Chapter 3

Vanessa shrugs, plays off an easy smile. “Maybe I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.” Her voice coming out smooth and sultry.

His eyes flicker, amusement dancing there as though he’s letting her play along. For now. “And? What’s the verdict?”

She leans closer, close enough for her words to be just for him. “Underwhelming.” He answers before taking a short sip of her drink.

He laughs softly, low in his throat, the sound belonging to a man who’s used to getting his way, and used to women falling all over him.

"I must say, I'm a little offended, I put a lot of effort into this place..." he says, and Vanessa puts two and two together, her eyes narrowing at him as she scans him.

He owns the place. But the question is... who is he?

She can't believe Santoro sent her in blind like this.

"Is that so...?" She answers, her tone coming out unbothered, and that's when he steps closer to her, continuing to eye her.

"Allow me to make this more interesting for you." He then says, intrigue filling his voice just as Vanessa stiffens, knowing exactly what comes next...

He straightens, nodding toward the far end of the room where a hallway, guarded by velvet ropes and two armed men, leads to somewhere more private.

“Come with me,” he says lowly, his tone implying that it is far from a question.

Got him.

Exactly what she needs. To be alone with him and when his guard is down, she'll finish the job and be out of there before anyone even realises what has happened.

Vanessa narrows her eyes just slightly, enough to let him know she’s not someone who takes orders from other people lightly. Not just that, but she wants to see how far he's willing to go. “And why would I do that?”

His smile doesn’t falter, but his eyes darken just a shade. “Because I’m asking nicely...” He answers, his tone deep and smooth.

It makes her stomach twist, her instincts screaming that this is a trap. She does find him attractive, but that's all it is... he is a target, so she must not let her attraction cloud what she's meant to do. She knows how to play this game; she’s played it before. Get close, get comfortable, and get the job done. This is what she wanted, so she has to play along. And try now not to be too good at doing her job.

“Alright,” she says, trying not to be too cold with him and instead holding out a hand to him, stepping right in front of his, their faces inches apart.

“Lead the way.” She answers, and his eyes stare back at him just before he slyly takes hold of her hand and begins to lead her out of the club and away from all the loudness.

Perfect.

As they walk forward, heads turn as people eye the two of them, the women he was with earlier scowling at Vanessa as if she has won something they wanted. She pays them no mind and instead focuses on where she is going, her eyes landing on her target's broad shoulders, his back muscles that flex under his black shirt. She raises an eyebrow momentarily before she gulps once.

Focus.

Eventually, they reach a hallway lit with orange and red lights, where the music and chatter of the club fades behind them. The target continues to lead Vanessa forward until they finally reach an open room, something that appears to be a private lounge, where it's just the two of them...

"Care to sit...?" He asks her as he motions to one of the couches, all while still standing in front of her.

"I'm alright standing, thank you..." She answers quietly, and for some reason, her heart races as she stands close to him. She's usually calm under such circumstances. But those times were all different; she never found herself this attracted to a target, and that's now unfortunately beginning to cloud her sharpness.

Still, she must remain on the task at hand.

"As you wish..." He answers as he remains standing in front of her, continuing to watch her, his eyes not once leaving hers, making her feel slightly nervous. Most guys wouldn't have resisted; they would've already had their hands on her, and she would have been halfway out the door with their corpses lying dead behind her. But this man... this man is different.

"So, how exactly do you plan on making things more interesting for me...? She asks, her voice low and seductive, and that's when he smiles at her lightly, his hands slowly wrapping around her waist, making a slow exhale leave her lips, sudden chills passing through her body.

"You know... I knew there was something about you... the moment I saw you..." He whispers to her, and the deepness of his voice causes her heartbeat to spike just as she finds herself pressing her chest against his, her hands resting on his pecs as she stares up at him, now inches from his lips.

"And what was that...?" She asks him, his voice now above a whisper. That's when he leans closer to her lips, lightly brushing against them and instead moving his face to her neck where his breath would lightly fan against her skin, forcing her eyes shut momentarily.

"You've got fire... and... you're dangerous..." He whispers, and that's when she feels him kiss her neck lightly, slowly, making her breath hitch as she finds herself gripping his shirt.

This is her chance... She's close enough to him... Now, all she needs to do is reach for the gun latched to her thigh and finish the job... despite how much she's enjoying herself.

"What else...?" She whispers to him, her hands roaming his body seductively. But it's all just a distraction. In reality, she's already felt the gun holsters in his trousers. She then brings her hand to the back of his neck just as she embraces him fully, listening as he exhales deeply against her neck. And she's ashamed to admit what he's doing to her, feeling her body ache in places she'd rather not name.

"I know exactly what you're here for..." He mumbles before he kisses up her neck, forcing a quiet moan from her lips, just as he moves his head beside her, bringing his mouth to her ear.

"Vanessa Castillo." He suddenly lets out, and as soon as he says her name, her blood runs cold.

He knows exactly who she is... and she only has moments to react...