Operation Redemption

NATALIA

I wasn't supposed to be here.

It was the same words that repeated itself over and over again in my head like a mantra.

I wasn't supposed to be here.

However, tonight’s party was an event meant to be the talk of the town for months. At least, that is what the articles on the internet, TV, and other news outlets said. I should have known since I’ve been keeping tabs, watching every TV snippet, and reading every blog post. I had even marked the date down on my calendar.

Not because I was eager to attend the event or something, but because it was my job.

As a detective.

Invitation to the event was strictly by invitation, so I had no choice but to infiltrate the party dressed as a guest. Well, nothing a forged VIP card and a day spent shopping for the best outfit couldn’t fix.

And so here I was, standing in the large garden of the manor, staring at the enormous building in front of me. I bit down on my lips, my nerves stretched taut as I tried to keep my expression aloof. Holding onto the champagne glass in my hand, I pretended to sip, raising the glass just a bit to my lips as I scanned the crowd of guests.

Light music played by a band at a corner filled the air in a melodic rhythm, along with the laughter and chatter of men dressed in their fine clothes and their expensive cufflinks, and women who smiled and laughed along. Their voices were sweet and their heads were covered by their lace hats. I could hear the sounds of a fountain nearby and the soft buzz of something, probably a flying drone.

The gun hidden under my skirt hit my skin lightly as I moved around the spacious garden. Faces I’d seen on TV or during board meetings passed by me, and I was almost tempted to take out my gun then and there. It’s a good thing they couldn’t recognize me due to the mask over my face.

I held out my half-drunk glass, waiting for the approaching waiter. When he passed by, I dropped it on the silver tray, ignoring the sharp glare he threw at me when the contents nearly spilled on him. With steps full of elegance, I continued to walk, eyes never stopping to glance around.

"Have you seen him yet?" Michael’s cheery voice resounded from the small device I had hidden in my ear.

I shook my head as I walked farther away from the crowd. ‘’Not yet,’’ I whispered back. I came to a stop in front of a water fountain. The statue of a naked woman holding a pitcher stared back at me. Water streamed down from her eyes and into the pool. ‘’I don’t think he’s come out yet.’’

‘’No, he’s there,’’ Michael answered. ‘’I’ve been trying to pinpoint his exact spot but damn the security of this place is tight.’’ He sighed. ‘’I'm not even sure how long you'll last before they find out you're not on the list. Be careful.’’

I nodded to myself. ‘’Don’t worry.’’

The cool air of the night, fragrant with the scent of roses, caressed my exposed back, causing the nape of my neck to stand. I turned, suddenly feeling eyes on me when I caught a few gazes lingering my way. A group of men nodded my way, their wide smiles sending a shiver of unease down my spine.

I gave them a tight smile, winking through my mask. They winked back.

Ugh.

Ignoring them, I made my way around the fountain, the clicking of my heels the only sound that greeted my ears. A small building stood not too far ahead, lights shone from its window, and the closer I walked towards it, the louder the boisterous waves of laughter rang in the air, catching my attention. I approached the building and peeped through the window, only to see a room full of men.

They were all seated, drinks in hand, and cigars in between their lips. But the sight was not what caught my attention. Rather, it was the grey-haired man in their middle. His face was wrinkled with old age, but the spark in his eyes was clear even from this distance.

A large smile found itself on my lips.

"There he is," I muttered.

"Are you sure?"

I watched as the man threw his head back, laughing loudly. ‘’Yes.’’ I could never forget his face.

Lorenzo Moretti.

He was the owner of one of the largest corporations in the country, and many considered him a tycoon. But that was just the part of him he wanted people to know. Behind closed doors, he was a different person entirely. A man known to have the underground world wrapped around his hands like a tight fist. Renowned owner of well-known casinos and galleries, and whose cold-blooded reputation precedes him.

Drug trafficking, human trafficking, smuggling. You name it. All this was attributed to him, yet no one could ever link anything to his name. He was untouchable. A man whose power, money, and connections reached high enough to influence even the most powerful of men in this country.

He gave us a damn good chase, and for months, he managed to evade our every attempt to bring him to justice, until now.

The man who we'd been looking for was finally within our reach.

Correction. My reach.

I quickly turned away. My stomach churned and my throat tightened with anticipation. I could already imagine myself hand-cuffing him.

Taking a deep breath, I called. ''Michael?''

''Yeah?''

