The function hall bubbled with highly trained personnel, each of them with their own area of expertise. Ronny Goldberg was a grade A shooter. It was rumored that he could shoot any target with any firearm. As long as he had a gun in his hand and a trigger behind his finger, he was a force to be reckoned with.

This skill had served him well in the Special Operations. He was often called upon to fulfill dangerous missions, which often included goals that some might consider impossible. Nevertheless, he always came back successful, one way or another. This track record lent itself to his cocky, playboy attitude. As he walked around the banquet, celebrating the feats of the squad, he made sure to visit any and all females to give them a little Goldberg charm.

Most women found it endearing, especially since Ronny was a fine piece of eye candy. No one could really complain when he flashed a pearly white smile. Women often found themselves staring at him, getting lost in his pale blue eyes that knew exactly how to captivate an audience. Girls would be trapped under his gaze as he pulled his muscular body closer and closer until they were up against the wall and his warm breath caressed their necks.

His roguish charm was good enough to work on just about anyone. Or so he thought. As he looked around the banquet, looking for his next catch, his eyes fell on a beautiful African American woman, sitting alone at one of the far end tables.

She wore a stunning, midnight-blue gown. She sipped her drink as she looked wholly uninterested in the entire affair. While everyone else was socializing and having their fill of free booze, she just sat there with a serious look on her face. Ronny studied her for a moment, trying to decipher her from afar. If she was at this event, then she must be working with the Special Ops, but he couldn’t tell for sure.

 

Intrigued, he made his way over to her, enjoying her good looks. Her skin was a perfect shade of chocolate. Her lips were pouty, jutting out just enough to make him want to kiss them. They reminded him of a delicate pink rose and he wondered if they would ever dance against his, like a flower in the wind. Her eyes, although gleaned over with a bored look, bore an untold amount of intelligence and mystery inside their depths that made Ronny yearn for her even more.

 

Finally, he reached her table, sitting down on the empty seat beside her. Reaching out a hand, he introduced himself with a dazzling smile, a dimple appearing on his left cheek. “I’m Ronny. You must be an angel, right?” He asked, a smirk replacing his smile as he paid her the compliment, however cheesy.

 

“I think you are mistaken,” she said seriously, straightening herself out and placing her hands on her knees, before leaning forward. Her long, straight hair fell over her chest, nearly reaching her waist as her face got closer and closer to his. Ronny couldn’t help but look down ever so slightly, at the revealing cut of her dress. She had the best pair of breasts he had seen all day.

 

Confidently, she placed a well-manicured finger under his chin before pulling his face up, prying his gaze away from her cleavage. There was a serious look on her face as she looked at the man, something of disdain painted on her expression as she scanned his flawless skin. She had seen men like this before. People who thought they owned the world and believed they could charm anyone with a smile.

 

“Hmm?” Ronny finally answered as he looked into her eyes.

 

“I don’t think your name is Ronny at all. I think it is Arrogant, or Ego, or maybe even Conceited, Pompous, Presumptuous, Proud, Immodest… Shall I continue playboy?” The spew of insults flowed from her lips with ease as she got up and walked away from the man. Ronny sat there thunderstruck. Had she just rejected him?

 

Never had a woman walked away from him. He felt betrayed by his own self-estimation. No, this couldn’t be happening. There had to be some sort of a misunderstanding. He quickly got up and rushed after her, grabbing her arm. She acted quickly, turning around and pushing him away with one well-aimed kick. He fell back into a nearby dessert table, crushing it with the weight of his body.

 

He gawked up at her, getting a quick view up her skirt, before she moved forward, her high heels on either side of him. They were impossibly tall, at least five inches, keeping her calves constantly tense. “Don’t you ever touch me,” she growled as she squatted down, hovering over his body. Everyone in the room was staring at them by this point, but Savanna did not care.

 

“What the hell did I do to you?” Ronny asked quickly. He couldn’t understand why this woman was acting this way. Had he done something to offend her?

 

“I don’t need men like you in my life who think they can woo me with a smile. When you get serious and start respecting women enough not to drool all over them, give me a call.” Savanna’s voice was harsh as she whispered into Ronny’s ear. With that, she got up and walked away, her heels clicking against the floor.

