Assuming the Debt

Valerio reached inside his tailored tuxedo jacket. The movement was deliberate and smooth. He produced a thick, hand-rolled cigar and a heavy gold lighter. His initials caught the dim light of the chandelier above them. A flick of his thumb, a spark, and the sharp scent of tobacco filled the dead air between them. He took a slow drag, exhaling a thick cloud of gray smoke across the mahogany table.