Meanwhile, the three men who had stepped down from the carriage carried Xavier into the foyer, their boots echoing against the marble floor. They passed the centerpiece statue, an elaborate display of naked men and women bent beneath the weight of stone jars, water forever frozen mid pour.
The thin man let out a low whistle. "First time seeing the place, but I've heard plenty. This is Baron Mitch's estate, isn't it?"
"The baron's got a peculiar taste," the shorter man muttered, squinting at the carved figures. "Statues of naked folk in his entryway… I heard he fancies children, too."
"Whatever filth he's into, that's not our concern," the bald man cut in with a rasping laugh. "The money's good, that's all that matters. If the prey suffers for it, so be it." His chuckle carried a cruel edge, sharp enough to make the other two exchange uneasy glances.
