'd passed. Some hid their pain behind robotic moans. Others

ere al

e all be

breathing fu

nd of my pants, but I remember I don't have my gun

to gain this meeting. I'm st

.. once I have the fu

en-thirty. The silver clock on the wall tells me t

is ever an accident. I'm sure he thinks this deli

s wrong if he thinks I earned all the things I hav

tem and Esme Kovalyov, the reigning king and queen of the Los Angeles-based Kovalyov

d this empire in Las Vegas myself. Made my own way. Built my own legacy. And I made sure that my

d came here to erect something from scratch. I did exactly that. I

hat's what I u

hree ye

take advantage of the one vulnerability

with the wrong man. But I force myself to be patient. I've waited t

eparing for a fight that I've imagi

e. It's the strongest motivator I have left. It's the reason I've made it my life'

.. and I can finally

one

de the door. I wait, ears piqu

ntic bar that covers the entire end wall of the room. The shelves are s

ensive. All bough

me kind of crusader. I'm no sa

compulsion. I've lied without guilt. But even am

en or children. And Vik

n of rumors and the stink of corruption that pervades through every single e

temporary truce is what I told him. An attempt to broker a mutually beneficial deal between the two bi

rat. Because there's no ex

om rude to insulting. And the only answer t

bella's Islay -when the door bursts open. I whip a

's not Oz

een plucked off the poster of some Gothic horror movie. She's wearing a rip

arily into the room. I walk towards her cautiously,

o conceal from security, but I resist pulling it

looks up at me. She has huge amber eyes fanned with thick black eyelashes and ringed with smudged mascara

girl I've seen here tonight

nce is that, on

uck are yo

wing as though she's trying to s

ed. Of course, that means fuck-all. There are a million places to hi

racks leaving streaks down her hollow che

tion," I repeat. "W

s though terrified to spe

? I almost laugh. I'm thirty-two years old, and it's been more

h at her sides. I look down and notice that her fin

I was just trying... trying to get away from everything... A door was

er eyes are unfocused. I've seen this b

s dr

ds palms up. I don't touch her, but I t