ulse uneven. Once, the name Gordonis lit up the city like gospel. Now

too big for his shrinking confidence. The marble desk before him was strewn with newspapers and reports: Financi

assical music from the corner radio failing

music," h

d the soft Beethoven. Silence swallowed the offic

years had b

slipping through his fingers. Every step forward brought two collapses.

Gordonis still ha

f a brother

White stepped inside, heels echoing acro

idn't

s direct. "They smell blood. Your com

ed. "I need numb

four months, six investors have pulled out. Three mergers failed. And n

scanned the

one knows. Just that the money's clean, fast,

ze snapp

of

posal. Enough to buy you time.

rward. "Who'

hesi

l him Don

through the ai

hat kind of n

al security. No photos. Just... a trail of perfectly timed moves. He's made a f

Tom asked, disbelie

He wants access. Prestige. A base in America. Yo

, calculating.

her folder. "One u

the pap

it, the

nts He

his personal liaison. She'

ears, loyal, buried in mid-level management roles after the trial. She'd di

about her?

faintly. "Maybe. Mayb

und the edge of the paper.

. "Unless you have another ghost billionaire

the weight of six years of dec

rmured. "Set

-

ault beneath the French Quarter. No cameras. No media.

ave for a long black

ced ne

foot

Purp

and a man entered, flanked

ther gloves. A black velvet mask covered the upper half of his face, casting shar

throat

his voice low, controlled, lik

n Alaric," Tom manag

shallow nod. "Let'

uards never l

lear. A 27% stake in Gordonis Corp in exchange for liquid

forward. "And you'll ke

once. "I'll rebuild it. If y

, but he waited like a pre

"Hermosa Rodriguez.

present you. If you still want

o room for

slightly as if da

ture line. His pen hovered, then dropped

he said

laric

turned toward the door. "

on the doo

s, her heart skipping. She hadn't seen Tom

sion was tight. Not angry.

he said. "But someone

hat are you t

id. "He's agreed to r

. "Never he

ly. "He's rich, elusive, and

breath cau

. Said he'd only sign if

ace went pa

r trial testimony. Maybe because you know how we

sa br

ny of what happened b

ast. It's about survival. You're assigned

he protest risi

d quietly. "Whe

red on hers for

ready on