yna he had picked up a late-night cash shift at a logistics wa

ed his MetroCard and stepped onto the train, the stoic, gentle labor

rain to the U

ge of a towering glass skyscraper. A dedicated, bio

Inside, a private master tailor and a person

heavy boots. He stepped into a steam shower, washing a

f a custom-tailored, midnight-blue Tom Ford suit. He fastened a plat

g mirror. The man looking back was Augustine Cleve

f black Maybach S680 sat idling in the shadows. His chauffeur imme

heavily guarded private entrance of The Pinnacle Club. The valet rushed forwa

clicked with measured authority against the imported marble. The wealthy hedge-fund titans and politi

d walked straight to the secluded,

billionaire, and Eliot Barr, a cold, calculatin

ngle-malt scotch. "Look who finally decided to join th

own, his postur

his gold-rimmed glasses. His sharp legal eyes narrowed as he fe

to die?" Elio

the heavy crystal glass. His dark ey

onto the center

ly drunk. He had his arm wrapped around a blonde escort, shoutin

rogance. "Alayna is nothing without my family's money! Once her father starves her out and freeze

AC

tered completely under his bare grip. Whiskey, b

zero. Braylon and Eliot stopped breathing. They stared

blood. He unbuttoned his suit jacket with one hand, his

y and stumbled toward the back emergency exit

hadow, tracking him thro

h rain. The only illumination came from a fl

mbling with a gold Dupont lighter. The small flame f

ed out of the shadows wit

rd against the solid brick wall, his fingers locking around

r clattered to

asp. He clawed frantically at the iron grip crushing his windpipe,

nd drove a single, sharp, targeted str

H

lungs. Augustine released his hold, and Jordon collapsed to his

orward with unhurri

leather shoe down with cold, measured for

AC

splintering cartilage and bo

clutching his shattered joint as he curled

ulders blocking the light, keeping his fa

quiet enough to be a whisper, yet colder

again," he murmured, "the next bo

y through his tears, completely paralyzed by the chilling

aching into his breast pocket to pull

the dust and raindrops from his

h casually over Jor

nd melted back into the shadows of the a