Page 67 of Dangerous Seduction

“Ready for another round?” Marco asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

I nodded, a determined smile playing on my lips. “Let’s do it. We’ve got work to do.”

THIRTY-ONE

NATALIA

I gazed at my reflection in the yacht’s bathroom mirror. The memory of last night with Dante still lingered on my skin, a delicious ache that reminded me of the passion we’d shared. I closed my eyes, savoring the recollection of his hands on my body, his lips trailing fire across my skin...

“Focus, Natalia,” I muttered, shaking off the haze of desire. As much as I longed to lose myself in thoughts of Dante, I had more pressing matters to attend to.

Val’s revelation about a mole in the DEA had turned my world upside down, leaving me questioning everything I thought I knew. The idea that someone within our ranks had been feeding information to Ricardo Reyes for years made my stomach churn. How many operations had been compromised? How many lives had been lost because of this traitor?

And then there was Ted Morrow, my handler and the man I’d trusted implicitly since joining the DEA. The grizzled veteran had always been a steadfast ally, a rock in the tumultuous sea of undercover work. But now, doubt gnawed at the edges of my certainty. Could he be involved? Did he know more than he was letting on?

I grabbed my purse, double-checking that my gun was securely holstered inside. As I made my way across the yacht’s deck, the Miami sun beating down on me, I steeled my resolve. I was going to get answers, one way or another.

The drive to the restaurant where I was meeting Morrow seemed to take an eternity, my mind racing with possibilities and scenarios. I rehearsed what I would say, how I would approach the subject without tipping my hand. If Morrow was involved, I couldn’t risk alerting him to my suspicions.

As I pulled into the parking lot of the upscale bistro, I spotted Morrow’s beat-up sedan parked near the entrance. Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of my car and made my way inside, my heart pounding in my chest.

Morrow was already seated at a corner table, his weathered face creased with concern as he caught sight of me. “Ramirez,” he greeted me, his voice gruff but warm. “Glad you could make it.”

I slid into the seat across from him, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “Wouldn’t miss it, sir,” I replied, my tone carefully neutral. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a chance to catch up face-to-face and not just a zoom call.”

Morrow nodded, his eyes searching my face with an intensity that made me wonder if he could sense the turmoil roiling beneath my calm exterior. “Something’s up with you,” he said, leaning in closer. “You pulled the plug on the operation like I said, right?”

I hesitated, weighing my words carefully. I wasn’t ready to reveal Dante’s willingness to help take down his father. “Actually, sir, I came upon something,” I began, my fingers toying with the edge of my napkin. “I’ve uncovered some information that could have serious implications for the entire investigation.”

Morrow’s brow furrowed, his expression a mixture of curiosity and concern. “What kind of information, Ramirez?” he pressed, his voice low and urgent.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I was about to say. “There’s evidence to suggest that there’s a mole within the DEA,” I said, my eyes never leaving his face as I watched for any sign of recognition or guilt. “Someone who’s been feeding information to the Reyes cartel for years.”

Morrow’s reaction was immediate and visceral. His face paled, his eyes widening in shock as he leaned back in his chair. “Jesus Christ,” he muttered, running a hand through his thinning hair. “Are you sure about this, Ramirez?”

I nodded, my gut clenching at the raw emotion in his voice. Either Morrow was a damn good actor, or he was genuinely blindsided by this revelation. “I have reliable intel,” I confirmed, keeping my voice low to avoid being overheard. “It explains a lot of our failed operations, including the warehouse raid that got Matt killed.”

At the mention of my former partner, Morrow’s expression darkened, a flash of pain and anger crossing his features. “Goddamn it,” he growled, his fist clenching on the table. “If that’s true, if someone in our ranks is responsible for Matt’s death...”

He trailed off, his eyes meeting mine with a fierce intensity. “We need to tread carefully here, Ramirez,” he said, his voice low and urgent. “If there really is a mole, we can’t trust anyone. Not even our own people.”

I nodded, a small part of me relaxing at his words. If Morrow was involved, he was putting on one hell of a performance. “What do you suggest, sir?” I asked, leaning in closer.

Morrow’s eyes darted around the restaurant, as if checking for potential eavesdroppers. “We need to keep this under wraps for now,” he murmured. “Continue your operation with Reyes, see if you can uncover any more information about who might be feeding them intel from our side.”

I hesitated, a flicker of doubt crossing my mind. “Sir, with all due respect, shouldn’t we bring in Internal Affairs? If there’s a traitor in our midst...”

Morrow shook his head vehemently. “Not yet,” he insisted, his voice brooking no argument. “We don’t know how deep this goes, Ramirez. For all we know, the Internal Affairs could be compromised too. No, we need to handle this ourselves, at least until we have more concrete evidence.”

I nodded, my mind racing with the implications of his words. Was Morrow truly looking out for the integrity of the investigation, or was he trying to cover his own tracks? The doubt that had taken root in my mind refused to be silenced, even as I wanted desperately to believe in the man who had been my mentor and ally for so long.

“Understood, sir,” I said, forcing a note of conviction into my voice. “I’ll keep digging, see what else I can uncover.”

Morrow reached across the table, his weathered hand closing over mine in a gesture of reassurance. “Be careful, Ramirez,” he said, his voice gruff with emotion. “You’re in deep with some dangerous people. If they get even a whiff of suspicion...”

I nodded, a lump forming in my throat at the genuine concern in his eyes. “I know the risks, sir,” I assured him. “I’ll watch my back.”

As we finished our lunch, making small talk about inconsequential matters to avoid arousing suspicion, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was standing on the edge of a precipice. The ground beneath my feet felt unstable, shifting with every new revelation and unanswered question.

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