The Scarred Assassin || COMPLETE ✔️||

Chapter 21

"A dinner party?" I ask.

"Yep, a dinner party at one of the casinos right by the beach." Carter confirms as Isabelle hands him another shopping bag to carry. I don't know how she can expect us to defend her when our hands are full of shopping bags containing designer clothing.

"So why exactly do all of us have to go?" I ask. I'm sure just two of us accompanying the Hart's should be fine.

"This isn't just some small dinner party, it's a huge event where the CEO's of famous companies get together to discuss business deals," he explains, "It's a very important opportunity for Mr Hart to expand his business so the place needs to have top security."

"But why are we attending as guests then?" I ask, still pretty confused about the whole event.

"We were informed that a mob boss who has been trying to target these CEO's for years might strike on the night," he says, readjusting the shopping bags, "This could be the perfect time to finally catch him, but he won't strike if he sees tons of bodyguards patrolling the area."

"So we're basically going undercover as guests to fool this guy?"

"Precisely." He states, satisfied that I finally understand the plan, "So, will you be my plus one?"

"H-huh?"

"There's just one more thing," he hesitates, "According to everyone else attending the event, you're my... girlfriend."

Looks like I'll be going undercover while I'm undercover, while I'm pretending to be Carter's girlfriend, while I'm working. Well this is complicated.

---

I emerge from the dressing room and spin around, which earns an approving look from Cadenza. We have to go dress shopping for the dinner party since neither of us planned to bring anything formal on the trip.

"It's gorgeous, but it isn't the one, you know?" she says, "You need to make Carter's jaw drop."

I don't know how many more dresses I can try on before I go insane. Cadenza rushes to the clothing rack and picks a dress before handing it to me. I slowly trudge back into the dressing room. I try on the dress she gave me, but I can already tell it isn't the right one. It seems a bit too... Short for this event. Don't get me wrong, it's a pretty dress, it just isn't right for this occasion. Cadenza seems to think so too. We both sigh in defeat.

I shift through the dresses on the other clothing rack and one of them catches my eye. I can already tell that I'll like it just by looking at it. I rush back to the changing room again, bursting with energy and enthusiasm. I quickly try it on and know that it's the right dress. I show Cadenza and she loves it. Now it's her turn. She chose her dress a lot quicker than I did, probably because she has a specific preference.

We check out with the credit card that Mr Hart gave us and we go back to the hotel. We run into Kestin and Talia in the lobby on the way back up to our room. Cadenza practically runs into Kestin's arms, earning a few stares from the staff.

"Something interesting happened last night," Talia tells me, "Miss Hart snuck out to meet someone last night, maybe a boyfriend."

"Is that so?"

"Mhm, she asked Kestin and I to come with, but we made sure to keep our distance," she continues, "The guy she met seems kinda shady though." Something seems very off...

"Have the Hart's come to Hawaii before?" I ask, "Like for this dinner party?"

"Nope," Talia confirms, "The dinner party is hosted somewhere different each year, this is the first time the Hart's have come here."

"That's weird, if it's their first time, then how does Miss Hart know that guy?" I say, "She never mentioned any guy, even back home, he definitely can't be a local." She hums in response as Kestin and Cadenza join the conversation.

"Were you telling Heather about last night?" Kestin asks, before acknowledging Cadenza's confusion and explaining the situation to her.

"That does sound very suspicious," Cadenza states, "If it is a boyfriend then why haven't we seen him before? There's nothing stopping them from meeting up in LA?"

"Do you remember what he looked like?" Kestin asks Talia, "I was further away than you were."

"I couldn't really tell," Talia admits, "I couldn't see his face very clearly but he was really tall and muscular."

"It doesn't narrow it down much, we'll have to keep a close on Miss Hart and keep an eye out for anyone that could be him." I say and the others agree. Tall and muscular... I don't recall seeing someone like that lurking around although... There are quite a few people like that who work for my boss. I shake my head to get rid of the thought. Now's not the time to think of that.

Cadenza and I make our way up to our room and hang up the new dresses in the closet we share. It's only then that I realize I forgot to ask Carter when the dinner party is.

"Hey Cadenza?" I ask to get her attention, "When's the dinner party? I forgot to ask Carter."

"Oh, hmmm," she thinks for a moment, "I think he said it's on Sunday, in my opinion I think it's a bad idea to have this huge event the night before we leave."

"Yeah, but at least we'll be tired enough to sleep on the flight."

"You know Liam will sleep whether he's actually tired or not, right?" she laughs and I agree. He'll sleep no matter what time of day it is and especially on a long flight.

"And Carter will work even if he's about to pass out from exhaustion." I jokingly add, although it isn't too far from the truth. At that moment there's a knock at the door.

"I heard my name," Carter calls out from the other side of the door, "You don't need to talk about how hot I am, I already know!"

"You wish Jones, we all know I'm the hottest one here." Liam adds. They must've returned from their shift. After a bit more harmless bantering between everyone, Liam and Carter probably returned to their room.

"I'm sweating buckets here," Cadenza sighs, "I'm gonna take a shower to freshen up." Cadenza gets her stuff and goes to the bathroom to take a shower. As soon as she leaves the room the smile vanishes from my face and my thoughts darken. There's a sinking feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach.

The dinner party is on Sunday night.

The last day of this vacation.

My deadline.

Hehehe, surprise🤓
I couldn't wait until tomorrow to publish a chapter, it was too tempting. But don't worry, you'll still get one tomorrow ;)
~Husky