Chapter 1 - The Midnight Truce
""Because your child insulted my dog?"" Vincent asked, the trace of an amused smirk barely tugging at the corner of his chiseled jaw.
Nora stared at him, feeling the crisp nighttime air drifting across the courtyard between the main house and the garage apartment. Her heart, which had been hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird ever since Lucy breached that boardroom, finally began to slow. Standing under the dim amber glow of the entryway bulb, Vincent Calder did not look like the ruthless syndicate boss the rumors made him out to be. He looked simply like a towering, exhausted man who had shed his armored shell for a single quiet evening.
""People get fired for far less in houses like this,"" Nora replied softly, crossing her arms against the sudden chill. ""I know who you are, Mr. Calder. Well, I know what people say. They say you don't tolerate mistakes, and you certainly don't tolerate intrusions into your private affairs.""
Vincent leaned his shoulder against the painted doorframe. Bishop sat obediently at his heel, his heavy tail thumping once against the wooden boards. ""What people say pays my bills and keeps my enemies looking over their shoulders. But in this house, Nora, I value honesty above obedience. Your daughter marched into a room full of heavily armed men, demanded justice for a disemboweled toy, and looked me dead in the eye without blinking. That isn’t an intrusion. That’s raw courage. You're raising a good kid.""
A flush of warmth bloomed in Nora’s chest. For three years, ever since Lucy's father walked out leaving behind an avalanche of unpaid debts and broken promises, she had carried the terrifying weight of parenthood entirely alone. No one had ever complimented her on her mothering without following it up with pity.
""She's reckless,"" Nora murmured, looking down at her worn slippers. ""She thinks the world is good, that everyone plays fair.""
""Then we let her think that for as long as she can,"" Vincent said quietly. His voice dropped to a low, gravelly timbre that vibrated right through the quiet hallway. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, plush green frog with mismatched button eyes. He held it out toward her. ""Bishop felt remorseful. He bought a peace offering from the store down the road.""
Nora’s eyes widened as she took the tiny stuffed frog. It was ridiculously soft. ""You went to a toy store?""
""I had Mason drive me through a twenty-four-hour pharmacy,"" Vincent corrected without a flinch, though a dark spark lit up his charcoal-gray eyes. ""If word gets out that the Calder empire bows to toddlers, my stock will plummet. Keep it between us.""
A laugh escaped her lips before she could catch it. It was the first genuine, unrestrained laugh Nora had enjoyed in nearly two years. Vincent watched her closely, his gaze lingering on the curve of her smile and the way the porch light caught the amber highlights in her chestnut hair. The air between them grew charged, heavy with an electric stillness that made Nora’s breath hitch.
""I need to get some sleep,"" she said hurriedly, taking a half-step back inside the threshold. ""The silver in the east salon needs polishing at dawn.""
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""Leave the silver,"" Vincent commanded, though his tone was warm. ""Have breakfast in the main kitchen tomorrow morning. Both of you. That’s an order, Nora.""
Before she could protest, he turned on his heel and disappeared into the shadows of the courtyard, his enormous dog pacing faithfully beside him. Nora locked the door, leaning back against the cool wood with the small plush frog pressed against her chest, wondering if she was stepping into something far more dangerous than poverty.
