quiet Georgetown alley. It was a place where Washington's elite quietly liquidated a

ttered under the harsh ligh

est..." The man squinted through his loupe. "All together, nine h

om her own wrist-a gift from Carlee's father years ago-and added it to the pile. That, plus a wire transfer from her o

afé in Dupont Circle. A cup of black coffee sat untouched in fro

ite her, a grin on his face. "Showt

white envelope across t

osity. "Aren't you even a little interested in the backstory? Me and C

nterested in people's private lives," she said

y of powerful people, but they were all messy, emotional,

ed softly at the thick stack of hundred-d

envelope bac

id, his tone shifting from playful to serious

s a spoiled brat, but her family is not.

handle

he Romans. Their business. Their enemies. I could be useful." He offered a charming, roguish smile. "I don'

tly what he was: an opportunist, smart enough to recognize a rising power a

lly," she said, he

uickly. "Okay. Fair enough." He shrugged. "But it's bett

l. You earned it

Or insurance. When Carlee decides to get revenge on me for my pa

e was vindictive enough to try and ruin

ed it, and took out half the cash. She

ut of D.C. Go to L.A. Go to New York. The farther

her eyes, and knew there was no point in

n in his voice. "I won't forget the name. If you ever n

d walked out

ed herself a small, quiet exhale. It

old band on her finger. Her phone vibrated

be spam. But the words made her sit

ice of Senator Dickson Hayes. We are contacting you regarding a delicate matt

s with power and old money for generations. The same name she had carried her entire

me were they co

et evening, her voice gentle but serious. "You are our daughter, my love. Always. But the name Hayes... it was given to us when we adopted yo

A new, terrifying, and impossibly va

ling. The war with Jaycob and Carlee suddenly seemed like a small