PROLOGUE
Aurora
There has to be another way, I thought for the millionth time.
My heels clicked against the pavement of the dark alleyway. It was creepy, and I’d feel uncomfortable walking down it without my gun or Alexei. Though I’d never admit that to the cold, stoic asshole next to me.
An unassuming location and a plain building. You’d never guess there was a kinky sex club off this quiet, dark street. A large, brick house, two stories tall, dark and quiet. There were no cars around and no traffic. It reminded me of a dead end, the dingy, alley street in horror movies where serial killers took their victims to torture, rape, or kill.
A cold shiver ran down my spine; the eerie silence of the night broken up only by the barely coordinated clacking of my heels. I was still unclear what the expectation would be once we entered through the club door.
“We didn’t even practice,” I muttered under my breath, my heart thundering nervously. I’d felt better going into combat, not to a fucking sex club. “Are you sure there isn’t a better way?” I hissed quietly.
I was losing my shit and freaking out while Alexei Nikolaev acted like we were going for ice cream.Icicles more like it, I thought wryly. The man never showed any damn emotions.
“Yes.” His answer was short, curt. No surprise there. The man barely spoke and was cold as ice. Stoic as a damn statue.
I didn’t feel comfortable with this plan. There was talk of possibly performing to fool them. Performing! I wasn’t a performer for fuck’s sake. I was an FBI agent. I never dreamt going to a sex club would be part of my job. But here we were, on our way to one.
But I couldn’t let the chance at capturing Ivan Petrov slip through my fingers. He was my case. And supposedly, there was a man that ran this joint who would be our ticket to get to him. We had to gain Igor’s attention! Some fucker who was in Ivan’s favor.
Wrapping my arms around my waist, I gripped at the silky material of my short, red minidress. The top of the dress fit me like a corset and was by far the tightest thing I had ever worn. Each time I took a breath in and released it, I was sure my boobs would burst out of it. The dress was short, too short for my liking, and clung to every curve of my body. Combining the dress with the red pumps, only made me look more like a high dollar escort.
I didn’t pick any of it; it came with the assignment. Courtesy of Alexei bloody Nikolaev. I’d rather take the fucking heels and throw them at his pretty face.
How a man so bleak, so cold, could pick something so bold was beyond me! But then, it wasn’t him wearing this shit. It was me.
We walked side by side, his steps slower to allow me to keep tempo in my heels. It was the first time I’d seen him in a suit. Usually, he wore his black cargo pants, plain black shirts, and combat boots. I didn't like the man and his physical appearance wasn't something I’d take notice of... usually. Yet, today, it was harder than normal.
Fuck. This. Shit.
My ankle quivered as I took a wrong step, and I almost lost my balance. But before I could stumble, his inked hand wrapped around my upper arm and caught me. My eyes shot to where his touch seared my skin, sending hot waves through my blood.
Then my eyes snapped to his face. The same stoic, unmoving expression. Same frigid, pale blue eyes. It was the first time he’d touched me. I focused on his body disturbingly close to mine; so close that I could smell his cologne. An odd mixture of citrus and pine. It actually smelled very nice.
I swallowed hard. “Thanks,” I murmured softly, my voice slightly breathless. How was it possible that such a searing, suffocating heat could come off such a frigid person?
No response. Barely a nod.
We continued, our steps slightly slower.Clack. Clack. Clack
It took another ten steps before we stopped in front of the discrete black door. A fleeting glance my way by those pale blue eyes, and I swallowed the lump in my throat. If it didn’t bother him, it didn’t bother me either.
A jerky nod by me and he knocked on the door. One. Two. Three.
“One more,” I rasped. He cocked his eyebrow. “Three is bad luck,” I explained.
He knocked one more time and the door swung open the next instance.
In front of us stood a woman dressed in an extravagant, black cocktail gown. Everything on her was exactly right - from her form-fitting dress, her jewelry, make-up, down to her shoes. It was all perfect.
Her brown eyes locked on Alexei. Desire flickered in them. And recognition!
I threw a side glance in his direction, wondering how often this man actually came here. Returning my eyes to the woman, I found her eyes on me, assessing me. She nodded and stepped back to let us in.
Alexei’s hand came to my lower back, his touch burning through the material of my dress as he nudged me.I don’t like this, my mind played on repeat, over and over again. My steps were hesitant as I moved forward, but there was no going back now. The door shut behind us with a thud and my heart raced faster.
I scanned the room with each step. The walls were painted black, yet the reception area was marble white, making the contrast stark.