 

Ronny watched her go in a daze. What had just happened? Had he just gotten his butt kicked by a girl? Despite the humiliation he felt as he got up and brushed himself off, he was enraptured by the mysterious woman. She was a challenge and he liked that.

 

“You alright?” Someone asked. Ronny nodded, dismissing them with a wave of his hand as he made his way outside, hoping to catch her before she left. But of course, when he stepped out, she was already gone.

***

Ronny wasn’t able to find her. He wasn’t even able to stalk her on the internet. She definitely knew how to keep herself off the grid. Ronny wondered what her job in the Special Ops was. She obviously had some sort of training and a smooth mouth. He was dying to know more about her, but nothing he did gave him any answers.

 

He tried to forget the whole ordeal as he made his way to work. As he entered headquarters in his lavish suit, he looked haphazard but that was normal for him. His hair was in a state of disarray, the top buttons of his dress shirt were undone, and his tie hung over his shoulders. “Why must you always look like a slob?” A large man suddenly slapped Ronny on the back.

 

He looked up to see his good friend, Jamie, walking with him as they made their way to the break room to get themselves their first cup of coffee. “You know it is my trademark.” Ronny grinned as he ran his fingers through his hair.

 

“Right, right… but I heard you got burned last night at the banquet,” Jamie commented as they entered the break room. It was empty, affording them some privacy. Ronny’s cheeks turned red as he was forced to remember the previous evening. He still couldn’t believe what had happened. “Rumor is, she kicked your butt.” Jamie chuckled at his friend’s plight.

 

“She did not.” Ronny huffed as he started to pour copious amounts of sugar in his coffee. At some point, he could start saying he’s having sugar with coffee, not the other way around.

 

“You are going to rot your teeth like that.” Jamie chided as he took his coffee black. Taking a sip, he sat down on one of the chairs. He was about to say something when the door swung open.

 

“Ah, Goldberg, I was hoping I would see you here.” The commanding officer of operations, Gerald Thompson, stuck his head into the break room, locking his eyes on Ronny. Sighing, Ronny grabbed a lid for his coffee cup and followed his boss.

 

“What is this about? Do I have a new assignment already?”

 

“As a matter of fact, you do,” the man informed him as he rubbed the top of his bald head, leading them toward the briefing room.

 

“So, what am I doing this time? Who am I taking down?” Ronny asked. He looked disinterested as he sat down in a desk chair, spinning around, nearly spilling the coffee all over his lap.

 

“Ronny. For once in your life take something seriously.” His boss said. He was annoyed at his special agent. This man was the sharpest sniper in America, but he acted like a child.

 

“Pfft, has that ever helped me before? I’m a good shot and that’s all that matters.”

 

“I would get that cocky tone out of your voice if you are going to be working with me.” A sweet voice spoke, making him freeze. He had heard that same voice before. He turned around slowly, still spinning on the swivel chair.

 

Standing there was Savanna with her arms crossed over her chest. Her jeans hugged her curves, making them even more prominent. On her feet were impractically high stilettos that made her imposing as she stood there, dominating the air around her.

 

“Have you two met before?” Gerald asked, looking at them. Ronny got up, quickly shifting his eyes between Savanna and his boss, trying to figure out his next move. Did he accept the mission or reject it? Sighing, he moved toward her.

 

“What do you have against me?”

 

“Absolutely nothing,” Savanna said with a smirk as she stepped forward until she was staring him straight on.

 

“Don’t lie. You don’t like me.” Ronny said, a pout-like expression on his face.

 

“Aww, are you going to cry?” She teased as she sat down and crossed one leg over the other, assuming a pristine posture. Ronny looked at her for a moment, trying to figure out what this woman was about and why she assumed such a confrontational attitude toward him. What had he done to deserve it?

 

“Your mission is such: We have a target named Von Kozlowski. A German. He needs to be terminated. Savanna, you will go undercover and gather all the necessary information; learn his plans, his motives, and who his allies are. When she has gathered this information, it will be your job, Ronny, to take him down. A clean shot,” Gerald explained, pulling up a picture of the target onto the large screen.

 

Savanna smirked as she saw her target. She could already tell by his smug smile and good looks that this would be an easy mission. She would have him curled around her pinky in no time. Ronny noticed the almost diabolic look on her face. So, he assumed the woman was a spy. What else was she hiding from him? What more could he learn about her?

