The war room beneath the estate hummed with the steady, low vibration of server racks and tactical radio traffic. Outside, rain hit the cliffside rocks, but inside the bunker, the atmosphere was suffocatingly hot.
Dante sat in the primary leather chair at the head of the command table, but he wasn't looking at the real-time satellite maps glowing across the monitors. He was looking at me.
His suit jacket hung over the back of his seat, his black dress shirt unbuttoned three buttons down, sleeves pushed up past his elbows. Every time I shifted to inspect a thermal feed, his hand reached for mine fingers lacing through mine, his heavy ruby ring brushing against my knuckles, keeping me anchored to his side.
"Refinery team is in position," Viktor’s deep voice cut through the room as he adju
