All Chapters of Undercover Hearts: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

MarcusShe's lying.The thought hits me the moment Sophia Sterling settles into the leather chair across from my desk, crossing those long legs with practiced elegance. Everything about her screams wealth and privilege. The Hermès bag, the perfectly tailored suit, the way she holds herself like she owns the world. But there's something underneath all that polish, something that doesn't quite fit.I've been in this business long enough to spot the tells. The way her eyes dart to the exits when she thinks I'm not looking. The slight tension in her shoulders that suggests she's ready to run. The calculated vulnerability in her smile that's just a fraction too perfect.Most importantly, there's the way she looks at me. Not with the desperate hunger of my usual clients, but with the sharp assessment of someone taking my measure. Like she's the one conducting an interview."So, Ms. Sterling," I say, leaning back in my chair and letting my gaze travel over her face. "Tell me what you're rea

Chapter 4 - The First DateMarcusI'm watching Sophia through the security feed from Conference Room B, and she looks like she's preparing for battle.She's sitting across from Richard Pemberton III, venture capitalist and chronic narcissist, who's currently explaining why his last three relationships failed because the women "just couldn't handle his success." Meanwhile, Sophia looks like she’s thinking of ways to destroy him.It's disturbingly attractive."She's going to eat him alive," Elena says from beside me, sipping her coffee and looking amused. "Poor Richard doesn't know what hit him."I glance at my business partner, trying to read her expression. Elena Vasquez has been my friend since childhood. The one person who knew me before I became Agent Marcus Blackwood. Before I learned to see threats in every shadow. She has a brilliant mind, cut-throat instincts, and stilettos that could kill.She's also the only person who knows my real identity, which makes her both my greatest

MarcusI'm pretending to review client files while I'm actually watching Sophia Sterling through my office window as she stands on the sidewalk below, having what appears to be an increasingly animated phone conversation.She's been down there for twenty minutes now, and I've watched her go through what looks like the five stages of grief. First denial. Shaking her head repeatedly. Then anger. I swear I saw her mouth the word "fuck" loud enough that a woman with a stroller gave her a dirty look. Bargaining came next, with lots of hand gestures that suggested she was trying to convince someone of something. Depression hit when she leaned against the building like the weight of the world had settled on her shoulders.Now she's pacing, which I'm hoping means acceptance, but from what I’ve been able to gather about Sophia, it could just as easily mean she's planning something that's going to give me a headache."You're being creepy," Elena says from the doorway, not bothering to knock. It

MarcusRosetti's is exactly the kind of place I would have expected Sophia Sterling to choose, if I believed for one second that Sophia Sterling was her real name.It's intimate without being romantic, upscale without being too pretentious, and positioned perfectly for someone who wants to have a conversation without being overheard. The kind of place where serious business gets discussed over excellent wine, where handshake deals worth millions happen between the antipasti and the entrees.Tonight, I'm going to figure out what Sophia is really after by paying attention to what she doesn't say and what her body language accidentally gives away.She walks in at exactly seven PM, and I have to admit, the woman knows how to make an entrance. Her dress is professional enough for a board meeting but fitted enough to remind me that underneath all that armor, she's still very much a woman. Her hair is pulled back in a way that shows off her neck, and she's wearing just enough makeup to look

MarcusI don't follow her.Every instinct I have, both professional and personal, screams at me to go after her, but I stay seated at the table, watching Sophia's retreating figure through the restaurant's front window until she disappears around the corner.The waiter approaches cautiously, probably wondering if he should call security or just bring the check. I wave him off and drain what's left of my wine, trying to figure out what the hell just happened.She ran. Not walked away with dignity, not made a polite excuse about early meetings, she ran away. Which means I got to her, and that should feel like a victory.Instead, it feels like I just watched something fragile shatter.My phone buzzes with a text from Elena: How's your ‘client dinner’ going? I stare at the screen, then delete three different responses before settling on, Complicated.Her reply comes immediately. Don't do anything stupid.Too late for that advice. I've already done something monumentally stupid by telli