Chapter 1 - THE MAN WHO SAW THE BLOODHarper Queen had learned how to hide pain.
She had learned how to smile while her ribs hurt.
She had learned how to walk normally when every step sent fire through her bruised legs.
Most importantly, she had learned never to let anyone see the truth.
But that night, she failed.
Blood was dripping onto Gabriel Ashford's white marble floor.
One drop.
Then another.
Then another.
Harper stared at it, frozen beside the bathroom sink.
She had pressed a folded cloth against the cut on her calf, but the blood kept slipping through her fingers. Her maid's uniform was pulled awkwardly over her bruised back. She was struggling with the zipper when the footsteps stopped outside.
The bathroom door opened.
Gabriel Ashford stood in the doorway.
Thirty-two.
Six feet two.
Black shirt.
Black trousers.
A silver watch wrapped around his wrist.
His expression was unreadable.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
Gabriel's eyes moved from Harper's face to the blood on the floor.
Then to the cloth.
Then to the bruises visible above the neckline of her uniform.
Harper immediately turned away.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Ashford."
Her voice was barely audible.
"I'll clean it."
Gabriel didn't move.
"Who did that?"
Harper swallowed.
"No one."
"That's blood."
"I cut myself."
"That's a bruise."
Silence.
Harper's fingers tightened around the cloth.
"Accident."
Gabriel stepped into the bathroom.
He closed the door behind him.
Click.
The sound made Harper's heart pound.
For three years, she'd heard that tone of a door closing.
It always meant the same thing.
No one was coming.
No one could hear her.
No one would save her.
Gabriel noticed the fear in her expression.
His eyes narrowed.
"You're afraid of me."
Harper looked down.
"I'm afraid of everyone."
That answer changed something in his face.
He walked toward her.
Harper stepped backward until her lower back touched the marble sink.
Gabriel stopped.
He did not touch her.
Instead, he looked at the bloodied cloth.
"Sit."
"I'm fine."
"Sit."
There was no anger in his voice.
Just certainty.
Harper slowly lowered herself onto the edge of the bathtub.
Gabriel took a clean towel from the cabinet and handed it to her.
"Press that against the wound."
She obeyed.
He crouched several feet away, studying the injury.
"It's deep."
"I've had worse."
Gabriel's eyes lifted.
"Who?"
Harper said nothing.
"Your boyfriend?"
"No."
"Your father?"
"No."
"Someone you work for?"
"No."
"Then who?"
Her lips trembled.
"Derek."
Gabriel went completely still.
"Last name."
Harper looked at him.
"Derek Lawson."
Something cold appeared behind Gabriel's eyes.
"What is he?"
Harper hesitated.
"A police officer."
Gabriel stared at her.
"Precinct?"
"12."
He stood.
The room suddenly felt smaller.
Gabriel walked to the sink and washed his hands.
Harper couldn't understand why.
Then he spoke.
"How long?"
"What?"
"How long has he been doing this?"
Harper looked away.
"Three years."
Gabriel turned off the faucet.
"Three years?"
She nodded.
"He used to apologize."
Gabriel said nothing.
"He always apologized."
Harper's eyes filled with tears.
"And I always believed him."
A long silence followed.
Then Gabriel asked the question she had never expected.
"Where is your brother?"
Harper's head snapped up.
She had never told him she had a brother.
"How do you know about Noah?"
Gabriel stared at her.
"Because someone has been watching your apartment."
The blood drained from Harper's face.
"What?"
Gabriel walked toward the door.
"Your brother isn't safe."
Harper stood immediately.
"What did you say?"
"Sit down."
"No."
She pushed past him.
Gabriel caught her wrist.
Harper flinched violently.
Gabriel released her instantly.
He looked at her wrist.
There was another bruise.
Finger-shaped.
His jaw tightened.
"The man who hurt you knows where you live."
Harper's breathing became shallow.
"That's impossible."
"Four men were outside your apartment twenty minutes ago."
"Who?"
"I don't know yet."
"My brother is alone."
Gabriel picked up his phone.
"I already sent someone."
Harper stared at him.
"You did what?"
"Your brother is being moved."
"No!"
She grabbed his arm.
"You can't move him without telling me!"
Gabriel looked down at her hand.
For the first time, Harper realized she was touching the most feared man in Boston.
She released him.
"I'm sorry."
Gabriel looked at her.
"You apologize too much."
He made a call.
"Get Noah out now."
A voice answered from the other end.
"Sir, we have a problem."
Gabriel's expression changed.
"What?"
"We're too late."
Harper stopped breathing.
"What happened?"
Gabriel listened.
Then his face became completely emotionless.
He lowered the phone.
"Your brother is gone."
Harper stared at him.
"No."
"Harper..."
"No."
She rushed toward the door.
Gabriel blocked her.
"Move."
"You can't go there."
"Move!"
"He wants you to."
"Who?"
Gabriel looked directly into her eyes.
"Derek Lawson."
Harper's knees almost gave out.
Then Gabriel's phone rang again.
This time, it was a video call.
Gabriel answered.
The screen showed a dark room.
A chair.
A small figure sitting in it.
Noah.
Harper screamed.
"Noah!"
Her brother looked toward the camera.
His face was wet with tears.
"Harper?"
A man's voice came from behind him.
"Tell your sister not to run."
Derek Lawson stepped into the frame.
He smiled.
"Because next time, I'll send her something that can't be returned."
The screen went black.
Gabriel slowly lowered the phone.
Harper looked at him, shaking.
"What does he want?"
Gabriel didn't answer.
He was staring at the final frame of the video.
There had been a reflection in the window behind Derek.
A second man.
Wearing a black suit.
Watching everything.
Gabriel recognized him.
And for the first time that night, genuine fear appeared in his eyes.
Because the second man was not Derek's partner.
He was someone Gabriel had believed was dead.
And if he was alive, then Harper Queen had never been hired by accident.
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She had been placed inside the Ashford house.
On purpose.
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