First message
The bass of the music rolled through the building like distant thunder.
Velvet Sin was the kind of nightclub that only existed for people with money and secrets. Crimson lights washed over velvet couches, gold chandeliers glimmered above the dance floor, and the air smelled of expensive perfume, smoke, and champagne.
People laughed too loudly.
Deals were made quietly.
But the moment Alessio Virelli walked in—
The atmosphere changed.
Not loudly.
Not obviously.
Just enough that people near the entrance subtly stepped aside.
He moved through the club like a shadow dressed in emerald silk. His suit caught the light with a deep green sheen, perfectly tailored against his tall frame. Silver hair brushed the collar of his jacket, tied loosely at the back, and the faint ink of a tattoo curled up the side of his neck.
His green eyes scanned the room slowly, taking in everything.
The exits.
The guards.
The bartender pouring drinks too carefully.
And the three men sitting in the back VIP booth who had already stopped talking.
Alessio slid a hand into his pocket as he approached the bar. The bartender stiffened.“Good evening, Mr. Virelli.”
Alessio’s voice was calm, smooth, almost gentle.
“Whiskey.”
No brand needed. The bartender poured immediately.
Across the club, whispers began.
“That’s him.”
“Virelli’s son.”
“The Emerald Ghost.”
Alessio lifted the glass but didn’t drink yet.
Instead, his gaze shifted toward the VIP booth in the corner. Three men sat there waiting for him.