Undercover Desires

The explanation

Krystal

"I don't know, Krys. I don't understand anything. Why the f**k are you moving? Are you being forced into this s**t?! Is it for some guy?! Are you hiding something?!" Susan demanded, panic dripping from every word.

"It’s for my f*****g job, Suz. I’m getting a better opportunity, and the pay is damn good," I said, keeping my voice even.

"But you already have a job, babe. They pay you well here too. And you have me. What the hell are you gonna do there? Be alone and miserable?"

Susan d’Cruz, my best friend, my lifeline. We met in college, and she has had my back ever since. Losing my parents as a teenager f****d me up, especially since I was the only survivor. The guilt was suffocating—I spent years blaming myself. Susan dragged me out of that self-destructive pit, forced me to rebuild. She became my family. And now, I was about to leave her behind without telling her the full truth.

I couldn’t.

It wasn’t just about the job. If she knew the real reason, the real s**t I was dealing with, it would put her in danger. And I couldn’t f*****g live with that.

Lost in thought, I barely noticed when she shook me, dramatically, of course. "It’s okay, Suz. I’ll be fine. I’m working at Johansson’s. The company belongs to Travis. I mean, his mom owns it, but it’s pretty much his. And Travis is there with me. I’ll be fine, Suz."

"Oh, so since you have Travis, you don’t need me?" That hit like a punch to the gut.

"What the f**k, Suz?! Of course, I need you! It’s just a matter of time. I’ll come back. You know I’ve always wanted to work in New York. Johansson’s is a dream."

She sighed, defeated. "Do you really want to go?"

"Yeah," I admitted.

"Fine then. Promise me you’ll call me, and for f**k’s sake, take care of yourself." Her voice softened, and warmth spread through my chest. If only she knew how much I wanted to tell her the truth. I nodded instead.

The rest of the day was f*****g perfect. We went clubbing, had dinner, and ended the night watching some sappy-ass movie that made Susan cry—like always. I made sure we had tissues nearby to avoid the usual disaster.

Days passed, and then, just like that, the D-day arrived. The chief texted, letting us know he’d be there to see us off. I called Travis over for lunch. Our flight tonight, so we had the whole day to chill.

Travis and I have this bond—something unspoken but strong as hell. We just get each other. And honestly, I had a feeling he had a thing for Susan. If s**t worked out, they’d make a disgustingly cute couple. Travis is a solid guy, which got me thinking about my new boss. What was his name again? Right. Ryland Johansson.

I pulled up his profile. A well-built man, two years older than me. That meant Travis was a year older than Ryland. Travis was already tall, but Ryland? He looked taller. And those f*****g grey eyes? They tugged at something deep in my f****d-up memory. They seemed familiar.

Before I could spiral, Susan barged in and flopped onto my bed. I slammed my laptop shut. She started checking my luggage like the overbearing mother she was.

"What’s this?" she asked, picking up a blue folder.

My stomach dropped. f**k.

That folder held classified s**t on Steffen Oberoi’s f****d-up past. Before I could snatch it, Travis walked in and, thank f*****g god, grabbed it first.

"It’s some client info we need to close a deal," he said smoothly, tossing me a look that screamed ‘you dumbass.’

That was close.

Susan shrugged. "Whatever. Let’s go, Krys. Your Uber’s here."

Fifteen minutes later, we reached the airport. A black SUV was parked near the entrance. And out stepped Chief Mitchell Rodriguez—dramatic as ever, arms wide open.

He pulled me into a hug, squeezing the life out of me. "I’m proud of you, kid. Always."

Then he hugged Travis and gave him that fatherly look. "Take care of her. No matter what happens, stay together. You’re stronger that way. And remember, I’m just a call away."

Susan was crying now. She hugged me tight, then turned to Travis, who surprised the s**t out of me by whispering something in her ear. Her eyes widened, and she hugged him back.

Oh.

Oh, he totally confessed. About damn time.

Clearing my throat, I smirked. "Well, well, well. Look at you two getting all cozy."

Travis smacked me upside the head. "Shut up, you menace."

Laughing, we headed for the gate. "You’ve got some serious explaining to do, you monster," I muttered.

"No s**t," He shot back.

The flight took off, and I let my thoughts drift. Mission? Check. Chaos? Definitely. Safety? Ha. There was no such thing in our world. We lived on the edge, always.

Pushing everything aside, I let my eyes close. Time to prepare for whatever the f**k was coming next.