t eighty miles per hour down the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Francesco Lancaster sat in the

rivate server three minutes

nt-turn his back on a woman begging for her life. He watched him choose the stepsister

l enough for pity. It was rage. A pure, distilled anger at the incompetence, the cowardice, the sheer me

his voice tight. "We have visual. The w

w the black plume of smoke rising against the gray sky. O

ar," France

s en route, the area isn't

top the d

is door open. He was aware of the risk, the catastrophic breach of the persona he'd spent years cultivating-the reclusive, broken ma

timber. He ignored Silas shouting his name. He ignored the protocol that dic

towering cranes, a ghost moving against the flickering light. The me

He pulled the collar of his shirt over

se!" he

ted through the haze, his eyes stinging. To his le

he sa

away from the main seat of the fire, but the f

of a rescue worker, but the stride of a man who owned the ground he walked on. She

hands. Fingers pressed again

ts, then let out a

voice rumbled. It vib

hem. A support beam, eaten

his body over hers, shielding her with his ow

from his lungs. He grunted, a guttural sound of distress, but his arms didn't loosen around her.

, and now, the acrid scent of scorched wool and skin. She felt the density of his chest muscles, the sol

ing," he g

ling slightly as the pain in his back flared, but he didn'

nstantly, creating a human wall to block an

ncesco snarled,

this was the mome

ream of pure panic. She clawed at his shirt, her nails raking ov

he shrieked, her ey

dn't drop her. He tightened his grip, trapping her

face. His jaw was clenched, soot smudged across his c

he deposited her in the back of the Maybach. She looked at him with te

ar, but usually, it was fear of his power. This was different.

d him. It i

unged, grabbing the lapel of Francesco's

e whispered, her voi

s, then back at the woman clingin

And handle the fire department. No witnesses.

er and slammed the doo

was shaking again. Francesco watched her. He reached into his pocket

took it, wiping th

the ropes were clearly visible against her pale skin. His eyes

g the calculation in her eyes. The