''He's in the west wing of the building. I need-''

The sound of glass shattering echoed loudly, and I was instantly on alert. I drew in a sharp breath, eyes turning back to the window. A girl clad in a blue dress stumbled inside the room, a look of embarrassment on her face. She had most likely walked into the wrong room.

''I'm so sorry!'' I heard her say.

A loud sigh escaped my lips. ''Dammit, just what I needed.''

''Are you alright, young lady?'' One of the men asked.

''Yes, yes. I'm very sorry for interrupting your meeting.''

Moretti shook his head, raising a hand. A man came rushing inside, leaning down as Moretti whispered something into his ear.

I watched as the man nodded and then helped the girl stand.

"Hey, you can't-" I heard her protest. ‘’What are you-’’

Fist clenched, I was ready to go inside, heels sinking into the grass beneath me, only to come to an abrupt stop when I caught a glimpse of the man sitting next to him.

My brows creased and then widened slowly when I realized who it was.

Killian Caine.

The name rang like a death bell in my mind.

I took in his appearance, trying my best not to get caught staring, but unable to help myself. He was a tall man, with dark hair that almost looked a darker shade of blue from where I stood. His eyes were gray.

But I know they were not. They were more of a striking silver. One that peered right into your soul the moment they caught your gaze.

I swallowed hard. While all his features and frame were attractive, it was not the reason I couldn't look away.

I took a step back, cautiously.

He couldn’t see me. That would be a huge problem.

‘’Nat, what’s wrong? Why did you stop?’’

I couldn’t speak, and the voice in my ear only increased the rapid beat of my heart.

Just then, as if sensing my presence, Killian slowly turned my way, and just as I feared, his eyes lingered on me for a long moment. I watched as his lips parted, and his brows furrowed, his gaze piercing through my own.

I wondered if he could see me or if he knew it was me. I was dressed differently tonight, clad in a long black dress and a fake red wig to match. The seconds ticked by as we continued to stare, and for a minute, I thought he wasn’t even looking at me until his lips curled up in a devilish grin.

A grin that sent chills down my spine.

"I know it's you, Natalia." He mouthed, raising his hand in a mocking wave.

Pulling away from the window, I turned around swiftly, hurrying back the way I came.

Shit! s**t! s**t! s**t!

"Nat! Nat, what happened? Where are you going?"

"He saw me," I said as I rushed through the crowd, doing my best to blend in.

"What do you mean? Who saw you? Lorenzo?"

"No! No, m-my husband saw me!" I said, louder.

"For real?!’’

I was already rushing out of the garden, heading towards the huge gates, when I bumped into a body that knocked the mask off my face. I staggered back a little, looking up in panic.

A man dressed in black, from his shades to his suit, stood in front of me, blocking my way. I took a step back and tried to move past him, but another man came to stand in my way.

My stomach dropped.

"Can we see an invite ma'am?"

Shit!

"I...I, umm." My mind went blank. Passing through the"I lost it," I lied.

The two guards shared a look. One of them stepped closer, and I had to stop myself from flinching. "Can we have your name, please?''

I shook my head, fingers edging towards the gun strapped to my thigh. "Look, I have to be somewhere. So if you could just-"

"I'm afraid we can't do that, ma'am. We have strict orders to check everyone here."

My chest constricted.

I was not getting out of this one without the use of force. But if I did, I could get-

"Oh, there you are."

I whirled around, surprised.

Killian was standing behind me, and I couldn't help but curse under my breath. "Hello, wife," he said, his silver eyes gleaming. ‘’Fancy seeing you here.’’

The unruffled tone of his voice did nothing to conceal the irritation and anger that was evident on his face. I could practically feel the tension emanating from him.

My heart leaped to my throat, sweat running down my back, despite the cold air.

His gaze was like a laser, focused and unwavering. The intensity of his stare alone made me want to take a step back. I didn't have to wonder why. I could already tell that he was angry. Very pissed.

I held back a groan. Nothing could have prepared me for this. Nothing at all.

My mouth opened and closed several times. "Hi." It was the only thing that came out of me.

Killian came over to my side, wrapping a hand around my waist. The heat of his body, his cologne, and his touch had my insides doing things it shouldn't. "Gentlemen, this is my wife. She got a little lost so I was just looking for her."

I felt my throat bob as I swallowed, and his hand tightened around my waist.

The two men shared another look before they bowed slightly. "Please forgive us, Mr. Caine."

He smiled. "There's no need for that."

