Prologue

Keisha had done many things in her life. Some crazy, adventurous things that excited and had her blood rushing in her veins. Things others would have pegged as dangerous and would never dream of doing. She had done them all. However, this was a first.

This kind of dangerous brought a completely new meaning to the word. It was a daring, bold and absurd type of dangerous, but she threw all caution to the wind because her safety and identity was at risk of being uncovered.

Keisha stood on the tips of her toes and silenced the man. Only this time around, it wasn't with her hand, but with her mouth. She pushed him back and he fell onto the bed, dragging her down with him. They locked eyes then, her brown orbs staring into his emerald ones.

Desperation was floating in her eyes, whilst surprise was written in his face. Except, he did not look completely shocked, as if nothing could completely throw him off. Rather, he looked like he was interested in finding out why she had done just that.

When he opened his mouth, she managed to clamp her hand over his mouth. This made her lose her balance and land skin to skin atop his body. She listened out carefully as the footsteps she had heard shuffling closer to the door quieted down. Whoever it was, they had walked past the door.

She breathed a sigh of relief and that’s when her eyes made contact with his again. Remembering the position they were currently in, she gasped. Panic made her struggle to get off him, but he clamped his hands around her with ease, keeping them locked over her waist until she finally stopped struggling. 

"Let go of me," she seethed, fighting hard to keep her voice low.

"Or else what," he spoke, his voice nothing like what she had expected.

It was much deeper, firm and everything warm. A wave of a fresh summer breeze. A threat was right at the tip of her tongue, when he hushed her. To her surprise, she obliged and stared at him.

"You aren't behaving like someone who wants to escape," he told her calmly, so casually that she couldn’t help but be astounded.

"You know nothing!" She finally said.

"I know enough. I've been watching you all night. You've got suspicious written all over you, I'm surprised those fools never once sniffed it."

He suddenly laughed when she gulped hard. His chest vibrated underneath her chest and it reminded her just how close they were to each other.

"Are you going to sell me out?" she ignored how nervous he was making her, and went straight to the point.

He stared back at her, looking amused. "It depends," he drawled, looking composed. Calm.

"On what?" She bit out impatiently.

"Do you usually talk to your victims this much?" He suddenly asked, tilting his head to the side.

"You're not my victim. I'm not holding you hostage. You, on the other hand —I can't say the same. Are you going to let go?" She asked with a small smile, done with the talking. She never thought that there would be need to use violence to get her way.

"Do you kiss them too, or I'm just an exception?"

Once again, he spoke as if they were in a most common situation and it was normal to be having such a conversation. Keisha wanted to shake this stranger who smelled heavenly and tell him that she didn't have the time to play games with him.

People were after her, and at this rate, they would find her. "Why, you want me to do it again?" She asked sarcastically.

"You want to violate me a second time? You're truly shameless, aren't you?"

Then, to her utter surprise, he sat up and then onto his two feet. It all happened so quickly that she threw her hands around his neck, fearing that she would fall onto the floor. Then, realising that she was hanging onto him like a darned parasite, she quickly unclamped her hands from his neck and landed smoothly on the floor.

"You did not see me here," she warned him, despite the fact that this man was much taller than her, and didn't look intimidated by her at all.

"Is that a threat?" He asked with a raised brow.

"You can take it however you want —just shut up and let me think for a second," she responded, barely acknowledging his presence.

Not many women dared to tell him to shut up. Neither did men. People actually paid to have him talk. His presence alone tonight was an honour to the Roosevelts, although he hated their guts. Business was business though, and he was just doing his part.

As he stared at the slim woman in front of him, from her raven hair, to her vibrant hazel eyes right down to the caterers' uniform she had on, she looked like a regular woman. However, he was convinced there was nothing regular about her.

Once again, his talent for reading people had not disappointed. On the contrary, it had made his otherwise boring night interesting. He just couldn’t help but wonder what grudge the woman had against the Roosevelts.

"So, what's the plan?" He asked, adjusting his suit into place. Again, she ignored him, seeming lost thought. "Don't you think you should be answering my questions. One word from me, it's all over for you."

"Are you threatening me?" She questioned, unable to stop the scoff from escaping her lips.

"Take it however you want. I'm not used to being blatantly ignored like this. You're hurting my pride," he said, his eyes dancing with amusement.

"Touché," she responded dryly, cursing him underneath her breath for using her words against her. “Don't you have better things to do with your time? Expensive wine to drink? Gorgeous women to dine?" She suggested, hoping that he would finally leave.

She just hoped he wouldn’t turn out to be a threat, like she had already concluded. If he had been one, she decided, he wouldn’t have been conversing with her like he was doing. Which brought her to this —why was he talking to her so casually if he knew what she was doing?

Tonight was the launch of a new public transport business, yet another solution to the shortage of transport in the city. People were ecstatic, excited that their transport woes were finally being brought to an end. So, the rich had gathered to celebrate and paparazzi had flooded the venue; the Roosevelts’ family house.

Except, it wasn’t that simple. The Roosevelts weren’t these knights in shining armour, as they were pretending to be. She had solid proof to show that. She just had to figure a way out, now that someone had messed up with her plans. As if remembering she had company, she searched for him with eyes to find him already staring at her.

“I have one at my disposal, but I doubt she wants to be dined,” he answered her earlier suggestion.

“Are you flirting with me?” She blurted out, narrowing her at him. He simply smiled then and against her will, she outright stared.

This man was handsome, more so now that he was smiling. He had on a dark suit that fit him to perfection. His hair was combed through, with a few strands settling on his temple. There was a certain softness to his features, but at the same there was a certain obvious confidence to him which broke that picture. He was definitely no soft man.

“You need to leave,” she blurted, turning away from him to head for the door. She opened it just the slightest and sure enough, she spotted two guards stationed up the hallway. With a hiss, she softly closed the door and closed her eyes.

“And you need my help,” he breathed next to her ear, startling her. “So, what’s it going to be?”

She eyed him with uncertainty. Rule 6 stipulated that her missions were not to be known by third parties. But, things had already gone wrong and she couldn’t just exit Peter Roosevelt’s bedroom without repercussions. Dare she trust this stranger to get her out of this mess and risk breaking one of her rules?