Elena leaned back against the cracked leather of the worn-out chair, staring at the set of blueprints spread across the table in front of her. Dim lighting flickered overhead, casting deep shadows around the room—shadows that clung to Valentina’s tall figure like a second skin. They were both silent, the weight of the task at hand looming between them.
“Let me guess,” Elena began, not bothering to hide the exasperation in her tone, “this is your idea of a simple job?”
Valentina smirked, glancing down at the blueprints with an almost bored expression. “I never said it would be simple. Just that we’re the only ones who can pull it off.”
Elena’s fingers drummed against the edge of the table. “Right. Because a high-security vault in the middle of the most heavily guarded building in the city is totally within reach.”
Valentina turned to her, eyes gleaming with that familiar mix of amusement and danger. “Isn’t that what you’re here for? The genius hacker who can make anything possible?”
Elena rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t ignore the flutter in her chest at Valentina’s casual confidence. “You really have no concept of boundaries, do you?”
“Boundaries are for the weak,” Valentina replied, stepping closer until she was standing just behind Elena’s chair. Her voice dropped to a low, teasing murmur. “And I don’t think you’re weak.”
Elena bristled, fighting the urge to lean into the warmth of Valentina’s presence. “Don’t think flattery is going to make this any easier. This job is insane.”
“Is that why you’re still here?” Valentina’s lips curled into a smile as she bent down, her face inches from Elena’s. “Because you like a little insanity?”
Elena’s pulse quickened. Damn her. Valentina had a way of getting under her skin, pushing her buttons, and drawing out reactions she normally kept buried deep. It was infuriating.
“Maybe I just like watching you sweat,” Elena shot back, turning her head slightly to meet Valentina’s gaze head-on. “You always get so serious when things go wrong.”
Valentina’s laugh was a low rumble, sending a shiver down Elena’s spine. “That’s because I don’t plan for things to go wrong. Unlike you, I don’t thrive on chaos.”
“Chaos keeps me alive,” Elena muttered, her gaze flickering back to the blueprints. “It’s you I’m worried about.”
“Oh?” Valentina’s brow arched. “I didn’t realize you were concerned about my well-being.”
Elena sighed dramatically, tapping a finger against one of the marked entry points on the blueprint. “If you get yourself killed, who’s going to be around to annoy me every day?”
Valentina chuckled, the sound rich and warm, and for a brief moment, Elena found herself relaxing. But it didn’t last long.
The reality of what they were planning began to sink in again—the vault they needed to infiltrate belonged to one of the most dangerous syndicates in the city. One wrong move, and they’d both be dead.
Valentina, however, seemed unfazed. She leaned over the blueprint, her fingers brushing against Elena’s as she pointed to one of the weak spots. “We go in through here. Security is tight, but if you can cut the feed for a few minutes, we’ll have just enough time to get to the vault.”
“And then what?” Elena asked, eyeing her with suspicion. “We waltz out of there with millions in cash and hope no one notices?”
Valentina smiled, and Elena felt her breath catch. “Exactly.”
Elena stood, pushing her chair back with a scrape. “You’re insane. This is insane.”
Valentina straightened, her expression hardening just a fraction. “If you’re having second thoughts—”
“I’m not,” Elena interrupted, her voice sharp. She met Valentina’s gaze, her frustration boiling over. “But I need to know why we’re really doing this. Is it just the money, or is there something else you’re not telling me?”
Valentina was silent for a moment, her eyes narrowing as if she were weighing how much to reveal. Then, finally, she spoke. “There’s more to this job than just money, yes. But that’s all you need to know for now.”
Elena’s jaw tightened. “You can’t keep me in the dark like this, Valentina. If we’re going to pull this off, I need to know everything.”
Valentina’s gaze softened, just a hint of vulnerability slipping through the cracks in her cool facade. “Trust me, Elena. You’ll know when the time is right.”
For a split second, Elena wondered if there was more beneath Valentina’s hardened exterior—if maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t as invincible as she liked to pretend. But before she could push further, Valentina stepped away, her mask of confidence snapping back into place.
“Get some rest,” Valentina said, her voice firm. “We leave at dawn.”
Elena watched her walk away, frustration simmering in her chest. She hated feeling out of control—hated that Valentina always seemed to hold the upper hand. But more than anything, she hated the way her heart raced every time Valentina looked at her like that, with those dark, knowing eyes.
“Don’t tell me what to do,” Elena muttered under her breath.
Valentina paused at the doorway, her back still turned. “I heard that.”
Elena smirked, unable to help herself. “Good. Maybe next time you’ll learn to mind your own business.”
Valentina turned just slightly, her lips twitching with amusement. “I’ll mind mine when you stop being so damn fun to mess with.”
And with that, she was gone, leaving Elena alone with the blueprints and a storm of conflicting emotions.
Elena ran a hand through her hair, her mind racing. This job—this insane, reckless job—was about to push them both past their limits. And yet, despite the danger, despite the growing tension between them, a part of her couldn’t help but look forward to the challenge.
Because if there was one thing she knew for sure, it was that working with Valentina was never boring.
And that, perhaps, was the most dangerous part of all.