 

“Is everything clear?” Gerald asked as he looked at the couple. He could feel the tension between them and wondered how they knew each other. After a moment of silence, he turned off the computers and held his hands behind his back. “Well if there are no more questions, your plane to Germany will be ready in an hour or so.”

 

Savanna nodded and with that, she made her way out of the room, swaying her hips as she left. “She’s some woman. One of the best spies we have,” Gerald commented, seeing Ronny’s expression.

 

“She’s…” Ronny couldn’t finish his sentence. He didn’t know what to make of her, but with his new mission, he was sure to find out more about her. He was determined to crack her shell, to make her fall for him, one way or another. No girl had ever denied him and she wasn’t about to be the first.

***

Savanna made her way to the jet with a dull expression on her face. “Not that impressive, huh?” Ronny suddenly chimed from behind. She ignored him as she made her way up the steps. He kept following her, his body close to hers. She bit her lip slightly as she felt his proximity. A part of her already wanted to throw him off the plane, but another held an emotion she couldn’t quite ignore. Nonetheless, she tried to push it to the background of her mind as she sat down in one of the luxurious seats.

 

“I have a jet at home you know. Three times better than this one. Pretty impressive huh?” He grinned as he sat down adjacent to her. She stared at him, narrowing her eyes as she observed him, taking in every detail. He had a typical playbook look to him. His hair had a slight curl to it, which, Savanna noted, took a lot of gel to style into its current pushed-back look. Even with the amount of time she figured he put into such a hairstyle, he still had a haphazard look to him as some of his hair managed to escape the tight grasp of the styling product, sticking out here and there.

 

As the silence between them increased, she had no problem looking into his light blue eyes, maintaining eye contact with him. She knew he wanted to break away from her gaze, but he couldn’t. A smirk emerged on Savanna’s face as she finally freed him of her stare. Her eyes moved to his fair skin and light facial hair. He was attractive. There was no denying that. With his tall, muscular physique and handsome face, he could grab anyone’s attention, even Savanna’s.

 

“Why do you keep staring at me? Is there something stuck in my teeth?” He chuckled as he leaned back, trying to assume a nonchalant attitude. Savanna scoffed at his horrible attempt at humor.

“Really? The old something in my teeth line?” Savanna lifted an eyebrow questioningly.

“Well, you're not easily approachable if I have to be completely honest,” Ronny admitted as his cheeks grew red in color. Savanna crossed her arms across her chest, assuming a hostile stance.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. You know, usually girls are all over me, but you’re different. You even seem to hate me, which boggles my mind because what the hell did I ever do to you?” As he said these words, he got closer to her. She grinned and got closer as well, their faces now inches apart. There was a mischievous look on her face.

 

“Sorry… but I don’t fall for stuck up billionaires like yourself.” She spat out the words, before leaning back and crossing one leg over the other.

 

“How do you know I’m a billionaire? I could be a millionaire.” He chuckled. She rolled her eyes in response, before grabbing a glass of champagne that was being offered to her by the flight attendant.

 

“Well… let’s see. You just told me you had a jet that was… what did you say… three times better than this one? That watch on your wrist… that probably cost a small fortune… that amount of diamonds doesn’t come cheap. Your haphazard attitude and playboy flirting techniques… all the signs of some rich hotshot,” she answered in a surprisingly calm tone.

 

“You forgot about my mansion… boat… and company,” he added with a pleased look on his face as if all of this was some kind of game.

 

She had done her research and knew that Ronny founded and ran Goldberg Defense Systems: one of the biggest defense contractors of the US Army. She pretended not to know though. “How could I forget? Not only are you a spoiled douche, you’re also some high and mighty CEO? Let me guess, it’s a multibillion-dollar company that contributes heavily to humanitarian efforts?” She mocked him with a naughty smirk as she looked at him through her champagne glass.

 

“You hit the nail on the head… but don’t lie, I know you’re already in love with me… you’re just playing hard to get. I like that.” He leaned forward, about to make a move when the pilot suddenly came on overhead, telling them to fasten their seat belts. Ronny sighed as he sat back in his seat properly and they prepared themselves for takeoff.

