Elara was exhausted. Every breath she took lately felt heavy, as if she were breathing water instead of air. She didn't want to be here. She was busy dealing with her own business lately. But her business partner had dangled a piece of bait in front of her that was too juicy to ignore.
She had tried to suggest a quiet meeting at a bar, but Jaxon was stubborn, so here she was, arriving at this loud, over-the-top club in person.
"I've got a video you're going to want to see," he had said over the phone. His voice had been thick with a kind of dark, wicked mischief that usually meant trouble.
Elara knew from experience that when this man lulled someone in like this, the results were never good. But he wasn't the type to waste her time with small talk.
"What kind of video?" she had asked, her thumb hovering over the 'end call' button.
"It's too risky to send," he replied. "Come see it for yourself."
"It's a long drive, Jaxon. I'm busy."
