***

The Salazar estate was the place where the family preferred to live most of the time. While they had properties all over the country, they took the most pride in this one. It was a sprawling estate, containing a large central mansion that was more like a palace, and many other dependencies. Jake watched from the car window, as the man sent to grab him and his meager belongings pulled into a large driveway. The iron wrought doors had been left behind for a while now.

Jake stepped out cautiously and waited for the driver to emerge from behind the wheel. They’d exchanged no words during the drive, not that Jake thought the man would provide him with any information that wasn’t previously sanctioned by his bosses. For a bodyguard, he was supposed to be a taciturn fellow, as well, which suited him just fine.

A butler in livery adequate for his role opened the large door in front and waited. Jake took his luggage and walked over to the man.

“Mr. Bones,” he said in a light, mocking voice, “I presume.”

“That’s me,” Jake confirmed.

“Follow me. You have the room next to the young master. Meals are served at precise times, so try not to be tardy. Everything you need will be provided for.”

The butler, a man of around forty, who looked like he swallowed lemons for breakfast, lunch and dinner, recited all that in a monotone, bored tone.

“When will I meet the young master?” Jake asked.

“When Master Salazar decides.”

The head of the family was the only master who mattered, in other words. Jake understood as much.

The large mansion was airy, a breeze circulating everywhere, the polished floors gleaming with cleanliness. Jake felt uneasy. How would he adapt to this sort of life? He’d live in dread of knocking an expensive vase or other such things by accident. No matter how generous the wage the Salazars offered to him, he doubted it would be enough to compensate for whatever damage he might cause.

And then, what would they ask in return? They had the reputation of a ruthless family, one suspected of a great deal of illicit doings but never caught. Maybe they’d be pleased with one of Jake’s kidneys. But what if they wanted both?

He was climbing the stairs to the first floor, when he heard the sound of footsteps coming from above. When he looked up, a blond head was hanging over the balustrade, along with half a body, while the rest of him was obscured from view.

“Is this my new toy?” The youngster – he was a man of about twenty, according to Jake’s quick appraisal – grinned ear to ear. His face, while innocent, seemed to be struggling to look sinister. It didn’t work that well.

Ah, but it had to be the young master, so he was eighteen. What was his name? Jake struggled to remember.

“Master Erin, this is your new bodyguard,” the butler said, stopping mid-way. “Show him his new room, since you’re awake.”

Awake? It was already ten in the morning. Did Master Erin like to oversleep?

“Fanny, that’s your job,” Erin protested.

The butler’s face soured even more. “Stop calling me by that despicable nickname. It stopped being amusing last century.”

“I wasn’t yet born last century!” Erin exclaimed.

“Exactly,” the butler said. “You will see to your bodyguard’s needs. And we will see both of you at lunch. If you fail, there will be hell to pay from Master Salazar.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. What’s your name, sugar tits?” Erin asked Jake, who began climbing the stairs again on his own, seeing how the butler was digging his heels in and didn’t care about continuing to accompany the newcomer to his room.

“Jake. Jake Bones. A pleasure to meet you, Master Erin.” He hoped that he was as polite as custom required in this house.

Erin brushed his messy blond hair out of his eyes. The more Jake got closer, the easier it was for him to remark on the young master’s beauty. He had quite the angelic face – an unusual look on an alpha – but his lean body came with strong shoulders and the tall height of people like him. Of what Jake knew, the head of the family had dark hair and eyes, so Erin had to be taking after his mother.

“None of that Master shit with me, Bones. I’m Erin to you.”

Jake threw a look at the butler, who was standing stiffly where he’d left him, following the exchange with a pissed-off look on his face.

He was on the landing when the scent hit him. In utter shock, he stared at Erin, who definitely looked nothing like the man Jake had met at The Thirsty Dragon more than a month ago.

But the scent was definitely similar, rich old leather. Only that, once Jake dared to inhale a little more, in Erin’s case, it was lighter, laced with fresh citrusy smells veering toward sweet.

Erin was too busy sticking his tongue at the butler and making other obscene gestures to notice Jake’s surprise.

“Behave, Master Erin,” the butler said. “Mr. Bones, always take Master Salazar’s word over our youngest. He forgets that only before yesterday, he was merely a pup.”

How was that supposed to help him? Should he call Erin master or not?

Erin gestured at the butler to run along and turned to stare at him, leaning with one elbow on the balustrade and angling his athletic body, dressed in black sweatpants and a crop top that showed his midriff.

“So, you’re the guy my brother found, huh?”

“Your brother, sir?” Jake asked.

Erin laughed. “Rico. He said he found you in the wrong part of town and that you’re perfect to put in charge of me. Are you a cutpurse, Bones? A boxing champion?” He snapped his fingers. “I know. You’re a hitman.”

Jake shook his head, struggling not to let Erin’s alpha scent overpower him. “None of that. I’m a steel worker.”

“Ah,” Erin said, without hiding his disappointment. “Follow me.”

“Of course, sir.”

“Don’t call me that,” Erin protested.

“I will if your father demands it of me.”

“Pfft. You’re no fun,” Erin declared, ceremoniously opening the door to a room that was as large as Jake’s entire rental place. “But we’ll have fun together. You can be sure of that.”

Jake somehow doubted it. The ordeal was just starting. Rico. So that had been the alpha from the bar brawl. He was one of the Salazars. And now, Jake was in their home, as one of their employees.

What had he gotten himself into?

tbc