First Rule: Don't Fall For The Enemy

CHAPTER 7

MIRA’S POV

The car ride back to my apartment was torture. Adrian sat beside me in the back seat, his hand still resting on my lower back from when he'd helped me into the car. The silk of my dress felt thin, almost non-existent, under his touch, and I found myself hyperaware of every breath, every slight movement.

"You handled yourself beautifully tonight," he said, his voice low in the intimate darkness of the car.

"Thank you." I kept my eyes fixed on the passing city lights, not trusting myself to look at him. "Meridian was... challenging."

"Meridian was an ass." His fingers traced a small pattern against my spine, and I had to bite back a gasp. "But you didn't let him rattle you. That takes strength."

"I've dealt with worse."

"Have you?" He turned slightly toward me, and I could feel his gaze burning into my profile. "Sometimes I wonder what your story really is, Elise Hart."

My heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"

"You're too composed. Too perfect. Most people have tells, little cracks in their armor." His thumb brushed against the fabric of my dress. "But you... you're like a beautiful mystery."

The car slowed, and I realized with relief and disappointment that we'd reached my building. "This is me," I said quickly.

"Let me walk you up," Adrian said.

"That's not necessary—"

"It's late. I insist."

The driver opened my door, and Adrian stepped out first, offering me his hand. Against my better judgment, I took it, letting him help me from the car. His fingers lingered on mine as we walked toward the building entrance.

"Thank you for tonight," I said, fishing for my keys. "The dinner was... interesting."

"Interesting." He smiled, stepping closer. "Is that what we're calling it?"

I looked up at him, and the intensity in his dark eyes made my breath catch. We were standing too close, close enough that I could smell his cologne, could see the five o'clock shadow along his jaw.

"Adrian—"

"I know we said this was just business," he murmured, his free hand coming up to cup my cheek. "But standing here with you, looking like this... it doesn't feel like business."

His thumb traced along my cheekbone, and I felt myself leaning into the touch despite every rational thought screaming at me to step away. "We can't—"

"Can't we?" He leaned closer, his breath warm against my lips. "Tell me you don't feel this, Elise. Tell me I'm imagining the way you look at me."

I couldn't. Because he wasn't imagining it. The attraction between us was real, undeniable, and growing stronger every day. His mouth was inches from mine, his eyes dark with want, and I felt myself drowning in the moment.

"Say stop," he whispered, echoing that night in his office.

My lips parted. My body swayed toward him. But at the last second, sanity crashed back into me like a cold wave.

"I can't," I breathed, stepping back quickly. "This is... we're..."

"I know." His jaw tightened, but he nodded and stepped back as well. "You're right. This is complicated enough without..."

"Without what?"

"Without me falling for my assistant." The admission hung between us like a loaded weapon. "Goodnight, Elise."

He was back in the car before I could respond, leaving me standing on the sidewalk with my heart racing and my lips tingling from a kiss that never happened.

I made it upstairs on shaking legs, grateful to find the apartment dark and empty. Jesse wasn't home, which meant I didn't have to face any questions about where I'd been or why I was dressed up. I fell into bed still wearing the silk dress, too emotionally drained to change.

Sleep came fitfully, filled with dreams of dark eyes and almost-kisses.

****

The next morning, I arrived at work early, hoping to lose myself in routine tasks before Adrian arrived. But I'd barely settled at my desk when Jesse appeared, his expression grim.

"We need to talk," he said without preamble.

My stomach dropped. "Good morning to you too."

"Don't." His voice was sharp, angry. "Just don't."

I looked around the nearly empty office, then nodded toward a conference room. "In there."

Once the door was closed, Jesse turned on me with barely controlled fury. "You didn't call me when you got home last night."

"I was tired—"

"You were supposed to meet me for lunch yesterday. You bailed without explanation."

"Something came up at work—"

"Something." He laughed bitterly. "Is that what we're calling it?"

I crossed my arms, trying to project calm confidence. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't you?" He stepped closer, his blue eyes blazing. "Where were you last night, Mira?"

The use of my real name made me flinch. "I told you, I was tired and went to sleep—"

"Before that. Where were you that required you to buy a designer dress and come home at midnight?"

My blood turned to ice. "How do you—"

"I saw the receipt in your purse. Bergdorf Goodman. Fifteen hundred dollars." His voice was deadly quiet. "So I'll ask again. Where were you?"

I stared at him, my mind racing. How much did he know? How much could I safely tell him?

"I had a work function," I said finally.

"What kind of work function?"

"A business dinner. Client entertainment."

"Alone?"

The question hung in the air between us like a trap. I opened my mouth to lie, to say I'd gone with Margaret or another colleague, but the words wouldn't come.

"Were you Adrian's date last night?" Jesse asked quietly.

"It wasn't a date—"

"Were you with him? Yes or no?"

I closed my eyes, knowing there was no way out. "Yes."

"Jesus Christ, Mira." He ran his hands through his hair, pacing to the window. "The employees are talking about it. About how the boss showed up to the Meridian dinner with his gorgeous assistant on his arm."

"It was business—"

"Was it?" He whirled to face me. "Because from what I heard, he was pretty protective of you. Got into it with Meridian when the old man made some comments."

My heart stopped. "You followed us?"

"I had the restaurant staked out. Standard surveillance." His smile was bitter.

"When did you become a spy, Jesse?”

“That's rich, coming from you. Don't turn this around on me. You're the one who's lost focus."

"I haven't lost anything—"

"Haven't you?" He moved closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "When's the last time you updated me? When's the last time you gave me actual intelligence instead of deflecting every question I ask?"

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but realized he was right. I'd been so caught up in Adrian's world, in the complicated feelings he stirred in me, that I'd neglected the very reason I was there.

"You're falling for him," Jesse continued, his voice full of pain and accusation. "You're falling for the target, and it's compromising everything."

"That's not true—"

"Isn't it?" He pulled out his phone, scrolling through something. "The financial records show suspicious gaps in his accounts that you should have reported weeks ago. And now you're going to business dinners as his date."

"I'm gathering intelligence—"

"You're gathering feelings!" The words exploded out of him. "You're supposed to be bringing him down, not falling into his bed!"

"I'm not sleeping with him—"

"Yet." The single word hit like a slap. "But you want to. I can see it written all over your face."

I stared at him, this man who'd been my partner, my lover, my anchor through two years of dangerous assignments. The hurt in his eyes was devastating, and the worst part was that I couldn't deny what he was saying.

"Jesse—"

"I need proof," he said quietly.

"What?"

"I need proof that you're still committed to this mission. That you haven't completely lost sight of why we're here." His blue eyes were hard, determined. "Because right now, Mira, I'm not sure whose side you're really on."