Ace and I sit together at the small hotel room desk, our mission plan spread out before us like a complicated puzzle. We've gone over the details at least three times, and every time, I find myself tightening my grip on my pen, the pressure of the upcoming night creeping into my bones.
"Okay, so if we're in and out in less than twenty minutes..." I trail off, tapping my pen against the page. "We need to be quick on the extraction, especially if the Helix Syndicate is still monitoring the area."
"Right. If anything goes wrong, we'll have to improvise," Ace replies, his eyes flicking up to mine. There's a seriousness in his gaze that makes me feel both comforted and uneasy.
I nod, pushing back the nervousness that threatens to surface. "We've got this. Just follow my lead, and we'll be fine."
"Sure," he says, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Like that time you set off the alarms in Paris?"
I roll my eyes. "That was different! We were—"
"Unprepared? Yeah, I remember," he teases, leaning back in his chair with a smirk. "But look at us now. We're professionals."
I shake my head, trying to suppress a smile. "Professionals don't mess up. And we won't this time, right?"
"Absolutely," he replies, and for a moment, the tension between us feels manageable, almost friendly. But then I catch a glimpse of the clock and realize I have to get ready. "I'll be right back," I say, pushing away from the desk and heading to the bathroom.
As I step inside, I pull on the long, sleek black dress, the material hugging my curves perfectly, with a daring thigh split that I know will make an impression. It's satin, with a low, square neckline, so I really can't go wrong with this look. I glance in the mirror, adjusting the neckline, then start gathering my gadgets. My wallet, my lipstick, my phone—each one carefully hiding the tools I'll need. I tuck everything into my gold purse, glancing at the clock again.
"Focus, Adriana. Just for one night," I mutter to myself as I smooth my hair into a slick back bun, ensuring it stays out of my face. I strap on my comms bracelet, double-checking that it's secure before I step out of the bathroom.
And there he is.
Ace stands in the dim light of the room, his usual style somehow magnified by the sharp lines of his black dress shirt. The top three buttons are undone, revealing a hint of his collarbone and a gold chain peeking out. His sleeves are rolled up, giving him that effortlessly sexy vibe that drives me insane. Why the hell does he have to look so hot? It's annoyingly distracting.
"Wow," he says, looking me up and down with an approving grin. "You clean up nice."
I roll my eyes, trying to suppress a smile as I grab my makeup bag from the dresser. "Says the guy who looks like he just walked out of a fashion magazine."
He chuckles, stepping closer as I apply my eyeliner. "You know, if you mess up that cat eye, I'm going to say it's my fault for distracting you."
"Like you could ever distract me," I reply, my tone teasing, even as I feel my heart racing a little faster. "I'm a pro at this."
Just then, he comes up behind me, placing his hands on my waist, and I instinctively jerk away. The sudden contact sends my concentration spiraling, and I mess up the perfect line of eyeliner, smudging it.
"See? Distracted," he laughs, and I pretend to punch him in the arm.
"Very funny," I mutter, feeling a heat rise to my cheeks. "I can't have you throwing me off my game right now."
YOU ARE READING
Undercover Love
RomantizmBook #2 of the Undercover Series - Adriana has one rule: if he doesn't want you, you don't want him. But when she's forced to work with Ace, again, that rule becomes impossible to follow. They have to team up to take down a dangerous new threat-a m...
