The doors of the office scraped open, and Grace stumbled in along with Alex, their limbs heavy with a combination of sheer exhaustion and lingering adrenaline. The glittering, restrictive clothing they had been forced into felt like a brand against their skin, sticky with the sweat of a crowded room. They moved blindly toward the far side of the space, collapsing completely as they crashed on the plush leather couch. Alex buried her face in her hands, her shoulders trembling, while Grace simply stared ahead, her breathing shallow.
The lead bodyguard stepped into the room behind them, his gaze lingering on the two women with a cold, detached indifference as they huddled together on the cushions. He crossed his thick arms over his chest, anchoring himself near the threshold.
Across the roo
