Page 100 of Heartless Sinner

My shoulders slump, and I glance up at Brahm again.

Anton.“Is he in the States?”

“Yes. He’s here in New York.”

Holy fuck.Anton slipped right past us. That’s why everything is quiet. They’re still talking, but we can’t hear them because they may not be talking to the people we’ve been watching. And worse, my enemies have allied to become friends.

“When did he get here?”

“Last week. He’s been talking to some guy called Johnny and—” A bullet lodges in his head and takes him down.

Brahm and I both whip around to see that the extra security system has been activated. Because we keep high value items in here, the vault is armed to protect itself if there’s a break-in. I purposely deactivated it while the trap was in here because I needed answers.

We hear the sound of the security gun getting ready to fire again, so Brahm grabs me and practically hauls me out of the room before a rain of bullets fires at us.

Once we’re outside, we look at each other realizing how close we just came to being butchered.

Brahm grabs his phone and calls security. His voice blends into the white noise while pieces of the puzzle click into place in my mind.

Anton is here and he thinks he can get close to me.

The only way he can do that is through Scarlett.

“I have to get to my wife,” I say to Brahm, but I don’t wait for his answer. I’m already running.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Scarlett

I've only ever heard of the Astoria from either Lucy or watching TV.

The Astoria is an invite-only association for the world's elite. All sorts of fascinating functions and events take place here that you read about in magazines.

The air itself feels different here, perfumed with old money and power that makes my skin prickle with awareness.

Much like Oheka Castle, it felt like walking into a dream from the moment I stepped in.

The black marble floor that looks like glass gleams beneath the crystal chandeliers, and the velvet drapes hanging against the walls whisper inspiration from the Renaissance era.

Lucy has been here over a hundred times but the tables have turned tonight, and she is my plus one.

We've been invited to a women's charity event Genevieve is hosting. It's an event to raise money for women who live in third world countries who need help to either take care of themselves or their families.

I’ve always admired people who run charity events like these, so I was ready to offer my support and donate to the cause regardless of how I feel.

My heart flutters with a mix of nerves and unease, the competing emotions making my fingers fidget with the beaded clutch in my hands.

It's supposed to be an exciting evening, and I should still be walking in the clouds after my movie deal news. But I'm worried about Micah. I'm worried about whatever is worrying him. The thought of his troubled expression sits like lead in my stomach, heavy and cold.

Three nights ago, he came home looking terrified, as if something awful had happened. The memory of his face makes my chest tight.

Seeing him that way freaked me out because he's always so composed and calm. The worst thing was he wouldn't tell me what was going on. The silence between us that night had been deafening, filled with unspoken fears that made the air thick and hard to breathe.

Micah couldn't even hide the fact that something had happened because I could tell. The tension radiated from him in waves, making my skin crawl with secondhand anxiety.

And I also swear I saw blood on his shirt; there were specks of it.

So, when he told me not to worry, I couldn't help myself. I've been on edge since, my nerves raw and exposed like livewires, and my gut is telling me that the only thing that could get him so worked up in that way is Anton. The name alone sends ice through my veins.

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