Page 26 of Targeted By Vengeance

The guards nodded at us as I flashed our invitation and escorted the girls inside.

On the outside looking in, this was nothing more than a normal party.

The dance floor was filled with bodies, gyrating to the tunes the nearby DJ played. Small tabletops and both bars were occupied by people sipping on drinks. On the upper level, well-respected and high-paying patrons sat in their VIP sections, conversing with the bottle girls and drinking to their hearts desire.

Jules was easy to spot with his section smack in the center of the upper level and his body hunched over the railing. His dark eyes paced back and forth over the crowd below like a panther searching for its next meal.

Simone followed my gaze as I towed her towards one of the tabletops near the dark corner of the establishment, hidden away from the rest of the crowds. “What’s he looking for?” She asked.

“What do most men look for when they’re sipping on something strong?”

She nodded. “Right. And I assume that’s where Maria comes in.” Her eyes bounced around, noticing our partner’s absence. Her head whipped around as she searched for Maria’s head of bouncy curls.

“Relax,” I told her. “We need to look natural.”

“But, how do we know he’ll take the bait? I mean, there are tons of women here.”

“Sure. Women who are all desperate for his attention.” I jutted my chin towards the dance floor. “Look at them.”

Simone’s brows pinched as she obeyed my command. The crease gradually disappeared with each passing moment she stared at the dance floor.

Nearly all of the conventionally attractive women were stealing glances up at Jules as they rolled their hips and ran their hands over their assets. Some even tried to hold his gaze as they danced with another man in a feeble attempt to make him care. All of them were too bold - too obvious.

“Okay,” Simone murmured. “How does that make Maria any different? Doesn’t she want his attention too?”

“Yes, but her job is to act like she doesn’t.” I spotted her face within the crowd. “Watch how she’s moving.”

Maria had found a free space on the dance floor that was close enough to make her blend in with the crowd, but with enough space that no one was dancing too close to her. Her hips swung to the beat of the music, sensual yet carefree. A smile played on her lips as she danced.

To the naked eye, she was a woman enjoying her own company. She wasn’t worried about how others perceived her - or attracting a man. She was just having fun. And the mask of naivety was what always caught the eye of men like Jules.

Barely five minutes had passed and his gaze was already fixed on her.

“Wow,” Simone murmured. “I always knew men were easy, but damn.” She turned back to me. “How long do you think before he makes a move?”

“Ten, fifteen minutes. He can’t wait too long. With every moment he does, the likelihood of someone else swooping in rises. He’s not the only one watching her.”

Nodding, she turned back to me. “Is this how most of your missions go? With Trojan horses?”

“No. We build our plan around a multitude of factors. Personality, occupation, weakness, etcetera. Some targets are easier to take down than others. Shit, some take longer than others. That time in Vegas, when you popped up on me, that took us almost two weeks to complete.”

“Why?”

“Getting close to the head of an illegal poker ring is harder than a party boy. That target, specifically, kept his identity and presence a secret. We had to build the trust of his men to be in the same room as him. Jules, on the other hand, thrives off his reputation and wants to be seen.”

“It’s funny; you almost sound like one of my colleagues with the way you break down your strategies.”

“Crazy as it sounds: your old job and mine are very identical. The only difference is you stopped at catching them; I put an end to them.” I nodded towards the upper level. “He’s moving in.”

We watched as Jules waved his hand for one of his men. His mouth moved as he jutted his chin down at Maria.

The other man nodded before heading out of the section. He hurried down the steps and weaved the crowds to get to Maria. Setting a hand on her back, he leaned in to whisper in her ear. Both of their eyes traveled to Jules as he spoke.

Maria feigned a bashful smile as she and Jules made eye contact. Nodding to the man’s words, she followed him through the crowds and up the stairs towards Jules’ section.

“Hello,” Maria’s earbud picked up the sound of his voice. “May I ask why a beautiful woman such as yourself is dancing alone?”

“Haven’t had anyone ask to join me,” Maria replied with a shrug. She kept her voice low to hide the cracks within it. With the music blaring, Jules practically had to lean in to hear her.