Chapter 2: The Rust and the River**
Julian skipped the limousine and drove his vintage coupe toward the forgotten docks. Rain began to drum against the windshield, echoing the racing pulse in his throat. Beside him on the passenger seat, Leo turned the steel watch over in his small hands, listening to its ticking.
"Why didn't your dad come himself?" Julian asked, his voice rough.
"Because they’re watching," Leo said softly. "The men who wear the black rings."
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Julian’s grip on the steering wheel turned white. The Black Ring cartel—the very syndicate Julian thought he had dissolved with corporate mergers and payoffs. Scott hadn't died; he had been held in the shadows, waiting for Julian to fulfill the blood pact they made as boys: *Never leave a brother behind.*
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