The 'Midnight Rose' casino was a den of shadows and shimmering gold, hidden beneath an inconspicuous warehouse. Aurora entered, her presence a silent explosion in the room. She wore a backless emerald gown that matched her eyes, but tucked into the garter on her thigh was a small, high-tech hacking device.
She was led to a private room in the back, where Silas Vane sat surrounded by bodyguards and clouds of cigar smoke. He was a bloated man with greedy eyes that crawled over Aurora as she sat down.
"So, Xavier Black sends a beauty to do a man's job?" Silas laughed, his voice like gravel. "What makes you think I'll give you anything, little girl?"
"Because I'm not here to ask, Silas," Aurora said, her voice smooth and cold as glass. "I'm here to offer you a way out. I know about the offshore accounts you've been using to hide Richard's laundered money. If the feds find out, you're looking at life in prison."
Silas froze, his laughter dying in his throat. "You're bluffing."
"Am I?" Aurora slid a tablet across the table. It showed a real-time feed of his private server being decrypted. "My assistant is very fast. In five minutes, that data goes to the DA. Unless, of course, you hand over the 'Aegis' hardware."
The room became deathly silent. Silas's bodyguards moved closer, but Aurora didn't flinch. She knew Xavier's snipers were watching from the vents.
"You're a demon," Silas hissed, sweat beading on his forehead. He signaled to one of his men, who brought out a small metallic briefcase. "Take it and get out. But tell Xavier... this isn't over."
"I'll be sure to tell him," Aurora said, taking the case and standing up.
As she walked out of the casino and into the cool night air, Xavier was waiting by his black limousine. He leaned against the door, watching her with a look of genuine impressed curiosity.
"You handled that faster than I expected," he remarked as she handed him the case.
"I don't like to waste time," Aurora replied, her heart still racing from the encounter.
Xavier opened the car door for her, but as she went to slide in, he caught her arm, pulling her close. The distance between them vanished. "You're a natural, Aurora. A beautiful, dangerous natural."
He didn't kiss her, but the promise of it hung heavy in the air, a silent contract more binding than any paper. As the car sped away, Aurora realized she wasn't just fighting for her company anymore. She was fighting a man who wanted her soul as much as her mind.