Her heart did a dangerous little flip at the way his gaze lingered dark, possessive, assessing. She had been playing the role perfectly for days now. Sweet when needed, bold when the moment demanded it, and always just out of reach enough to make him want more.
He reached over, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. His touch was deceptively gentle for a man whose hands had broken necks.
"You're different, Liora," he murmured. "Not like the women in my world.
Her pulse stumbled. Focus. He's the target, not the dream.
And then
[SYSTEM ALERT]
Mission progress: 38% complete.
Reminder: Deliver evidence to the FBI within 14 days.
Penalty for failure: Execution by the system.
She froze. The words didn't just appear in her mind they thundered. The warm glow of the lounge dimmed in her perception, replaced by the cold weight of the warning.
"Liora?" Nikolai's voice snapped her back. He was watching her closely, brow slightly furrowed. "What's wrong?
She forced a smile, reaching for her champagne glass as if nothing had happened. "Just… dizzy for a moment. Must be the bubbles.
But the system wasn't done.
[SYSTEM NOTE]
You are becoming emotionally compromised. Adjust strategy or risk mission failure.
She gripped the stem of the glass tighter. Shut up.
Nikolai tilted his head. "Maybe I should take you home.
Her acting instincts kicked in. She touched his wrist lightly. "And waste the rest of the night? Not a chance.
Something dangerous flickered in his eyes approval mixed with hunger. He leaned back, studying her like a chess master planning his next move.
The jazz shifted to a slower tune. Nikolai stood, offering his hand. "Dance with me.
She hesitated not because she didn't want to, but because the system's warning was still ringing in her skull. Still, refusing him would be suspicious. So she took his hand.
On the dance floor, his palm rested firmly on her lower back, pulling her against him. The scent of his cologne smoky, with a hint of cedar curled into her senses.
"Tell me something true," he said softly, eyes locked on hers.
She swallowed. "I'm not afraid of you.
His smirk deepened. "That's because you don't know me yet.
The system chimed again, cruelly timed:
[SYSTEM SUGGESTION]
Physical intimacy may accelerate trust gain. Consider initiating contact.
She almost laughed out loud. The system made it sound like seducing a mafia boss was just another item on a grocery list. But maybe… maybe it wasn't wrong.
Her fingers brushed his jaw, lingering a fraction longer than necessary. "Then maybe," she whispered, "you should let me.
The song ended. For a moment, neither moved. His gaze dropped to her lips, and for the briefest second she thought he might kiss her. Instead, he stepped back, a faint smile tugging at his mouth.
"Careful, princessa he said. "You play this game too well.
She smiled back, but inside, her pulse was hammering not from fear of him, but from the system's cold countdown ticking in her mind.
And for the first time… she wasn't sure whose side she was really on.
Liora had hidden the stolen keycard inside the lining of her jacket, a small slit she had stitched by hand. It rested there like a burning secret, close enough to feel against her ribs whenever she moved. She had taken it from Nikolai's jacket days ago, in a moment of reckless courage and desperation. And ever since, she had done nothing with it.
Not because she didn't know what it was worth. She did. It was the kind of access that could open a door no one else in his empire was ever meant to touch. His vault
His private files. Maybe even the evidence Agent M had been salivating for since she entered this cursed "mission.
No, it wasn't ignorance that kept her still. It was… him.
Nikolai.
She hated how even in her own mind, his name had weight, a dangerous magnetism she couldn't scrape away. Every time he leaned close, every time his voice dipped low with that mockery-laced softness, something in her faltered.
He wasn't just a mission anymore. He wasn't just a man she was supposed to seduce and betray. He was a puzzle she didn't want to solve because solving it meant destroying it.
The System, however, was not a patient partner.
[Warning.]
[Host has delayed mission progression for 72 hours.]
[Primary Objective: Deliver evidence to Agent M.]
[Failure to comply will result in penalty: Internal hemorrhaging begins in 24 hours.]
"Wait, WHAT?" Liora choked, clutching her chest.