It's rare when I have difficulty concentrating, but damned if I can keep a thought in my head for longer than a minute. I find myself thinking about Piper at every turn, lips tugging up when I recall our makeout session this morning. It thrills me beyond belief that she wants to take a stab at a relationship. I know we're not going to suddenly be one happy couple without a care in the world—she has to get more information about what it means to be the other half of an undercover agent. She'll also have to be willing to live with how risky and dangerous my job is. Then again, she did that for a year when I was in the drug cartel. Piper has always enjoyed adventure, but we're older now with more at stake, so I need to be sure she enters this relationship with eyes wide open.

At 4:15 that afternoon, I head to Trentina, this time with Kevin in disguise, too. He's still in the car a block away, but if he needs to enter the restaurant if things go sideways, he has to be undercover as my airline pilot boyfriend.

"Hi, Anthony."

He grins. "I was hoping you'd make it in today."

"As promised." I sit on the bar stool. "I'm eager to try what you have."

There's no one else at the bar this afternoon, so I'm hoping he feels free to bring out the drugs without consequence.

Anthony goes into the kitchen, returning with a small velvet pouch. He takes a plastic bag out and shows it to me. "100% pure cocaine from Peru. It's not that dime bag, generic coke you'd find on the streets. This stuff will give you a surge of peaceful euphoria, alertness, and a feeling of power and energy. Afterwards, you'll feel confident and happy."

I tilt it towards the light. "Nice."

"Do only one line at first, otherwise, you might feel anxious. Give it about 10 minutes to feel the full effect."

"What are the side effects coming down from the high?"

"This stuff isn't laced with contaminants; there are virtually no side effects." He slips it back in the pouch. "It retails for about $150-$175 an ounce, but you're a friend, so the $100 will do."

I put it into my purse. "Can I get more if I like it?"

"Plenty more." Anthony laughs. "But not from me. I don't usually concern myself with small sales."

"How many dealers do you distribute to?"

He pours a glass of wine, sliding it towards me. "I leave that part up to Adamo." He has no fucking idea what he just stepped into.

I stand. "Mind if I try it?"

By this point, I'm sure Kevin has communicated all of this to the field office, and they're deciding if they want to make the bust here and now or wait for Adamo to be in the building.

I enter the restroom, opening both stalls to make sure no one is inside. I also check the walls and ceiling for cameras or listening devices and find none. "I can't confirm Adamo's presence," I say into the microphone. "And I don't know how much cocaine is on site. I'm going to stay in place another ten minutes."

I walk back to the bar, smiling at Anthony, and in the five minutes I was away, a couple has arrived and taken seats at the other end of the bar.

He makes a cutting motion towards me, signaling for me to keep my mouth shut about the drugs. I do my best to gradually act high.

A few minutes later, Anthony approaches me. "How are you doing?"

"Great." I giggle. "I should probably go though. I don't want to act like a fool in the restaurant." I take a huge gulp of wine. "I'll be back tomorrow."

"You going to be ok getting home?"

"I'll be fine." I wink at him. "Thank you."

I exit the restaurant, walk around the block to make sure I'm not being followed, and then head to Kevin's car.

"Did you get all that?"

"Sure did." He puts the car in gear. "Nice work."

I pull out the pouch of cocaine. "Can't wait to test this stuff."

"We're going to do that right now."

Kevin and I spend the next few hours at the field office, conversing with our field supervisor and Agent Thompson about when we'll make the bust. The test of the cocaine came back, and it is indeed the purest of pure products. Finally, I feel like I'm back in the good graces of the powers that be.

After work, I decide to take the Subway to Piper's apartment without calling. It's a risk to assume she's home at 8:30 on a Thursday night, but I want to surprise her. If she's not there, I'll leave a note and text her later.

As I make my way up the Subway platform and onto the main street, I sense someone following me. I turn right on W 132nd Street instead of the left I should be making to get to Piper's apartment and use my phone as a sort of mirror to confirm that the man is indeed following me. I make another right and wait for him to turn the corner. As soon as he does, I take him by the shoulders and shove him against a building.

The man is several inches shorter than me, and I can use my height to intimidate him as I breathe down on him. "Why the fuck are you following me?"

He holds his hands in the air. "I'm not following you."

"Bullshit." I shove my forearm against his neck. "Wait a second, I know you. You're a waiter at Trentina."

He looks down for a second, and then lifts his eyes. "I can't deny it; I'm attracted to you, Juliet."

As far as I know, this man has only seen Juliet with red hair and different glasses, so for him to recognize me is alarming. He must know that I've been undercover.

"Don't lie to me!" I push my arm harder against his neck, making it difficult for him to breathe. With my free hand, I unclip the strap of my purse, shoving it into the back of my pants. "Who sent you?" In one quick motion, I spin the man around, one hand on the back of his head, pressing his cheek into the red bricks and tying his hands behind his back with the strap of my purse.

"Ah, you're hurting me!" he squeals.

"I'm just getting started." I pull out my phone, hit two buttons and Kevin answers.

"I've been followed. I recognize this guy from Trentina." I give him my location.

"Does he know that you know you're being followed?"

I push him against the wall harder as he struggles to get free. "I've apprehended him."

"I'll get someone down there immediately," Kevin replies. "Be careful."

"Who sent you?" I repeat, shoving my phone into my pocket and using both hands to keep the scrawny man in place.

