In one of the millionaire buildings in downtown Las Vegas, inside the luxurious apartment on the outskirts of the Strip, lived Blair Collins. The room consisted of two environments; the living room and the TV room. Elegant and luxurious, the apartment had twelve rooms, all tastefully decorated. And, despite her incompatibility with her father, Blair had accepted that he would pay for this very expensive property so she could live with her friend.

- “I'll open some wine” Drake warned as soon as he entered the apartment.

Blair was right behind him, already getting rid of the pair of boots she'd worn at lunch. She headed into the main room and threw herself on the couch.

- “White or red?” he shouted, already entering the cellar.

- “Red” Blair replied as she turned on the television and flipped through the channels, looking for something interesting.

Minutes later, Drake returned with a bottle of Merlot and two round glasses. He loved the new phase of his life, where he could drink expensive drinks and eat well. She liked the comfortable bed and the fine linen sheets. But most of all, she loved sharing that moment with her best friend.

- "I've been thinking..." he started the subject softly as he filled the glasses with the dark liquid.

- “We don't need to stay here if you don't want to. I know you agreed to live this life because of me too, baby, but we don't have to. I know this approach of your father is killing you.”

Drake knew everything, every detail, and he would never trade his friend's emotional comfort for Vegas luxury, despite loving them both. And at his suggestion, Blair shrugged, showing indifference.

- "It's not such a bad life"

The truth was, there was a kind of revenge behind his acceptance. Blair knew her father valued money, and she was willing to make him spend a fortune before actually trying to get close. She didn't care how futile it seemed, her only intention was to cause any pain, however minimal, to the man she called her father. She wished he knew the bottom of the well, the place she'd inhabited for years.

- “I love this show” Drake commented, then turned up the volume on the television as 'The Tonight Show' started.

Apparently, the previous subject had been forgotten. The show followed with Jimmy presenting humorously, causing Blair and Drake to chuckle heartily as they sipped from their glasses.

- “Ladies and gentlemen, with you, Ethan Banks” minutes later, the presenter announced the guest of the night, and the audience began to scream hysterically as the man entered the stage.

Dressed in dark jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, he looked like a dark angel, lit only by the tourmalines in his eyes. It was impossible to choose a shade between blue and green for them.

Blair hadn't seen his face, but she would recognize that figure anywhere. The intense green in his eyes wasn't captured by the camera, yet the woman felt her skin sting as if he were looking directly at her. The big hands, broad shoulders and strong arms were unmistakable. Blair was certain that this man, being televised and cheered by a desperate female audience, was the same man who had destroyed her senses in the elevator.

- “It's great to have you here, but I won't be able to say much if the audience doesn't cooperate. Behave yourselves, girls” Jimmy began, after greeting his guest with a handshake.

In the background, female voices screaming and applauding were still heard with intensity.

- “Ethan Banks” the presenter repeated, holding out his hands to emphasize his guest, and then the audience erupted in hysterical screams again.

In that moment, Blair's world stopped spinning and went out of orbit. Of all the people at the party, all the men, all the faces, she had found Ethan Banks, the name on Spencer's blacklist. She didn't know how to react, and seemed to forget to breathe too. It wasn't just a possible criminal being investigated, but the most attractive man her eyes had had the pleasure of seeing.

- “Well, I could start by taking it easy. But you know these girls, they want to know if you're available” the presenter joked, and the shadow of an insincere smile crossed Ethan's face.

- “That can be discussed” was his reply.

The man's voice breathed life into Blair, even if not in person. Deep and hoarse, that was the definition of the sound that seemed to come more from thunder than vocal cords. And once again, the audience erupted in screams.

- “Happy, girls?” Jimmy held out his arms as if he'd just delivered a conquest to the ladies.

- “Now tell me about yourself, Ethan. What have you been doing off the slopes?”

Curiosity piqued within Blair, for she had developed a newfound attraction to this man, and for knowing what made him so dark. The stunned audience was proof that she wasn't the only woman interested in the answers.

- “I discovered that running was not a vocation, it was just one of my passions. Now I'm taking over some family business, you know.” Ethan's voice was like the awakening of a powerful engine inside a sports car. There was no calm or softness, every moment seemed to be a warning of danger.

Blair listened to each of those words. Spencer was right to say that this family had secrets, because danger was in Ethan's eyes. It was as if he were a predator, always ready to take a victim.

- “One of your passions? Do you mean that more than one fits in this heart?” Jimmy asked, seconds before he looked at the camera and winked.

- “This can also be discussed”

Soon after, the commercial began. At that moment, Drake had already finished drinking the entire bottle of wine. He was leaving for the cellar when Blair rummaged through her bag, looking for her cell phone to do some research. She picked up the phone and typed in the name of the man who hadn't left her mind, disturbing even her dreams when she closed her eyes. Spencer hadn't given her much information yet, so she decided to do a little research.

Ethan Tyler Banks was a former Formula 1 driver in his early twenties. He had abandoned the tracks to dedicate himself to his father, George Banks, in the technological field. In both areas he was the best, always standing out for his intelligence and visionary eye. In less than five years running Banks Enterprise, his family's private company, he was among the pillars responsible for the New York economy.

His photos at the many events he had attended showed a man closed to the world. Her escorts, always famous models or actresses, were a perfect contrast of beauty and exposure. Blair hadn't seen many pictures, but she knew he maintained a very expensive lifestyle.