The two men gave another nod before they walked away. When they were gone, Killian pulled his hand away from my waist, turning to me.

He stared, watching me closely, arms folded over his chest. "You know, I was wondering why I couldn't reach you. Why your phone was dead? I never imagined-'' his eyes trailed down my body, making me shiver. "-that you would be here. Dressed like this. Like a clown.’’

My eyes twitched at his insult, a part of me aware that Michael could still be listening in on our conversation. I cleared my throat, trying my best to hide the trembling of my hands. "I, uh...'' I began, unsure.

"Save it." His jaw clenched, eyes narrowing. "You're leaving now."

Before I could even protest, I was pulled along, forced to follow their quick and heavy strides. I looked around, only to find people watching, whispering, their eyes on us.

"Let go, Killian," I said, tugging my arm away.

"Let go? You're kidding, right?" He chuckled, stopping to look at me. "What are you doing here, Natalia? Why are you here?"

"Why are you here? This isn't one of your usual places, so why are you here?" I countered.

''I was invited.'' He said in a matter-of-fact tone. Of course, he would be. Killian Caine was a member of the Caine family, and their name was not a secret in the city. They owned many restaurants, hotels, and other businesses. Their wealth was vast and they were very influential, so much so that they could rival Moretti, or any other person for that matter.

"Me too," I replied, lying through my teeth.

"No, you weren't. Don't try to play dumb. Why are you here? Did you sneak in? Is this one of your raids again?" With each question he asked, his tone rose.

"No, it's not. I was invited, okay? I came with friends."

"Liar. You and I both know you don't have friends."

Another eye twitch.

I sighed. "Okay, fine. I did sneak in. But it's for a good reason."

"And what reason is that?"

"Work," I said. "I was working. It's not like you don't know what my job is."

Killian looked at me, disbelief on his face. Then, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I can't believe you sometimes."

"Why are you sounding so worked up anyway?" I couldn't help but ask. "You can just ignore me like you always do back home."

"You're seriously asking me that?" He leaned forward, and I could see the muscles in his neck tighten. ''You don't understand, do you?'' he said, his tone laced with annoyance. ''This isn't some sort of joke, Natalia. This isn't the place to play cops and robbers. What were you thinking?''

"I wasn't playing anything. And I'm not a child, Killian. You don't have to scold me."

He sighed again. ''Coming here was foolish, Natalia.'' He said quietly. ''I don't know what you are after, but Moretti isn't a man to mess with likely. Had his men found you, you'd be dead by now.’’

The words caused my heart to jump, and for a moment, I was stunned into silence. The look of genuine concern in his eyes made my chest ache. But more than that confused me. I couldn't tell if he was pretending or not.

"What makes you think I can't handle myself? You're underestimating me. I am a police officer, Killian.''

"I'm not. You're the one overestimating yourself," he spat. "If you value your life, you should leave before you regret it."

I clenched my jaw, palm itching to draw out my gun. We stayed silent for a second, before he stepped back, away from me.

The anger on his face had long subsided, replaced by something else I couldn't recognize. He reached a hand up and pulled a strand of my hair away from my face, letting his hand linger on my cheek.

I swallowed, the gentle touch sending a tingling sensation down my spine.

"You should leave," he said, pulling away. I looked up at his eyes, watching as the silver in his eyes gleamed.

I took a step back, suddenly feeling exposed. "Why are you being so nice? I thought you hated me?"

"I don't hate you."

"Could've fooled me." I sneered.

He didn't say anything to that. Just stared.

Seeing that my mission tonight was a bust, and knowing that I wouldn't be able to do much, I decided it was best for me to go.

I tapped on my ear receiver. ''We're aborting the mission,'' I said, looking up at Killian. I saw him sigh in relief.

''Roger.''

"Well then," I said, taking the receiver off my ear. "I guess I'll leave first."

As I was about to turn away, he grabbed me by the wrist.

"What-"

"Wait."

I turned to him, and our eyes met, the sound of our breaths the only thing filling the silence.

He looked as though he wanted to say something, his lips parted and then closed. "Never mind." He said, releasing my hand.

I frowned. With one last look at Killian, I turned, my mouth tasting bitter. I felt Killian's eyes on me as I walked out the gates, down the steps, away from the party, and away from the building. I didn't have a choice, but to call it off.

My job was important to me. I didn't want to risk my life, not yet. Not when I hadn't brought my enemies to justice yet.

I could still feel the weight of his stare, even as I disappeared into the dark, away from him.