The lobby of one of Manhattan’s most luxurious hotels fell into an uneasy silence the moment Lorien Marino walked through the revolving doors.
Every step he took was measured, unhurried, commanding. Behind him followed ten suited bodyguards, forming an invisible barrier around the man no one dared cross.
At only twenty-eight years old, Lorien had become one of New York’s youngest billionaires—and the ruthless head of the Marino family, a criminal empire powerful enough to influence boardrooms, politicians, and the city’s darkest corners alike.
A tailored black shirt stretched across his broad shoulders, the first few buttons left undone to expose intricate black tattoos disappearing beneath the fabric. His sleeves were rolled to his forearms, expensive watch glinting beneath the hotel lights, while tailored black slacks completed the effortless elegance of a man who looked born for magazine covers.
He was breathtaking.
And terrifying.
Guests whispered as he passed. Hotel employees instinctively stepped aside. Women openly admired him from a distance, yet none were reckless enough to approach the infamous Marino boss without invitation.
Without acknowledging the attention, Lorien continued toward a private business meeting.
Then—
Someone came rushing around the corner.
They collided hard against his chest.
For one suspended heartbeat, even his bodyguards froze, too stunned to reach for their weapons.
The lobby held its breath.
Because the person who had just crashed into New York’s most feared mafia boss had absolutely no idea whose path they’d crossed.
