Page 53 of The One-Night Heist

I knew what liaison meant, but my brain just couldn’t seem to wrap itself around the implications.

“W-what the fuck?” I stuttered instead of saying anything remotely professional.

Whatever.

Lowry knows the score with me.

This time, she barked a laugh. “It means you impressed Luxford enough that he wants you to be his on-call point of contact while the case is active.”

Now I was really considering jumping out the window, because as soon as Giano discovered what I’d done, he’d revoke my little liaison designation faster than Agent Markel hit the bathroom after drinking all the free coffee in the breakroom.

Whomp whomp.

It was fine. I didn’t want Giano keeping me on-call, because I didn’t want to feel any closer to him than I already did. It was incredibly annoying how goddamn relatable I found this billionaire—how easy things were between us, as if we’d known each other our entire lives.

How much I liked claiming him as mine.

But people like me don’t get to keep nice things.

I suddenly realized I should probably say something about this Very Big Opportunity I was being given by our “important client.”

“Cool.” I nodded, attempting to display a smile that didn’t look too constipated. “That’s… cool.”

Really cool, Rowen.

“Mr. Luxford also made sure I knew it had been your idea to question The Andervelt suspect,” Lowry added, eyeing me curiously. “Additionally, he requested that Agent Markel be removed from his case, so I will need to reconfigure the team a bit before today’s press conference.”

That fucking asshole.

I may as well have been standing naked in my boss’s office for how exposed I now felt. My heart rate had gone into overdrive, my head so full of static and my guts twisting so alarmingly, it was as if I’d already hit up the coffee pot slop in the breakroom. All I could think about was getting as far away from whatever the hell this emotion was, before Lowry and her sixth sense picked up on it.

“Sounds good!” I blurted out, sweating through the unseasonably warm peacoat I deeply regretted grabbing as I hustled for the door. “I’ll just… let you get ready for the press conference now. Let me know what you need me to do as… liaison to Giancarlo Luxford.”

Temporary liaison.

“Why don’t you take these files with you to start.” Lowry’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “It will get you caught up on everything we know so far.”

You’ve got to be kidding me.

I slowly turned to face my boss, gaping at the stack of papers and manilla folders she was just handing me, as if I wasn’t the actual culprit of this ridiculous crime.

It could still be a trap…

I awkwardly took the files, being careful not to disturb the contents of my coat while mumbling some bullshit about being grateful for the opportunity before scuttling away like a cockroach.

“Well, looky looky who showed up at the office on a random workday… just like a real agent.”

I sighed loudly as I slammed the pile of papers onto my borrowed desk in the back corner. “Not sure if it slipped your feeble mind, Markel, but there’s a big press conference today for Giancarlo Luxford’s case… the case you’re no longer on, by the way.”

Fuck, that felt good to say.

“What the hell are you talking about, Quincy?” Markel boomed, striding to my desk just so he could jab a meaty finger in my direction from inches away. “I’m one of the leads on the Luxford case⁠—”

“Not anymore, you’re not.” I calmly held Markel’s angry gaze as I awkwardly slipped my new prize into the center—lockable—desk drawer while he was distracted with staring me down. “Go ask Lowry yourself. Luxford wants you to kick rocks.”

“And I’m sure you had nothing to do with that, hmm?” he hissed under his breath, no longer putting on a show for his coworkers. “You ran off with Luxford that day we were at The Andervelt, so lord knows what kind of sexual favors you gave him to⁠—”

“ARE YOU IMPLYING I’VE SLEPT WITH A CLIENT?!” I shouted, feigning horror at the incredibly accurate accusation. “Hate to break it to you, Markel, but Luxford was just impressed with me—especially with my idea to question The Andervelt suspect for his case.”