Chapter 85 From the Ashes
❄︎ Viktor ❄︎
The leather creaked as I leaned back in the chair, my eyes fixed on nothing, a dull pounding in my skull spreading like fire.
The office had the sort of scent that clung to walls after too many years of deals and wars conducted inside them.
Adrian sat across from me, his shoulders hunched over his laptop, fingers tapping with quick movements.
My fingers drifted up, brushing the edge of my bottom lip as a dangerous distraction clawed at me. Rosa. Her warmth from last night was still stamped into my skin, the feel of her soft body molding against mine, the way she’d opened beneath me like she was meant for me.
I could almost taste her if I closed my eyes. Christ. Every nerve screamed for me to leave Adrian here, forget the business, and find her.
But the migraine pulsed harder, reminding me I couldn’t afford to be careless. Not with a target painted on my back and half the city watching to see if I’d fall.
“You’re somewhere else.” Adrian’s voice cut through my haze. He didn’t look up, still working, but the edge in his tone was sharp. “Diego Salazar dropped off more arms last night. Transaction’s cleared. The Mexicans are quiet… for now.”
I forced my hand down, tightening it into a fist against my thigh. Business. Focus.
“Good.” My voice came out rougher than intended.
I studied Adrian, the way his jaw worked, how unshakable he looked even under the weight of running half my empire while I tried to remember which way was up. A man who’d stood by me. A man I trusted with my life.
“Thank you,” I said, my tone low. “For standing by me through this shitstorm.” His eyes flicked up. I pushed on, the words tasting bitter in my mouth. “I’m lost, Adrian. More than I’ll admit to anyone else. But I’ll do whatever it takes to jog my memory and put us back on track. I won’t leave you carrying this alone.”
For the first time since we sat, a flicker of emotion passed through his expression. Approval, maybe. Or relief.
I leaned forward, my elbows digging into the desk. “What about Giancarlo Conti?”
Adrian’s eyes hardened. He studied me before replying. “Still running his piece of the trafficking trade. He doesn’t miss a beat. Even a few days ago, a shipment of girls came into New York under his nose.”
A muscle ticked in my jaw. My question had been casual on the surface, but deep down? I hated the man. Not just for the business he dealt in, but that his son had Rosa before me. The thought burned hotter than the migraine.
Adrian shut the laptop halfway, leaning back in his chair. “We both know the plan was to use the Grand Marlow to monitor the bigger picture. That was how you wanted to box the Syndicate in.” His gaze held mine. “So tell me, Viktor, how do you intend to move forward with Rosalind over the hotel?”
I inhaled, forcing calmness into my tone. “Keep tabs on both the front and the back ends of the hotel. Every guest, and every meeting.” My hand brushed my lip again without thinking. “I’ll handle Rosa. I need her guard down before I bring the hotel back into play.”
Adrian didn’t respond right away, his gaze steady and searching me as if he knew there was something more to it.
Adrian’s silence stretched long enough to make me wonder if he would challenge me, but instead he nodded once. “It would be wise to take that route.”
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
Still, my mind itched with unease. I tapped a knuckle against the desk. “Is it possible that someone from the Marlow family is seeking vengeance?”
“No. We tore that family down to its foundations. Every single one was weeded out, except Dante and Rosalind. The rest of them betrayed George Marlow and his heir. You saw to their end yourself.”
The certainty in his voice made me lean back, satisfied. If Adrian said it, then it was the truth.
For a beat, the only sound in the office was the ticking of the wall clock. Then Adrian leaned forward. “What exactly is the last thing you remember, Viktor?”
The migraine spiked as if the question itself was a blade to my temple. My throat scraped as I forced the words out. “The night Father forced Paulo to murder Guerrero Sanchez in the chamber. Over and over again until the bastard’s blood covered both of them. That sigil, the golden snake jaw with the muzzle… it’s branded into my skull. But after that…” I shook my head, frustration clawing my chest. “Nothing. A void.”
Adrian’s jaw ticked, but he gave no outward sign of surprise. He simply nodded, closed the laptop with a soft snap, and changed the subject. “You’ve been out of the public eye for too long. Rivals are already circling and sniffing for weakness. If they start believing you’ve gone soft, or worse, broken, they’ll move in. You need to show them otherwise.”
I rubbed the back of my neck, the weight of his words settling heavily. He was right. In this world, perception was everything.
“Where?” I asked.
“Club Lux.” A faint smirk ghosted over his face. “Your empire’s jewel. If you feel up to it.”
A strange, restless energy hummed through me. Excitement, even. The thought of stepping into the lights, of reclaiming a piece of who I was even if my own memories betrayed me, felt like air after drowning.
“Fine,” I said, my lips curving into a smile. “Tighten security and have eyes everywhere. If my would-be killer wants to try again, let them come. I’ll be ready.”
Adrian inclined his head, the glint in his gaze telling me he’d already set plans in motion before I even gave the order.