing with sudden, reckless fury. "Look at the crescent moon mark on his chest. Look at the scar behind his ear. This is my dog."
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Before Lorenzo could answer, the security intercom buzzed violently.
The head of security's voice crackled through, laced with pure panic. "Boss. We have a breach. Three black-market enforcers from the Rostov syndicate just bypassed the lobby. They’re tracking the dog’s digital collar. They want him back—or they’re taking the whole penthouse apart."
