One Year To Make Him Remember

LETT

Syndicate enforcers stepped through the debris, their rifles raised. Behind them, a woman in a tailored white suit clicked her heels against the broken tile. "Scarlett Vaughn." Her voice was polished, lethal. "We meet at last." I knew her. Everyone in the underworld did. Elena Volkov. The Syndicate's most feared fixer. Xavier was on his feet in an instant, positioning himself between us. "Elena. Didn't realize you did house calls." She smiled, cold as a razor. "For the Vaughns? Always." Her gaze slid to me. "Your uncle has been very generous to us." Daniel wiped blood from his mouth, staggering upright. "Enough theatrics. Kill the

ER'S

recious. She doesn't know." Scarlett's voice was deadly quiet. "Know what?" I could lie. I should lie. But Elena was already speaking. "Xavier has been Syndicate for years, darling. He's the one who gave*us your father's file." The floor dropped out from under me. Scarlett turned. Slowly. Her eyes-God, her eyes I'd seen her angry before. This was something else. This was murder. Her kn

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y." I pressed the blade deeper. Blood welled. "Why?" For the first time, something flickered in his gaze. Something real. "Because the Syndicate owns half the world," he said quietly. "And you're the only person reckless enough to help me burn it down." I

VI

ett turned, her expression unreadable. "Start talking. Now." I exhaled. "Five years ago, the Syndicate killed my sister. I went deep cover to find out why." I gestured to the room. "This is what I've gathered. Every name. Every transaction. Everything." She studied the boards. "Including my father." "Yes." "And you gave them his file anyway." My chest tightened. "I had to sell the lie." She was silent for a long moment. Then "Prove it." I crossed to a hidden safe, inputting a code. Inside was a sin

I tossed the bloody rag aside. "Who else knows about your little war?" "No one alive." "Convenient." He met my gaze in the mirror. "You have the drive. Check for yourself." I would. Thoroughly. But first, I grabbed the bourbon, taking