Finally, Cosmo snapped his fingers. "Looks good. You can put it back on for now." He gestured at the dress.
I followed his command, trying to look sexy at that.
He stepped closer and looked me in the eye. "Tonight is a trial run. If clients like you, you get paid, and we'll keep you on. If not, you leave and you don't come back. Understand?"
I nodded. "Yes."
He smiled, all teeth. "Great."
He picked up a plastic shopping bag from the shelf behind the desk and tossed it to me. "Change into this. Down the hall, third door."
"Sure thing."
"Get out of here now."
I started for the door, but stopped and called him, "Hey, Mr. Manager?"
"What?"
"I want to take care of the VIPs."
He laughed again. "New girls gotta work their way up."
"I've done this for Mr. H and his friends for a while now." I offered a smile. "I'm not about to start from the bottom."
"You did, huh?"
This was the moment Cosmo needed to take the bait. Today was Thursday, and according to Seven, Valmont's favorite girl was gone. He'd be pissed when he found out. Giving him a brand new one was always the play in places like this.
"If you don't believe me, call Mr. H yourself," I said, knowing full well he'd never do that for security reasons.
"Alright, you're on," Cosmo replied.
"You won't be disappointed," I supplied and walked out of his office, feeling both triumphant and terrified.
43 seven
The tux didn't fit right.
Or at least that's what it felt like despite the restroom mirror telling me otherwise as I tried to get the bow tie straight. I failed. I did it again. Failed again.
And even though, I'd worn plenty of tuxes on the previous jobs, a man like me wasn't built for formal wear.
"Viper, come in," I said.
His voice rattled in my ear. "What's up, boss? How is it going at the venue?"
"Didn't I tell you I hate bow ties? Why get me a tux?"
"Sorry, Seven, but that's how you blend in at this type of gathering. These people don't mess around with their black-tie event dress codes."
"Any updates on Ponytail?" I couldn't use her real name. Not when I was talking to another Bureau employee and there was a possibility of a leak. Not to the authorities but to Father. She wasn't a client. She was more. I simply didn't have a word for it yet. But I had this strange urge to keep her safe, to protect her.
"She's in. Our girl passed the metaphorical velvet rope. Nothing weird from the security detail—looks like my recon was solid. Manager doesn't seem suspicious. She's got about an hour window before the target shows up."
"Copy." I checked my watch, then slid the jacket sleeve down to cover it. "Keep the channel open. Anything, I mean anything, gets weird, or you hear the code phrase, you ring me."
"I'd ring you anyway, boss." Viper cackled on the line. "This is the best drama I've had all month."
