WRITER'S POV:
The plan was simple.
Which meant it was going to be a disaster.Cassius laid it out like a mission briefing. There was a gala in the city—high society, old money, dangerous smiles. One of the guests was rumored to be laundering money for one of Cassius's enemies. They needed access to his personal device.
And Ivy, apparently, was the access."Why me?" she asked.
"Because you're charming," Cassius said. "And not recognizable. And because he has a weakness for pretty women with an accent.""That's disgusting."
"It's useful."
Ivy glared. "This is what you call freedom?""This is what I call trust."Jason helped her get ready.
"You've got this," he said, pinning a comms piece discreetly behind her ear. "Just flirt, distract, and look amazing. You know. Tuesday stuff."
She wore a silver gown that shimmered like weaponized moonlight. Her hair was up, her eyes rimmed with just enough defiance to pass for confidence.Cassius, to his credit, tried to remain composed met her at the car, dressed in a black-on-black suit that made him look like temptation with a body count."You're not coming in?" she asked.
"I'm backup. You're bait."
"You're the worst boyfriend." Ivy grumbled, getting in.
"Technically, I've never asked." Cassius muttered.
"Technically, I've never said yes."He smirked.----
The gala was a chandeliered monster of a night.
Ivy floated through it like a woman in a dream she couldn't wake from. Laughter. Strings. Expensive champagne. She smiled, nodded, leaned close when needed.
And then she found the target.Middle-aged. Diamond cufflinks. Teeth too white. Voice like over-oiled machinery."You look like trouble," he said."And you look like you want it," she replied.
He laughed.She got him talking. Close. Distracted. The flash drive slid into his coat pocket with the grace of a trained spy.She excused herself for a moment to the balcony. Her hands were shaking.Cassius's voice came through the comms. "I have the signal. Get back inside. You're done.""I feel like I just auditioned for trauma." Ivy heaved, clutching her chest."You passed." Cassius muttered.She re-entered the ballroom—right as someone grabbed her arm.The man. Smiling. Too close."I didn't say you could walk away.""I didn't ask." Ivy nervously replied.He tightened his grip.Cassius appeared from nowhere like he was already at the party.Fast.Silent.Deadly."Is there a problem?" he asked, voice like ice cracking.The man let go."Didn't realize she was... claimed."Cassius's eyes flared. "She's not claimed. She's protected."The man vanished.Ivy stared at him."That's the difference?" Ivy asked with a raised brow."For me? Everything."He offered his arm.She took it. And for the first time in a long time, Ivy didn't feel like she was pretending to belong.She did.
"So you eventually came" Ivy muttered with a smirk while looking up at him and he just hummed