The city at night was a living thing—slick with rain, humming with secrets. I sat in the back of a black SUV, watching neon signs bleed their colors into wet streets. Marcus's voice came through my earpiece, crisp and low.
"Her name is Liora Kane," he said. "Background's clean—too clean. Public records show she's an economic strategist from London, but half of her employment history is smoke."
I tapped my fingers against the leather seat. "And the other half?"
"Real. She's worked with companies on the edge of collapse and turned them profitable in six months or less. But there's a pattern."
"What kind of pattern?"
"She leaves right before each company implodes… under federal investigation."
I smiled without humor. "So she's not here for the merger."
"No," Marcus said. "She's here for you."
The SUV slowed to a stop outside my private garage. My driver didn't open the door immediately—protocol when the street felt wrong. A figure moved at the far end of the block, lingering in the glow of a streetlamp.
"Keep driving," I ordered.
The car rolled forward. The figure stayed in place, watching. I caught a flash of something in their hand—metallic. I shifted slightly, my hand resting on the Glock beside me. But as we passed, the figure stepped back into the shadows and vanished.
By the time I reached the penthouse, my mood was sharp enough to cut glass. I walked straight to the office, pulling the black ledger from its case. It was still here, untouched. Good. That meant whoever was moving against me hadn't made it inside yet.
I poured a drink—single malt, no ice—and stared out at the skyline. The city was beautiful from here, but beauty in this city was a weapon, not a gift.
The phone rang. One ring. My signal.
"They're asking questions about you in the press," the voice said.
"Let them ask," I replied.
"They're getting answers. And Liora Kane's name is in their notes."
My grip on the glass tightened. "Then we end this before she gets too close."
I ended the call and dialed Marcus again. "Change of plan. Bring her to me. Quietly."
He didn't ask how. Marcus never did.
---
An hour later, rain hit the windows like impatient fingers. Marcus stepped into the office, his coat dripping, and behind him—Liora Kane.
She was calm, even here, in my space. "You could've asked for a meeting," she said.
"People who want meetings want to be seen," I replied. "I don't."
I circled her slowly, measuring her composure. "You've been digging," I said.
"I like knowing who I'm working with."
"You're not working with me."
Her gaze met mine, steady. "Then I'm working against you."
That earned her the first real smile I'd given anyone in weeks. "And why would you do that?"
"Because every mask cracks eventually. And I intend to be there when yours does."
She stepped closer, so close I could see the reflection of the city lights in her eyes. "The question is… what are you hiding that's worth so much fear?"
I didn't answer.
Because the truth was, she wasn't the only one trying to find out.
---