Page 38 of Targeted By Desire

“I’ll check the third level,” I told Gabriel.

He was frozen beside me, examining the amount of guns in the room. “I’ll call the evidence team,” he replied. “We’re going to need a lot of hands to clean this shit up.”

Leaving him on the second floor, I trotted up to the third and last level of the warehouse. My heart thumped in my ears with every step, anticipating the worst.

This was the last place the attacker could be if they were still here, meaning I was likely in for a fight.

I almost exhaled in relief when I arrived on the empty floor. Keeping my gun cocked and ready, I scanned around the room. The dealer’s body was laying on the ground, eyes wide with a single hole in his head. A line of metal briefcases sat open on the table beside him, holding an inventory of state-of-the-art rifles. Not one was missing.

But, there was one seemingly out of place.

Rather than silver and open like the others, this one was black and closed.

I cautiously approached it. My brow rose at the note taped to the top.

For Agent Nichols, it read.

My stomach twisted in knots as I remembered my words from last night. The gift I’d stupidly asked for.

Was this it? Taking out the dealer for my operation, so I wouldn’t have to deal with it? But, how’d he get into my files? Those were sealed underneath the FBI database.

I didn’t know what resources this man had, but they were terrifyingly good.

I knew I shouldn’t entertain his games - especially in the middle of a destroyed operation, but I was curious to see what he’d left.

The ends of the briefcase clicked as I unhooked the latches and pushed it open.

My eyes widened at the bouquet of colorful wires and ticking red numbers.

His gift wasn't jewelry or perfume or even an item of his clothing with his scent lingering on it.

It was a fucking bomb.

THE ASSASSIN

The explosion erupted like an angry volcano. The ground shook beneath our feet, and a rush of wind whipped across our faces.

Beside me, Maria tucked her face into her jacket collar, shielding herself from the blast.

I couldn’t force myself to look away. My eyes burned from the harsh wind as I watched the red flames, left behind from the explosion, lick up the charred remains of the building.

Honestly, I was quite disappointed with the agent. I didn’t expect her to fall for such a simple trap.

It was too easy for Maria to distract and kill the buyer while I planted the bomb. Taking out his crew was like doing target practice - no challenge or thrill. The most entertaining part was watching Simone and her partner rush inside with determination etched all over their faces.

Were they seriously rushing in there to save criminals’ lives?

Simone’s moral compass didn’t make any sense. Why would she be willing to risk her life for someone who thrived on taking them?

Staring at the sea of flames, I guessed I’d never know.

Reluctantly, I tore my eyes away from the burning building and took a few steps back towards the van.

Maria grabbed my arm before I could get far. Should we grab the drone to check for survivors, she signed.

“No,” I replied. “No one could’ve survived that blast.”

She glanced back at the fiery scene before us, squinting her eyes. I don’t know… I think I see something down there.