 

When they were finally in the air, Savanna unlatched her seat belt and reached in her bag, pulling out a book. Her dark eyes scanned the page as her face transformed into one of pure concentration. Every now and then she would bite her large bottom lip as if contemplating something. Ronny observed her, trying to figure her out. She seemed like a hothead, but at the same time wildly intelligent.

 

“Whatcha reading?” He finally interjected, breaking her concentration. She sighed, placing a bookmark on the page.

 

“A book.”

 

“Interesting.”

 

“You aren’t going to let me read, are you?”

 

“Nope.”

 

She sighed loudly at his response, before slipping the book back into her bag again.

 

“Fine. Let me ask you this then. If you are this well-off hotshot billionaire, with fancy jets and even fancier watches, what are you doing here?”

 

“What do you mean?” he asked, looking at her as he adjusted the watch on his wrist.

 

“Why are you working for the government if you are so rich? You obviously don’t need the money,” she explained, looking a little annoyed by his lack of comprehension.

 

“Ah… well…” He paused, placing his hands on his knees, as he seemed to enter a deep train of thought. “When I was in high school, I enlisted in the army. I got called in when I was nineteen and was put on the front lines. Eventually, I proved my worth as a sniper… but one day, my best friend was taken hostage. He was kept as a prisoner for over a year and then, just when the terrorists confirmed they would let him go… they sent a video of his execution. It was horrible… and I can never forget it. So, I do this, to put scum like the men who killed him, six feet under.”

He spoke with a purpose so pure that Savanna was taken aback. For a moment Ronny got lost in his thoughts, losing his gaze on Savanna, which he had maintained for the last few hours.

***

Savanna had not expected this kind of story. She had assumed he wanted the fame and glory that men often thought came with working in the military. Instead, he had given her a touching story with a rather heartwarming theme of friendship at its core. Maybe this Ronny person was more than just a pretty face, but Savanna didn’t let herself think of such things for very long. She had been trained to check herself and not get drifted by emotions. She needed to ignore the feelings bubbling up inside of her and focus on the mission ahead of her.

 

“What about you?” Ronny finally said after a few minutes of silence. He looked up at her. Small tears adorned his face, but he refused to wipe them as he kept his eyes locked with hers, searching their depths.

“Well, I definitely don’t have a story like yours… I just got recruited one day and decided to stay. I couldn’t afford to go to college anyway, so I didn’t have much of a choice. It was either this or a low-end job in retail or worse,” she said with a dismissive air in her voice and waved her hand as if she could sweep the whole explanation out of sight.

 

“I see… well if you want to go to college now… I could—”

 

“Don’t. I don’t need your charity.” With that cold statement, utter silence followed. The rest of their trip was one of awkwardness; neither one of them dared to say another word. Despite this, they stole glances of each other whenever they thought it was safe to do so.

***

A few hours later, they landed in Germany. Savanna had managed to sleep through the whole thing, even as the plane shook with a horrible turbulence. Ronny looked over, smiling at her relaxed features. He wanted to reach out and caress her cheek but thought better of it. Had it been any other girl, he would have done it, but there was something about this one that was different.

 

The flight attendant was about to wake the sleeping woman, but Ronny stopped her. He wanted to be the one to wake her. Unfastening his seat belt, he moved forward. His body hovered over hers as he reached forward, his hand on her shoulder as he shook her softly. “Savanna…” He whispered her name. The word tasted like sugar on his lips and he smiled to himself, waiting for her to wake up.

 

When she didn’t, he leaned in closer before shaking her with a little more force. Suddenly, her eyes shot open and she moved quickly, kicking Ronny’s feet out from under him and pinning him to the floor of the plane before she could realize what she was doing. Her cheeks flushed slightly before she finally loosened her grip on him. “Sorry.”

 

“Jeez… warn me next time, will you?” Ronny got up, brushing off his expensive suit before rubbing his neck, where Savanna had managed to dig in her fingernails. “Why do you constantly attack me?” He protested, getting closer to her. She shot him a glance, a fire burning behind her dark eyes.

 

“I don’t like guys sneaking up on me. Remember that.” Her words sounded like a threat as she grabbed her bag and made her way out of the plane. Ronny wondered if something had happened in her past that had made her this defensive.

 

Eventually, they made their way through one of the secret American posts in Germany. There, they were briefed further on their mission. By the end, it was determined that Ronny would dress up as Savanna’s chauffeur and drive her to the soiree Kozlowski was hosting. She already had a position on the guest list as a well-known fence for precious gems.

