20

Lucian meets Maureen Fitzgerald at his DC hotel to press for leads on Felix Metzer and the hit list that included Nash Morgan. Maureen admits Felix was her cousin and recalls Felix being rattled by a cop “friend” who crashed a family cookout. Her digging identified the cop as Tate Dilton, later killed after an abduction gone wrong.

Lucian weighs the revelation, frustrated that the trail may end with a dead man. He escorts Maureen out, then joins Nolan in the bar to debrief. They reason that Dilton, a dim but opportunistic dirty cop, could have both put Nash on the elimination list and taken the shot himself, possibly intersecting with the Hugo family’s operations through overlapping criminal circles.

Deciding to verify the lead, Lucian instructs Nolan to have someone speak with Felix’s family for corroboration. Despite his power and control, Lucian is unsettled by thoughts of Sloane and his life choices, tension building beneath his calm exterior.

Sloane unexpectedly appears in the bar, dazzling a ring of suitors. Lucian’s possessiveness surges; he disperses the men and clashes with Sloane, who declares she’s there for a no-strings hookup. Their verbal sparring turns physical as Lucian crowds her space, intensifying their long-standing attraction and rivalry.

Pressed between challenge and desire, Lucian proposes they end the stalemate with one night of sex, nothing more. Sloane, defiant but aroused, agrees on those terms. Lucian pays the tab and leads her toward the elevators, both committed to a single night that won’t resolve their conflict but will satisfy their immediate need.