The penthouse felt smaller now, walls closing in like they had absorbed the tension of the night. Alexander’s mind raced, a thousand calculations running at once, each one a map of potential danger. He had faced enemies before, but Damien was different. Calm, precise, patient, a storm that waited silently before striking with devastating force.

Amelia’s presence beside him was both grounding and terrifying. She had insisted on staying close, refusing to cower behind him, and he could feel ...