The morning after Victor's visit, I woke with a clarity of purpose I had never experienced before. No more waiting for others to determine my fate. No more being anyone's pawn. If Victor wanted information about the Silverstone empire, I would give it to him—but first, I would make sure I had equally valuable intelligence about his own operations.
I found Damon in his study at dawn, already dressed for the day in a charcoal suit that emphasized his commanding presence. He looked up as I entered, and I saw something shift in his storm-blue eyes—recognition of the change in me, the steel that had replaced uncertainty.
"You look different," he said quietly, setting aside the financial reports he had been reviewing. "Dangerous."
"Good," I replied, settling into the chair across from his desk. "Because we have work to do."
