Clara pressed her spine flat against the cold plaster wall behind the heavy velvet curtains, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. The scent of bergamot and black pepper drifted through the sliver of space between the drapes—a ghost made flesh, invading the room.

Through the na

The matte-black SUV tore through the city streets, the rain outside mirroring the soaked, shivering occupants inside the cabin.

Clara sat in the backseat, her arms wrapped tightly around her chest, her teeth chattering as the adrenaline violently drained from her system. The emerald silk dress was

A cascade of green text scrolled rapidly across the laptop screen, followed by a series of high-resolution spreadsheets, banking documents, and PDF scans bursting into view.

"We're in," Victor breathed, leaning forward and resting his hands on the table on either side of the laptop.

Clara let ou