“It’s a religious cult. The Feds want you to infiltrate.”
Donatella raked her fingers through her hair. “The Feds want me? What the fuck do the Feds know about me?”
“Headquarters recommended you.”
Donna hopped up from the loveseat and tossed the manila folder on the desk. “Why?! Boss, I’ll never make it past the front door! I don’t know shit about no religious cults!”
“You didn’t know shit about dope when you first came here, but you’re our best UCO.”
Donatella folded her arms and glared at her naïve supervisor with narrowed her eyes. “I’m from the hood. What gave you the impression that I didn’t know anything about the dope game? Yeah, my parents were working class. But black working class is a lot different from white working class. I knew dope. Trust me…I knew the game.”
Todd leaned back in his chair with a pained look on his face and rubbed his temple. “It’s out of my hands. The Feds asked for you, personally. TheGold Starsalready approved it before it hit my desk. I got no say.”
Donna blew out a harsh breath and stomped across his small office. She stared out of the window thinking of a way to get out of the assignment.
“I’ve been under for a long time. I haven’t spent time with my family in forever,” she declared in a whisper.
“I know Donatella, and I’m sorry.”
His tone seemed sympathetic, but Donna didn’t care. She had plans. For a year and some change, she’d been out of commission with no social time, family life, or dating life whatsoever. Unless, of course, she counted being a dope boy’s bitch, constantly coming up with really bad excuses as to why she wasn’t ready for sex. Working undercover, Donna would take the occasional drink, smoke the occasional joint. Hell, she’d even snorted a line once when she thought that playing the good girl would get her killed. But giving up pussy for the Chicago Police Department would never be an option. What Donna wanted, at least for a little while, was a little time with her folks, and maybe a normal date.
Strangely, the governor’s brother instantly popped into her head. Governor Victor Creed, once the most eligible and gorgeous bachelor in Illinois had been taken off the market by her sister’s friend, Taylor Montgomery. But the good news was the Creeds bred very well. There was another incredibly sexy, though rough around the edges Creed.
Colonel Lincoln Creed (Linc) was everything—tall, handsome, and hard-core. He was exactly the type of man Donna craved when she was alone. They’d shared one incredibly hot night that had left her more satisfied than she’d ever been. The Colonel had soldiered her entire body as if she was his most important mission. Unfortunately, after his brother’s wedding, he was deployed and she returned to her undercover assignment. But he’d left his mark on her, and she hadn't been able to go a single day without thinking of him.
Longing for him.
“I ain't goin’, Boss,” Donna said with conviction, shaking her head. “Find somebody white. Aren’t white folks more likely to get sucked into religious cults?”
“Ummm…no.” Her commander scoffed as though offended. “Do your research. There are lots of black folks in religious cults.”
Donna rolled her eyes with a huff. He might have been right, but so what? She didn’t want any part of the undercover assignment, let alone a religious cult.
“I’m black and Native American. Our Native American spiritual beliefs are infused into us at birth. Nobody in that commune is gonna believe I’m conflicted.”
Commander Todd leaned back in his chair and glared a Donna. He folded his large arms and narrowed his cool, grey eyes at her. “You and I both know that there are several religions within the Native American community, of which many have Christian elements. Don’t talk to me like I’m stupid, Detective Devereaux.”
Donna hopped up from the loveseat. “Boss, I—”
“Boss, my ass. I have my assignment. Now, you have yours. You report on Tuesday. So, get your affairs in order.”
Donna groaned, tossed the folder on the commander’s desk, and stormed out of his office.
“This fucking job,” she muttered before disrespectfully slamming the office door.
