BELLA
I arrive at the flat we’ll be renting for the foreseeable future at nine in the morning and, with the help of the moving guys, I begin unpacking.
I immediately notice the car with the men watching me. We expected it. It happened on all my previous assignments. Nobody who runs an underground people-trafficking business would fail to check up on their employees, especially one who’ll be handling their money—even if I’d been hired for the legit side of their business. This isn’t my first rodeo, so I know what to look out for.
I send Cahir a text to let him know I’m being watched, like we expected. It’s one of the reasons we’ve done everything we can to make this look like a typical move.
I bought furniture and had it stored, and that’s what we’ll be using to furnish the flat. I signed for Copper’s belongings not long after we arrived. Not that there was much—a couple of boxes.
Cahir explained that Copper would ride his bike as he didn’t want to be without it. I grew up with bikers, so I wasn’t surprised by this news. Cahir assured me that the bike was in Copper’s new name, so I wasn’t to worry.
The removal van is almost empty when I hear his bike—somehow, I instinctively know it’s his. I wait until he's parked before walking to the back of the van, tying my hoodie around my waist.
I dressed for comfort and the cool morning when I got up, pulling on my favourite cut-off shorts, a tank top, and a hoodie for warmth. Now it’s heading towards mid-morning, and the day has grown warmer, so I remove it to prevent overheating.
Copper is not at all what I expected. He’s bigger and far better looking than his pictures made him out to be.
He has a short, dark beard, long, dark, curly hair, and bright green eyes. I knew he was a distant relation to Hawk but didn’t realise how similar they’d be. He’s a lot taller and more muscular than Hawk, though.
Cahir gave me a full dossier on Copper Tin. At first, his close ties to the Crows made me nervous—too nervous. For a moment, I feared my family could be traced through him. But when Cahir explained that they’d covered his tracks as carefully as they’d covered mine, some of my tension eased.
While they eased that worry, it didn’t stop my concern that he might be an arsehole who wouldn’t like being partnered with a woman, especially a woman taking the lead, as I’m the one in the most danger.
What I’m not expecting is the flicker of interest I feel when I first see him. It startles me. It's been close to two years since I broke things off with Sam, and in all that time, not once has anyone captured my attention. Not even a spark… until now.
After my first six months at the castle with the Skulls, I was set up for my first undercover assignment in a town not too far from them. In that time, I tried to move on and date, especially after I found out that Sam had made Ally his Old Lady and that they were engaged.
Wanting to feel something other than the loneliness I’d carried around with me for so long, I went out with the girls from work and had a one-night stand. I hoped to feel something, but it only made me feel even lonelier. Oh, I enjoyed the mechanics of the act, but other than that, it meant nothing. It made me wonder if what I broke when I tore my world apart would always hold me back.
I’ve never been effusive with affection, which is strange, considering the family I came from.
It’s not that I don’t love my family because I do. I love and care for them very much; I just don’t always show it. It’s probably why I get on so well with Beau; we both prefer numbers because they make sense.
Having feelings hurts. And I’m so done with hurting.
Knowing we’ll have to make the next few minutes look convincing for the watchers, I summon all my acting abilities, channelling my friend, Ellie, and imagining how she would greet someone she has feelings for. So I bounce out of the trailer with a smile and straight into Copper’s arms, pressing my lips to his in a quick kiss before warning him about the watchers.
He plays his part perfectly, responding by kissing me in a way I haven’t been kissed in a long time. The man knows what he’s doing, that’s for sure.
When we break apart, I expect to see triumph in his face, but I only see kindness and humour.
My cheeks heat, unable to resist his gentle teasing, and I relax. I can do this. While I enjoyed his kiss, I wasn’t ready for anything more than friendship, not with the dangerous job I’ll be doing. I need to keep my head in the game.
But as Copper takes my hand, I can’t stifle the little voice in the back of my mind, which wonders if I could have more. If I’m even worthy of more after everything I’ve done. The last thing I want to do is hurt another man.
I’ve been there, done that, and got the T-shirt. I never want to experience that level of self-loathing ever again.
No, Copper and I will be friends.
That I can do. I’m a great friend. Beau has assured me of that many times.
I’m just a shit girlfriend.
Still, we have bigger worries than my feelings, like keeping ourselves alive while we’re undercover.
Best to keep messy emotions out of it, especially when we only have each other as backup.
CHAPTER 3
