The late afternoon air felt heavier as Eric stepped through the hotel's glass doors.
The marble glow and chandeliers were behind him now—
But the feeling of being watched still clung to his skin.
Black Falcon operatives positioned themselves around him automatically.
Elena walked beside him, still processing everything.
Four hundred fifty thousand euros.
A thousand coins delivered.
A prince interested in future business.
It was too big.
Too fast.
They were just a few meters from the main exit when one of the prince's aides hurried down the corridor.
"Mr. Eric!" he called, slightly out of breath but maintaining formal posture. "His Highness would like to speak with you… in private."
Emir's men exchanged glances immediately.
"That's not advisable," one of them said quietly, stepping closer. "A private meeting wasn't part of the protocol."
A cold sensation ran down Eric's spine.
Private?
After a deal like that?
"Tell the prince I'm busy," Eric replied firmly.
The aide stepped closer, lowering his voice. His subtle, expensive perfume contrasted with the conspiratorial tone.
He leaned in and whispered:
"His Highness has a proposal… to solve your problem with Emir Kaya."
The name hit like a stone in Eric's stomach.
He didn't react outwardly—
But his jaw tightened.
The mercenaries noticed.
"Sir?" one of them pressed.
Eric took a breath.
Tired.
Uneasy.
But curious.
"I'll go," he said.
"We don't recommend it."
"I didn't ask for a recommendation."
The aide gestured for him to follow.
They returned to the private elevator.
This time—
Only Eric was allowed to continue.
In the corridor leading to the presidential suite, Emir's men were subtly blocked by the prince's security.
Elena too.
"I'll wait here," she said, trying to sound steady.
Eric gave her a quick look.
If anything went wrong—
She couldn't help.
The door opened.
Eric stepped inside—
And paused.
The suite wasn't just luxurious.
It was a palace suspended above the city.
Polished dark wood floors.
Persian rugs placed with precision.
A grand piano in the corner.
Original artwork on the walls—
Not reproductions.
Subtle golden detailing in the ceiling.
The panoramic view of the city felt almost irrelevant compared to the interior.
A young Black woman in impeccable formal attire approached him.
"Good afternoon, sir. What can I offer you?"
Eric hesitated for a moment.
Her presence caught him off guard.
"Water is fine."
She nodded with a composed smile and stepped away.
Prince Amir emerged from an inner room.
"Apologies for calling you back," he said calmly. "I needed a more… private moment."
He gestured.
Everyone left.
Only the prince, his secretary, and Eric remained.
The silence felt deliberate.
Eric instinctively mapped exits.
Main door.
Side corridor.
Panoramic window—impossible.
Number of people.
Distance to elevator.
The prince noticed.
"You don't need to look for exits," he said with a faint smile. "If I wanted to harm you, I wouldn't have been this direct."
Eric forced a slight smile.
"I'm learning to be cautious."
"And that's a good thing," the prince replied. "I was very pleased with the quality of the gold."
"I'm glad."
"I'd like to know you better."
"I prefer to stay private," Eric replied immediately.
The prince tilted his head slightly.
"Yes. I noticed."
Eric didn't dare ask about the "help" mentioned earlier.
The silence stretched—
Until the prince broke it.
He handed a card to his secretary, who passed it to Eric.
"What is this?"
"A contact from Volk Unit."
Eric read the name.
"A security company?"
"A mercenary group that has worked for me."
Eric slipped the card into his pocket without much reaction.
"I'm not interested in replacing my current team."
The prince raised an eyebrow.
"Are you insane?"
Eric held firm.
"I'm satisfied with my current team."
"If you were," the prince replied coldly, "you wouldn't have accepted my invitation."
Eric tried to hold his ground.
The prince leaned slightly forward.
"The leader of the group you hired has a history. Allegations of eliminating former clients. If you truly believe Emir Kaya is trustworthy… then perhaps I misjudged you as a strategist."
The words hit harder than expected.
Eric pulled the card back out.
"And what guarantees Volk Unit will be any different?"
"Mercenaries are mercenaries," the prince said. "But Volk Unit is professional. Extremely professional."
"I had difficulty hiring my current team."
"I've already solved that for you," the prince said casually.
That only made Eric more suspicious.
"What do you want in return?"
The prince didn't hesitate.
"Exclusivity in negotiations. And more coins within a month."
Silence.
"Can I trust you?" Eric asked.
The prince answered without softening:
"No."
Strangely—
That was reassuring.
Brutal honesty was better than false promises.
"How did you know I have issues with Emir?" Eric asked.
"I investigated you. I needed to know who I was dealing with. That's why I attended personally."
Eric absorbed that.
"When will the new security be available?"
"In a few days."
Eric nodded.
He turned to leave—
Then stopped.
An idea struck him.
"What do you want?" the prince asked, curious.
Eric looked directly at him.
"A gold mine."
The prince blinked.
Then smiled slightly.
"I'll contact your lawyer."
Eric felt a small jolt.
The prince knew about Lucía.
Not surprising.
Men like him had access to information others couldn't even imagine.
Eric thanked him and left.
As soon as the door closed, the prince's secretary spoke:
"Why not interrogate him? Force information about the supplier?"
The prince pulled out a coin marked with a slightly burned X.
"Others have tried."
"And?"
"It ended in tragedy."
He spun the coin between his fingers.
"I don't know how. But I know the hidden supplier eliminates intermediaries… and those who get too close."
The secretary paled.
"Do you want to investigate the new intermediary further?"
The prince studied him for a moment.
"Are you willing to take that risk?"
The secretary said nothing.
Outside, Eric rejoined Emir's men.
Their eyes were curious.
"All good?" one of them asked.
"All good."
But it wasn't.
As the convoy drove away, one of Emir's subordinates spoke quietly on the phone:
"Sir… we need to act quickly. He's growing too fast. If we wait, he'll become too influential to contain."
On the other end—
Emir said nothing.
But his heavy breathing said everything.