Sloane and Xavier spontaneously go to a salsa club together. Though Sloane doesn’t know how to salsa dance, she lets herself enjoy the experience, with Xavier leading her through the motions. They become intimate on the dance floor, leading to a passionate evening at Xavier’s apartment, where they have sex for the first time.

In the following days, Xavier begins meeting with the influential names from the list that Kai gave him. In Washington, DC, he pitches his business plan to Alex Volkov, CEO of Archer Group—the country’s largest real estate development company. Alex is also the owner of Xavier’s dream nightclub location—a bank vault located in the basement of a skyscraper. Alex is intrigued by Xavier’s endeavor but stipulates that Xavier must involve a reputable business partner like Vuk Markovic to solidify his legitimacy. This condition creates a dilemma, as Vuk requires confirmation on the venue before committing. This leaves Xavier stuck in a negotiation loop.

With an 18-day deadline to finalize the lease, Xavier continues to work at securing other partnerships. He secures financing from Davenport Capital—owned by Dominic Davenport, the husband of Sloane’s friend Alessandra—and gains permits and licensing from a prestigious DC law firm, Silver & Klein, with the help of

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