Chapter Two: Property of the Hale Family

Jane POV

It was exactly dawn when a black SUV parked outside our small apartment. Suddenly, I heard a loud sound, a knock at the front door, and my stomach dropped. The men were here to take me.

I stood in the middle of our little living room, watching my younger sister Isabella.

Two large men in dark tailored suits stood in the hallway. Neither of them smiled. Their broad shoulders blocked the light from the corridor completely.

“Come on, ma'am, it’s time to go,” the first man said. His voice didn’t match what he said and his eyes didn’t even flicker as he glanced past me toward the apartment. “The Don doesn’t like to wait.”

I took a slow, deep breath and turned to my sister. I walked to her, squared my shoulders, and tried to look strong even though I wasn’t strong at all.

My eyes squeezed shut as if the words were new to me. “I have to go now, Bella,” I added. “The car is outside.”

“Why are you doing this, Jane?” Bella asked, and her voice cracked as tears ran down her cheek. “Why did Mr. Hale suddenly pay the hospital bill for Dad? People don't give such a gift without expecting something in return.”

“It’s just a business deal,” I rattled off before I could lose heart. “That is what matters. The hospital moved Dad to a private room and he has the best doctors in the city.”

I pulled away and picked up my small suitcase. “Take care of yourself and make sure to visit Dad every day. I will call when I can.”

I turned around and walked out of the apartment without looking back, following the two large men down the narrow staircase and into the back of the waiting vehicle.

This drive took over an hour until the SUV got through the gates. We were driving down a long, winding road with perfectly pruned hedges all along the way, and I just looked out the window.

The Hale mansion was a massive building, made of gray stone and black glass, dominating the landscape of the area. It seemed cold and inhospitable with high walls of stone and high security cameras that monitored everything that was done on the property.

As the car came to a stop, the bodyguard opened the door for me and ushered me through two massive oak doors, into the main corridor.

“The Don wants to see you at dinner at exactly eight o’clock tonight,” the bodyguard said, pointing toward a grand staircase on the right. “Your room is at the top of the stairs, the third door on the left. You must not come late for dinner, not even for a single minute.”

I gripped the handle of my suitcase tightly. “I will be there.”

At exactly 7:55 PM, I stepped into the massive formal dining room. I had spent the last two hours staring at the clock in my room, determined not to fail my very first test.

The room was long, dominated by a table that could easily seat twenty people. A single place setting was arranged at the far end, right next to the head of the table.

A few seconds later, the heavy double doors at the back of the room opened, and Raymond entered. He wore a white shirt with the top buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up.

I sprang from the stool, my fingers pressed against my skirt to smooth it and hold it in place, forcing myself to stand straight and do my duty. I broke eye contact briefly, gave a small, polite smile, and said, “Good evening, Mr. Hale.”

He stopped at the head of the table and looked down at me. He waved a large hand carelessly toward my empty chair.

His voice reverberated in the still room. “Sit,” he said in a deep voice that resonated throughout the quiet room. “Good evening, Jane.”

I sat down, my back completely straight as I watched him take his seat at the head of the table. A servant immediately appeared from the shadows, pouring dark wine into his glass before disappearing again.

“Thank you, Mr. Hale,” I said quietly.

He paused, his hand resting near his glass as he looked across at me. “Call me Raymond. There are no formalities with my guests in this house.”

My throat was dry in his presence as I swallowed hard. “Alright, Raymond.”

“How have you been settling into the house?” he asked, leaning back into his chair and studying my face. “Were you able to sleep at all?”

I shook my head slightly.

He lifted his glass, taking a slow sip while his dark eyes remained fixed on mine. “And why is that? Are you already regretting the consequences of your decision?”

I felt my fingers tighten into fists under the edge of the table. “I don’t regret it.”

“You realize you gave up your freedom and your body to a man you barely know just to save your father,” he said, his tone flat and unreadable. “Most people would call that a very reckless mistake.”

“If I were told to make the decision again right now, I would take it one hundred more times,” I said, my voice rising with sudden, fierce intensity. “If it means keeping my Dad alive and safe, I will never regret a single thing I do in this house.”

There was a long silence, and he looked at me for a long time, until he put down his glass. He moved out of his seat and stretched out his tall figure over the shiny wood.

“Come,” he said, turning towards the side glass doors of the room. “Let's go to the pool.”

I immediately stood up and followed him through the doors, stepping out into the warm evening air. There was a huge pool with blue-lighted water gently rippling under the night's gentle light.

It was surrounded by high stone walls and had absolute privacy from the rest of the estate.

When we came to the water's edge, he extended his arm and started to unbutton his shirt.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat as he pulled the white fabric off his shoulders and tossed it onto a lounge chair.

My eyes adjusted to the dim light, and I couldn’t help but stare at the sharp lines of his torso. His chest was broad, covered in lean, hard muscle that showed the sheer physical strength he possessed. A long, faint scar ran across his ribcage, a stark reminder of the violent world he commanded.

Realizing I was staring, I quickly turned my back to him, my face flushing as I looked toward the dark gardens.

“I didn’t instruct you to turn your back to me,” Raymond’s voice boomed behind me, close and commanding.

I stopped, my muscles locking before I slowly turned around to face him again.

He was now standing in nothing but his dark boxers. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he was looking at me with a raised eyebrow.

“Why are you still clothed?” Raymond asked, his eyes sweeping down my outfit. “Undress. You should know why we are here.”

I felt my heart pounding against my ribs, trembling as I touched the buttons on my blouse. I slowly unbuttoned the shirt, the movement hesitant as I slipped it off my shoulders.

He didn’t look away. His gaze was intense and focused, tracking every single inch of skin I exposed as I dropped my skirt to the tiles.

Suddenly, he took his eyes off me entirely. He turned around without a word and dove cleanly into the deep end of the pool, the water splashing loudly against the stone edges.

He surfaced a few seconds later, shaking the water from his dark hair as he looked up at me from the pool.

“Join me,” he said.