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I had always been support for someone else, rarely playing a fully-fledged role. God, it was exciting but also nerve-racking.
I wanted to ask Saff a whole slew of questions because she was experienced with this kind of assignment. Once the lads had my undercover ID set, I'd be busy playing mental gymnastics.
Memorizing everything was like being an actor. Finding the right motivation for every single character in play, reasons for doing things, and I was going to have to make Tabatha Bracknell a part of me.
Jennings Tate was looking for high-end art pieces, and that was my in with him. I'd have to learn and learn fast. I was so grateful we had a whole department for this. People who could help me learn what to say and how to act.
I was doing this. I was going fucking undercover.
Not bad for a girl like me from nowheresville.
As the meeting came to an end, I stood and marched over to Saff, who gave me a wide grin. "Congratulations. First deep undercover. We have to celebrate! Are you ready?"
"I hope so. I want to prove myself. I'm going to need you to tell me everything about being undercover. I mean, starting with the outfits, right? Because what am I going to wear?"
There was a low growl behind me. "This isn't a fucking fashion show. This is your life. If you can't take it seriously, I will pull you off this mission."
I turned with a smug smirk. "You told that whole room and Oversight that I'm going under, so it’s a little late for your threats now."
"I can always change my mind," he said through clenched teeth.
He never got angry. Irritated, yes. Frustrated, a hundred percent. Hell, I’d made it my life's mission to frustrate him. But this was new. He was pissed. The question was, why?
He leaned in close to me, and I could feel his heat wrapping around me. Every burn and lash of his tongue that he used like a whip. "You will take this seriously. I don't care what's going on, I will pull you from the mission if I have to. One wrong step, and you will come home. This is life and death, Tabatha. Not a joke."
"I am still primary on this mission, aren't I?"
His brow furrowed. "Yes, why?"
"Then I'll decide how to run it. Not you. This is one area where you won't be able to control me."
And there it was again, a ghost of a smile that played across his lips. One that my body saw as pure challenge and raw desire. "We'll see about that. This can go easy, or it can go hard. It's really up to you. But it seems like you're picking hard. I'll be the closest person to you, your one tether to the real world. If I were you, I'd realize that pissing me off isn't a good idea." And then he stomped off.
Saff sighed. "What are the chances that you two are both going to be standing at the end of this?"
I shrugged. "Oh, I'll be just fine. But you, my friend, condolences on the loss of your brother."
11
Tabatha
This was not what was supposed to happen.
Maybe you shouldn't have jumped at the opportunity so quickly.
If I was being honest, all I'd really heard was ‘hazard pay’ and ‘more experience.’ I hadn't put two and two together with the possibility of having Gabe as my handler.
Maybe you should have thought about that.
There was no way this was going to work. We were going to kill each other.
“This is the flat.” His voice was the usual low rolling timbre, but his words were clipped. Tight. As if it cost him to release each one.
“You don't have to be mad at me. I didn't ask you to be my handler.”
He rounded on me as we both stepped over the threshold of the tidy modern flat in Kensington. “Are you bloody kidding me? You are one of mine. You think I trust anyone else with you?”
I coughed a laugh. “You made this choice. I had nothing to do with it. In case you missed it, I was trying to get the hell away from you. And instead, all you've done is chain us together.”
