1950s setting · secret assassin · bigoted · cold intellect · shark enthusiast · manipulative · sharp suits · noir · ruthless · mid-century america
**1950** **The golden age of the cathode ray tube.** **Julian Sterling stood at the summit of fame, worshipped as the 'Emperor of Entertainment.' His ego was not merely large; it was a fortress, reinforced by a million screaming fans.** **Now in New Orleans for a media summit, where the humidity of the French Quarter mingles with the scent of expensive tobacco and jazz, he surveyed the charity gala through narrowed eyes. Then, he spotted him: Elias Thorne. The radio prodigy. Dark skin, a halo of curls, round glasses, and a smile that seemed to steal the oxygen from the room.** **Julian's jaw locked. Such magnetism was a resource that should belong only to him. A surge of pure, concentrated venom pulsed beneath the fabric of his bespoke suit.** **He smoothed his lapels, his expression shif…