"No one."

I pull his long, curly hair and slam his head against the brick wall. "Wanna try again?"

"Ahhh!" He cries out in pain. "Adamo! Adamo sent me."

"I thought that might be the case." I slam his head one more time, and he's now bleeding. "If I ever see you again, I will fuck you up so bad your family won't even recognize you. Is that clear?"

He nods, fear in his eyes.

Two people approach the situation. "Looks like you could use a hand."

"Identify yourselves," I demand.

One of them pulls out an FBI badge. "Agents Tandy and Zheng."

Although I've never been part of a situation like this, I learned in training that if an agent is in danger, all branches of the criminal justice system are notified. Whichever agents or officers are closest to the scene will arrive within minutes and backup will arrive shortly thereafter. I have an app on my phone that would've allowed me to send the notification myself, but it's buried somewhere in a folder. It was far easier to just call Kevin.

I yank my badge from my back pocket. "This guy was following me. He works for the restaurant where I've been on a case."

The female agent pulls out a pair of handcuffs, replacing my purse strap with proper cuffs. "Nice work with this." She hands the strap back to me.

The male agent questions the perpetrator. "Sir were you following this woman?"

"No!" He holds the back of his bleeding head. "Fuck you, Juliet! Adamo will have the last word. You'll see."

I don't respond to his threats. The police arrive, taking statements from both of us, and then they shove him into a car.

"We're taking him down to the station," an officer states. "Have your people meet us down there."

"Thanks." I call Kevin again and explain what transpired, and he agrees to meet me at the station and will notify Agent Thompson of the situation.

After an hour of interrogation, we learn that Adamo sent this thug to spy on me. He did not have direct orders to hurt me; rather, he was told to find out more about my life—where I live, where I work, who my friends are, etc. The outcome of the interrogation doesn't change the way we'll proceed tomorrow. The man will be retained until the DEA allows his release (unless there are criminal charges we need to bring against him.)

I leave the police station deciding to continue with my plan to go to Piper's apartment despite the late hour and my exhaustion. I knock on the door, stepping back and waiting for her to answer. Sure enough the door opens.

Her smile lights up the room. "What are you doing here?"

She has on cotton shorts and a black tank top with no bra.

"Coming to show you how this would work." I step inside and kiss her.

She tugs me inside by the waist and shuts the door with her foot. "Like this?"

Our lips are locked, and arms circle each other as we bump into the back of the sofa.

"How was your day?" she asks, slipping her hand under my shirt.

"It started out good." I keep my fingers on the exterior of her tank top, teasing her nipple through the fabric. "But I had an altercation a few hours ago."

She pulls back, hands frozen against my chest. "An altercation?"

I run a hand through my hair. "A man was following me, trying to get information about the case I'm working on."

"Are you in danger?"

"I'm always in danger." I let out a light chuckle, trying to make light of a serious situation.

Piper steps back, and the sexually charged moment has disappeared. "Was he trying to hurt you?"

"No." I sit on the arm of the sofa, reaching a hand out to take one of hers. "At least that's what he told us." I squeeze her hand as she takes a step closer. "Things like this are going to happen, Piper. There's no way for me to know where or when." I stand again, this time taking both hands in mine. "But I promise I'll be careful, and I'll always protect you."

She folds me into her arms.

After tonight, I realized that Anthony and Adamo are the lead guys in the drug ring, but several other employees must have a role, too. "Anyway, we're going to bust these guys tomorrow, and there's a good chance they'll all go straight to prison."

"Does that mean you'll be safe?"

I kiss the top of her head. "Safer at least."

Piper lifts her eyes and the desire is back. "Did you have to play the role of Juliet today?" She begins unbuttoning my blouse.

I lower my hand to her ass. "Yes."

"You were hot as Juliet," she says, sucking my earlobe.

"I'm glad you like both of us," I chuckle, dipping my chin down and kissing her again.

It doesn't take long before we're both naked and writhing in each other's arms on the sofa. Eventually, we move to the bed where our last round of sex ends with Piper's legs draped over my shoulders.

"I almost forgot what sex with you was like," she pants.

I trace patterns on her chest. "It's nice to be reminded."

She props herself up on her elbow. "I talked to Mia today."

"You did?" I'm surprised she made that happen so quickly. "Why didn't you tell me that the moment I came to the door?"

"I was occupied with the kissing at first, and then you told me you were being followed."

"Mmm."

"I'm meeting her on Monday for happy hour," Piper says.

"Good." I kiss her nose. "Just don't go to Trentina. I don't think it'll be open then anyway."

"They'll shut down the restaurant?"

"What they're doing is illegal, so yeah."

She lays halfway across my body. "I read some books on undercover work."

"I figured you would," I chuckle, tickled by her effort to understand my job better.

I feel her fingertips drawing circles on my hip. "It's dangerous."

"I've never denied that."

"And it makes me uncomfortable," she admits.

"I can imagine." I adjust my body further up on the headboard until she has to lift her head. "I don't want you to get into anything that makes you uncomfortable. I mean, I want to be with you, but not if you're constantly worried about my safety."

"It's natural to worry." She shrugs. "I'm sure Mia can give me more insight into how she's dealt with it over the years."

I kiss her firmly. "I'm sure she can."

"Now, where were we?" I dip my hand under the covers to her center, and we spend the rest of the night having mind-blowing sex.