my once-loyal protégé, used the inside information I had entrusted to him to launch a coord

, I wasn't ca

ent firm under a different name. I had also been feeding Dustin carefully selected, slightly altered dat

at an inflated price, creating a bubble. While Graves and Dustin were celebrating th

losed. The b

ight. They had poured a massive amount of capital into a si

, watching the stock ticker flatline, when my p

ce was a raw, animalistic

raves," I said calmly. "Th

ou!" he screamed, his voice cr

of ice in my tone. "And you failed. It'

nce, then the sound of something s

ing away, leaving me feeling hollow but victorious.

ge was far f

of my new office building. It was late, and the garage was mos

I knew them. They were Graves's personal security, his

ey grabbed me, one covering my mouth to stifle my screams, the other pinning my

his regards," on

d over, gasping for air. Another blow struck my back. They were careful not to leave marks o

n blurring, one of their phones rang. T

as Graves's voice,

," the ma

"Is she okay? You didn't hurt her too badly, did

softening. "She just needed a little reminder o

ct her? From me? He was the monster. He was the one who had ordered this. He had promised

od measure before walking away, leavin

darkness, the echo of Graves's words ringing in my ears. The physical pain was immens

was capable of this. I

reaming in protest. I pulled out my phone, my fingers trembling. I didn't call

t number. A number I had hop

to the phone, my voice ho

rt that would ensure Graves Kramer would pay for ev