THE FINAL ACT OF THE BILLIONAIRE

I felt a shudder go down my spine as the successor's icy, cunning voice boomed forth. As if he already knew the game was his to win, his tone was heavy with inevitable.

Pulling out the syllables of my name like a predator enjoying its prey, he called again, "Olivia." "You've had enough of pretending, but it's time to go on. You have no place in this world of authority and repercussions.

Beside me, Marcus tensed up, his knife ready and poised. Ethan's head lolled against my shoulder as he stirred feebly. I tightened my hold on him, protecting him with my body as my heart pounded in my chest.

"Now what do we do?" My voice was shaking as I murmured to Marcus.

He examined the deep darkness outside the clearing, his jaw tensed. "This time, we can't outrun them," he said. "We don't back down."