Page 25 of Lyon

My hair was hidden under a blonde wig, tied back with a strip of black cloth I’d soaked in tea to give it a filthy, worn-out look. I stepped into a pair of black, knee-high boots—scuffed but sturdy. Good enough to fight in if it came down to that.

Grabbing my long coat, I headed out.

I made my way to an old, broken-down car hidden in a shed. The rust on the hood made it look like a piece of junk, but underthe hood? This thing could outrun half the cops in LA. A gift from Joseph—one I’d learned never to underestimate.

This mission wasn’t like my usual gigs. We were after a cartel kingpin running a human trafficking ring in Los Angeles. We knew who he was. We just needed proof.

The problem? This bastard was ruthless. He’d slit your throat without blinking if he thought you were cheating him. And once I was inside his world, there’d be no turning back.

I couldn’t afford to be Niki Bannon anymore. I had to become Candy Lewis.

Truth be told, I was always nervous going undercover in the cartel world. One of my closest friends had been murdered by this same organization when they discovered she was working for law enforcement.

That wouldn’t happen to me.

When I went undercover, Ibecamethat person. But one thing never changed—no one laid a hand on me without consequences.

I wouldn’t let them kill me like they did Jill.

These men weren’t worth my life.

They needed to be locked away, or dead, every last one of them.

I stoodon the street corner, surrounded by filth—both literal and human. The scum catcalled me, throwing out crude offers like I was a piece of meat. I ignored them, scanning the area.

Then, a strong arm wrapped around my shoulders.

My pulse spiked—until I heard a familiar voice.

“It’s me,” Jackson murmured in my ear. Then, louder: “Hey, sweetheart, how about takin’ me to your room for an hour? Show me what you got.”

I played along, slipping my arm around his waist. “Oh, honey, you’re gonna love what I can do with my tongue. Follow me, and I’ll make you real happy.”

His grip tightened as we walked. “You’ve been standing out here for four days. What have you found?”

“They’re planning to move me,” I whispered. “One of my sources said I’m being taken to ‘the big guy.’ If it’s who I think it is, we can finally bring him down. The way the other women talk, I’m almost certain he’s American. His name is Luke.”

Jackson frowned. “We don’t even have a photo of him.”

“I know. But if I get close enough, that changes.”

His jaw clenched. “You need to leave. This is getting worse by the day. I came because someone’s after you.”

I stiffened. “That’s impossible. No one knows who I am.”

“Mike called me. He said someone tipped off Luke about an undercover agent. You need to get out of here.”

I exhaled slowly, keeping my face neutral despite the dread curling in my stomach. “I can’t just disappear. That would blow my cover. Besides, I need to find Connie.”

Jackson narrowed his eyes. “Connie?”

“She’s nineteen. She was here earlier, and now she’s gone. No way she just walked away. Someone took her.”

Jackson shook his head. “You better worry about yourself.”

“I’ll handle myself.”

Before he could argue, a sharp noise outside made me freeze.

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