Chapter 2 - THE NAME IN THE DARK
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The air in the marble bathroom turned to ice.
"Say that name again," I commanded, my voice dropping into a register that made glass vibrate.
Clary pulled her frayed collar tighter around her throat, her brown eyes wide with terror.
"Marcus Kane," she whispered, her lips trembling so violently she could barely shape the syllables.
"He said he was your right hand."
"He said if I didn't give him every dollar I earned by midnight tonight, Tommy wouldn't survive the weekend."
My hands curled into fists so tight the leather of my watch strap strained against my wrist.
Marcus Kane was my head of mansion security.
He had eaten at my table for six years.
He was sworn to protect this ground, yet he was running loan shark extortion rackets out of my own shadow.
Arthur took a startled step forward from the doorway, his eyes darting between Clary and me.
"Declan, Marcus has three squads stationed around the perimeter right now."
"The guests upstairs are growing impatient."
"Don Moretti and the Chicago delegates are demanding a toast."
I ignored Arthur completely.
I reached out and gently removed the damp cleaning rag from Clary's blistered fingers.
"Look at me, Clary."
She hesitated, then slowly raised her tear-streaked face.
"Your brother's debt is dead."
"Do you hear me?"
"It does not exist anymore."
Fresh tears spilled over her lashes, tracing clean lines through the dust on her cheeks.
"You... you can't mean that."
"He owes fifty thousand dollars, Mr. Knox."
"I don't care if he owes fifty million."
I stripped off my heavy charcoal blazer and draped it over her small, trembling shoulders.
The expensive cashmere swallowed her fragile frame whole.
"Arthur, lock down the west gate."
"Take Clary to my private study on the third floor and post four loyal men at the door."
Arthur blinked in shock.
"Your personal study?"
"Declan, nobody is allowed in there except you."
"She is allowed," I growled, stepping past him into the hallway.
"And if Marcus Kane takes one breath outside this estate before I find him, I will hold you personally responsible."
I didn't wait for Arthur's reply.
I walked toward the grand ballroom, my footsteps echoing like thunder against the polished marble floor.
May you like
Five hundred powerful criminals were drinking my vintage champagne upstairs.
None of them knew that their celebration was about to turn into a hunting ground.
