Present Day…

“What do you have to say for yourself?” Rose pushed the laptop aside as the footage stopped. Her nostrils flared. She looked ready to charge like a bull.

Ivan rocked slightly in the swivel chair, hands clasped, pulling faces at the black screen. He opened his mouth, shut it again, hummed, and leaned back.

“Cut the nonsense, Mister Maestro. You lied to me.” Rose’s finger came up, sharp and accusing.

“Now hold on,” Ivan said, tipping his chin. “That is not how I remember it. You didn’t resist, and I didn’t force you into my room.”

“You dragged me off in the middle of nowhere, pinned me to a wall, and took something I never gave you.” Rose’s voice was tight with anger. Olivia’s eyes stayed on her boss, ready to step in if she got too close to killing the man outright. But caution was key, this wasn’t just anyone.

Ivan stood, quiet as a shadow. His jaw flexed, brows pinched. “It’s clear we were both under the influence. The question is, how? Meeting you was a mistake. One I’ve already paid for, Miss Rose.”

Her voice dropped sharply. “And what if I give back that coin and ruin you? My grandmother-”

“Your grandmother knows the rules of accepting that token. It can’t be returned for reasons this thin. This is your hotel. And I can’t be drunk on one whiskey shot. How do I know you didn’t set me up?”

“How dare you-” Rose’s hand moved before her mind caught up, swinging for his face. Ivan caught her wrist mid-air.

Olivia’s gun was out in an instant, aimed square at his head. Ivan’s men followed suit, weapons drawn on the two women.

“You might want to put that down,” one of them warned.

Olivia’s voice was steady. “Five seconds to drop yours. My life’s not worth much, but can you explain to the Chairwoman why her granddaughter and Master Maestro ended up in a pool of blood without losing your head?”

The room was tense. No one moved.

Ivan’s gaze stayed on Rose. He stepped forward, close enough to taste her fear. “No woman touches me without my permission. I came to East Chorlud for business, not to play games with a spoiled brat who thinks the world turns on her finger.”

He let go, smoothed his suit. “The Chairwoman and I are done anyways. Once the stash gets here, it’s her problem. I’m leaving. See you never, Miss Anderson Sinclare.”

Two fingers flicked in the air. His men lowered their guns and followed him out.

When the door shut, Olivia pulled out a chair. “You alright?”

Rose sat, breathing heavily. Her hands were still a bit shaky. No man had come so close to humiliating her. She could tell her grandmother, but she wasn’t one to start a war over something that might have been partly her fault. Ivan did make sense, he was a visitor, he couldn’t have orchestrated this in a day. Something was surely amiss somewhere.

“It’s fine,” Rose said, more to herself than anyone. “We’ll never see him again. Best to let it go.”

***

Three months later…

Atali sat in her suite with Osiris, a cigar burning between her fingers. “I told you to handle those riff-raffs making noise in the territory I want,” she said, feet up on the table.

“That could hurt your publicity,” Osiris said. “The D.A.’s watching our men. Taking out the Boarman Gang now-”

“The D.A. is nothing but a pig waiting for scraps,” Atali cut in.

“But your factory-”

“My factories will be fine as long as my name’s not on it. That’s why you’ll do the hunting. And the killing.”

“Yes, Chairwoman.”

"Bourbon, Sir?" Solace asked, holding a bucket of ice cubes.

"Leave him be. Osiris is trying to stay clear of alcohol. He's becoming a better man for my Rose." Atali smirked. "Speaking of my granddaughter, why haven't you put a ring on her finger?"

"I'm working on it. She's one tough nut to crack."

"She is a simple girl who loved her dollies. How hard can it be?" Atali said.

"I almost have her, I swear it." Osiris wanted to be free of her anchoring frown. Nothing good happens when Atali loses her temper over petty things.

"Solace, do you know where Rose is?" Atali switched moods like a picture slide.

"She left for the bank this morning. She should be returning as we speak." Solace refilled Atali's glass and left the bottle on the table.

Meanwhile…

Rose’s life had gone back to normal. Mostly. Her hotels kept her busy, and today she’d stopped at the bank to check on a charity she wanted to launch before her twenty-sixth birthday.

“Did you find out if that house on the hill was taken?” she asked, stepping out of the car.

“Yes,” Olivia said, lifting an umbrella against the drizzle, “but I told the agent to find another.”

“I want that one. Offer double.” Rose was not used to being denied. " I can't wait to get inside and have some chocolate milk."

"You've been craving those a lot these days," Olivia said.

"Yeah, but I guess it doesn't hurt anyone." Rose shrugged.

They were halfway up the steps when a man in worn brown clothes called to her. “Are you Miss Sinclare, the owner of the hotel?”

“Yes. How can I help you?” Rose smiled. She never judged by appearance, and that was a weakness she would learn the hard way.

“I was told to give you a message.” The stranger reached into his coat.

Olivia noticed the shape too late. Her gun was up, but three shots cracked through the air first. She fired back, her bullet hitting him between the brows.

The street exploded into screams. People scattered for cover. Olivia had neutralized the situation, but when she veered to check on Rose, her eyes grew wide.

“What is it?” Rose asked, not yet aware of the blood spreading across her chest.