Page 4 of The Pursuit
I chuckled.
“But you superseded my first impression about you. That was one great fight you put against our strongest agents.”
She wiped the sweat from her face, a casual gesture that spoke volumes about her strength and composure. “Thanks for the opportunity to be a part of such a huge organisation. I would never have dreamed of it even otherwise.”
“You deserved to be here,” I replied unable to help myself from admiring her a bit more—not just for her combat skills but for the layers beneath her formidable exterior. As the director, I had seen many agents, but Trisha was different—a unique blend of strength, skill, and an enigmatic charm.
“Thank you once again.”
“Thank you with a cup of coffee sounds sweeter,” I teased, unable to resist the playful banter. “I won’t mind if you ask me out for a coffee today. Actually, I’m dying for a good caffeine fix right now to ease my jet lag.”
She rolled her eyes, trying to hide her smile.
“In that case,” she stepped behind. “I’ll ask someone to bring you a strong coffee to keep you awake, Director.”
Without missing a beat, she turned and walked towards the door, a deliberate retreat from the uncharted territory of unspoken feelings.
I stood there, grinning like an idiot, knowing full well that Trisha wasn’t going to let her guard down so easily. Professionalism was her armour, and a coffee date with the director either didn’t fit into her schedule or, perhaps she was purposefully avoiding it. Whatever the case, the mysterious pull between us had just begun, and I was more than eager to see where it would lead us in the near future.
TRISHA
A week had passed since Krish’s arrival. Despite his position as the director and the almost-boss, Krish hadn’t stopped being the charming, flirty man he was. His attempts for a coffee date lingered in my mind, a playful proposal that I deliberately avoided, knowing well enough that he wasn’t going to give up that easily either.
I still lived in the training facility at GLEN, like a few other agents, until we were assigned our real missions. And in this one week, I observed Krish’s relentless dedication to his responsibilities. Meetings with agents, technical briefings, and mountains of paperwork on an undisclosed mission—he handled it all with finesse. Yet, amidst the serious affairs of the law enforcement world, our eyes met at unexpected moments, creating a magnetic tension neither of us dared to explore further. Each encounter left us catching each other in the act. At times he caught me stealing glances at him, other times I saw him unabashedly admiring me from afar.
I had almost convinced myself that Krish was merely my director, and any thoughts beyond that were just distractions. Yet, the unspoken chemistry between us simmered beneath the surface, adding an electrifying touch to all our encounters. We didn’t get an opportunity to speak to each other again in private, but yes, he was very much around in the facility, making me all the more aware of his every action.
The routine continued until today when I emerged from my shower, and a message from my team illuminated my phone screen, spelling out my first mission. The thrillof anticipation coursed through my veins as I read the instructions—Blue Moon Café, Table number 7, a man in a navy blue cap. He’s our suspect attempting to smuggle diamonds, and my task was to just keep an eye on him until Team Beta took over and arrested both him and the other party with whom he was going to smuggle those diamonds.
Excitement surged through me. Finally, a mission to call my own. Though seemingly straightforward, I knew that simplicity could often be deceptive in a world where danger lurked behind every corner. Still, the prospect of actively contributing to GLEN’s endeavours fuelled my anticipation.
I suited up and left my room with a sense of purpose. For now, the thoughts of Krish’s charm and the powerful magnetism would have to take a back seat. With each step towards the café, I rehearsed the plan in my mind, ready to keep my eyes and ears open and be a silent observer. The described suspect, a man sporting a navy blue cap, was seated at Table number 7, his gaze scrutinising everyone entering.
Maintaining an air of nonchalance, I looked for a seat that would give me a clear view of him, but my hopes were dashed as the café was brimming with patrons, except for a man sitting alone at a table of two, engrossed in a newspaper. As he lowered the paper, my jaw dropped—it was Krish.
I approached Krish’s table with a mix of shock and disbelief. “What are you doing here?” I questioned, leaning down and placing my hands firmly on the table—my expression a blend of surprise and irritation.
“Hey,” Krish greeted me with a dazzling smile that sent a strange flutter through my stomach.
“I asked you something,” I persisted, poking him lightly.
Krish lifted his mug, took a sip of his coffee, and then licked his lower lip before responding. “Well, I asked someone for a coffee date, but that person denied it, so I thought of pampering myself and go on a date alone. Do you have a problem with that?” he teased.
I gently banged my palms on the table before taking a seat beside him. To any onlookers, we might have seemed like a couple on a casual coffee date.
“Why are you always around whenever I am chasing my suspects?” I asked, furrowing my brow.
“Suspects?” Krish glanced around. “Don’t tell me we need to fight a group of assailants here too, Trisha. In fact, I should ask you, why are you always ruining my ‘ME’ time? First in the men’s washroom and now here when I am enjoying my strong coffee?” he continued with a playful grin, deliberately poking fun at me.
“Fine, enjoy your coffee date... ALONE,” I retorted, ready to leave. However, Krish surprised me by grabbing my hand and compelling me to sit again next to him. “Don’t go,” he said, his words unexpectedly making my heart flutter. Even Krish seemed taken aback by the emotion in his own statement. Then he cleared his throat before adding, “I mean, if you are here to keep an eye on your suspect, this is the best spot.”
I looked at him, a bit stunned. “You know about mymission tonight?”
“Being one of the directors of the organisation you work for, you think that was difficult for me?” Krish nonchalantly shrugged.
I glanced at Table number 7 again to ensure the suspect was still there.
“Are you stalking me now, Krish?” I really wanted to know and he didn’t disappointment me.
