A man met me at the door. Not a butler—at least, not the tuxedo-and-tails kind. He was dressed sharp but casual, dark slacks and a crisp shirt, his posture straight but relaxed.
"Mr. Dane," he said with a slight nod. "Welcome to Dominion Hall. This way, please."
I followed him inside.
The interior matched the exterior—money, but lived-in. Marble floors, high ceilings, a chandelier that looked like it could kill you, if it fell. But there were scuff marks on the floor, a jacket slung over a chair, the faint smell of coffee drifting from somewhere deeper in the house.
He led me down a hallway and into a room that looked like a parlor—leather chairs, bookshelves, a fireplace that hadn't seen use in a while.
And sitting in one of the chairs was a guy built like me.
Tall, broad-shouldered, the kind of frame that came from work, not a gym. He wore jeans and a T-shirt, his hair dark, his jaw shadowed with stubble. There was an old doctor's bag on the floor next to him—black leather, worn at the edges, the kind that had seen some shit.
I pointed at the bag. "Am I about to get a cavity check?"
The guy grinned, slow and easy, and stood. "Only if you want one."
We shook hands. His grip was firm, confident.
"Charlie," he said.
"Levi."
"I know." He gestured to the other chair. "Take a seat."
I sat, setting my backpack on the floor. Charlie settled back into his chair, still grinning, and there was a long pause where he just looked at me.
Like he was waiting for something.
Recognition, maybe.
Normally, I'd just sit there and wait him out. Silence was a weapon, and I knew how to use it.
But whether it was my body still acclimating after Paris and the flight, or the anticipation of who the fuck these Dominion Hall people were, I broke first.
"What do you want?"
His grin widened. "Straight to the point. I like that."
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "We know your current enlistment's coming up."
My jaw tightened. "How do you know that?"
He ignored the question. "We also know about your … extracurricular activities."
My pulse kicked up, but I kept my face neutral. "What activities?"
Charlie's grin didn't falter. "Come on, Levi. Paris wasn't a vacation. And it wasn't the first time you've gone off-reservation."
Fuck.
He let that sit for a second, then continued. "The Army's going to start getting suspicious. Eventually. And when they do, things are going to get messy for you."
I didn't say anything.
"Dominion Hall," Charlie said, "could be a good fit. For your next move."
I studied him. He wasn't threatening me. Wasn't trying to intimidate. He was just … laying it out.
