Chapter 10

Olivia Bennett

“ O h my fucking gosh… you have the hots for your haunted house boss!” Jonathan squealed the moment the front door shut behind me.

I pressed a finger to my lips, panic sharpening the edges of my voice. “Shut up! He could hear you,” I whisper-yelled, my eyes bugging out of my head.

Johnathan raised an eyebrow, unfazed by my anxiety. He plopped down on the couch and leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees with that same irritatingly amused look plastered across his face. “Why didn’t you introduce me?” he asked.

The air in the apartment seemed to grow thicker, filled with the scent of pepperoni pizza he must have ordered and questions I wasn’t ready to answer.

I slumped against the door, its cool surface a stark contrast to the heat flushing my cheeks. “Because I didn’t know you were going to be here tonight,” I said, pressing the heels of my hands into my eyes as if I could push away the embarrassment. “I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow, so I haven’t gone over your undercover file yet.” The words tumbled out in a rush, each one laced with frustration—at myself, at him, at the entire absurd situation.

Johnathan unfolded himself from the couch, his movements languid and easy, the opposite of my tightly wound nerves. He stepped closer, his eyebrows knitting together in mock concern. “And?”

“And I looked like a fumbling fool in front of Liam,” I confessed, the image of Liam watching me stumble over my words and away from him and toward Johnathan replayed in my head.

“Ah.” Johnathan’s face shifted into a knowing smirk as he crossed his arms. “Well, let me lighten your load.” He cleared his throat dramatically, then stated with exaggerated pride, “My undercover name is Jordan, and I'm your brother moving in with you because of my financial troubles.”

“That would’ve been nice to know about ten minutes ago,” I said, the words slipping out sharper than I’d intended.

He shrugged, unconcerned by my irritation. “It’s fine. He’ll forgive you. Did you see the way he was looking at you?” Jonathan—now Jordan , I guessed—continued, oblivious to my inner turmoil. His tone was light, almost teasing.

“Honestly, it doesn’t matter. I really shouldn’t encourage it. He’s a suspect,” I admitted, crossing my arms as if to ward off the very thought. “But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to.”

Johnathan leaned against the wall next to me, arms folded, a smirk playing on his lips. He knew me too well. Knew how to poke at all the cracks in my resolve. “It’s just a part of the job,” he said, his tone casual, almost dismissive. “Get close to him, find out what you can, and have a little fun in the process.” He winked at me.

I groaned, turning away from him to hide the conflict written all over my face. His words were like a quiet call to the reckless side of me I kept caged. “Fun isn’t professional,” I shot back over my shoulder.

“Since when has that stopped you?”

I bit the inside of my cheek, the tang of iron filling my mouth. This was risky territory, but he wasn’t wrong. Liam had seared through my defenses. I was like a puddle at his feet.

“Professional is all I know,” I lied, jokingly fluttering my lashes, trying to convince myself more than him. My gaze drifted to the window, where the city lights blurred into halos in the darkness outside. He laughed at me.

“I’m going to bed,” I announced, stifling a yawn with the back of my hand. Fatigue clawed at my eyes. “It’s been a long day.”

Johnathan’s hazel eyes followed me like a hawk. A smirk played on his lips, but he stayed silent, waiting.

“We’ll go over your file together more in the morning,” I continued, avoiding his gaze, focusing instead on gathering scattered papers from the coffee table. “We’ll make sure we have our story straight, and then I’ll introduce you and Liam at the next event we have.”

“Sounds like a plan.” His voice was steady, but his eyes still carried that amusement. I glanced up, catching the glint of the mischief there, but I knew better than to engage. Not tonight. Not when my own thoughts were a tangled mess about Liam.

“Goodnight, captain.” Johnathan saluted me, a gesture so comically formal, it almost drew a laugh out of me.

“Goodnight, Jordan .” My voice firmer than I felt, I added a playful lilt to his undercover name. I scooped up the last of the papers, then turned toward my bedroom. He could have the couch. I closed the door behind me and made my way to the bed. I sank into the mattress, the day’s events replaying in my mind like a haunting melody. Liam’s piercing green eyes. The thrill of the chase. The dance around truth and lies. Each thought pulled me deeper into the night’s embrace until sleep finally claimed me, dragging me under its dark waves.