All Chapters of A private deal with the billionaire ceo: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The air smelled cleaner when success sat on your shoulders.For the first time in a while, I had done something that felt right from beginning to end. No second guesses. No mistakes, no slipups. Just the silent pride that comes from doing what you were trained to do and doing it perfectly.I kept my face neutral as I walked past the others at headquarters, but inside, I was buzzing.Someone gave me a small thumbs up from across the hall. Alice was still distant since the last confrontation with her father, but her nod told me all I needed to know. I made a silent note to make amends when the opportunity would come.Halstrom saw me enter the debriefing room, he gave me a long, mysterious look. He collected a small folder at the head of the long table. Then, in that gruff tone of his, he said, “Next time, fewer casualties.”I straightened. “Yes, sir.”His eyes narrowed like he was trying to decide something. Then, he just turned away and went back to his paperwork. No insult. No undermi

The dust hadn’t even settled when the jokes started.Rook, who was lying flat on his back and groaning, pointed at me from the stretcher.“Okay… I take it back. You’re not just pretty. You’re terrifying.” He said breathlessly.Jet snorted quietly as he helped load the last pack onto the evac rig. “I guess your last mission wasn’t just luck.”Silva, sitting beside me with her arm in a sling, raised her one good brow. “No. It wasn’t.”I blinked, surprised. Silva hadn’t said more than five words to me during the entire operation unless she was barking orders or scowling.She turned to face me fully. “You kept your head when most rookies would’ve panicked. Protected the captain. Held your aim and got us out alive. I know only a few rookies who would be able to do what you did today.”“i didn't do it alone,” I said, brushing some dried blood off my shoulder.“No,” she agreed, “but you didn’t fold. I’ve seen people with more years than you break down in situations like that.”She stood and

The mission hadn’t left my mind throughout the day.I found Abel just before nightfall alone, sorting through equipment in the east wing storage room. His team had already shipped out while he stayed behind.“For someone who doesn’t trust many people,” I said, stepping inside, “you picked a hell of a time to hang back.”Abel looked up slowly, tossing a sealed ammo pack onto the shelf. “You got something to say, Dickens?”I lowered my voice as I scanned around the room. “I want to know when we start our mission. About the leak. About Gracie.”He studied me, the humor gone from his face. “Not now.”“Why not now?”“Because eyes are everywhere. And ears too. We can’t afford to misstep now. This is a personal mission.”I folded my arms. “So what, we sit on it?”“No. We move carefully,” he said, stepping closer. His voice dropped low. “No one must know about this. Not even Damon.”The room suddenly felt colder.I stared at him. “You’re serious.”Abel didn’t flinch. “His life could be in dan

We checked out of the hotel just after nine.The staff offered polite smiles and called Damon sir, though I noticed the way one woman lingered a second too long on his jawline before handing him the receipt.I didn’t blame her.Outside, the morning air was crisp. The sun had barely crested the hills, casting soft gold light across the parking lot as Damon loaded the last bag into the car.That’s when I realized it.“My bracelet,” I said, freezing.Damon looked over the top of the car. “What bracelet?”“The silver one. With the little violet stone. It’s—it was my mom’s. I left it in the washroom near the spa area.”Without waiting, I turned and sprinted back inside, boots thudding against the marble tile.I found the bracelet exactly where I left it. It was near the sink, tucked by the soap dish. Relief washed over me as I slipped it back onto my wrist.As I stepped back into the hallway, a young man, late twenties maybe, was leaning against the gold railing, phone in hand. His hair wa

After my call with Ruby, I couldn’t sit still.I couldn’t rest, couldn’t think, couldn’t let myself spiral down into the tangle of emotions building in my chest. Not when I’d just learned so much about Damon's past, not when the world was still moving, loud and fast and sharp.I didn't want to think of his ex girlfriend and how she ruined him emotionally so I headed to the sparring room.It was late, but not empty. A few agents were still there, burning off their stress in the same way I was planning to.The sound of fists hitting mats, grunts of exertion, and the rhythmic slaps of combat boots on rubber floors greeted me like an old friend. And I let it wash over me.Miles was already stretching when I stepped in. He looked up and gave me a crooked grin.“You come to kick my ass again, Dickens?”“You wish.” I teased.“Alright,” he said, hopping to his feet. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”Sparring with Miles was like playing with a caffeinated puppy who happened to have deadly reflexes.