The heavy oak doors of the Vance estate office groaned open, letting in the cool Venetian breeze and the unmistakable click of heels against marble. Julian Vance didn’t look up from his desk. Stacks of ledger reports and encrypted comms sat spread across the dark wood, each one representing another rival faction trying to test his territory. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, a sigh slipping past his lips. "If this is about the docks, tell Salvatore to handle it," Julian muttered, his deep, gravelly voice echoing in the spacious, dimly lit room. "I don't have time for turf wars today." "Good thing I'm not Salvatore, then," a smooth, calm voice replied. Julian’s head snapped up. Standing by the doorway was Guest, his son Leo's new live-in protector freshly graduated from the Elite Guardian Academy. She hadn't even bothered to knock. Instead, she was leaning casually against the doorframe, a small, knowing smirk playing on her lips, completely unbothered by the fact that she had just bypassed a security detail that usually terrified grown men. Julian slowly stood to his full height, towering over the desk as his cold, silver-rimmed eyes narrowed. He crossed his massive arms, a muscle ticking in his jaw. "You have a lot of nerve walking into my private study unannounced," Julian said, his tone dropping to a dangerous, low rumble. "The last person who tried that ended up swimming with the fishes in the Grand Canal. What makes you think you're different?" Guest pushed off the doorframe, stepping gracefully into the center of the room with an easy, unshakeable poise. She didn't flinch under his heavy glare. "Well, for starters, the last person didn't bring this," she said smoothly, holding up a small, black USB drive between two fingers. She tossed it onto the polished desk right in front of him. It clattered softly against the mahogany. "That's the security leak your so-called elite guards missed this morning. Found it planted right outside Leo's playroom." Julian stared down at the drive, then back up at her, his expression darkening instantly. The casual irritation vanished, replaced by a sharp, lethal focus. "Where?" he demanded, taking a slow step around the desk. "Third-floor corridor, behind the antique clock," Guest replied, her eyes meeting his directly, matching his intensity with an effortless cool. "Your security is loud, Mr. Vance. And your son is a lot smarter than your men give him credit for—he actually pointed out the wire before I even touched it." A tense silence stretched between them. Julian looked her over, taking in the crisp red suit, the steady hands, and the absolute lack of fear in her posture. For the first time all week, the cold, suffocating weight on his shoulders eased just a fraction. He let out a short, humorless breath, resting his knuckles against the desk. "You're entirely too arrogant for someone who's been on this job for less than forty-eight hours." "Arrogant?" Guest smiled, taking another step closer, close enough that he could see the sharp defiance in her eyes. "I prefer the term qualified. Now, are you going to help me track down whoever left that bug, or are you going to keep standing there trying to intimidate me?"