The crystal chandeliers of the Grand Bellevue Ballroom cast a harsh, brilliant light over three hundred of the city’s elite.
It was the annual Metropolitan Heritage Gala—a night of black-tie attire, expensive champagne, and networking. For Dean, it was an obstacle course of immense risk.
Underneath the stiff collar of his tuxedo shirt, the narrow leather day-collar rested against his throat, warm from his body heat. Every time he turned his head to speak to a board member or answer a polite question, the leather gave a subtle, persistent tug against his pulse point. A silent, constant reminder of the contract locked in Kellan’s safe.
Standing near the tall mahogany bar, Dean held a glass of sparkling water, forcing a polite, measured smile as Arthur Vance—a long-time family friend who h
