Page 12 of Set Up By the Cartel

Mr. Novak had the decency to look uncomfortable at that jab."Something like that,"he admitted."Regardless, the fact remains that your continued involvement with Mr. Sanchez poses significant risks to both yourself and this establishment."

My head spun as I struggled to process everything being thrown at me. Risks? Involvement? What exactly did this man expect me to do — break things off with Mateo entirely? No way. Even if he was hiding things from me, I couldn't abandon him now knowing what I did.

Plus, I needed to eliminate any possibility that I might be wrong about him being my fated mate — even though the chances of that were very slim. What if he was taking advantage of that to use me for something I couldn’t even decipher at the moment? It was possible, and I couldn’t rule it out just yet.

Squaring my shoulders, I met Mr. Novak's penetrating gaze head-on."So, what are you suggesting, then?"I asked."That I end things with Mateo and go into witness protection or something?"

He held up one hand in a placating gesture."Not necessarily,"he demurred."However, I must insist upon certain... precautions moving forward."

My hackles rose at the implication underlying his words. Precautions? More like blackmail! Swallowing my rising indignation, I leaned forward."What kind of precautions?"

Mr. Novak hesitated briefly before continuing:"To ensure the safety and security of Club Nocturne and its patrons, I require your cooperation in monitoring Mr. Sanchez's activities going forward."

Shock rendered me speechless for a moment. Monitor Mateo? Spy on my own mate? The very idea turned my stomach. It just felt wrong.

"But..."I sputtered when I finally found my voice again. I almost thought I would never be able to speak again."How can you ask me to betray someone I care about like that? It's not right!"

"It is unfortunate but necessary given the circumstances,"Mr. Novak replied as though it was no big issue."Unless you would prefer to lose your job and potentially face legal consequences should the authorities become involved..."

His threat hung heavy in the air between us. Fire my ass and throw me to the wolves (pun intended). Not much of a choice there. He’d started this knowing I wouldn’t be able to argue.

Gut churning with bitter resignation, I slumped back in my seat."Fine,"I bit out through gritted teeth, though I didn't know if I was going to do it for real or not."I'll be your damn spy. But I swear, if anything happens to Mateo because of this..."

"Nothing will happen to him provided you keep me informed of any suspicious behavior or plans,"Mr. Novak assured."Your primary objective is gathering information only. Nothing more."

Easy for him to say. He wasn't the one risking his heart and trust every time he looked into Mateo's eyes. How could I look athim again, knowing what I was doing? And what other options did I have? None. Absolutely not a single other choice.

Rising abruptly, I stalked towards the door, desperate to escape this suffocating room and the weight of expectations pressing down on me."Is that all then?"I snapped, hand already on the knob. Whether it was or not, I was already leaving."Or do you have any other demands to make of me?"

Mr. Novak stood as well, buttoning his suit jacket primly."For now, yes,"he confirmed."Report to me daily with updates on Mr. Sanchez's activities. And remember — discretion is key. Do not let on that you are aware of our arrangement."

Of course not. Mateo would kill me, or do something worse, if it happened.

With that ominous warning ringing in my ears, I fled the office without another word, barely managing to hold myself together until I reached the sanctuary of the employee locker room. Slamming the door shut behind me, I braced my forearms against the cool metal surface and bowed my head, fighting back the urge to scream.

This couldn't be happening. It had to be some terrible nightmare I'd wake up from soon. There was no way my life could've taken such a drastic turn based on nothing more than a few cryptic conversations and an ancient piece of parchment!

And yet deep down, I knew better. Knew that this was real and I was trapped in the middle of it whether I liked it or not. Fate had decided to take a personal interest in screwing with my existence, apparently.

The rest of my shift passed by in a blur of forced smiles and distracted motions as I went through the motions of serving drinks and making small talk. My mind remained preoccupied with thoughts of Mateo and the dangerous world he inhabited outside these walls. I felt so betrayed.

When closing time arrived at last, I lingered longer than usual cleaning up, dreading facing him after everything I'd learned today. Still, I couldn't stay there for too long. Mateo would notice.

How could I act normal around him now knowing what I did? Pretend we were just two people falling in love despite my lies?

But I didn't get the chance to dwell further on those disturbing questions. As I stepped out onto the dimly lit street, I spotted a familiar figure lounging against the wall near the entrance — long legs crossed at the ankles, hands tucked casually into the pockets of his slacks.

Mateo straightened as I approached, green eyes gleaming with warmth even beneath the harsh glare of nearby streetlights."There you are,"he greeted with that same baritone, reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair away from my forehead."I thought maybe you slipped out the back."

My breath hitched at the tender gesture despite the turmoil raging inside me. Damn him for still affecting me so easily even now! I didn't think that would ever change.

Clearing my throat, I took a deliberate step backward out of reach."Sorry, got caught up talking to the new manager,"I explained lamely, hating how strained my voice sounded."Lots to learn about the transition and all."

Something flickered across Mateo's handsome features too quickly for me to decipher before being replaced by a look of concern."Everything okay?"He inquired, taking a half-step closer."You seem tense."

I shrugged, shoving my hands into my pockets to hide their trembling."Just tired,"I lied, unable to meet his probing gaze."Long day."

He hummed thoughtfully, studying me as though trying to peer past the flimsy facade I presented.Considering howdangerous he was, he was probably already figuring everything out, and the countdown to my death had begun ticking.

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