The Price of Protection

The armored town car was a pressurized vault of leather and ozone, sealing out the frantic pulse of the gala’s exit. Elena sat in the dim light, her pulse finally slowing, though the adrenaline of the evening remained, sharp and cold. Beside her, Julian didn't wait for the driver to pull away from the curb. He shoved a sleek, obsidian-colored drive into the center console, his jaw locked tight enough to snap bone.

"The pilot is waiting at Teterboro," Julian said, his voice a low, jagged blade. "Your new identity, the offshore accounts, the exit strategy—it’s all on that drive. You have ten minutes to disappear before Marcus realizes the sabotage was yours, not his brother’s. He’s already ordered a sweep of the server logs. If you’re still in the city when they connect the dots, you won’t just lose your reputation. You’ll be a casualty."

Elena st

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