A Scorching Claim

Raina

The Vanguard Club was the kind of place that didn't advertise its existence. It was a tomb of old money and older secrets, and tonight, the air inside felt heavy, like it was saturated with the scent of expensive scotch and the impending ruin of my composure.

I was at the bar at nine-thirty. I had done the roundtable, I had played the professional, and now I was nursing a drink that tasted