Undercover Love

Chapter Thirteen: How to Lose a Partner in 10 Seconds

As we approach the entrance to the venue, the atmosphere shifts. The air is charged with anticipation, and my heart races in time with the pulsing music filtering through the doors. I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves, and walk up to the bouncer, who stands tall and imposing, arms crossed over his chest.

"Adriana Carter," I say, trying to sound confident even though my heart is pounding in my ears.

He nods, checking his list. "You're on here. Go ahead."

I let out a sigh of relief, but that relief is short-lived as I turn to Ace. "Your turn."

"Ace Callahan," he states, his tone casual, but I can see the underlying tension in his posture.

The bouncer's expression shifts, and my heart sinks. "Sorry, man. You're not on the list."

"What do you mean I'm not on the list?" Ace's voice tightens, the casual demeanor replaced by confusion.

I feel a cold dread settle in my stomach. "No, no, this can't be happening." My mind races back to the frantic hours I spent preparing for this mission. I put my name on the list but didn't hack into the guest list for Ace. I was so focused on getting everything else right that I completely forgot to add Ace's name.

I can see the hurt flash in Ace's eyes, and it's like a punch to my gut. The betrayal is written all over his face, and I can feel the weight of my mistake crashing down on me. "Ace, I—"

"I can't believe you didn't think to include me," he cuts me off, his voice low but filled with disappointment. "This was a partner mission, right? Or did you forget?"

I want to scream at myself for being so careless, for allowing my focus on the Helix Syndicate to overshadow the one person I needed by my side. "I didn't mean to. I just... I thought I had everything covered," I stammer, but my words feel hollow.

The bouncer looks between us, clearly uncomfortable but not about to bend the rules. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do. If you're not on the list, you can't get in."

Ace steps forward, frustration etched across his features. "Look, I'm not just some random guy. I'm Adriana's partner. I'm supposed to be here."

The bouncer doesn't budge, and I can see the tension in Ace's shoulders, the way his jaw clenches as he fights against the disappointment. "This isn't how it was supposed to go," he mutters, more to himself than to me.

I reach out, grabbing his arm. "Ace, please don't be mad. I'll figure something out. I can hack the system from outside, maybe—"

"No," he interrupts, pulling his arm away gently. "It's fine. Just... go in without me."

I shake my head, my throat tightening as I realize what this means. "No, I can't leave you out here. Not after everything we've been through."

"Why not?" he snaps, his voice edged with frustration. "You clearly think you can do this without me. Just go."

My heart drops as his words sink in, the realization that he feels completely sidelined hitting me like a freight train. "Ace, I never meant for it to be this way," I say, desperation creeping into my voice. "I need you in there with me. You're the one who knows how I operate, how I think. You're—"

"—not on the guest list," he finishes bitterly, cutting me off. His hurt gaze holds mine, and I can see the pain I've caused. It's suffocating.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on us. "I messed up. I should have been more careful."

He takes a step back, crossing his arms defensively. "Yeah, well, maybe you should have thought about that before you left me out of your plans."

I open my mouth to respond, but the words stick in my throat. What can I say? There's nothing to defend. I was careless, and now I might have jeopardized everything. I feel a knot form in my stomach, realizing how much I've put on the line by failing him like this.