Page 25 of Saved By the SEAL

I offer him a one-shouldered shrug. “I know the plan, if that’s what you mean. I don’t know if I’mready.”

“Well, you’re going to do this to protect your father, aren’t you?” Alexander obviously doesn’t give a shit, so that’s the end of that. “So, get that ass of yours inside that bar and seduce that guy until you can get your hands on his paperwork.” He hands me aclutch bag as if it’s my own. “And there is a knife in there if you need to use that too.”

I shoot him a look. I might be willing to do anything to help my family, but I’m not killing anyone for any reason. Some poor guy who might be an asshole who is doing something shady in relation to the government, but I don’t know that, doesn’t need to die because of me. No one needs to die because of me. I don’t have any kind of killer inside me, anyway. I can’t do it.

“Just get the paperwork,” Alexander warns me. “Just sort this shit out, will you? No more fucking around.”

He practically pushes me out of the car, and I stagger to my feet. Even teetering over to the door is difficult. I probably look like a real idiot who has no idea what she’s doing, which is pretty much the truth. I bet I look like a prostitute, too. I don’t know what escorts wear when they are around these men, but I bet it’s nicer than this. Fucking Alexander.

Breathlessly, I head inside. Immediately, I feel all eyes upon me. In reality, barely anyone looks. I guess they are all so lost in their own worlds and affairs that they don’t give a shit about anyone coming in, least of all a girl looking like me, but I feel a prickle of embarrassment rushing through my system regardless. I need to sit down and try to blend in as quickly as possible.

Ah!I spot the man Alexander has driven into my brain sitting at the bar alone, which is good news. It means I can approach him rapidly and quickly to get this whole debacle out of the way. The sooner, the better.

“Hey,” I rasp in what I hope is a sexy manner as I take my seat next to the man. “What’s good to drink in here?”

“Don’t know.” He doesn’t even look up from his drink to see me as he answers. “I’m just drinking beer.”

“And you don’t have any recommendations for a girl who normally has her drinks bought for her by men like you?”

I force myself to rest my hand on his arm, to attempt to get some of his focus, but it doesn’t happen again. “Wine.”

I sigh and order myself a glass of white wine, which I need to keep my place here. I can’t be kicked out, and I also need something to steady my nerves. Thankfully, Alexander sent me in with some money of my own so I can afford this.

“So, what’s a nice looking guy like you doing in a place like this?” I lean in closer while sipping my drink, trying my hardest to boost my own confidence. “And why do you look so sad? Is there anything that I can do to cheer you up?”

He shakes his head and drinks some more. Shit, this sucks. He really isn’t interested in me at all. I can’t come across as desperate, but I really need him to just be attracted to me already. There are too many lives on the line for me to fuck this up. Whatever the paperwork is that Alexander needs will probably put other people’s lives at risk too, but that’s a bridge I’ll cross when I come to it. I’ll sort that out when I need to. I can only focus on one problem at a time.

“Are you sure?” I lean in and let him inhale the perfume that I’ve been doused in. I want that to help. “I’m good at listening. I’m also good at other things too. You just need to give me a chance to see what I can be good at.”

“I don’t pay for the company of women,” he snaps, confirming my worst fears. I do look like I get paid for sex. The heat ofhumiliation burns my cheeks, but I can’t allow that to stop me. “So, please, get that idea out of your head right away.”

“That isn’t what I’m talking about,” I reply calmly. “I’m not asking you to pay me for anything. I’m just a girl out for a good night. When I see a guy alone looking as sad as you do, I want to cheer him up. Sorry for trying to make us both have a good night.”

I pull back, trying to let him come to me, but he’s still ignoring me. Whatever is on this guy’s mind is bothering him too much. I might not be able to break through the shock barrier tonight, however much Alexander demands it of me.

But if I don’t do it, then there will be death, so I’m going to have to find a way. I need a moment to gather myself up.

“Look, I need to use the bathroom,” I tell my neighbor in the friendliest tone that I can manage. “Can you please watch my drink and my seat for me while I’m gone? I would still love to have a talk with you when I return.”

Thankfully, he nods and agrees, which is our first positive conversation this whole night. Hopefully, by the time I return, he’ll allow himself to open up to me a little bit. I just want to talk to him, to see if there is anything that we can work out here. My God, we don’t even need to have sex, and I certainly don’t need to kill him. I just need the papers to let my family live.

I breathe out a breath of relief as I make my way into the bathroom because I can finally be alone to get myself together. Or so I think. Within about two seconds, an unwelcome hand rests on my shoulder and spins me around to face eyes I don’t want to see. My blood runs cold when I realize that I’m not even allowed to be in this bar alone.

“Katya,” I hiss fearfully. Instantly, I shrink backward and fall into myself. “What are you doing here?”

In a perfect fake American accent, even better than the one I’ve managed to develop, she replies, “It’s Kate while I’m here. Kate who is an American spy. Kate who is undermining your chance to slide under the radar.”

“What have you done?” I ask fearfully. “Alexander has me now. There’s no need for anything else to happen.”

“What do you think I’ve done?” She laughs nastily. “I’ve been following you every single day since you dumped your cellphone in that trashcan, thinking that you’re so clever. I’ve been in your apartment, I had a nice chat with Sally about your job, which I suppose unfortunately for you means you got fired… oopsie.” It’s all starting to make sense. She, or maybe Alexander, threatened Sally, which is why I got fired at the perfect time. “And I also had a nice talk with Jordan. Your boyfriend.”

“What did you do?” I growl. “What the hell did you say to Jordan? Is he okay?”

“Well, I mean, he’s dead.” This little statement is said with such mirth, such delight that I almost throw up. I know Katya well and just how evil that bitch is. She thinks nothing of killing, which means this could be true. It could all be very true. “But that had to happen, didn’t it? Alexander warned you about that. The other guy is next, the boss you spoke to. All those people will die because of you. Not nice, is it?” She giggles in a weirdly girlish way. “Now, save your family and seduce that man.”

“Did you not see me up there?” I demand in a frustrated manner. “I’m trying my hardest but he’s giving me nothing.”

“Fucking hell, Michelle, do you really think that you’re so beautiful that he’s going to just fall at your feet? Fucking hell, just look at yourself. You need to work for his attention, for his focus. You need to seduce him. Just because you’re fucking some other guy, some dead guy now, doesn’t mean you can’t make some other guy want you. Youneedto. You do understand that Alexander will kill you and everyone in your life if you don’t? He’s serious. You really pissed him off.”

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