Chapter 2 Chapter 1

“Tyler! Where the hell have you been?”

“I’m sorry, Madam, there was an emergency meeting at the new mine in Brighton. I took the jet back as soon as I saw your message.”

“The jet?”

“Yes, Madam, the older one.”

“First, Tyler, I’ve told you to call me Ashley, and second, I told you to use the new jet.”

“Yes, Madam,” Tyler replied demurely, lowering his gaze from the gently admonishing expression on Ashley Belarnt’s beautiful face, while her two assistants, standing behind her, stared daggers at Tyler Varsen.

A lowly mine inspector who had joined one of the mid-sized subsidiaries barely nine months ago, yet had somehow managed to get into the head office of the second-wealthiest family in the country, the Belarnts, and who was probably trying to make his way into the lady boss’ bed.

Everyone already knew the unnecessarily handsome inspector had been sleeping his way up the social ladder.

It was irritating.

But what was more annoying was the fact that the man was good at his job – both of them – given the speed at which he had made his way from the crates used as offices in the regions, to the Bell Tower, the skyscraper which housed every leading company owned by the Belarnts, right in the center of Salvena City.

The assistants’ faces said it all. Being males, they were even more irritated by the upstart.

Call her by her name!

We dare you!

Their faces screamed at Tyler Esteil, currently using the alias ‘Tyler Varsen'.

Tyler had expected a complete name change when his sponsor brought his papers, but Lincoln had kept his first name the same.

When he had asked Lincoln about this, almost a year ago, the gangster had smiled his rugged smile.

‘Somehow, I think the name Tyler suits you well. Keep it. Don’t get caught by someone calling you the wrong name on the street.’

Tyler heard the man’s voice in his head as he kept his eyes low in the present, away from Ashley Belarnt, away from her assistants.

‘Keep your head down,’ he heard Lincoln say, in his mind, and he almost laughed out loud as he stood, head bowed, before his employer, who was complaining at him, again, for things that had nothing to do with work.

Lincoln… That’s what mum used to tell me forever. If only you knew how long I’ve kept my head down! I don’t even feel it anymore.

It’s almost time.

But till then, I’ll keep everything tight. There will be no mistakes.

Tonight, I need to –

Soft fingers touched his chin and raised his head.

Tyler blinked, then smiled bashfully. Ashley Belarnt, gazed up at him, her almond-shaped eyes round with concern.

“What’s the matter? Are you tired? Do you need to sit, or lie down?” she asked hurriedly, in her melodious voice.

A slender palm went against Tyler’s suit lapel as the lithe young lady stepped in, far too close, to his hunched frame.

Her free palm moved toward Tyler’s forehead, and the inspector stepped back, just as Ashley’s two sentinels stepped forward, one of whom had a hand raised as if to physically pull his mistress’ hand back.

Tyler Varsen, as the rumors already stated, was a skilled mine inspector. Very professional and highly competent. On the other part, things had been exaggerated.

He did not sleep his way up the ladder. But what he did do, the sliver of truth in the rumor, was pull the heartstrings of those he reported to, those who could help him move to the places he needed to be.

Male or female, it didn’t matter. Tyler simply found what made them tick and turned it on.

He was soft to those who wanted to nurture. Hard to those who wanted to be lorded over. Kind to those who wanted to be cherished. Indifferent to those who wanted to chase.

A chameleon. And a damned good one.

Ashley, heiress to one of the most powerful families in Ashrone, was someone who wanted to provide, to offer care. Tyler adjusted his glasses nervously, for her benefit.

He stammered, keeping his gaze averted, “I…I’m okay. It’s…just…the mine…the gas…I was worrying about it,” he lied. Smoothly. Tyler was used to it.

His entire life was a lie. His job right now was a lie. His reactions right now were lies. The loyalty of masters to selfless servants – a great deception.

But none of it fazed him. Not after serving the most powerful family in all of Ashrone since he was six years old.

Over fourteen years of bowing, scraping, working till his fingers and knees bled. All for what? Silence if he did well and a whipping if he made the slightest error?

No, he could never stumble over fibs and misdirections. After all, he would do much worse than these before his plans were achieved. Far, far worse.

Ashley was a useful card for getting Tyler Varsen into places he never would have entered with as much ease as he was currently able. She was a direct route into the Belarnt operational network, a network Tyler needed to gain access to the Kramers.

Thanks to her, he had bought a lot of time in his work towards the Kramers. And if a little play made her happy, so be it.

“But you’ve done your part,” Ashley pressed gently, sidling closer, taking Tyler’s muscular arm in her small hands and leading him toward her large desk.

She seated him in the visitor’s chair and balanced herself on the desk, facing him, her short skirt riding up her shapely thighs.

Tyler swallowed, glancing away again, pushing his glasses nervously up the bridge of his nose.

He rubbed his palms against his legs, as he looked haplessly toward the secretaries – dumb and dumber – who had not moved from the wall behind their boss’ desk.

The two younger men wore tight expressions as they glared back at him.

Tyler would have rolled his eyes. He was used to such stares. He had received them at the Kramer estate for most of his life, in school, in prison, in the back halls and alleyways of the underground black markets.

But he had shut them all up. Or shut them down. Except one.

His target now. The Kramer estate.

Tyler cleared his mind, forcing himself to focus, as he waited for the moment Lord Belarnt would arrive. Tyler had delivered a report to Lord Belarnt’s secretary before coming to Ashley’s office, purposefully letting her know exactly where he was headed.

It wouldn’t take Lady Belarnt’s father more than ten minutes to show up. It never did.