I opened my front door only to find a group of men dressed in black, all standing in unison—six of them. Out of nowhere, a tall man dressed like a butler—at least, that's what I'd call it—stepped out.
He had a stupid smile on his face, and at that point, I felt like slapping the hell outta him. Who the hell did he think he was, stepping into my driveway smiling like an idiot? They better have a damn good reason for this.
I stepped out and walked closer toward them as he stopped in his tracks upon laying eyes on me.
I raised a questionable eyebrow. "And you are?"
"Well, who I am isn't what you should be bothered about. It's who I'm with."
He pointed to the back seat of a black Bentley. "Seated there, Mr. Bon, is your new foster father. We will be taking you in until you've graduated college and are ready to stand on your own. Only then will we know we've sincerely fulfilled and repaid our gratitude to your father."
His words were confusing. What gratitude were they talking about? My father wasn't a bad man—he was a good person—but I doubt he ever helped anyone other than me. So what the hell did he do for them that made them want to take in his 19-year-old son?
"I want to see my so-called new foster father. Why isn't he coming out? Is he scared or something?"
"Trust me, young man. My boss isn't scared at all… he just tends to hate the sun. We shall be back for you tonight. You don't need to bring any clothes or heavy property—just the things you need, and that will be all."
With that, the weird man grinned widely and turned around to leave. In the blink of an eye, all the cars disappeared—except for one, which remained. I guess it was to watch over me or something.
I don't know who the hell that man was or why he had decided to take in a reject like me. Nor do I know what kind of favor my dad had done for him to make him take in his 19-year-old son.
In the blink of an eye, the day slowly slipped away, and just as that weird butler had said, some men in black did come to take me away.
I entered the black car, looking out at my house. It was no longer home anymore. Instead, it was now a piece of… only God knows what.
Soon, the car started, and we drove off. I didn't know where the hell I was going, but I guess it was better than nowhere. If the place isn't to my liking, then I guess I'll steal some money and run off. I'll probably go to Willows and open my own bar or something. That'd be nice.
I fell asleep—I didn't even know I was this tired. Soon, we arrived at the so-called house, which turned out to be an immense mansion. It looked like one of those luxury Mexican villas and reeked of wealth.
Damn. Who the hell was this dude who took me in? I'm not even sure houses like these are supposed to exist.
The car slowly pulled up to the entrance of the mansion. The gate alone looked like something out of a vampire movie—black, tall, laced with silver designs that screamed "Do not enter unless you're rich or cursed." Probably both.
The second the car stopped, the same weird butler from earlier was already opening the door for me, still wearing that annoying smile like someone had stapled it to his face.
"We've arrived, Mr. Bon. Welcome to your new home."
Home. Hah. Funny.
I stepped out, feeling wildly out of place. The air even smelled expensive—like lavender, fresh paint, and judgment.
The front doors opened slowly, almost dramatically, as if they were expecting royalty. I walked in and my jaw nearly dropped. The interior was even crazier—marble floors, gold-trimmed staircases, crystal chandeliers, and paintings that probably cost more than my entire neighborhood.
A maid walked up to me, bowed slightly, and took my small bag. "Please, allow me to show you to your room."
"…Room?" I blinked. "Wait. You guys have, like, rooms for guests or…?"
She smiled softly. "You are not a guest, Mr. Bon. This is your house now. Your room has been prepared."
This had to be a dream. A weird, rich-people dream.
I followed her up the stairs, past hallways that felt like they'd never end. Finally, she stopped in front of a massive door.
"Here you go. If you need anything, just press the bell on the nightstand. Dinner will be served at seven."
She left, and I slowly opened the door.
What the actual hell.
It looked like a damn hotel suite. Queen-sized bed, a balcony with a full garden view, a walk-in closet that could fit five of me, and a bathroom that looked like a spa.
Was this really happening?
I dropped onto the bed, feeling the mattress swallow me whole. Soft. Too soft. Almost suspiciously soft.
That's when I remembered something.
I hadn't even seen the man who was supposedly my new "foster father." What kind of guy sends six men in black and a talking butler to fetch some random kid? What kind of man lives in a place like this and hides from the sun?
Something wasn't adding up.
I looked up at the ceiling, feeling more tired than I wanted to admit. I'd figure it out later. For now, I needed sleep.
But just as I closed my eyes, I heard the sound of the door creaking open again.
Footsteps.
Slow. Calm. Heavy.
Then a voice—deep, smooth, and oddly cold.
"So, you're Kyle Bon…"