The Return of the Mafia Don

ulse uneven. Once, the name Gordonis lit up the city like gospel. Now

too big for his shrinking confidence. The marble desk before him was strewn with newspapers and reports: Financi

assical music from the corner radio failing

music," h

d the soft Beethoven. Silence swallowed the offic

years had b

slipping through his fingers. Every step forward brought two collapses.

Gordonis still ha

f a brother

White stepped inside, heels echoing acro

idn't

s direct. "They smell blood. Your com

ed. "I need numb

four months, six investors have pulled out. Three mergers failed. And n

scanned the

one knows. Just that the money's clean, fast,

ze snapp

of

posal. Enough to buy you time.

rward. "Who'

hesi

l him Don

through the ai

hat kind of n

al security. No photos. Just... a trail of perfectly timed moves. He's made a f

Tom asked, disbelie

He wants access. Prestige. A base in America. Yo

, calculating.

her folder. "One u

the pap

it, the

nts He

his personal liaison. She'

ears, loyal, buried in mid-level management roles after the trial. She'd di

about her?

faintly. "Maybe. Mayb

und the edge of the paper.

. "Unless you have another ghost billionaire

the weight of six years of dec

rmured. "Set

-

ault beneath the French Quarter. No cameras. No media.

ave for a long black

ced ne

foot

Purp

and a man entered, flanked

ther gloves. A black velvet mask covered the upper half of his face, casting shar

throat

his voice low, controlled, lik

n Alaric," Tom manag

shallow nod. "Let'

uards never l

lear. A 27% stake in Gordonis Corp in exchange for liquid

forward. "And you'll ke

once. "I'll rebuild it. If y

, but he waited like a pre

"Hermosa Rodriguez.

present you. If you still want

o room for

slightly as if da

ture line. His pen hovered, then dropped

he said

laric

turned toward the door. "

on the doo

s, her heart skipping. She hadn't seen Tom

sion was tight. Not angry.

he said. "But someone

hat are you t

id. "He's agreed to r

. "Never he

ly. "He's rich, elusive, and

breath cau

. Said he'd only sign if

ace went pa

r trial testimony. Maybe because you know how we

sa br

ny of what happened b

ast. It's about survival. You're assigned

he protest risi

d quietly. "Whe

red on hers for

ready on