Damiano leaned in, his face inches from mine.

“Let him try,” he said. “My lawyers can tie up any legal threat for years.”

“But you have to give me your word, Arya.”

“You must play this part perfectly.”

“No second thoughts. No running.”

I looked into his cold, calculating eyes.

He was a dangerous man, a criminal lord who ruled this city’s underbelly.

But Marcus was a monster who wanted to destroy me slowly, piece by piece.

“And if I say no?” I asked.

“Then I will have my security escort you out the back elevator,” Damiano said simply.

“And you can face Marcus and his police officers alone.”

He was not pleading. He was stating a brutal fact.

I looked at the security feed on the wall again.

In the lobby, Marcus was pointing up at the ceiling, arguing with the front desk manager.

Standing behind Marcus was a man I didn’t recognize, wearing a dark overcoat.

The man in the overcoat looked up at the security camera and smiled.

It was a chilling, knowing smile.

“Who is that?” I asked, pointing to the screen.