Raw by Jo Davis Page B

my director. They gave me a crash course so I could go undercover here.”
    â€œDoes Ethan know?” She was starting to feel like a fool. If her head chef had known about this all along, she’d skewer him with his own butcher knife.
    â€œNo. Nobody did. I was hired blind.”
    â€œAnd if you hadn’t gotten the job?”
    â€œWe’d have found another way to conduct our investigation.”
    â€œYour investigation,” she repeated. Suddenly she felt far adrift from Gray. Like he was floating away on a strange tide and she couldn’t reach him any longer. “Which is what, exactly?”
    He cleared his throat. “Do you know a man by the name of Manny Delacruz? Or his older brother, Joaquin?”
    â€œNo. Should I?”
    â€œNot necessarily. The Delacruz brothers are crooked casino owners I’ve been after for years. Joaquin is a billionaire, but he’s got his fingers in just about every dirty pie you can imagine.”
    â€œWhich has
what
to do with me?”
    â€œManny planted some of his men here, in your employ. They’ve been using Floor Fifty-Five as the base of their drug running operation almost since you opened your doors.”
    â€œWhat kind of drugs?” she asked. This could not be real.
    â€œCocaine.”
    â€œHow?” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t see how that’s possible.”
    â€œIt’s really quite easy,” he said with a tired sigh. “They’re using your catering service and hauling the coke out wrapped up in empanada dough. Every time someone contracts your restaurant for their event, Manny’s men add on an extra van to make a ‘special delivery.’ Their scheme would’ve worked for years if Manny hadn’t been stupid enough to place a couple of his men here who were already on the FBI’s radar.”
    â€œHave you found those responsible?”
    â€œYeah. We’re about to make a bust, so I want you to stay away from here for the next few days.”
    Moving inside her office, she approached him. Some of the shock was starting to wear off, and in its place came a sick feeling in her guts. “I’m grateful that these scumbags are going to be removed from my sight and put in prison. But that’s not the whole issue here, is it?”
    â€œNo, it’s not.” His beautiful eyes were begging her to understand. “I had to make sure you were innocent.”
    â€œDid you, now?” Her voice was cold. Distant. She rounded the desk and moved into his space. “And did that entail planting the bugs I found in my apartment tonight? Ransacking my office for good measure?”
    â€œIt was my assignment,” he said hoarsely. “I had to make sure. I wanted your name cleared so we could be together.”
    â€œAnd was fucking me part of your
assignment
?” she spat.
    His shattered expression spoke volumes. “
No.
It wasn’t like that. I mean, yes, I had to get close to you—”
    â€œClose to me? You mean, lie to me, charm your way into my bed? Sweep my
mother
off her feet?” She gave a sad, broken laugh.
    â€œI’ve had feelings for you since we first met. Don’t you remember that? I wanted you as a
man
, not an agent, and my feelings are real. I’m falling for you, Anna,” he said, voice cracking.
    â€œFalling for me? I was falling for you, too, but you blew it apart! How am I supposed to ever trust you again?”
    â€œAnna, I love—”
    â€œFuck you!” she shouted, shoving him.
    Just then, the door to the office swung open and two men walked inside holding weapons. Men she instantly recognized as her employees Hernandez and Keene. The latter smirked, his smile ugly.
    â€œLook what we have here. Good thing the old goat in the lobby is so observant, right?” He glanced at his partner. “Helpful of him to let us know one of our friends was up here working late.