Chapter #3

ZARA LANG

Maybe I should have listened to Danny and been more careful. Because my opponent now is Reins Eiser. 

I started to feel uneasy. My heart grew restless when Eiser’s car stopped right in front of Noirvelle Hotel. My heartbeat went wild as he stepped out of the car. 

He turned toward me and extended his hand. His face was cold, completely expressionless, making me even more nervous. 

I took a deep breath before finally accepting his hand and stepping out of the car. 

He wrapped his arm tightly around my waist and whispered, “I like it rough. So prepare yourself.” His deep voice made me freeze instantly. 

Do I really have to go this far?

Satisfy Eiser… just for a mission? A storm brewed inside me. 

Now, I was already in the room. Sitting on the hotel bed, waiting for him. 

He was still in the bathroom, leaving me alone with my anxious thoughts. I didn’t expect to be brought to a hotel tonight. 

Even though I had anticipated this… I was still nervous. 

A deep sense of regret crept in. I shouldn’t have provoked him earlier. What if the rumors about Eiser being a casanova were true? Did that mean I was about to become his bed partner?

Damn it

I had already given him my first kiss. Was I really going to lose my virginity just to catch him?

Suddenly, I thought of Danny. He had to know I was here. But how? I had purposely left my phone behind. There was no way I could carry one in this outfit. 

While I was still trying to figure out how to contact him… The bathroom door suddenly opened. 

I flinched. My heart pounded uncontrollably. 

Oh God…

My eyes widened, my mouth slightly open as I saw Eiser step out. He was only wearing a towel around his waist. His upper body was completely bare. 

I swallowed hard, my heart felt like it would explode as he walked closer. The nearer he got, the more restless I became. My hands clenched tightly. 

God… does it really have to be like this?

Doubt started creeping in. A fierce battle raged inside me. But, I couldn’t back down now. My target was right in front of me. 

Eiser stopped right in front of me. Our bodies were so close I could feel the coldness of his skin. 

He pushed me onto the middle of the bed. Then his strong hand gripped my waist tightly, pulling me toward him. 

“Akh!” I gasped as our bodies collided. 

I couldn’t even imagine what my face looked like now. Pale… or maybe the opposite, completely flushed with desire.

Honestly, seeing Eiser’s bare chest was enough to make me lose my mind. Those sculpted abs looked like perfect carvings. 

I swallowed repeatedly, trying to suppress the desire bubbling inside me. I could smell his masculine scent.

His face moved closer. Without realizing it, I closed my eyes. I was going crazy… hoping for a heated kiss?

Get a grip, Zara! I cursed inwardly.

I opened my eyes, and was instantly met with Eiser’s incredibly handsome face, so close. 

Reflexively, I bit my lower lip. 

His gaze dropped. I could feel his focus shift. His breathing grew heavier, and somehow it made me hold my breath too.

A long silence stretched between us. 

Then I saw his jaw tighten. For a moment, I thought he was about to do something. My body trembled slightly. 

But the next second, Eiser straightened up instead. He cleared his throat and turned his face away. 

I wasn’t sure, but it felt like he was holding himself back from crossing a line. But… why?

I cursed myself for even wondering. As if I was disappointed that he didn’t touch me. 

Quickly, I got up from the bed, staring at the tall man in confusion. He put shirt back on, then looked at me with an unreadable expression. The top buttons of his shirt remained undone as he walked toward me. 

Then…

He threw a check onto the bed. 

“That’s your payment,” he said coldly. 

And then he turned and walked toward the door. 

What? He was leaving? Just like that? 

I looked at the check. My eyes widened. One hundred million. I almost forgot about my mission. I quickly chased after him. “Wait!” I called out. 

Eiser stopped, but didn’t turn around. 

“You’re just leaving? What about tonight?”

He turned, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. His gaze was flat. 

“You don’t need to do it. I don’t sleep with a slut.”

That hit me. It felt like he had just thrown me away. No, this wasn;t the time to be offended. If this ended here, my plan would fail. 

“But, sir…”

I stepped closer. “I’ll be sad if it ends like this,” I said, reaching for him. 

Trying hard to stop him from leaving.

But it was useless. Eiser shoved me away roughly, making me stumble backward. I let out a soft breath, but quickly composed myself. 

“What’s wrong, sir? Did I do something wrong? I’ll be obedient tonight, whatever you want.”

“I told you. I don’t sleep with prostitutes.”

His tone was firm. Then he left. 

I stood there, frozen, watching him disappear behind the door. 

“Shit! Damn it! Then why did you bring me here?!” I shouted, pointing at the door. 

My mission… failed. 

***

I went down to the lobby and saw Danny waiting. I managed to contact him through the hotel phone. 

“Danny,” I called as I approached. 

He turned. “Are you okay, Chief?” he asked worriedly. 

“Hmm.”

He handed me a change of clothes and my phone. I took them and changed in the restroom. 

My appearance completely changed. The black mini dress went into my bag. I walked back out. 

“Did you track him?” I asked immediately. 

“That… I’m sorry, Chief. I followed him, but… I lost him.”

“You…!” I stopped myself. I almost hit him. But I didn’t. 

I remembered he must have worked hard too. I just closed my eyes, my jaw tightening. 

“I’m sorry Chief,” Danny said quietly.

I let out a tired breath.

“Fine. Let’s go back to the office and make a report.”

“Yes, Chief!”

***

The next morning…

I slumped behind my desk. 

My head throbbed from last night’s failure. 

“Does he really not like women?” I muttered, recalling what Edward Stoof had said. 

But the rumors about Eiser being a casanova… Were they even true?

If they were, he would have touched me last night. 

Not left me. 

“Is he looking down on me?” I scoffed. 

I need a new plan. But how? I exhaled sharply and stood up.

As the head of the special crimes unit, capturing Eiser was important. But, he wasn’t the only criminal in this world.

“Danny, gather the team. We’re taking the target down tonight.”

“Yes, Chief.”

***

The operation went quickly. 

Four out of five targets were captured. One escaped. 

And now… I was chasing him through a residential area. In a dark, narrow alley, I finally blocked his path. 

“Where do you think you’re going?”

He panicked and threw a wooden chair at me. I dodged, but a second later, he struck me with a piece of wood. 

“Akh!” I groaned. 

I fought back, but he was twice my size. He landed several hits. Still. I didn’t hold back. 

Even as a woman, there was no mercy in a fight. 

My face got scraped after being slammed against a wall. My clothes were torn. My vision blurred. But, I couldn’t pass out. I held him off with everything I had. 

But, he managed to escape again. 

“Damn it!” 

I chased him. I reached for my gun. It was gone. It must have fallen earlier. 

Shit!

At the end of the alley, I lost him. “Where did he go?” 

Suddenly, a chair came flying from above. 

Crash!

“Argh!” 

It hit me hard. He escaped again. Warm blood seeped into my clothes. I staggered forward. 

My vision flickered. As I stepped onto the main road… Everything spun. 

Bright headlights blind me.

Screech…!

A car stopped abruptly in front of me. 

And at that moment, I lost consciousness. The last thing I saw, a familiar face. 

“Reins… Eiser…?” I whispered.

Then everything went dark. 

***