The wind grows colder along the pier.
Victor Salazar sits against the concrete barrier while paramedics check his pulse, but his eyes remain fixed on me. Watching. Studying. Like I’m still something he thinks he can possess.
My skin crawls.
Marcus exhales beside me. “Well,” he mutters quietly, “this evening just keeps getting more disturbing.”
Adrian doesn’t respond. His attention remains locked on Victor with the stillness of a man calculating exactly how much patience he has left.
Margaret Lawson steps closer into the floodlight. Her expression is composed. Too composed.
Victor laughs weakly. “You’re all acting surprised.”
Adrian’s voice cuts through the air. “Explain.”
Victor tilts his head slightly. “You want the truth?”
Marcus shrugs. “At this point, yes. Transparency seems a
