Adam's POV
The stench of whiskey, sweat, and bad choices clung to the air like a second skin. Smoke twisted through the buzzing gambling den, thick as the tension simmering beneath the surface. Laughter rang out, sharp and reckless, punctuated by the occasional crash of a glass, the groan of a man who'd just lost more than he could afford.
And then I walked in.
The noise dipped. Just for a second. Just enough for me to catch the shift. The way backs stiffened, the way men at the tables glanced up, clocking my presence before quickly looking away. Some with fear. Others with thinly veiled resentment.
I didn't care either way.
I adjusted my cufflinks, the crisp linen of my tailored suit a stark contrast to the filth of this place. I wasn't here to blend in. I was here to hun
