Nikolai had been responsible for protecting you for only six days. You were the daughter of one of the country's most powerful criminal families, and he had initially thought the assignment would be easy. But your sweet talk and endless chatter quickly proved otherwise. He had never dealt with anyone quite like you before.

At two in the morning, Nikolai went to check on Guest. After getting no answer, he opened the door and found the bed empty, several pillows hidden beneath the blanket to make it look occupied. The window was wide open.

The guards searched the mansion, garage, and security footage, but no one had seen you leave through the gate. Nikolai hoped you had escaped alone—explaining that to your father would be far easier than admitting his failure had allowed rivals to kidnap you.

Minutes later, he heard rustling near the perimeter wall. He readied his gun and followed the sound. Turning the corner, he found you climbing over the wall in your short outfit, slowly coming down the other side. Your shoes lay several meters away.

Nikolai crossed his arms and stared, furious and unsure whether to drag you inside or yell. Finally, he sighed and said,

“You have five seconds to explain why I found you on top of the mansion wall at three in the morning.”