Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

SETH

S eth leaned against the marble countertop in the now-quiet kitchen, his eyes trained on Hope as she approached him. The party had been a success, their new identities flawlessly portrayed to their guests, and now the townhouse felt empty, the echoes of laughter and conversation fading into silence. Hope held the small card Basil Hargrove had given her earlier in the evening between her fingers, her expression unreadable as she handed it to Seth.

He took the card, his thumb brushing against the smooth surface as he read the simple inscription: a name and a phone number, nothing more. But the significance was clear. This was the connection they had been waiting for, the opportunity to infiltrate the cartel, to get closer to the mole within Cerberus.

Their eyes met, a silent understanding passing between them. This was it—the lead they needed to follow, the next step in their dangerous game.

"This could be our way in," Hope said quietly, her voice steady, though Seth could hear the tension beneath it. "If we play this right, it might not lead us only to the mole, but some of the other highly placed people within the cartel."

Seth nodded, his mind already racing with the possibilities. "We need to be careful," he said, his voice low. "Whoever the mole is, they're not going to make it easy for us. And if they suspect anything…"

Hope nodded, understanding the unspoken threat that hung between them. They were walking a tightrope, and one misstep could send them both crashing down.

"We wait two days," Seth suggested, his voice firm. "Give it time, make them think we're considering the offer."

Hope agreed, her eyes still on the card. "In the meantime, I'll work on narrowing down the list of potential moles within Cerberus. There has to be something I missed."

"Not necessarily. Whoever it is has been fooling all of us for God only knows how long. Cerberus is working on getting the address for that phone number. Once we have it, I'll pull up the schematics of the building and see if I can get us some better intel," Seth replied, his tone thoughtful. "We need to know every inch of that place before we walk in."

They stood there in silence for a moment, the weight of the mission pressing down on them. Seth could feel the tension between them, the way it had been building ever since they arrived in London. It was more than just the stress of the job—it was something deeper, something that neither of them wanted to acknowledge.

Finally, Hope turned away, breaking the moment. "I'll be in the office," she said, her voice tight.

Seth watched her go, the sway of her hips drawing his eyes even as he told himself to look away. She was a puzzle he couldn't solve, a temptation he couldn't afford to give in to. But damn if she didn't make it hard to stay focused.

Two days passed in a slow, agonizing blur. They danced around each other, each absorbed in their tasks but acutely aware of the other's presence. Hope spent hours in front of her computer, analyzing data, cross-referencing files, trying to find the one clue that would expose the mole. Seth buried himself in the blueprints of the building they'd been able to get from the phone number on the card, memorizing every hallway, every exit, every potential blind spot.

And all the while, the tension between them grew, a taut wire ready to snap. They exchanged curt, professional words, each determined to keep their distance, but the air between them was charged, crackling with the unspoken desires they both tried to ignore. They slept in the same bed, but except for that first night, it was as if the Great Wall of China had run between them, separating them in what seemed an insurmountable way.

Finally, on the third day, the time came to make the call. Seth sat beside Hope at the kitchen table, his eyes on her as she picked up the phone. She hesitated for a moment, her finger hovering over the keypad, before finally dialing the number on the card.

The phone rang twice before a woman answered, her voice smooth and polished, with the kind of posh accent that spoke of old money and privilege.

"This is Gwendolyn," the woman said, her tone cool and controlled. "How may I assist you?"

Hope cleared her throat, slipping into character as easily as she put on a new dress. "This is Hope Conway. My husband and I received an invitation from Basil Hargrove."

There was a brief pause, and Seth could almost hear the woman's calculating mind whirring on the other end of the line. "Ah, Mrs. Conway," Gwendolyn replied, her voice softening with a hint of amusement. "We've been expecting your call. Basil speaks very highly of you and your husband."

"We're honored," Hope replied smoothly. "He mentioned there were other places to play other than Baker Street?"

Gwendolyn let out a low, throaty laugh. "Yes, indeed. Compared to our club, Baker Street might as well have an open-door policy. What we offer is something… even more exclusive, shall we say."

Seth exchanged a glance with Hope, their shared understanding passing between them without words. This was it—their ticket into the inner circle, into the heart of the cartel.

"We'd be very interested in learning more," Hope said, her voice laced with just the right amount of curiosity.

"Wonderful," Gwendolyn replied, her tone filled with approval. "We'd love to have you join us tomorrow evening. I'll send a car to collect you at seven."

"That sounds perfect," Hope said, her tone warm and inviting. "We'll be ready."

"Excellent. Mr. Conway should wear a conservative suit. You should be dressed in a corset and thong."

"Won't I be a bit conspicuous?" asked Hope.

