te stem threatened to snap. The notification on his phone screen-a glowing digital receipt of her au

fe he had lived with for three years with the woman currently radiating a predatory, effortless allure at the center of

thcliff, his eyes wide with a mixture of amuseme

ning whiskey in his glass, the burn of the alcohol do

the host to the best table in the house-the large, circular booth

enough to be heard over the thrummin

eferential, having been briefed on the massive deposit already processed. "Ms. Kowa

house," she said, her voice smooth as silk. "And send over your

smile widening. "Righ

signaled another hit to his fortune: Your Centurion Card h

on Ada's table. The spectacle sent a ripple of whispers through Vortex

His wife. Using his money. In his cl

the men gathered around her. "Help yourselves," she sai

liment her dress. Ada didn't pull away. She raised her glass, her red l

nched as if he

ub. He had never heard her laugh like that. The Ada he knew was quiet, her smiles small, hesitant things. This vi

e sudden, violent movem

ea

her table, a palpable aura of col

ng. She touched Ad

dn't falter. In a final, deliberate act of provocation, she leaned her he

was

, he grabbed Ada's wrist. His grip was like iron. He haul