 

While inside, she would get all the information they needed on the German as Ronny got in position, ready to kill the man with a clean shot once Savanna gave him the cue. It seemed like an easy enough mission, but there was plenty that could go wrong at any moment.

 

After they both dressed for their roles, Ronny got behind the wheel of an expensive BMW. He rubbed the dashboard affectionately. “Great German manufacturing right here. I have a similar one at home. Red, though, I was never a fan of black cars.” Savanna rolled her eyes at his bragging. She didn’t need to know about his billionaire lifestyle, but for whatever reason, he seemed adamant about showing off.

 

“Are you nervous?” he finally asked as he looked over at her. She looked stunning in her shimmering white dress. It contrasted against her skin amazingly, making her skin glow in the gentle light of the car’s interior.

 

“No.”

 

“Not even a little?”

 

“No.”

 

“That’s impressive. You’re going to be lying to a bunch of people who could kill you in a moment’s notice.”

 

“It’s my job,” she said.

 

He looked at her, one hand on the wheel. His fingers tightened against the leather for a moment, before he sighed.

 

“Why are you so… cold?” he finally asked before setting his eyes back on the road. Before she could justify her hard exterior, Ronny pulled up to the impressive mansion. “Hmm… I think mine’s better.”

 

“Why are you such a show off?” And with that, Savanna made her way out of the car, slamming the door as she moved toward the mansion. She couldn’t stand Ronny. He had a way of getting under her skin, and yet, there was something lurking within her that kept coming up to the surface. She didn’t want to admit it, but a part of her felt like it was falling for him. In fact, she had felt an attraction toward him from the moment she laid eyes on him. But such things were foolish.

 

With this thought, she made her way to the bouncer. “Asha Rosas.” The man looked at his list before making a small tick next to her fake name. He stepped to the side, allowing her into the luxurious home.

***

Ronny watched her enter the home before making his way down the street. There was a nervous, prickling sensation in his back as Savanna escaped his view. He couldn’t help the knot that was forming in the pit of his stomach, like something was about to go horribly wrong. He had felt this way once before when his best friend had gone into a fox den for a simple recon mission. He had never come back. Ronny, as he made his way to the designated vantage point, felt like there was the possibility of never seeing Savanna again.

 

“No… she’ll be okay… she can kick anyone’s butt…” Ronny muttered to himself as he squeezed the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white with the effort. He would see her again. He just needed to stay positive.

 

As his mind reeled with all the different possibilities the night could take, he took a sharp turn into a narrow alleyway. The car barely fit inside. He couldn’t even open the door. Rolling down the window, he squeezed himself out of the car, until he was standing on the roof of the luxury vehicle. He quickly stepped down, hopping onto the trunk, and then to the ground. With a press of a button, the trunk opened and he grabbed a heavy duffel bag.

 

Slinging it over his shoulder, he jumped onto the trunk once more and ran across the car before landing in front. There was an old door at the end of the alleyway that he easily kicked down. The result was a cloud of dust nearly making him cough, but he held the urge as he rushed forward to the rickety looking staircase. After countless steps, he managed to reach the roof.

 

The fresh air felt good to his lungs that now burned with the effort of climbing fifteen flights of stairs. He needed to start going back to the gym more religiously once this mission was done. With this thought, he got to the edge of the roof, where he could see the mansion.

 

Leaning down, he settled himself behind the small parapet that kept people from walking off. He started to pull out various things from the duffel bag. A large gun. A scope. A stand. He started to assemble these pieces together with practiced precision.

 

When he was done, he positioned it on the edge of the wall. Getting on his knees, he looked through the scope. The bedroom that Savanna was supposed to lure Kozlowski into was still empty. Ronny rolled up his sleeve and looked at his watch. She still had a few minutes.

***

Once Savanna made her way into the mansion, she took on a totally different persona. She laughed with the patrons as a natural German accent emerged from her lips. Many of the men were quite impressed that a person of her race spoke their language so fluently. She would answer them with a mysterious smile that only proved to peek their interests even more.

 

Soon enough she had many of them wrapped around her finger. They laughed and flirted with her as she kept them occupied with witty comments and a burning stare. Finally, she caught the attention of the host himself. He approached her with a smile on his face.

