nic'

through the walls, aheartbeat beneath the city, where men like me

hiskey, watchingthe men at the table. Three of them. Russian.Old money. Ar

em talk-

rings catching the dim light. "We'll takefifty per

ove. Just set my glassdo

N

oom s

frowne

ting in my chair. They

Hehadn't spoken once, just sat there, watchin

ked. I

very street, everyclub, every deal that moves through it. Youdon't negoti

le

rced a tight smile."We

ft motion, Leoslammed a knife into

sian fl

m. You don't'look' for shit. You

pled across

upid, fuckin

f we d

im. Instead, I reached for the knife, yanked it

ked directly at Yuri. "Then your family gets acall i

"We don't w

e what I

le

y-Vadim nodded.

ked. "

ped forward to collect the papers, ensuring itwas

he doors b

ing. The sharp comman

re, they weren't looking for me specifically.The

ll trained, all ruthless-were alreadydispersing

I saw

a Mo

oo calm. Toofucking composed

ightened aro

ck was she

lled, and bodies shoved past oneanother, desperate to di

dn't

. This wasn't

knew what to do. The police wouldn't finda da

that mattere

was watc

n drawn. Just a stiffstance, arms crossed, eyes scanning the roomlike s

ca

ry, alert, ready for a fight. But she wasn'tlo

ng fo

oulders. Captain or not,

my world, but she k

ng re

ttering crowd, smooth and deliberate. I wasin

ice low. "This is adangero

ed. Didn

to mine, unimpressed."Th

til

hind me, letout a quiet chuckle bef

t friendly. "You got as

w. "You got a gu

-short and sha

oorway's shadow. The neon lights painted red

er her stance, the slight clench in herjaw. Defensive.

unbothered. "Only ifyou'

d. Wron

." My fingers brushed the side of herarm-not soft, just eno

idn't

t tre

lkedinto a viper's nest with nothing but her

t made

't get to be fea

ther word, a loud voic

Get ove

ood bythe bar, waving her over, distracte

low step back.

she paused,lifting her gaze to

urned and

little

er go.

and the policeleft with their empty

was going to