und. It's the sharp intake of breat

the

e! This is

one. Beams of tactical flashlights cut thr

ent to my thigh, searching for a holster t

essor Harrison, pulling him

s. They were moving toward the stage, t

ned th

ing from beneath the white tablecloth. He had shoved Seraphina as

wa

er, jumped onto the stage.

it! Le

n, turned his weapon toward the crow

at a woman who was cryi

going t

solved itself in a microsecond. Distance

marble floor. I reached down and tore the side sl

. Silen

he shadows between the flashlight beams. I

his kidney. He grunted,

aring my palm on the hot metal, and drove

his grip

rom his hands. I spun

n saw me. He ra

p-

To disable. One round into his right shoulde

oman in a torn backless evening gown holding an AR

. Too calm for a civilian, but in th

esit

commanded.

gun. He dropp

open. SWAT teams

Drop th

he floor, stood up slow

out. "Bad guys are

he saw my face in the flashlight beam. He saw

d his gun

p away from

I said. "Just a civ

s flicker

red glass. And me, standing in the center, soot on my face,

up, brushing crumbs from his knees. He looked at

ned and close

ispered. "You

d," I

ce. You wouldn't watch

n," I said, wiping my hands on a napk

d up by a waiter. She loo

ng started fr

l loo

The "Madman of Manhattan." He was wearing a tuxedo that cost more than Julian's ho

drawled. "Sim

ring the police, ignoring the c

"I heard you were on the market. My securi

hand. It was s

ford me, Blac

was a wolfish, hun

inding his voice. "She's

n. The smile vanished

e table while she was clearing the room. If she were

inched as

ing his arm. "Let's get you a drin

. He was small. So

Asher