 

He reached out a hand. Savanna didn’t hesitate to place her gloved hand in his. He squeezed it with a powerful gesture that made her giggle in response as her eyes subtly looked up, taking in his appearance. He was a powerful man, probably in his mid-thirties. He had a dominant aura that rolled off his body like a unique scent. His smug smile remained glued to his face as he pulled her toward the bar.

 

“Can I offer you a drink?” he asked as he spoke a few cruel words in his servant’s direction. They quickly complied with his demand, handing him two shots. Savanna’s target grabbed his glass and tilted his head back, drinking it in a single gulp. Savanna smirked as she did the same, much to the man’s surprise.

 

“Impressive…” he mused as he looked down at her.

 

“That’s not the only thing I’m good at…” Savanna whispered in his ear as she moved forward, her body nearly pressed into his as her hand rested on his thigh, before taking a decisive leap to his crotch, giving it a hearty squeeze. The man grinned at her sudden attraction toward him. He wasn’t about to deny such an exotic beauty.

 

With that, he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the stairs. He left the party he was hosting to bring her to the second floor of the mansion. There, he navigated through the maze of corridors, until he reached his bedroom. Savanna grinned to herself, knowing she was on the verge of success. As soon as she got the German into the bedroom and laid him down on the bed, Ronny could take his shot.

 

Eager for the mission to be over, she pushed him into the room. She pressed him into a wall almost immediately as her lips pressed into his, letting them meld together as she feigned pure lust toward this man. He smirked into the kiss and reached down, grabbing her ass.

 

Meanwhile, Ronny cringed as he looked through the scope and saw the two of them making out. He knew this was all just an act for the mission’s sake, but at the same time, it felt painful to watch Savanna kiss someone else. At this point, there was no denying that he liked her. Sighing, he straightened himself out and took aim. All she had to do now was push the German onto the bed.

***

As Savanna continued to make out with her target, she felt confident that the mission was going just as planned. In a minute, she would take control of the situation by pushing him onto the bed and once that was done her work would be finished. But before this could happen, a sudden turn of events changed everything. Kozlowski reached into his drawer as he pressed Savanna into the wall, making her groan into the kiss.

 

Before she could react at all, he had attached something around her neck. She cringed as she heard an audible click. She suddenly pushed him away from the kiss. “What the hell?” she said as her hands reached upward and pressed against the cold metal of what felt like a collar. Her eyes grew even larger as she heard a soft tick, tick, tick, and her fingers pressed into a small box on the side.

 

“What, you didn’t think I would figure out that you were a spy?” Kozlowski asked with a grin. He closed the gap between them, about to grab her when she retaliated with a kick that made him stagger backward. He wasn’t expecting that but recovered quickly enough to ram her into the wall, forcing the air out of her lungs.

 

Ronny watched from his scope. He had no idea what was going on, but it didn’t look good. Did he make the shot or wait until the target was on the bed as planned? As he watched the brute of a man pull out a knife and hold it up to her face, rage consumed him. Taking aim, he allowed his finger to ease back into the trigger. The bullet emerged from its chamber, pierced through the glass of the bedroom window and finally made its way through Kozlowski’s heart with ease. He slumped forward in front of Savanna, who stared at the dead criminal with a horrified look.

 

Anger painted her face as she made her way to the window, glaring at the sniper. As she approached the window, he moved the scope to watch her. It was only then that he saw the collar around her neck and the blinking red light. No… had the German rigged a bomb? Had he just killed the only man that could have easily deactivated it?

 

Ronny cursed under his breath as he saw Savanna turn around and wrap a scarf around her neck, hiding the lethal device. She made her way out of the mansion quickly, as Ronny rushed down the stairs as fast as he could. He got back into the car and sped to the entrance of the mansion.

 

Savanna was already waiting for him. She got in, but there was an irate look on her face and hidden beneath that, was a true sense of fear. She knew she was in trouble. There was no telling how much time they had left until she had her top blown off.

 

“Don’t worry… we’ll get that thing off you. I promise.” Ronny reached for her hand, but she pulled away quickly.

 

“If you hadn’t killed him, I could have made him take this vile contraption off my neck!” She yelled at him. He stared into her frightened eyes knowing she was right, but before he could say anything else a loud alarm sounded from the mansion. They must have found the deceased Kozlowski by now. Suddenly, the sound of gunfire erupted. Bullets pelleted the side of the car. Ronny reacted quickly and sped off down the street.

