If you only knew...

5.In the mouth of death

Ana's POV

We feel the cool, damp air shifting around us as we inch closer to a vast, open expanse of the cave, yet we remain shrouded in shadows, hearts racing. My thoughts keep drifting back to that electrifying moment—the first time I had touched him. It felt like a gentle hug, a stark contrast to the fear that curled in my stomach.

I can't shake the image of Marco's reaction if he were to hear about our thrilling mission. The excitement and danger would surely intrigue him, but I will avoid sharing too much. I know his possessive nature all too well and I am sure he'd misunderstand my contact with V, spiraling into jealousy and concern.

In these terrifying moments, I long for my fiancé more than ever, yearning to be wrapped in his embrace, where I truly feel safe. The reality is that our missions come with strict rules: no phones allowed. They could put the entire company at threat if we're tracked down, and that's a risk none of the agents can afford to take. I plan to call Marco as soon as I return to the Black Veil, assuming I will still be alive.

"Is everything alright?" V asks, his voice laced with concern as he glances at me.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my racing thoughts. "Oh, yes... sorry. I was just lost in thought about my fiancé. I miss him more than I can say, and my mind races with fears about whether we'll ever get out of here alive. This is my first mission, and now that I'm really facing the reality of our situation—and the danger—it all feels overwhelming," I confess, my voice trembling.

V's gaze softens as he leans closer. "Don't worry. We will make it out of this, and we'll do it with our mission accomplished. You just have to focus. Remember, we were chosen as a team for this challenging assignment for a reason," he reassures, his soothing tone easing some of my anxiety.

But as I peer into the shadows, I realize the grim truth: lurking just beyond our hiding spot, there are at least ten mafia men, prowling through the open area and weaving into the narrow paths we are trying to navigate. The weight of our precarious situation presses heavily on me, but V's presence offers a flicker of hope.

Suddenly, he grabs my arm and drags me to a small gap in the wall behind me, signaling me not to make a sound.

I feel flustered as my body is dangerously close to his while we try to remain covered in the darkness, fitting our bodies into this tiny gap. The scent of his cologne envelops me, rich and intoxicating, and I realize I could probably hear his heartbeat if mine weren't thundering in my ears. With my nose nearly brushing against his neck, I instinctively wrap my arms around him, fingers grazing the wall behind him for support. A wave of embarrassment washes over me; I shouldn't be this close to another man when I have a fiancé waiting for me. I know it's just business, yet the tension in the air suggests otherwise. Maybe it's because he's undeniably attractive, and the urge to pull him into a tighter embrace is almost overwhelming.

As my mind spirals into a whirlwind of anxiety, a menacing figure from the mafia strides perilously close to our hiding spot. A wave of fear crashes over me, and my heart races as if it might leap out of my chest. Meanwhile, V remains unnervingly composed, a calmness that both fascinates and infuriates me.

The hulking guard brushes past us, blissfully unaware of our presence. In a swift, deliberate motion, V inches his arm out of our concealment and steadies his gun behind this man's head. In less than a second, there is more rushing blood and brains everywhere on the wall and ground.
A few droplets even hit my face, sending an unpleasant shiver down my spine and leaving me feeling utterly repulsed.

We're in a tight spot, and the tension in the air is palpable. Sneaking past the guards and breaking into that locked room is our only chance to grab the crucial folders we need. Time is running out, and if anyone discovers the bodies we left behind, we'll be in serious trouble.