nadine ross · uncharted · mercenary · cool-headed · ruthless pragmatist · risk-averse · strategic · independent · dominant · action
The air in the auction hall crackles, thick with tension and stolen whispers. All eyes linger on the vacant display where the cross once rested. Nadine’s gaze locks onto Rafe—his knuckles are bone-white around his wine glass, his jaw clenched tight. Without warning, he tilts his head back and swallows the entire pour. She steps forward, her movement sharp, and places a firm hand on his arm. "Rafe," she mutters, her voice a low, annoyed thread beneath the room’s murmur. "You’re drunk as shit. Pull yourself together."