She hadn't researched the man before. His deal with Spencer was just to attend the week's events and mingle with the people of the American elite. It was too early to do any serious research on the possible target. However, she never thought that Ethan could be dangerous even to her mind.

- "This guy ruins my self-esteem" Drake commented, sitting next to Blair with a second bottle of Merlot in hand.

She looked at her friend as she thought over his words. Ethan carried an intense beauty, capable of attracting and repelling at the same time. He wasn't the approachable type. People wanted to throw themselves at him, but it only took a second look to give up the idea. His commanding posture and penetrating gaze were intimidating enough.

Completely opposite, Drake was handsome and charming. He had a thin body, but well-groomed and defined. The hair wasn't cut regularly, so it was always long, but not very long. He seemed happy and always kind, he didn't carry any dark traits, he didn't pose any danger.

- “You said you were available, but you were accompanied by Deana Reys at a masquerade ball the night before. By the way, what an amazing party” Jimmy commented as soon as the program started again. His voice betrayed a certain expectation, as if he already knew something and was waiting for confirmation.

Deana Reys didn't have explosive fame, she was still struggling to be recognized. She had played her first major role in Jean's successful film, and that took her to another level. That was also good for Jean's career, as it meant he was discovering talent.

- "Yes I was. We're good friends.” Ethan just said.

When the image was enlarged and the camera approached the man, it was possible to see a thin golden chain on his neck going down until it enters the "v" of the shirt. It was the only color in her dark look.

Blair sighed once more. This was the most beautiful man she had ever seen, and no one else had ever seen him. She was drawn to him, and not just his dangerously angelic appearance, but also the darkness that matched her own. Deep down, she knew her demons had identified with his. It wasn't just a connection of bodies, which would be entirely explainable. It was, moreover, her broken soul recognizing someone in need of a fix.

- “I have to say that he is on the track, ladies. And this time, don't wait until he decides to settle down,” the presenter muttered, and the audience roared in cheers and applause.

The truth was, Ethan had a reputation primarily for his looks. It didn't need attributes to be more attractive, just the symmetrical face and the piebald body did a lot.

- “Still about Vegas. The Jean Collins movie, what did you think?” Jimmy asked.

Just the mention of that name affected Blair. She hated the way the world loved him before she knew him, and she hated herself for keeping that bad feeling in her soul, rotting it.

- “It's a highly regarded work, but I can't talk about it. I haven't seen the movie yet."

The redhead paid attention to every second of the interview. She was delighted with the control Ethan carried. He behaved like he was above everyone else. No one would be able to tame him. His rigid posture didn't allow for accessibility, and to her own harm, Blair found herself drawn in. However, deep down, the woman was telling herself that she was just gathering important information for the investigation.

- "What do you think of him?" she asked her friend, who was already lying on the couch as if he was going to spend the rest of the night there.

- “Everyone wants to be him and everyone wants to be his” the cliché touch in the answer was intentional.

- "This is bad?" she thought about it.

- "Not even. He's the type who'd make you a perfect match if he weren't such a womanizer.” Despite the comment being a baseless realistic hypothesis, Blair thought about it.

The woman was definitely not the type to dream of love and prince charming. All the struggles he faced taught him to believe in what is real, what can be seen and touched. Fairy tales did not enter the repertoire. But for a second, looking at Ethan Banks' stupidly perfect face, Blair thought about everything she knew about him.

Could that man be the villain of the story?

*

Spencer Davis walked over to the antique wooden armoire in her living room. Every detail of the environment was aged, as the inspector had worked in that department for quite a few years. He picked up a box and returned to his chair.

Behind the table, Blair was sitting in a chair, waiting for the next instructions. Spencer took some photographs out of the box, and laid them out on the table.

- "I suppose you've already found him" the inspector pondered.

- "Why didn't you show me before?"

- "I didn't want you to obsess over a face, and forget about the surroundings"

- "He was at the dance" Blair replied, leaning forward and analyzing the pictures Spencer had.

- "Ethan Banks is a former pilot, and he abandoned his career to run the family business"

Spencer sat back in her chair, and also analyzed the photos as she thought about the case. Years before, he had launched an investigation; I had photos, videos, recordings and witnesses, but it was never enough. He needed concrete proof.

- "I researched him" Blair muttered.

- "Why do you think he took over his father's company?" the inspector asked, with the authoritative tone of someone doing an interrogation.

- "Maybe it was the right time"

- "Perhaps..."

The older man settled back, putting two fingers to his chin as he thought. Spencer had many theories, however, not all of them were substantiated.

It was dawn in the city of Las Vegas, and the police department was just Blair and Spencer. Meeting at dawn was safer, and they didn't arouse suspicion when the station was empty.

- "But what if he was forced?" he rambled.

- "What you mean?"

- "What if Benedict's death forced the Banks family to change their management?" Spencer fixed her eyes on Blair as she said it, searching her for any clue that the theory made sense.

- "First we need to prove that they are guilty" she preferred to keep a centered thought.

- "Yes we need"

In the dim light of Spencer's office, Blair went back to studying the photos on her desk. She felt guilty for seeing such beauty in Banks, and promised herself that she would be more responsible. To be attracted to the person who should be a target would be dangerous.

- "What do you want me to do?" she questioned.

- "Reserve yourself. We can't continue having contact. If they find out that you have involvement with the police, we'll go back to square one"

- "How are we going to communicate?"

- "Give me a few days. I'll solve everything".