Page 68 of Glitter Rose
Min-ji perches on the edge of the desk, wearing her lab coat over a simple blouse and slacks. Her severe black bob and rectangular glasses frame a pale face tight with stress.
A tray with what looks like a meal sits on the desk between them.
“Jones, is it?” Gabriel gestures to the chair opposite. “Sit.”
“Yes, sir.” I lower myself into the seat, keeping my posture rigid.
“Ramirez speaks highly of you.” His fingers drum once against the polished wood. “That will be all, Doctor.”
She slides off the desk, her lab coat rustling as she moves toward the door, not sparing me a glance. “The medication will be ready by five.”
“Excellent.” He dismisses her with a flick of his wrist.
The door clicks shut behind her, leaving me alone with the monster.
He studies me, those cold green eyes, so like hers yet nothing like hers, assessing every inch. I keep my face blank, my breathing steady. Don’t give this fucker anything.
“You have military experience,” he says.
“Yes, sir. Marines. Demolitions specialist.”
His eyebrow ticks up. “Useful skill set.”
“Just following orders, sir.”
“I’m transferring you.” He relaxes back in his leather chair. “Effective immediately.”
“May I ask where?”
“My sister’s security detail.”
Three months of infiltration, and he’s handing her to me on a silver platter. “Sir?”
“Her previous handler has become… difficult,” Gabriel says. “Dr. Cho has expressed serious concerns.”
So it’s her doing. Did she talk with Ramirez as well? Instigated this whole situation? Put herself at risk for Paris. The conversation I overheard makes more sense now. She’s trading something with Gabriel to get Mike away from Paris.
Red or black. Lingerie, probably. Sick fuck.
“I’m honored, sir, but—” Playing hesitant feels safer than eager.
“But what, Jones?” His eyes narrow slightly.
“I’ve never done protection detail.”
“This isn’t protection. It’s containment.” He tosses a small silver key on the polished desk. “My sister is valuable but volatile. Your job is simple: keep her alive, keep her compliant, keep her from harming herself. Escort her to and from the lab each morning, and deliver her meals.”
I pocket the key, its weight burning against my thigh like a brand. “Understood.”
Gabriel nods toward the tray on his desk. “She missedbreakfast this morning. Take that to her. West wing. Second door on the right past the staircase.”
I lift the tray, balancing it carefully as I exit the office.
If Ramirez meant to do me a favor, he couldn’t have chosen better. If he meant to test my loyalty to Gabriel, he’s just signed his boss’s death warrant.
I move down the hallway, forcing myself to walk at a normal pace.
Not to run.
