Chloe Madden Carter watched me with an intensity that made my pulse quicken, his eyes dark and unreadable. His command hung in the air, and for a moment, I hesitated. This was a dangerous game, one where the stakes were high, and yet I couldn’t afford to walk away now. I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his gaze on me as I slowly removed my coat, letting it slip from my shoulders and drop to the floor. His eyes never left mine, and I could see the satisfaction in his smirk as I walked back toward him. Carter's hands rested on my waist, guiding me onto his lap. As I settled onto him, the heat of his body against mine was both unnerving and thrilling. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer until our faces were just inches apart. I could feel his breath on my skin, and my heart raced as I struggled to maintain my composure."Now," he said, his voice a low whisper, "let's talk about what you need from me."I took a deep breath, trying to focus on the mission. "We need yo
Chloe Madden I fidgeted with my hands as I arrived at the precinct an hour early, ready to report everything that happened last night. I swallowed hard as I walked into the conference room where my chief of police, a few trusted officers, my father, and my sister were already waiting.Taking a seat, I felt their eyes fixed on me. "He found the wire," I said, fishing it out of my bag and placing it on the table. The horror on their faces was unmistakable. We all knew Carter's reputation for dealing with those who tried such tricks—he had no tolerance for it."I'm sorry, Detective Madden. We should never have put your life in danger like that. What did he do to you?" the chief asked hesitantly, regret and fright visible on his face."Nothing," I replied, trying to sound convincing. "He was very disappointed, but he said we are doing this for the good of the city. It's a peace treaty between the mafia and the police, so he's willing to give it a second chance." I lied through my teeth,
Chloe MaddenAs the morning sun streamed through the precinct's windows, the conference room filled with the murmur of voices. The air was thick with tension as officers and detectives gathered to discuss the pressing issue of Frank Barlow. I noticed several female officers sneaking glances at Carter and blushing; honestly, I couldn’t blame them. He was an impossible distraction.I took my seat next to him, trying to maintain a professional demeanor, but my mind kept drifting to Carter Gray. His intoxicating scent and commanding presence were constant distractions.The commissioner, my father, opened the meeting. "We need to come up with a solid plan to take down Frank Barlow. His operations are getting bolder, and we can't afford any more slip-ups. We have Carter here to help us out, and hopefully, we keep him busy enough to slow down his criminal spree."Carter leaned back in his chair, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Isn't it ironic that we're here discussing how to get rid of a
Chloe MaddenThe drive to the brunch venue was quiet. Carter glanced at me occasionally, but I kept my eyes fixed on the passing scenery, my mind racing with thoughts of the upcoming mission. Going undercover with him was daunting, but I had to focus on the task at hand.We arrived at the upscale hotel where the brunch was being held, a place I had only heard of but could never afford. Carter parked the car and turned to me, his expression serious. "Remember, we're a couple. Act natural, follow my lead, and we'll be fine."“Do we have to be a couple?” I asked nervously as he got out of the car and opened my door for me. I took his hand as he helped me out, trying to ignore how my heart raced at his touch. I didn’t want to act like his girlfriend; I already had a thing for him, and playing make-believe was only going to hurt my feelings.“Well, why would a man bring a woman to such a place if he’s not dating her?” he asked, his voice low and teasing. “Also, with that dress you’re weari
Chloe MaddenThe morning after our undercover mission, I was still reeling from my conversation with Carter. As I went through my daily routine, my mind kept drifting back to his words. My face scrunched up as I overheard two cops casually discussing a dead hooker’s decapitated body over their morning coffee. The gruesome details made me feel nauseous as I walked past them."Why do you look like you saw a ghost?" Nicola asked as I made an omelette for Carter. I hated the extra work Carter demanded just because he was helping us with Frank Barlow. It seemed he found some twisted thrill in making me his personal servant."The murder-kidnapping crime talk is something I could do without first thing in the morning," I said, preparing a plate and setting the coffee pot on."Really? I was just in a meeting where we were discussing the double homicide of a mother and her six-year-old—" Nicola began, her tone matter-of-fact."No! Stop! I don’t want to hear this," I whined, annoyed at her nonc
Chloe MaddenAs dawn broke over the city, I received an urgent call from the Chief of Police as I was getting dressed for work at 7 am. His voice was tense, a rare crack in his usually stoic demeanor. “Chloe, it’s Frank. He’s kidnapped my grandson. A ten-year-old boy! We need Carter’s help. Please, I will owe you my life. Go talk to him and please make him save my grandson.”“Yes sir. I’ll leave right now and call you as soon as I speak to Carter. I know this is difficult, but please stay calm. I will do everything in my power to make things right,” I told him, frantically grabbing my things and keys, heading out of my home to go to Carter’s house.I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. Frank Barlow had crossed an unforgivable line. Kidnapping a child was beyond heinous. Arriving at his front door, I knocked urgently until one of his men opened the door. Thankfully, he recognized me and led me inside to the dining room where Carter was sitting, having breakfast.Carter narrowed his e
Chloe MaddenFor the first time in weeks, I was going to sleep peacefully. The day had started so chaotically and, because of Carter, had been emotionally exhausting. But the chief was so happy when we showed up with his grandson that he nearly collapsed with relief. He hugged his grandson tightly, tears streaming down his usually stoic face as he whispered words of comfort into his grandson’s ear. "Thank you, thank you," he repeated, his gratitude directed toward Carter.Carter stood off to the side, his usual air of cool detachment replaced with a rare softness. He met the chief’s eyes, giving a slight nod. “Just doing what needed to be done. You don’t need to thank me for this,” he said, his voice uncharacteristically humble.The atmosphere in the room was heavy as the boy’s parents held him and cried. Officers exchanged smiles and nods of approval, and for a moment, the grim realities of their job faded into the background. As I prepared my chamomile tea and opened my pretty worn
Chloe MaddenI showered, letting the hot water soothe my aching muscles. The night had been sleepless, my mind unable to quiet down despite my exhaustion. My life was a mess, and the reality of it kept me wide awake. As I scrubbed myself clean, I found some solace in the simplicity of the task. The shower had a cabinet stocked with unused brushes, soaps, and other essentials. I brushed my teeth, feeling slightly more human, but as I dried off, I realized I had no clothes.Wrapping a towel around myself, I opened the door to my room and yelled, “Carter!”I was too tired to pretend to be composed. I heard heavy footsteps approaching, and soon enough, Carter appeared, his expression a mix of worry and irritation. “What do I wear?” I asked in a sing-song voice as I fake smiled at him making him roll his eyes.“Are you going to be annoying now because you’re mad at me?” he asked as he walked into the room, heading straight for the wardrobe. He rummaged through it for a moment before pulli