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
Chloe Madden I was about to exit my room when a big burly hand appeared in front of me, I looked up to see the bodyguard who stopped me. "And who might you be?" I asked, feigning an air of sophisticated curiosity.He looked down at me with a stony expression. "Carter appointed me to stand here because he has a very important meeting and he can't have you jeopardizing it."I laughed, dramatically slapping a hand to my forehead. "Oh, the drama! The intrigue! The audacity!" I pretended to re-enter my room, but the moment he looked away, I ducked and darted under his arm, sprinting down the hallway like a caffeinated squirrel.I ran through the labyrinthine corridors of Carter's mansion, my ears straining for any sound of conversation. After a few wrong turns and a brief detour through a linen closet, I finally heard voices. They were coming from a room that looked like his home office.Bursting through the door, I declared, "Aha!" with all the drama of a soap opera reveal.Carter looked
Chloe MaddenThe news of Carter Gray's arrest spread like wildfire through the police station, igniting a frenzy of activity. Whispers buzzed in the air, mingling with the sound of ringing phones and hurried footsteps. Carter Gray, the cold blooded mob kingpin, had finally been ‘caught’, sending shockwaves through the law enforcement community.Amidst the chaos, one name echoed louder than the rest: Detective Madden. Gray had demanded to speak with me and me alone. As I rushed towards the interrogation room, my mind raced with questions. Why would Carter Gray, a man of immense power and influence, want to meet with a lowly detective like me?I adjusted my badge and smoothed down my hair, attempting to compose myself before entering the lion's den. The weight of Gray's reputation bore down on me, threatening to crush any confidence that I had left. How did he even know who I was?As I stepped into the interrogation room, I was met with a sight that took my breath away. There, sitting
Chloe MaddenI nodded along as my father unleashed his fury at my boss, feeling a knot of frustration tightening in my chest. It was like being caught in the crossfire of a storm, helpless to do anything.“How could someone do this to my daughter in a fucking police station? Is this a joke? How could you let this happen?” My father's voice thundered, his anger palpable in the air. I bit my lip, resisting the urge to speak out, knowing it would only further enrage him."Sorry Commissioner Madden, but you know him—" My boss attempted to explain, but my father cut him off with a vehement retort."No, that man came in here and put his hands on my daughter. How dare he do that?" My father bellowed, his face contorted with rage. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. He was more concerned with his wounded pride than my safety.“How could you send Chloe in? She is the weak one. You thought she could stand up to a man like Carter?” My dad's accusation stung, though I remained silent, knowing it w