POV: Narrator

The morning sun barely touched the horizon when Karl made his move. He'd spent the entire night pacing his room, replaying every conversation he'd ever had with Marcus Wells, looking for something, anything – he could use as leverage.

I'm the one who can fix this, he told himself as he approached the compound's main gate. Stephen's too proud, Nathan's too violent, and Elijah doesn't even want her back. But I understand politics. I can make a deal.

The guards at the ...