Chapter 3 Swept Away

• Angel.
• Stepping into the field office, I knew I was in big trouble. My black suit from last night was rumpled, and my hair was disheveled, but the bigger problem was Cyrus—my SSA.
• I woke up to twelve missed calls from him and a couple of texts that I didn't bother reading.
• Thoughts of the masked man from yesterday plagued my mind even as I made my way to my office.
• We had gone to a hotel last night, and spent the whole night devouring each other well into the early hours of the morning, when I managed to fall asleep.
• I woke up to find that he was gone, no contact information left. To him, it was just a senseless hookup but to me, it was more than that.
• “Di Cristina,” I heard someone yell.
• I stopped in my tracks and turned to face Cyrus, who was looking at me with a murderous expression on his face.
• “My office, now.”
• He didn't bother waiting for a reply before he turned on his heels and entered his office. I tried running my hand through my hair a couple of times as I followed him, trying to fix my disheveled look even though I knew it was hopeless.
• Dan, my partner, slid beside me and said, “Oops! Seems like someone's in trouble.”
• I ignored his jab, knowing he just wanted to get a rise out of me. He had pleaded to be the one sent on the undercover mission yesterday, but Cyrus had refused his request, saying I was the best man for the job.
• He had then been assigned to monitor the mission, making sure I wasn't in any trouble. And now that I had somehow found a way to fuck that up—of course, he would be there to dig in deeper into the wound.
• I already knew I was not in for a pleasant experience in Cyrus’ office, so when he began yelling at me, I didn't say a word—just kept my gaze lowered in respect.
• It was my fault a stranger had managed to charm me away from my job last night.
• “Where the hell were you last night?” Cyrus asked after he was done yelling.
• I didn't know how to answer that, so I kept quiet.
• “Di Cristina, do you know the importance of the job I put you on last night? Do you know how many times Dan has requested to be the one assigned to that particular job? And do you know why I insisted that you be the one to do it?”
• “No sir.”
• “Because I trusted you. Because you have the highest rate of pulling off undercover jobs, and you have never failed a mission before. But after that stunt you pulled yesterday…” he paused, and I steeled myself.
• “Why didn't you answer your phone? You replied to my texts, and four hours later, when you were supposed to report back, you just went off the grid?”
• “My phone was on silent mode, sir. I lost track of time and I honestly didn't see your calls until some minutes ago,” I replied, hoping my explanation would be enough.
• “That is totally understandable. But what I can't seem to understand is: what were you doing? According to my sources, you didn't even stay for more than an hour in the ballroom. Where did you go?”
• At this point, I was sweating and cursing inwardly.
• Because how do you explain to your direct supervisor that you were busy having sex with a masked stranger that managed to charm you out of doing your job?
• Oh, shit. Dan would have definitely seen me yesterday, kissing and groping the masked man outside the club.
• Did he tell?
• Now, I was fidgeting. How I had somehow forgotten about Dan last night—and the mission as a whole—was still a mystery.
• Cyrus sighed when it seemed like I wasn't forthcoming with any information.
• “Did you manage to gather any Intel?”
• “No sir,” I replied shamefully.
• He sighed again. “You're dismissed, Agent Di Cristina.”
• But as I got turned to leave, his voice stopped me. “You have never given me a reason to doubt you, Angel. Don't start now.”
• Those words pierced through my chest as I left for my office. Cyrus had been like a father figure to me ever since I watched my dad get murdered ten years ago.
• The disappointment in his voice made my chest tighten as I entered my office. I groaned when I saw Dan sitting leisurely at his desk. I didn't know how I wasn't prepared to meet him—we shared an office after all.
• “So how did it go?” He asked, turning his attention to me.
• I shrugged and feigned indifference as I went to my desk. “It went well.”
• “Really?” I looked up to see his eyes cocked at me, like he didn't believe it.
• “Yeah, really.”
• “No punishment, whatsoever? How?”
• “Dan,” I turned my body to face him. “If you have something to say, just say it. Or you can pick it up with Cyrus.”
• “Oh, I have lots to say, Angel.” He spat my name out like a poison. “But for now, I'll let sleeping dogs lie. It's obvious you didn't tell Cyrus what you were up to last night.”
• I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration. Here comes the blackmail.
• “I'm doing you a favor by keeping it a secret. Soon, I'll call in my favor and you better be willing to help, partner.”
• With that, he strode out of the office. Once he was out, I buried my face in my hands and let out a frustrated groan.
• I should go to Cyrus's office right now and tell him what happened last night, so that Dan would have nothing on me in the future.
• But the look of disappointment on his face when I left there some minutes ago was still replaying in my mind.
• And I just knew there was no way I could tell him that I had abandoned an important mission for a tumble in the sheets.