UNDERCOVER VOWS WITH THE SECRET DON

vibe: electric ozone, expensive climate control, a

passing by would just see another nameless, ghost-shift data clerk. She wore an aggressively beige thrift-store sweater so oversized it threatened to sw

waterfall of terminal code. She wasn't entering inventory.

caught between her teeth, "five minutes and your d

l tycoon. To outrun them, Vesper forged credentials, rebranded herself as "Vesper Vance," and snagged a minimum-wage grav

eep rattled the air.

ttle fist unto the sky.

ud rang out from just o

osed to be a ghost town. At 3:00 AM, her only company was hers

is time. That was someon

Maybe they'd sent those corporate 'extraction specialist

ront door. Eyes wide, she zeroed in on a narrow janitorial closet in the corner. She scuttled across the

pressed her face agai

ballistic masks, silenced pistols. Vesper's gut sank. Not her uncl

backwards, sidesteppi

w nigh

age security. He stood at least six-three, broad-shouldered, his cheap uniform stretched over muscle that screa

d by two guns pointed at his face. "Breakroom microwave's off limit

ad a half-eaten turkey sandwi

sed the first masked man. "We want

ite of sandwich, chewed, and sighed. "Honestly? The musta

ened his grip. Too

face. Tinfoil exploded, blinding him just long enough. Zander closed the gap, twisted the gunman's wr

Vesper whispered, jaw

cked, grabbed the man by his vest, and tossed him. The guy cr

ap collar. He looked down at the destroyed sand

cles' goons. And he probably needed cash, judging by that uniform. He'd make the pe

ic janitor's broom, ready

you!" she yelled, shoving the door open with a

d forgotten two things: her giant floppy thrift shoes

t the slick floor

her grip on the broom. It sailed ac

blur of sweater, wild hair, and cr

" he starte

full speed into a granite monument. Stars burst in

Zander stumbled over one unconscious

s neck. He smelled rich, somehow, like cedarwood, clean laun

moved but the pulsin

to shove her glasses back into place, and found herself inches from his

dark and velvet-smooth. "Or were you abo

lit up with a full-blown blush. She tried to scramble off him, but her sweater

visible. He wrapped one big, careful hand around her waist a

ok in his eyes vanished, replaced by sharp, dangero

y commanding it stole the air from her lungs. "Who are you, why're

have been her response. Instead, something wilder bubbled up. She stea

since you're clearly broke and I desperately need a... let's call it

from his face, replaced by