Page 43 of Nails
Nails’ mouth moved before his brain could stop it.“Alone?”
The word came out sharper than intended, but he didn’t care.The idea of Riley,hisRiley, walking into a place surrounded by predators who wouldn’t hesitate to make her disappear, lit a possessive kind of protectiveness deep inside of him that he couldn’t ignore.Yeah, he knew this was her job, and he respected her abilities and her role.But hell, he’d be concerned for any woman willingly stepping into that kind of trap.He caught the shared smirks exchanged around the table, but none of them said a word.They didn’t have to.They saw it plain as day.Nails wasn’t just invested in the operation.He had just made it known to everyone in the room that he was invested in Riley.
Riley’s head whipped toward Nails.She had just picked up her coffee and had taken a sip right before he said that.Thank goodness she had swallowed, or otherwise she probably would have sprayed coffee everywhere.
She couldn’t believe that he had just blurted that out.And from the look on his face, he caught himself off guard, too.
Her stomach did a little flip.Part of her was flattered.It was kind of sweet, in an overbearing and protective way.But it also sent a bolt of heat up her neck that had nothing to do with the coffee still in her hand because the last thing she needed was for him to make it harder to keep her professional distance.
She cleared her throat and looked back at Derek, pretending not to notice the amused glances bouncing silently around the room like a dodgeball game no one wanted to start officially.
Derek, Russell, and even Secretary Boles looked like they were holding back their grins.God, if there was ever a time when she wished the floor would just open and swallow her, now was that moment.
Derek's eyes slid to Nails.“Relax, Torres.She’s not going in alone.You’ll be going in with her,” he said.
Nails’ eyes widened in surprise.“Me?”He asked, pointing a finger at himself.
A small smile made its way to Derek’s lips.“I figured a club full of beautiful women was right up your alley.”
Several members of the team tried to stifle their amusement but failed terribly.Joker actually snorted.
Riley, for her part, almost dropped her damn coffee cup.But she did her best to keep her expression neutral, even though her heart was pounding in her chest.
Of course,he’d be the one going in with her, and working with him, and pretending not to be attracted to him?Sure.That won’t be complicated at all.
She took a quick glance at him, and he smiled and winked.She tried her best not to roll her eyes.She and Nails were going to have a serious conversation about boundaries during this operation.
Thankfully, Derek, Russell, and Secretary Boles took over, diving straight into the operation.Riley took a seat near the front of the table, forcing herself to focus, even though she could feel Nails’ eyes on her.
For the next three hours, they hashed out their plan of action and went over Riley’s and Nails’ roles inside the club.Riley had to admit that whoever was assisting behind the scenes was damn good, not to mention they must have connections all over the world and with people from all walks of life.
During that time, Derek had gotten a phone call informing him that Riley and Nails both had confirmed interviews at the club the day after tomorrow.
Nails was interviewing for a bouncer position, while she would be interviewing for a hostess, aka a glorified cocktail waitress.
The rest of the team had support roles and would be on hand for surveillance, providing backup assistance, and standing by in case of a location on Anna was discovered.
While Riley already knew what her cover entailed, Nails’ cover was tight and believable.He was a freelance security contractor who had been working private protection jobs across Southeast Asia, mainly as a bodyguard for high-profile business executives.According to the cover story, the small security firm that contracted him had recently gone under due to financial mismanagement and legal troubles, leaving him stranded in Hong Kong and needing work fast.Club Lune, known for occasionally hiring foreign muscle to boost its image and keep VIPs in line, fit the bill.His background made him a natural fit for the bouncer role.He was strong, quiet, and experienced enough to handle trouble without blinking.More importantly, the job would give him direct access to the inner workings of the club, the staff, and whatever secrets they were hiding behind those velvet ropes.
The rest of the team would be spread across multiple layers of the operation.Handling some surveillance and comms, monitoring feeds, tracking movement, and running real-time intel.They would also be tasked with logistical support and backup coordination, ensuring they are ready to move in at a moment’s notice if things went sideways or if a lead on Anna’s location surfaced.Every man had a role, and every role was critical.The entire op would run like a pressure-loaded machine with one objective: get Riley in, gather intel, and find Anna before she vanished for good.
As the briefing started to wrap up, Secretary Boles stood up from his seat at the head of the table and slipped on his suit jacket.
“I know you are running on a tight schedule and have tasks to complete before your flight tomorrow morning.So, I won’t keep you long,” he said, scanning the room with a measured gaze.“Each of you has been selected for this because you’re the best at what you do.This mission is high-risk, high-profile, and deeply personal for many people.The Sandri family is putting their faith in us.And I’m putting mine in all of you.”
His eyes shifted briefly to Riley, giving her the faintest nod before addressing the group again.
“I want to personally thank each one of you for stepping up.If you need any intel, resources, or support, just ask.We’ve got your back.”
Riley and the team all offered their thanks before Secretary Boles took his leave.
“Are there any other questions?”Derek asked the group as he and Russell stood up.
“When do we leave?”Joker asked.
“Wheels up tomorrow morning, at zero five hundred.Meet at NAS Oceana.”
Russell passed out envelopes to the guys.“These contain everything you will need for your new identities while on assignment.To make it a little easier, you’ll keep your first names.”
