“And we can’t afford to let him know that he’s been made,” Lucan added. “Which means we need to take extra precautions to ensure he’s got no memory of any interaction with you, assuming you’re successful at getting close enough to read him--”
“I’ll be successful, sir.”
At that confident blurt, Niko slanted her a wry smile. “No one here doubts you, Kaya. Or you, Aric. You’ve both exceeded expectations in your training. That’s why you’ve been tapped for this operation.”
“Combined with the fact that neither of you has been active on patrol,” Lucan said. “The risk of being outed as members of the Order won’t be a factor.”
Aric chuckled. “Never thought my lack of experience in the field would be considered an asset.”
“This time, it’s exactly what we need,” Lucan replied. “And since the wedding reception is being held at noon in the Rousseau estate’s garden, the fact that you won’t go up in smoke before you have the chance to mind-scrub the target makes you uniquely qualified for this assignment.”
“Point to the daywalker,” he quipped. “I won’t let the Order down.”
“See that you don’t.” Lucan glanced to Kaya too. “We’re counting on both of you to make this happen. We can’t afford to let this new lead slip through our fingers. It’s going to take teamwork to get it done, and get it done right.”
Kaya nodded, but the look she gave Aric was less than enthused. “I’ll do whatever it takes, sir.”
“That’s what I want to hear,” Lucan replied. “Let’s run through some scenarios for rolling out this op. Meanwhile, Gideon’s working on new IDs for both of you. They’ll be waiting for you in the morning, along with your invitation to the reception.”
“And we’re certain our target is going to be there?” Aric asked.
Lucan grunted. “He’ll be there. Your target is the groom.”
CHAPTER 4
Kaya smoothed her palms over the skirt of her dusty-rose silk dress, trying not to notice the slight tremble in her fingers. Damn her nerves. It took a lot to rattle her, but as she waited in the car beside Aric at the tall iron gate outside the Rousseau estate, her heart seemed determined to climb into her throat.
They had been held up for several minutes and counting while a guard posted at the entrance went back into his shack to verify the invitation and IDs Aric had given him. Behind the brand-new Mercedes sedan the Order had procured especially for this mission, a line of waiting vehicles had grown to nearly a dozen deep.
“What’s taking so long?” Kaya dipped her head down as she spoke, barely moving her lips in case either of the armed security attendants flanking their car might be watching for signs of suspicion.
“Relax,” Aric murmured. “Everything’s fine. We’re going to a wedding reception, not a funeral.”
She hoped he was right. How the Breed male could grin and make jokes when her stomach was twisting into a knot over the importance of their assignment, she had no idea. For Kaya, everything she attempted was undertaken with a sense of gravity and an intense need to get the job done right. To get it perfect.
Today she felt that need more than ever.
All her hopes hinged on this mission. Years of dreaming for a better life, for some sense of purpose. Weeks of hard training and determination. It all boiled down to this one final test. There was no room for nerves or doubts. Failure was simply not an option.
It didn’t help her unease at all that she was draped in yards of silk and chiffon instead of the combat gear she preferred. The sumptuous fabric felt as alien against her skin as it could be to a woman who’d spent a good part of her young life in thrift store rags and ill-fitting hand-me-downs. Instead of a weapons belt bristling with the blades and guns she’d learned to wield, today she wore only diamond bracelets and jeweled rings.
As for Aric, he was maddeningly cool in the driver’s seat. With his wrist draped casually over the steering wheel, the other arm resting on his muscled thigh, he looked as if he could sit there all day waiting for one guard to run their fake credentials while another searched their open trunk. A third man prowled the perimeter of the car with a leashed Rottweiler actively sniffing for explosives or other security risks, and still another pair of guards watched the gate armed with automatic rifles clutched in their hands.
Unfazed by any of it, Aric glanced over at her. “You look incredible, by the way.”
The compliment took her aback. They hadn’t talked about anything besides strategy and mission objectives since they left the command center, so she wasn’t quite sure what to do with his praise.
“I’m not used to wearing this kind of thing,” she whispered, self-consciousness deepening as he stared at her. “The bodice is so tight it’s cutting off the air to my lungs and this flowy silk skirt keeps snagging on my finger calluses.”
He gave her a slow appraisal. “Well, if the idea was to make you blend in with the other women attending this party, we’re off to a bad start. You’re a knockout.”
He looked more than passingly good himself, despite Kaya’s unwillingness to admit she’d noticed.
In his graphite-gray suit and tie, Aric could have just stepped out of a men’s fashion photo shoot. Broad, straight shoulders and thick biceps filled the jacket, hinting at the immense strength that no amount of fine tailored clothing could hide. He was the kind of male who would draw gazes no matter what he was wearing, and not even Kaya was immune.
As hard as she tried to act otherwise.
The sudden knock on Aric’s window didn’t even make him blink. He pushed the button and as the glass slid down, the guard who’d returned with their IDs bent to peer into the car. Kaya fixed a bland smile on her lips when his gaze flicked to her.
