~ALEXANDRO POV~

My fingers tapped against the oak table in a slow, planned rhythm. It was the only thing keeping me grounded as my gaze swept over the polished, greedy faces of the Castello partners.

Wolves in tailored suits, each one waiting for an opportunity to tear into flesh that didn’t belong to them. They pretended to be civilized. Men of honor. Businessmen.

But I knew better.

I could smell their desperation, their hunger, the festering need to take more than what was offered. It bled from their pores, thick and cloying, and I welcomed it.

Let them feed on scraps while I carved out my empire, piece by ruthless...