The verdict hung over the North Ridge estate like a guillotine.
By mid afternoon, the sun had burned through the heavy mountain fog, casting sharp, cold rays of light through the floor to ceiling windows of the estate’s private strategy room. Julian stood at the head of the dark oak conference table, his charcoal suit jacket discarded over a chair, his silver tie loosened at his collar. Beside him, Ethan paced the perimeter of the room like a caged beast, his heavy tactical boots thudding rhythmically against the hardwood floor.
Chloe sat near the edge of the table, her hands wrapped tightly around a porcelain mug of bitter black tea that had long since gone cold. The sleek silver firearm Ethan had given her rested quietly in her lap, concealed beneath the folds of her oversized black ca
