Rose stepped onto the balcony of Herod''s penthouse, a ss of champagne catching the golden light of sunset. Below, Manhattan sprawled in all its glittering glory, oblivious to the small victory celebration taki


    "To sessful beginnings," Herod said, joining her with his own ss. The evening breeze ruffled his dark hair, softening his usually severe appearance.


    "Six p ix percent," Rose replied, satisfaction warming her voice "Six


    percent drop in a single day. Millions wiped from Kane Industries'' value."


    Their sses clinked, crystal meeting crystal with a delicate ring. Rose sipped the expensive champagne, bubbles dancing on her tongue. The taste of revenge was even sweeter than the Dom Pérignon. "You should have seen Victoria''s face during that press conference," she said, leaning against the railing "So controlled on the surface, but I know that look in her eyes. She''s rattled." iling. "So"


    Herod studied her, his expression curious. "You enjoy this, don''t you? Not just the oue, but the process. The game itself.”


    Rose considered this. "I never thought of myself as someone who enjoyed causing pain. But watching Camille squirm, seeing her precious project questioned." She trailed off, surprised by the Intensity of her fe "Most people lie to themselves


    about such things," Herod observed, moving closer. "They pretend their revenge is only about justice, not pleasure."


    "I stopped lying to myself a long time ago," Rose replied. When you grow up unwanted, you learn to see things clearly."


    Something flickered in Herod''s eyes, recognition, perhaps Understanding. The setting sun cast half his face in shadow, half in golden light, emphasizing the sharp angles of his cheekbones. "Your honesty is refreshing," he said.


    Rose felt a strange flutter in her chest. For weeks, they had worked together with cold precision, their partnership purely transactional. But tonight, celebrating their first victory, something subtle had shifted in th "Tell me something real about yourself," she said suddenly "Not about your family or Victoria Kane or


    business. Something I don''t know yet."


    Herod seemed surprised by the request. He


    turned to face the skyline, considering.


    "I collect first editions," he said finally. "Books from the 19th century, mostly. I findfort in things that have survived their time, ousted their creators."


    The admission was unexpected, a small, human detail about a man who had revealed so little of himself beyond his thirst for revenge.


    "Do you read them?" Rose asked. "Or just collect them?"


    "Both. Some nights, when sleep won''te, I read by the window until dawn." He nced at her. "Your turn. Something real."


    Rose felt oddly vulnerable under his gaze. She


    was ustomed to crafting herself for othare -


    the supportive sister, the devoted girlfriend. Revealing anything authentic felt dangerous.


    "Lcan''t swim,” she admitted. "I nearly drowned


    as a child, before the foster system. I''ve never been able to put my head underwater since."


    The words hung between them, more revealing than she''d intended. Not just a fact, but a weakness. A fear.


    Herod didn''t fill the silence with empty reassurances or prying questions. He simply nodded, epting her truth as she had epted his.


    "We all have our depths we can''t face," he said finally.


    Inside, Herod''s phone rang. He excused himself, stepping back into the penthouse. Rose remained on the balcony, watching darkness im the city. Lights flickered on across Manhattan, creating new conste Through the ss doors, she observed Herod taking the call. His posture shifted subtly, straightening, tensing. Business mode. She''d learned to read his bodynguage during their weeks of nning. Whateve When he returned to the balcony, his expression had hardened back into the calcting mask she recognized from their strategy sessions.


    "Good news?" she asked.


    "Confirmation that phase two is ready," he replied. "Our contact at the engineering firm has implemented the modified specs in the Brooklyn siteponents. Everything appears exactly as it should, until full sys six weeks after instation."


    Rose felt a familiar thrill of anticipation. "And then?"


    "Complete system failure. Harmless to humans, as promised, but catastrophic for Kane Industries'' reputation. Especially when the ''overlooked'' safety warnings surface.


    Rose smiled, imagining the scene, Camille watching helplessly as her precious Phoenix Grid copsed, taking her reputation with it.


    "Perfect timing," she said. "Just as they recover from this week''s crisis, just as they think they''re safe..."


    "The true damage arrives," Herod finished. "Patience rewards those who wait."


    He


    refilled their champagne sses, his fingers brushing against hers as he handed back her drink. The brief contact sent an unexpected warmth up her arm. Rose found herself noticing details she''d previously ig "Why did you agree to help me?" she asked abruptly. "You had your own ns for Victoria. Why include me?" Herod considered her question carefully. "Initially? Strategy. Your knowledge of Camille''s weakness "And now?"


    Something shifted in his expression, a softening around the eyes, a slight tension at the corner of his mouth." Now I find our partnership has... additional benefits."


    The Implication hung in the air between them. Ruse felt her heartbeat quicken. For so long, her rtionships had been calcted moves in arger game, Stefan, the men before him, each one a stepping ston This felt different. Dangerous in a new way


    "We should celebrate properly," Herod said, breaking the tension. "Not just champagne on the balcony. Dinner, perhaps."


    "Here?" Rose asked, gesturing toward the penthouse.


    "No. Out. In public."


    Rose stared at him. "I can''t be seen. Not after the press conference disaster. Every reporter in the city would pounce."


    "Not in New York," Herod rified. "My jet is fueled and waiting at Teterboro. We could be in Montreal for


    gat dinner, back by morning. No one would know."


    The spontaneity of the suggestion startled her. "Montreal? Tonight?"


    "Why not? We''ve earned a moment of pleasure amid all this nning.” His eyes held hers. "Unless you''re afraid to leave your hiding ce."


    The challenge was subtle but clear. Rose felt something stir inside her, pride, defiance, and something else she couldn''t quite name.


    "I''m not afraid," she said firmly. "But this seems... impulsive. Not like you."


    "Perhaps you


    don''t know me as well as you think." A smile yed at the corners of his mouth. "I can be impulsive when the asion warrants."


    Rose found herself returning his smile, conscious of how rarely she''d done so genuinely in recent weeks. Most of her smiles were performances, calcted to achieve a specific effect. This one surprised her wi "Montreal," she repeated, considering. "French food, anonymity, no press..."


    "Freedom," Herod added. "Even if just for an evening."


    The word resonated within her. Since the disaster at the Kane Foundation g, she''d been living in shadows, moving between hotel rooms, avoiding public spaces, watching from afar as her carefully construct "Yes," she decided suddenly. "Let''s go."


    Surprise flickered across Herod''s face, as if he hadn''t expected her to ept. It vanished quickly, reced by pleasure. "Excellent. Pack lightly. We leave in an hour."


    As Rose turned to go inside, Herod caught her wrist gently. The unexpected contact froze her in ce.


    "One condition," he said, his voice lower than before. "Tonight, no talk of Camille, Victoria, or revenge. Just dinner, conversation, and whateveres after."


    The implication sent heat rushing through Rose''s body. She met his gaze, searching for calction or maniption, the currencies she understood best. Instead, she found something more unsettling: genuine "Agreed," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.