 

Enemy cars seemed to emerge out of nowhere, following them. “Call headquarters.”

 

“Already on it.” Savanna had her cell phone to her ear, trying to get in touch with high command, but no one responded.

 

“This is not good…” Ronny muttered as the cars started to gain on him, opening fire. He looked in the mirror for a split second before stepping on the brakes. His free hand reached out, keeping Savanna from flying through the windshield. He shifted the car into reverse, making a full 360, before driving in the opposite direction of his pursuers.

 

The enemy took some time to adjust to his sudden change of direction, granting Ronny just enough time to pull into the parking lot of an abandoned warehouse. He killed all the lights of the car, creating a blackout that caused the black vehicle to fade into the night. He watched as the enemy sped past without noticing them.

 

He sighed in relief and looked at Savanna. “It isn’t safe here and we have to get that thing off you,” he said, before getting out of the car and grabbing her hand. To the west, he could spot a tree line. Maybe they would be safer in the woods.

 

Savanna kicked off her heels and ran with him into the forest. Once there, he swept her off her feet as he carried her through the thicket of trees. “I don’t want you hurting your feet,” he whispered, looking down at her, answering the confused expression on her face.

 

Savanna said nothing, however, as she was carried deeper and deeper into the forest. Finally, after about five minutes he stopped, setting her down on a fallen tree. “Now… to get that thing off you…” Ronny looked nervous as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Headquarters didn’t answer, right?” Savanna shook her head.

 

“I could try again.” Ronny nodded and they waited with bated breath for someone to answer, but nothing happened.

 

“Fuck,” Ronny cursed as he paced around. He was a sniper. He had no experience with bombs.

 

Savanna could see the nervousness on his face. As much as she feared to put her life in his hands, what other choice did she have? Getting up, she grabbed his hands and kissed his lips. To her surprise, she liked it more than she would have imagined. It continued longer than anticipated, until she pushed him up against a tree.

 

She would have kept kissing him, but the ticking of the bomb on her neck caught her attention. “I trust you,” she said breathlessly.

***

Ronny stared at her for a moment. He couldn’t believe she had just kissed him. He tried to gather his thoughts, but the kiss had turned them into a scrambled mess. After a moment, she squeezed his hand, trying to get his attention. He looked down at her with a dazed expression. “Please…” she whispered, the fear finally breaking down her hard exterior.

 

Seeing her expression, Ronny nodded. He had to help her. He had to at least try. With that, he rummaged through his pockets, finding his army-mandated pocketknife. “It belonged to my best friend… hopefully, it can help me now…” he whispered as he opened it up, looking at the miniature tools, hoping one of them could be of some use.

 

Taking a deep breath, he moved her into a patch of moonlight to get a better view of what he was dealing with. Then he leaned in close to her, his breath on her neck as he looked at the little black box. There was an ominous red light blinking at him angrily, accompanied by an unnerving ticking noise. He took a moment before grabbing the flat head screwdriver and shimmying it into a small crack on the box.

 

With a bit of force, he popped off the front panel. He was met by a plethora of tangled wires. “Fuck…”

 

“What…?” Savanna asked in a meek voice. She couldn’t see what he was doing and it was making her nervous. She imagined them both dying in a fiery explosion, any second now.

 

“Two things… one… there’s this little screen counting down… and two, there’s all of these wires…”

 

“What… what’s the number…?” Savanna asked, wanting to know how many seconds of life she had left.

 

“20… 19…”

 

“Don’t count down you idiot! Do something!” She yelled frantically, as her hands gripped his arms in desperation.

 

“Which wire do I cut?” he asked quickly as he grabbed the small pliers of the pocketknife.

 

“What are the options?” she asked, trying to calm herself down.

 

“Yellow… green… and blue…”

 

“What… no red...?” she asked.

 

“Yeah… no… 5… 4…”

 

“BLUE!”

 

With that he took the chance, snipping the blue wire in an instant. They both closed their eyes, expecting the worst, but after almost a minute they opened them once more.

 

“Did it work?” Savanna asked, amazed, her heart pounding in her chest. Slowly, Ronny glanced at the little black box. The screen was now blank, the red light gone.

