Page 99 of All's Fair In Love & War

“You’re really serious about this?” I asked, my voice steady despite my nervousness.

He turned to glance at me over his shoulder. “Dead serious.”

“And we’re just breaking in?”

“That’s exactly what we’re doing,” he said, handing me a pair of black gloves and what looked like a two-way radio.

I stared at the items in my hands before meeting his gaze again. “You realize this is insane, right?”

“That’s what makes what we’re doing even more fun,” he replied before taking off.

We moved quickly but quietly across the back lot. The museum grounds were deserted, and the only sounds came from the distant hum of traffic and the soft crunch of gravel beneath our feet. Dallas led the way with a confidence that suggested he had studied the building in advance, which only made me more suspicious.

A few minutes later, we stopped in front of an unmarked side door with a keypad just beneath the handle. He crouched low, pulled a device from his bag, and pressed it to the pad. A red light flashed, and he muttered something under his breath as he began typing in codes.

“Keep watch,” he said without looking up.

I rolled my eyes and turned away, scanning the alley behind us. There was nothing but shadows and silence, but still, my pulse was picking up speed. What we were doing and the fact that I hadn’t even tried to stop him had me wanting to kick my own ass.

A soft beep pulled my attention back. The light on the keypad flashed green, and the door clicked open.

“Ladies first,” Dallas said, stepping aside with a mock bow.

I walked past him slowly, pausing long enough to glare. “If I end up in handcuffs, I swear I’m dragging you down with me.”

His smile deepened, and he followed behind me. “You say that like I wouldn’t enjoy it.”

I rolled my eyes and stepped just inside the door, refusing to move any further until Dallas caught up. When the door shut quietly behind us, I noticed we were standing in a dim, silent hallway lined with motion sensors and low, buzzing lights. For a place that was supposed to be shut down for the night, the temperature inside felt oddly comfortable, and the air lacked the stale, untouched quality I had expected.

Something felt off.

The keypad outside had unlocked too quickly. His reaction to the red light had been too calm, and the moment it turned green, he didn’t hesitate, nor look around to see if anyone was coming.

I kept walking, but my thoughts stuck with me like static. Either he was better at this than I thought, or he had permission to be here. This wasn’t a random thrill ride or a heat-of-the-moment crime. Dallas had arranged this. Had planned every detail, from the route we took to the exact door that would open without resistance.

And the worst part? Now that I was here, I didn’t want to leave.

The hallway led us into a long corridor lined with glass display cases and towering marble columns. Spotlights illuminated artifacts behind thick glass. There were ancient tools, coins, and pottery frozen in time and arranged by importance. Everything felt sacred, and still, the kind of silence that demanded respect.

Of course, Dallas didn’t give a damn about reverence. He walked casually ahead of me, hands in his pockets like we were touring a gallery during business hours instead of trespassing when it was closed to the public.

“How did you even get access to this place?” I asked, keeping my voice low.

He glanced at me over his shoulder with a lazy smirk. “Let’s just say I made a few friends in low-lit places.”

“So, bribery.”

“I call it networking.”

“I thought we were breaking in,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “You faked all of it, didn’t you? The keypad, the codes, all that dramatic tapping.”

Dallas grinned unapologetically. “I never said it was real. I just wanted you to think it was. You look like you needed a little thrill in your life.”

I shook my head and kept walking. The heels I wore were quiet, but I still felt like every step echoed down the hallway. The air was cool, nearly cold, but I didn’t reach for my jacket. I was too focused on the way his body moved ahead of me, all confident, controlled, and downright sexy.

He was one handsome muthafucka dressed in all-black. His build was clean and solid, with broad shoulders that pulled against the seams of his shirt and a back that moved with strength in every step. His T-shirt fit him just right, his cargo joggers were perfectly tailored, sitting low on his waist, and the black designer sneakers on his feet were spotless.

His skin was a warm, smooth brown that picked up the low lighting, and the tattoos covering his arms were a work of art. His watch gleamed beneath his sleeve, a dark-faced Rolex with a diamond bezel that caught light every time his wrist shifted. A thinner bracelet sat stacked beside it, understated yet expensive, the kind of detail only someone with real money would wear without flaunting it.

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