Danny English stood in the corner of the Christmas party, his gaze cold and detached as laughter and clinking glasses filled the air. A water bottle sat untouched in his hand while the chaos of the room swirled around him.

“Danny,” Reid Keyman said, appearing beside him with a relaxed grin and a glass of eggnog. “Great debut. Two opponents down... that’s impressive.”

Danny gave a slight nod but said nothing, his eyes fixed on the crowd.

Reid hesitated, then added, “But maybe lighten up a bit, yeah? It’s good for business.”

Danny’s jaw tightened as Reid walked away. Lighten up. The words clawed at him, but they sparked something deeper.

If they want a mask, I’ll wear one. Until it’s too late to take it off.

Danny’s lips curled into a faint smirk. The game had begun.

Would beat GameGirl. I saw the list.