Jane runs the girls backstage. She seems to keep the girls safe from overeager patrons, and she takes a cut of their earnings,” Poppy said. “Raquel is an angry person with a chip on her shoulder. I don’t know if there’s drama between Raquel and the rest of the girls or if she’s just like that naturally, but she’s not very friendly. So I doubt it’s going to be easy to get any information out of her. Capri is sweet and doesn’t seem to realize when she should keep her mouth shut.”
“You ought to friend her. She’s your ticket in.”
“I know that,” Poppy retorted, irritated that Shaine was telling her how to run her end of the investigation. “I’m already working on that angle.”
“Good.”
“What about you? How are you doing getting tight with Angelo?”
“It’s a work in progress. He’s not just going to let me in after a few ‘bro’ moments. I have to earn his trust.”
“And how do you plan to do that?”
“I’ll play it by ear.”
“Don’t you think it’s a good idea to share your game plan with the people who are involved?”
“You stick to your plan, I’ll stick to mine. We’re not supposed to know each other so it doesn’t make sense to share every detail with you. If by some chance someone starts to get suspicious, plausible deniability is your friend.”
He was schooling her and she hated it. “Of course, I realize that. I’m just saying, I didn’t want to inadvertently step on your plan while making my own.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“I’m not,” she replied coolly. “My concern is for the investigation. You’re not the only one thinking of their résumé with this case.”
“Of that I have no doubt,” he said wryly. “Ambition is your middle name.”
Poppy paused, wondering where that came from. “Which means?”
“You’re so damn sensitive,” Shaine said, shaking his head as if he realized nothing that came out of his mouth wouldn’t set her off. “It doesn’t mean anything. It was never a secret that you wanted to climb the ladder—and judging by how quickly you managed to put yourself on a major undercover case, I’d say you’re well on your way.”
It was true. She’d been tireless in her pursuit up the chain. She’d taken every case she could get her hands on, just to prove that she had what it took to close cases.
Her superior had remarked often that if the DEA had ten more agents like Poppy, they could take down every major drug dealer exporting illegal substances out of the country.
“Thanks,” Poppy allowed, loosening up just a little. She supposed she could drop the chip on her shoulder for now. But that chip kept her focused, kept her mindful of the past and mistakes she didn’t want to repeat.
So hold on to that chip for now, you’ll need it to work beside Shaine.
“Look,” Shaine started, as if needing to get something off his chest. “I know I didn’t take it so well that you were on this case, but we have to put our differences aside to focus on the job.”
“I don’t have a problem with that. I have no interest in dredging up the past.”
“Good. I won’t lie to you and say that I didn’t have reservations, but I trust that you know what you’re doing and that you’ve learned a lot since your first case.”
Poppy stiffened, hating that he’d brought up the case with Lachlan. But she supposed she couldn’t expect him not to reference it when she’d nearly died because of a rookie mistake. “I always make it a point to learn from my mistakes,” she said pointedly, leaving it at that. “But I appreciate your professionalism.”
Shaine jerked a short nod. “Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way... I’m done for the night.”
Poppy watched as Shaine let himself out, locking the door behind him on the other side, and she exhaled a shaky breath.
Would she always feel so uncentered around Shaine? Although leaving the FBI had been an act of self-preservation, it’d also allowed her to spread her wings without fearing the opinions of those who’d known her.
Such as her family.
And Shaine.
Their judgment weighed on her like a sack of boulders and it’d been a relief to walk away.
But her love for Shaine had been fierce—nearly as fierce as her drive.
Leaving him had been like ripping an arm off and tossing it into the grinder.
It wasn’t just Shaine; it’d been losing his whole family that’d stung, as well. Shaine and his brothers, Sawyer and Silas, had become closer than her actual family. Unlike her own, Shaine’s family had supported her career goals.
The phantom pain of her bullet wound always reminded her of what she’d given up for her ambitions.
Working with Shaine was going to be the biggest challenge of her life.
Not because he wasn’t professional or a good agent...but because seeing him again ignited that tiny spark that refused to die no matter how much she smothered it under layers of denial and hurt.
And she couldn’t chance that spark turning into something bigger.
Not again.
She’d rather take another bullet—it’d hurt a lot less.
* * *
Sprawled naked on the pristine sheets, Angelo lit a cigarette and drew on it with a lazy, sated inhale as Raquel pulled her clothes back on, her agitation raining on his good mood.
“What’s your problem, baby-girl?” he asked, more curious than concerned. “You’re ruining an otherwise good night with your ’tude.”
Raquel, a hot number with a sizzling body, turned to glare at him with open accusation. “Did you hire her?” she demanded, momentarily confusing Angelo. “The new girl. Did you hire her?”
“No,” he answered, enjoying the flash of jealousy in her eyes. “But even if I did, what of it? She’s hot and she dances well enough.”
“I don’t like her.”
He chuckled. “Big surprise. You don’t like anyone.”
Raquel pulled her long red hair up into a messy ponytail with a sound of disgust as she walked into the adjoining bathroom. “There’s something about her that rubs me the wrong way.”
“You’re paranoid.” He stubbed out his cigarette and rose from the bed, admiring Raquel’s body as he joined her in the bathroom, walking past her to piss. “And stop being such a bitch to Brandi. You make more problems when you mess with her and then I have to clean it up.”
