The sounds of an action movie echoed from the large television in the lounge as she entered. The two bodyguards barely looked up as she approached.
“I need to go to the mall,” she announced, trying to keep her voice steady. “I have some things to buy for the wedding and the honeymoon.”
They were naturally more interested in the car chase on the screen than her shopping plans, but they agreed and got to their feet. She was grateful for their indifference because it was what allowed her to carry out such a dangerous task in the first place. However, despite her bodyguards’ apathy, she was still risking her life, she was under no delusions about that. Her father would not hesitate to order her death if he discovered what she was doing. She swallowed down the bitterness that crept up her throat, turned on her heel, and headed for the door.
Once at the mall, Mia felt a sense of déjà vu as she looked at random clothes, pretending to be excited about the impending nuptials. She kept glancing at the time, the minutes ticking by at an agonizing pace.
Finally, she picked up a handful of clothes and headed towards the changing rooms. She slipped inside one, her heart pounding in her chest. She hung the clothes on a hook and turned to see Sofia Suarez, her FBI handler.
Sofia was a petite woman with dark hair pulled back in a severe bun. Her dark eyes were sharp, and she missed nothing. She exuded an air of authority that belied her small stature.
“Mia,” the woman greeted her in a whisper, concern flickering in her gaze. “What’s happened? Why are you breaking protocol?”
Mia’s words rushed out in a flurry of fear and desperation. “My father... He’s arranged a marriage for me, to one of his associates’ sons. I can’t marry him. He’s violent, dangerous, and... and I’ve met [my mate].”
Agent Suarez was silent for a moment, taking in the enormity of the news. “I understand,” she said quietly, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. “You’re in an impossible situation.”
She paused, casting a wary glance at the changing room door before she continued. “The information you’ve provided us so far has helped us build a case against your father. But if we’re going to wrap this up quickly, we need something more. Something tangible.”
Mia swallowed hard, her throat dry. “What do you need exactly?”
“Video evidence,” Suarez stated, her tone uncompromising.“A recording of him discussing his illegal activities, planning crimes... or documented evidence—invoices, emails, anything that directly links him to his crimes and bears his signature.”
Mia’s stomach knotted. “But everything is always so veiled. He’s careful.”
Suarez nodded. “I understand. But, Mia, we need something concrete. Implications and insinuations aren’t enough. The evidence needs to be irrefutable.”
The sterile lights of the changing room glared harshly down, casting long shadows across the room as Mia absorbed Suarez’s words. The clamor of the mall outside was reduced to a dull murmur, punctuated by the occasional burst of laughter or the clatter of a shopping cart. The scent of a thousand different perfumes from the nearby fragrance counters clashed in the air, making her head swim. Inside, her leopard paced, feeling the weight of the impossible situation every bit as much as Mia did.
She nodded slowly, her mind racing as she started to consider the enormous task before her. Irrefutable evidence against one of the most notorious crime lords in the country, and she had to obtain it while planning a wedding she didn’t want and had no intention of going through with.
She glanced at Suarez, a determined glint in her eyes. “I’ll do it,” she said, her voice laced with a grim determination. “I’ll find you your evidence and end this once and for all.”
The agent nodded, appeased by Mia’s cooperation.
As Suarez slipped quietly out of the changing room, Mia pulled out her secret cellphone from her clutch purse. She punched out a quick text to Max.
“We need to talk. It’s urgent. Charity event tonight. Can yoube there?”
Almost immediately, his response came through, “I’ll be there. Send the location.”
Mia’s heart fluttered at his prompt reply. His willingness to risk being at a high-profile event, filled with potential enemies, just to meet her was enough to send warmth spreading through her. She texted him the location then put her phone away, straightened her back, and stepped out of the dressing room.
The bodyguards who were standing a little way off looked up as she emerged. They were burly men, their suits straining slightly at the seams to accommodate their bulk. Their sharp eyes roved over her as she approached them.
With a wave of her hand, she handed the sales assistant the pile of clothes. “None of these are suitable,” she said briskly, moving past the assistant.
The scent of new clothing and the hum of shoppers gradually faded behind them as Mia led the way through the busy mall, her mind focused on the charity event that night. The very idea of what she was about to do was terrifying, but it was necessary. She had to protect herself, and she had to protect Max.
And to do that, she had to bring down her father.
With the alluring scent of new leather permeating the air around her, Mia arrived back at the mansion carrying her latest acquisitions from the shopping excursion. Her heart pounded in her chest, and a thin sheen of sweat formed on her brow as she wound her way through the sprawling house to her father’s office. The mansion was eerily quiet, a stark contrast to the buzzing hubbub of the mall.
Hoping against hope that her father was out, she eased openthe heavy wooden door to his office only to find him immersed in some work on his computer. His eyes flicked up to meet hers, his eyebrows arched in query.
“Did you purchase a wedding dress?” he asked, his voice carrying a steely edge.
Mia shook her head, trying to appear crestfallen. “I had to make an appointment for a fitting in two days’ time,” she informed him.
