Page 109 of Black Reign

He grins.

“Sergei.”

Vale groans behind us. “Do not start.”

Jalen laughs. “I bet he has gold teeth.”

Drew nods. “White tank top.”

“Basement,” Kane adds.

Leo points toward me. “He’s going to kill all of you before the ceremony.”

“I’m considering it.”

We round the last hedge.

My security chief is waiting.

His expression is wrong.

Not alarmed.

Confused.

That is worse.

“Mr. Blackwell.”

“Where is she?”

He looks toward the checkpoint.

“We have a situation.”

I follow his gaze.

Six members of my security team stand in a loose circle.

In the middle is an elderly man.

I stop.

Behind me, somebody makes a choking sound.

The man is impeccably dressed.

Charcoal three-piece suit.

Silver hair combed neatly away from his face.

Black shoes polished to glass.

Ivory pocket square.

One hand rests on a dark wooden cane with an ornate silver handle.

He looks like old European money with a criminal-defense team on retainer.