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To the right of the entrance is a chef’s kitchen with gleaming granite counters, top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances, and a huge island for prepping meals. I run my hand along the smooth marble, imagining the intricate dishes a private chef could create in this kitchen—the kind of dishes I’ll never taste, that’s for sure.
Across from the kitchen is an elegant lounge area with plush white couches and a stone fireplace. Abstract art decorates the walls. A baby grand piano sits in the corner, polished black and waiting for someone to bring it to life. Heavy silk drapes frame the windows, softening the light.
Down the hall, the master bedroom features a king-sized canopy bed with luxurious linens. For a split-second, my mind supplies a picture of Alessa de Luca reclining on those sheets.
I shake the thought from my head quickly. This is an operation, not a pleasure cruise, and there’s no expectation at all that I…
What,seducea Mob princess? I have to smile at that idea. Alessa de Luca wouldn’t look twice at someone like me, anyway.
No.Hell, no. This operation only requires me to gain entry to de Luca’s women-only, private members’ club, the Ruby Realm, so that I can scope it out for illegal activities. And as part of that operation, I’m going undercover as a wealthy, connected, women-loving-woman.
Only one of those things is true, and it’s not the money or the friendships, let me tell you.
“Quite the digs, huh?” one of my colleagues remarks as he steps by me, carrying a box of surveillance equipment. The rest of his tech team trails behind him, and I can see a mixture of awe and discomfort on their faces. We’re used to working in less-than-glamorous conditions, and this level of luxury is foreign to all of us.
“Definitely not what I’m used to,” I say with a laugh, but I give myself away by nervously tucking a strand of my newly-blonde hair behind my ear. All part of the act; I’m a natural mousy brown, but my role as fabulously wealthy heiress demanded a more luxurious shade. My reflection in the window is so foreign to me now, the slight flush to my cheeks evidence of both excitement and discomfort. Dressed in a tailored YSL suit that hugs my frame, I feel like a total imposter in this world of wealth and excess.
Well…I guess because Iam.
Captain Stephen Bell, our unit head, calls the core team back into the living area. “Alright, let’s get to work. We don’t have much time before Miller is expected to make contact.”
I hustle back to the living room and wait as the team assembles. Sam Wright, former military and my appointed handler for this operation, stands at parade rest, ready to follow orders. We went through FBI training together back in the day and it’s almost comforting to have him here with me now. Analyst Patrick O’Conner fiddles with the surveillance equipment, his lanky frame practically swimming in his rumpled suit. Evelyn Chang, our lead tech expert, hums under her breath as she finishes planting a listening device in the corner and then hurdles herself over the back of the couch to land with a thump in the seat, Bell glaring at her. Her trendy undercut and lace-up boots contrast with the other agents’ conservative looks.
Dr. Kristen Hays, our criminal profiler, watches the proceedings with sharp eyes. I’ll rely on her insights about Alessa once I’m undercover.
And I’ll rely on her to keep my head straight, too.
Hays joins me now near the window. She raises her eyebrow as she looks over her shoulder. “Quite the view. Should help you get into character.”
I force a smile, hoping she’s right. An analyst by nature, I’ve always felt more at home digging through case files than playing dress-up, though I’ve worked a few undercover roles before. For this operation, I’ll have to convince the target I’m an Upper East Side socialite. And that means getting comfortable with all this luxury.
“Try to relax, Miller,” Hays says quietly. “Remember, this place is just a tool for our mission.”
I nod, trying to take her advice to heart. “You’re right. I just…I never thought I’d be living in a place like this, even temporarily.”
“Focus on the mission. We’re here to take down Alessa de Luca and dismantle her criminal empire. Everything else is just window dressing.”
“Window dressing,” I repeat with a wry smile, glancing around at the extravagant décor. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
As the tech team go around ensuring the cameras and bugs are in place, Bell gives us a briefing in the sleek living room.
“Let’s recap,” he says firmly, “so we’re all on the same page. These past six months, we’ve been building a case to infiltrate Alessa de Luca, daughter of Johnny ‘the Gentleman’ de Luca, aCaporegimefor the Mancini crime family.”
At the mention of Johnny’s name, a chill runs through me. His reputation is the stuff of legend, for all the wrong reasons. They call him Johnny the Gentleman because of his quick, clean kills and almost respectful treatment of the corpses, leaving a handkerchief over their head as though to spare first witnesses the gruesome sight of what a gunshot to the face will do to a person.
Oh, yeah. A real gentleman.
Bell continues, “Our intelligence suggests Alessa de Luca, the Gentleman’s daughter, is running an illegal gambling operation out of a private members’ club she owns, called the Ruby Realm. High stakes poker and blackjack for sure, and there are rumors of maybe even a full casino. We also suspect the club is a front for prostitution, drugs—the usual.”
I clench my hands. The thought of someone exploiting women like that always makes my blood boil. This is exactly the kind of darkness I became an agent to defeat.
“We’re hoping to get someone inside this club to gather more evidence, and allow us to—ultimately—take the whole operation down.” Bell nods at me. “That’s where Miller comes in.”
“Love the new look,” Chang calls over with a grin. I almost flip her the bird, but remember myself before I do, and manage to stifle my laughter. She gives me a wink after Bell glares icily at her, and I resolve to make sure she pays next time we’re out for drinks after work.
“We’ve created an airtight cover for Miller,” Bell goes on. “She’ll make first contact with de Luca through Congresswoman Alicia Crane, a frequent patron of the club. We had enough dirt on the Congresswoman to persuade her to make an introduction.”
I think back to our meeting with Crane, how her face paled when we confronted her with evidence of her association with the Ruby Realm. Given that she’s a member of the House Ethics Committee, her hypocrisy was astounding. I take no personal pleasure in twisting arms, but some people only respond to that sort of treatment. At least Crane complied without too much fuss.
