The night breeze was crisp, carrying the metallic scent of the city and a hint of early spring.
Leo Vance draped his charcoal suit jacket over his arm and walked toward Grand Central Terminal. At this hour, the gridlock on 42nd Street made hailing a taxi a fool’s errand; the subway was faster.
After a few drinks with Liam, Leo felt an uncharacteristic surge of joy. His gamble—betting his career on a man he’d met through a car accident—had paid off. Liam had given him two paths. The first was corporate stability within Thorne Ventures. The second was the life of a "Contracted Fixer"—running his own shop with Liam as his primary benefactor.
Leo was ambitious. He didn't want a cubicle; he wanted an empire, however small. In the shadow of the Manhattan skyscrapers, the wealth gap wasn't jus