"No. You should wear a traditional raincoat over it and high heels. You will surrender the coat at the door. Whether or not you keep the heels, thong, or corset is entirely up to Mr. Conway. We don't just play at dominance and submission here. I'm sure you'll both find the experience… enlightening." Gwendolyn's voice held a promise and a threat, one that made Seth's instincts bristle with both anticipation and caution.

"Thank you, Gwendolyn," Hope said, her voice smooth as silk. "We'll see you tomorrow."

With that, the line went dead, and Hope set the phone down, her eyes meeting Seth's. The tension between them crackled with the unspoken understanding that they were about to step deeper into the shadows of the op.

"We're in," Hope said quietly, her voice filled with a mixture of triumph and trepidation.

Seth nodded, the weight of their next steps pressing down on him. "We need to be prepared. This place isn't going to be like Baker Street. If Gwendolyn is right, we're stepping into a whole new level of danger."

Hope's expression hardened, determination flashing in her eyes. "I know. We need to make sure we're in sync. No mistakes."

Seth studied her for a moment, his gaze intense. "Then let's practice," he said, his voice low. "We need to be ready for whatever they throw at us."

Hope's eyes flickered with something—doubt, hesitation—but she nodded. "Fine," she said, her voice steadier than before. "Let's get into character."

Seth stood, extending his hand to her. She took it, and he pulled her to her feet, the heat of their bodies close enough to set his blood simmering. He could feel the tension in her, the way she held herself just slightly apart from him, as if she were bracing herself for something.

He knew he had to push her, to break through the barriers she kept so tightly in place. If they were going to pull this off, they needed to be convincing, which meant tearing down the walls she had built around herself.

"Let's start with something simple," Seth said, his voice calm and controlled. He reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, his fingers grazing her skin. He saw her flinch, just the slightest movement, but she didn't pull away.

"We need to make sure you're comfortable with me," he continued, his voice soft but firm. "No hesitation, no fear."

Hope's eyes flashed with defiance, but she nodded, a silent challenge in her gaze. "I'm fine," she said, though the tremor in her voice betrayed her.

Seth moved closer, his hand sliding around her waist, pulling her against him. He felt the tension in her body, the way she stiffened at the contact, and he knew she was fighting against her instincts.

"No, you're not. Relax, Hope," he murmured, his lips close to her ear. "We need to be believable."

Hope let out a slow breath, forcing herself to relax in his arms. He could feel the effort it took, the way she was pushing herself to let go, but the tension between them was still there, humming beneath the surface.

"Good," Seth said, his voice low and soothing. "Now, let's take it a step further."

He tilted her chin up, forcing her to look into his eyes. Her gaze was filled with a mix of emotions—fear, desire, defiance—and he knew she was on the edge, teetering between control and surrender.

Seth leaned in, his lips brushing against hers, a soft, teasing touch that sent a shiver down her spine. He felt her hesitation in the way she held herself back, but he didn't stop. He deepened the kiss, one hand tightening on her waist, pulling her closer, feeling the heat of her body against his as the other went up to fist her hair.

For a moment, she resisted, her hands pressing against his chest as if to push him away. But then, slowly, she began to yield, her body softening against him, her hands sliding up to his shoulders.

Seth could feel the change in her, the way she was starting to let go, to give in to the pull between them. He knew this was more than just practice, more than just getting into character. This was real; the desire that had been simmering between them finally breaking through.

He deepened the kiss, his hand sliding up to cup her face, his thumb brushing against her cheek. He felt her tremble, a soft, involuntary shudder, and he knew she was on the brink of surrender.

But just as quickly as she had let herself go, she pulled back, breaking the kiss and stepping out of his embrace. Her eyes were wide, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps, and Seth could see the fear in her gaze, the way she was struggling to regain control.

"Hope—" Seth began, but she shook her head, cutting him off.

"No," she said, her voice trembling. "This isn't… I can't…"

She took another step back, putting distance between them, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. Seth could see the walls going back up, the barriers she was desperately trying to rebuild.

"We were just practicing," she said, her voice firmer now, as if she were trying to convince herself as much as him. "That's all it was."

Seth stared at her, the frustration and desire roiling inside him, but he knew better than to push her. Not now. Not when she was so close to breaking.

"Right," he said, his voice clipped. "Just practice."

Hope nodded, her eyes still wide, her chest rising and falling with her rapid breaths. She turned away, walking quickly to the other side of the room, putting as much distance between them as she could.

Seth watched her go, the tension between them thicker than ever. He knew she was running, retreating back into herself, back to the safety of her walls. And as much as he wanted to chase after her, to break through those barriers once and for all, he knew he couldn't. Not yet.

This was the game they were playing, a dangerous dance of deception and desire, and the stakes were higher than ever. They were walking a fine line between reality and pretense, and one wrong step could send them both crashing down.

But as Seth watched Hope, saw the way she was struggling to hold herself together, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were already on the edge.

And when the time came, he wasn't sure if either of them would be able to pull back.