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.

there something worse waiting

in 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 a traitor… even a

opened the door,

print, and walked

to a fevered pitch, “Young Master, I beg you. I’ll never betray

Draven was stunned by

owned a private kennel of ferocious dogs used to punish

and Vivienne’s temperament. No one dared to cross her. She had hoped she would never

clear how much Mark’s betrayal had infuriated

pang of sympathy. A simple betrayal might have ended with poison, but Mark had joined GTO, the organization that had killed Vivienne’s mother, and she was relentless in her

had dealt with many from GTO, but none suffered as

were not GTO’s boss, and she never had any personal grudge against them. Thus, if they did not cross her, she

was attached to all Nine Mystics

Vivienne would throw Mark into the hound pit. If he were betrayed by someone he trusted, he would do

exit, hearing Mark’s 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. That’s when your relief may

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

Aaron was waiting, having overheard

course, would not

always been absent, and that only seemed more accurate than

are the head

will. It stated that upon his death, everything would

Aaron, whether Mark was truly dead was irrelevant. What mattered

could obtain complete control of

the Miller

with

shoulder, her confidence in him

and Draven pull some strings for you behind the