Operative Temptation

Caged

The cold weight of solid gold hit Kayleen’s collarbone. She kept her back straight as Viktor locked the heavy chain around her neck.

"Don't move, darling," Viktor murmured into her hair, his warm breath hitting her cold skin. He didn't pull his hands away. Instead, he dragged his fingers down her neck, resting his palm flat over her throat where her pulse beat fast. "Look at you. Beautiful. I knew green would look good on you."

Kayleen stared straight ahead at the dark windows of his penthouse. Outside, city lights blinked through the rain. Inside, the room smelled of heavy cigars and Viktor’s strong cologne.

"Is it too tight?" Kayleen asked, her voice dry. She reached up to touch the necklace, but Viktor instantly grabbed her wrist, squeezing hard.

"It fits you perfectly," Viktor said, his tone soft and possessive.

He turned her by her shoulders, forcing her to face him under the dim office lights. He grabbed her chin between his thumb and finger, tilting her head back until she was looking right into his pale eyes.

"Now, tell me everything," he said. "Start from the second you stepped onto the ballroom floor."

Kayleen forced a smooth smile, ignoring the pain in her jaw as his thumb dug in. "It went just like we planned, Viktor. I made contact within fifteen minutes."

Viktor’s eyes narrowed slightly. He dragged his thumb across her lower lip, pressing hard enough to smear her red lipstick. "Did he touch you?"

"Only when I spilled the drink," Kayleen said quickly, leaning into his touch just enough to make him feel in control. "It was an accident. He bought it completely."

"Did he look at you?" Viktor pressed, his voice dropping to a low, jealous whisper. He slid his free hand around her waist, gripping her tightly. "Tell me how he looked at you, Kayleen. Did he look at you like just another pretty face, or like something he wanted to take home?"

Kayleen swallowed, her throat dry as she remembered Adrian’s quiet voice in the hallway whispering her real name, Katarina. Her hands wanted to shake, but she forced her body to stay still under Viktor's heavy grip.

"He was arrogant," Kayleen lied smoothly, looking Viktor straight in the eye. "He thought he was better than everyone in that room. He looked at me like an annoying girl who ruined his jacket."

Viktor let out a low hum. His thumb slid off her chin to stroke her neck, his fingers trailing over the heavy gold chain he had just locked around her.

"Good," Viktor said. "That arrogant bastard thinks he's untouchable. He thinks that because he controls half the ports in the state, nobody can touch him."

"He has no idea what's coming," Kayleen said, pulling his hand slightly away from her throat so she could breathe. "The tracker is planted. Once it syncs, you'll have his exact location."

She lied without blinking. In reality, the tracker was dead, her device was wiped, and Adrian knew her real name. If Viktor found out her mission had failed before it even started, she wouldn't leave this penthouse alive.

Viktor smiled, though his eyes stayed cold. He leaned down, pressing a hard kiss against her jaw.

"My brilliant girl," he murmured, pulling back to look at her. "My masterpiece. What would I do without you, Kayleen?"

"You'd have to find someone else to spill champagne on billionaires," Kayleen said, forcing a quiet laugh as she smoothed his jacket lapels.

"It's not just the training, darling," Viktor said softly, brushing hair behind her ear. "You have your father's spirit and my discipline. That's why you succeed."

He turned away, walking over to the large desk overlooking the city. He poured a glass of bourbon and took a slow sip, his eyes never leaving her.

"So," Viktor said. "When do we move to phase two?"

"Give it forty-eight hours," Kayleen said quickly, stepping toward the desk. "He's careful. If I push too fast, he'll get suspicious. Let him think he's in control."

Viktor set his glass down. He pulled a small set of silver keys from his pocket and unlocked the top drawer of his desk, pulling out a long black velvet box.

"We don't have forty-eight hours, Kayleen," Viktor said, his voice turning cold and flat. He flipped the box open.

Inside lay a thick folder of Adrian's private security routes, and next to it sat a clear syringe with a steel needle.

Kayleen froze. "Viktor... what is that?"

"Phase two," Viktor said, sliding the box across the desk to her. "I don't need you to play his girlfriend for a month. I need him dead before the senate vote on Friday."

Kayleen looked from the needle to Viktor's cold face. "The plan was to build a paper trail. We were going to blackmail him—"

"Plans change," Viktor cut in sharply. "He’s digging into my accounts. He’s getting too close to the senator. If he finds what he's looking for, we both go down."

"He doesn't know anything about the senator!" Kayleen said, keeping her voice steady. "I talked to him, Viktor. He’s focused on his own business. He isn't looking at you!"

"I don't take chances," Viktor said, grabbing her chin and pulling her down toward the box. "You're going to use those route maps. You're going to find him at his apartment tomorrow night, get close to him, and stick this needle in his neck."

Kayleen stared at the needle, her chest tight. "And if I can't get close enough?"

Viktor let go of her chin and leaned back, a dark smile spreading across his face.

"Then you'd better figure it out, darling," Viktor whispered. "Because if you don't get to him by Friday, I'll send someone who will."