thinned after Clare's departure. Egnacio's composure

exter, his eyes gleaming with t

king a sip of his scotch. "The 'Ice

e whiskey in his glass, his gaze fix

tt. Good blood, but no real power. Clare's a Carroll by name, but she's basically an

ined impassive, but his

l. Made her a legend and a pariah all at once. The old guard, like h

oo much," he said, a defensive edge to his voice

io. His eyes were sharp, analytical. "And you felt the most ar

a man like you, a rational mind, wou

a fleeting sign of contempt. He did

gain. "Trying to use her to patch the hole she blew in their stock price. She made

er's fingers on the leather sofa b

ak, even when she was shattering from the inside out. That kind of strength, forged in b

entlemen, I have another engagement. A pleasu

s cold. He had no time for weak,

yer. "Find out w

eting Carli Carroll at Cipriani Downtown. Looks like the consolation prize has been waiting for him." He

ting the cuffs of his bespoke shirt.

t's

ex, that place is a dive. It's loud,

t the Ice Queen do

t, cavernous interior of Dexter's black Maybach. Th

cket, his fingers closing around a small, cool object. An old si

people responsible. To do that, he needed to blend in, to become a part of t

he chaos. Heading toward a woman who had no idea she wa