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.

worse waiting for

the day you joined the Nine Mystics Society,

door, Draven entered. “Young

a document, pressed Mark’s thumb for a print, and walked out, leaving behind

“Young Master, I beg you. I’ll never betray you again. Please, you can kill me, but

stunned by

ferocious dogs used to punish traitors. For years, no

to cross her. She had hoped she

clear how much Mark’s betrayal

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 quest for vengeance against it, swearing to destroy it at

had dealt with many from GTO, but none suffered as

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

trusted Mark. Plus, she was attached to all Nine

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

Don’t you worry, you won’t die. You’ll be tended to every day, year after year unless

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

Aaron was waiting, having overheard everything. Mark’s

of course, would not

been absent, and that only seemed

handed Aaron the document and said, “From today, you are the head of the

was Mark’s will. It stated that upon

Aaron, whether Mark was truly dead

whether he could obtain complete

promise, the Miller family

filled with

patted his shoulder, her confidence in

and Draven pull