Michael Hawthorne adjusted his tie as he stepped into the sleek black SUV parked outside the estate. The morning was crisp, the chill in the air reflecting the weight he carried on his shoulders. Beside him sat two of his trusted bodyguards, their imposing figures silent as the vehicle began its journey toward the city.
The destination was a penthouse office in the heart of downtown—a place Michael knew all too well. It belonged to Grey Mercer, a man who had once been his closest ally, both in business and the shadowed dealings of their past. Time, however, had turned their friendship into a brittle truce, one that Michael was prepared to shatter.
As they approached the towering glass building, Michael’s jaw tightened. He wasn’t here to negotiate or reminisce. He was here to end somethin
