Chapter 001

ELVIS POV

I stood on the balcony of my penthouse, the glittering view of Montenegro stretched out before me. The city was alive with lights and movement, a masterpiece of modern elegance framed by ancient history. But tonight, I couldn’t appreciate its beauty. My mind was too preoccupied with memories I’d rather forget.

It had been three years since I was forced to leave Russia—a place that was no longer my home. My departure had been swift, cold, and unforgiving. Montenegro had become my gilded cage, but the chains of my past still clung to me. I could vividly recall the disappointment on the faces of those I cared about. Especially *his* face. The hatred in his eyes, the venom in his words—they haunted me.

*"Don’t you dare touch me again. The next time you do, I’ll break more than your jaw,"* he spat, his voice shaking with rage. *You disgust me*. You can’t even own up to your actions. You took me for a fool because I tried to let things go. But now? Now I see you for what you are—*a pathetic, selfish prick."*

I tried to explain, but my voice broke under the weight of his fury. The ache in my cheek from his earlier punch was nothing compared to the sting of his next words.

*"Don’t even try to speak. Your voice makes my skin crawl, and your words mean nothing to me anymore. But mark my words Elvis—what you did to me and my family, I’ll repay tenfold. You’d better stay hidden he said pointing towards me, Elvis. Stay well damn hidden, he repeated in a low dangerous voice because the next time I see you, it’ll be your blood on my hands. And that will be your last day on this earth.

He stormed past me, his shoulder slamming into mine as I crumbled to the floor. Broken. Humiliated. A fool drowning in the consequences of my mistakes.

The memory sent a chill down my spine. I shook my head, forcing the past back into the shadows where it belonged. Just then, Pavel, my bodyguard, appeared at the balcony door.

“Young Boss, your friend is here to see you,” he said in his usual gruff tone.

Pavel had been my bodyguard since childhood, though his loyalty always lay with my father. When I first arrived in Montenegro, my father’s orders turned Pavel into more of a jailer than a protector. Guards were everywhere—some visible, most not—watching my every move. My father had ensured I stayed isolated, especially from other men. Even my chance to explore my own sexuality was smothered by his control.

But things had changed. After a heated confrontation with Pavel about his true loyality, he became less strict. Still, the expectations remained. I had to train, learn, and transform myself into the man who would one day inherit my father’s empire. The soft edges of my past—the so-called “feminine” demeanor my father detested—were sanded away with boxing, a strict diet, and relentless discipline.

“Let him in,” I said, dismissing Pavel without turning around.

Minutes later, a knock sounded at the door. Leo stepped inside and walked out onto the balcony, greeting me with his usual carefree energy.

“Hey, man, what’s up?” He flopped onto the sofa, stretching out like he owned the place.

I joined him, sinking into the seat opposite. My head tilted back, eyes on the ceiling as I sighed.

“You good?” Leo asked, breaking the silence.

“I’m fine,” I replied, though my frown betrayed me.

“Had a fight with Pavel?” he teased, smirking.

I raised an eyebrow, silently marveling at how little Leo knew about my real life. To him, Pavel and my other bodyguard, Losif, were just my brothers. It had been a lie Leo unknowingly came up with during his first visit, making it easier for me to go along with it. I hadn’t bothered to correct him about who I really was—after all, we were supposed to be in hiding. To Leo, we were just rich kids with absent parents. Our carefully curated normalcy—simple clothes, casual demeanors—kept the truth buried.

“So,” Leo said, his grin widening, “what brings you out of your brooding today?”

I rolled my eyes. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

“Ouch. Why do I feel like you’re already kicking me out?” Leo laughed, standing up and heading inside to my bar. I followed, rubbing my temples as he poured himself a drink.

You shouldn’t be drinking you are underage,” I said flatly, leaning against the counter.

“Says the guy with a bar full of alcohol and no restriction for someone just as underage as me,” Leo retorted, raising an eyebrow.

“They’re not mine,” I lied. “They’re my brothers’.

“Right,” he said, taking a sip. “Keep telling yourself that.” besides we are almost 18 and that part wasn't a lie.

like you haven't been drinking before, i rolled my eyes, ignoring him, choosing instead to focus on the dull ache forming behind my eyes

“Leo set his glass down and turned to me, his expression suddenly serious. “There’s a party tonight,” he said. “One of our classmates is hosting it. You should come.”

“I’m not interested,” I replied immediately.

“Come on, Elvis. It’s our last year of school. You barely know anyone besides me and Noah. Don’t you want to live a little?”

I stiffened at his words. *Live a little.* The last time I tried to live, everything I cared about fell apart. I’d learned my lesson. No friends, no risks. Leo might think we were close, but I kept him at arm’s length for his own safety. Getting too close to me was a death sentence, and I’d already destroyed enough lives.

“I’m not going,” I said, my tone final. Without another word, I turned and walked to my room, leaving Leo sighing behind me.