The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Mark knew his fate was sealed. Betraying the Nine Mystics Society and harming his brethren had left him no escape.

His only option now was to divulge what he knew about GTO to save his own skin.

“Young Master, my latest orders were to shift our operations to Sea City and locate someone named Imogen to await further instructions. That’s all I was told, Young Master. Please, can you spare my life?”

Vivienne’s eyes narrowed.

Imogen had fled to Sea City, the turf of the Perez family.

Mark continued to plead as a tear traced his cheek.

Vivienne brushed off the man’s insincere tears and pressed, “Once in Sea City, how will you find Imogen?”

“I don’t know, but our base there is at a virus research facility. I haven’t been given details.”

Seizing a thread of hope, Mark blurted out, “Young Master, I’ll make amends. I’ll go to Sea City, uncover the research facility, and deliver this woman, Imogen, to you. I swear I’ll complete the mission.”

His voice was urgent, punctuated by fits of coughing that suddenly brought forth blood. His heart felt pierced with a thousand needles, suffocating him with pain.

Vivienne stood, dusted off her jacket, and said indifferently, “I gave Flynn a poison that’s tearing him apart from the inside. Yours is a hundred times stronger. You’ll spend every moment in agony.”

Mark collapsed, his face ashen.

No one knew better than him the potency of the Young Master’s poisons.

His pleas were in vain.

Just as he thought this was the harshest punishment, Vivienne spoke slowly, “You think this is enough?”

Mark shuddered.

something worse waiting

her pockets, looked down upon him. “I’ve always said, from the day you joined the Nine Mystics Society, death would never be the best outcome. For

opened the door, Draven entered. “Young

for a print, and walked out,

a fevered pitch, “Young Master, I beg you. I’ll never betray you again. Please, you can kill

stunned

dogs used to punish traitors. For years, no human

No one dared to cross her. She had hoped she would never have to use

clear how much

had joined GTO, the organization that had killed Vivienne’s mother, and she was relentless in her quest for vengeance against it, swearing to destroy it at

from GTO,

not directly involved in her mother’s death. They were not GTO’s boss, and she never had any personal grudge against them. Thus, if they did not cross her, she might grant them a quick

was

into the hound pit. If he were betrayed by someone he trusted, he would

begging, she smiled, a poisonous bloom. “I’m a law-abiding citizen. Why would I kill? Don’t you worry, you won’t die. You’ll be tended to every day, year after year unless I die.

Mark’s last hope. He sat, mouth agape, unable to utter a

was waiting, having overheard everything. Mark’s betrayal

would not forgive Mark

father had always been absent, and that

and said, “From today, you are the head of the

that upon his death, everything would

dead was irrelevant. What

obtain complete control of the Miller family still depended

you. I promise, the Miller family will never harbor another

with a young man’s

shoulder, her confidence

Matthew and Draven pull