 

“It looks like it…” he whispered in disbelief. Had he actually saved Savanna from certain death? “Wow… I can’t believe it…” Savanna slung her arms around him, crying in relief into his chest.

 

“I can’t believe…” Savanna muttered into his chest as her body began to shake. It seemed impossible that the playboy had saved her life and yet, that was exactly what he had done. Ronny leaned down and kissed the top of her head as his hand started to rub her back, trying to sooth her after the hectic experience.

 

“Shh… it’s okay. Let’s try and get this thing off you, okay?” Ronny whispered, before turning her around and moving her hair out of the way. Grabbing another tool from the pocketknife, he started to tinker with the lock that pinned the collar to the beautiful girl’s slender neck.

 

After a few minutes of fumbling, he managed to unlock it from her neck. It fell into his hand. Savanna sighed in relief like a huge weight had been lifted. Taking the device into his hand, Ronny chucked it as far as he could into the woods. Savanna watched it vanish from sight.

 

Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around Ronny. Her lips smashed into his as she let all her emotions come to the forefront. She couldn’t deny that she loved him any longer. She pushed him into a tree and kissed him harder and harder. Her passion flew from her lips to his.

 

Ronny was pleasantly surprised and after a few moments of initial shock, he started to return her sentiments as his hands rested on her hips and pulled her body closer to his own. He smiled into the kiss. He always knew that she had feelings for him; she just wasn’t letting them come to the surface. But now, as they continued to make out, there was no denying the chemistry that lingered between them.

 

Eagerly, Savanna started to tug at his clothes, desperate to have him naked before her. They were still in danger of being discovered by the enemy, but right now Savanna couldn’t control herself. She had suppressed her emotions for too long. She needed to show Ronny just how she felt in her heart. She shut off the part of her brain telling her to be more logical, as she pulled off his shirt and tossed it to the side.

 

Ronny also allowed his emotions to take control as he pulled at her dress. She allowed him to take it off her body as she giggled in anticipation. Her body was covered in goose bumps as the chilly air caressed every inch of her bare skin. He looked down at her, as his hands rubbed her skin, trying to keep her warm despite her nakedness.

 

He picked her up suddenly, his hands resting on her plump ass. She naturally wrapped her legs around his waist, as his fingers tugged on her thong. Before she could protest, he ripped it off her body. She glared at him for a moment, before grinning down at him. Feisty. She liked that. With this thought, she ran her hand into his pants, finding his member and giving it a squeeze as she smirked at his response.

***

“Do you really want–” Before Ronny could finish his sentence, Savanna pressed her lips to his once more, cutting him off. He moaned into the kiss as she started to pull down his pants and boxers, which settled around his ankles. He quickly kicked them away, only to feel her soft hand on his member, teasing him to life with her long fingernails.

 

He shivered in pleasure as his hands squeezed her ass, pulling her even closer. He tried to rub himself against her eager pussy, but she kept him away, teasing him further. He groaned under his breath before he leaned down and took one of her large breasts into his mouth.

 

She moaned loudly, losing her train of focus for a moment, causing her to lose the grip on his dick. Taking his chance, he thrusted himself forward, slamming into her hips. She screamed out, her moan traveling as an echo through the woods as he filled up her every inch. He quickly muffled her sounds with his mouth, knowing that such screaming could easily give them away.

 

As they made out, he started to bounce her on his throbbing member, letting her feel every inch of him. Her walls tightened around him as she started to get closer and closer to the edge. He grinned as one of his fingers started to tease her clit. She arched her back in response and it was too much for her to take. Without warning, she exploded in pleasure, filling her entire body with a white-hot sense of ecstasy.

 

Ronny, feeling her quivering against his body tried to hold back, but he too exploded in pure pleasure. He slumped down, sitting against a nearby tree as he held Savanna in his lap. She breathed hard and leaned her head on his chest as she heard his heart raging.

 

“That was amazing…” Savanna whispered, glad that she had finally given into the yearning of her heart. She had tried so hard to convince herself that this man would mean nothing but trouble for her, but now that she was cradled in his arms, she knew she couldn’t have been further from the truth. She smiled as she felt him lean down and kiss the top of her head.

***

In the morning, the couple awoke with a start at the sound of a cell phone ringing. Savanna’s eyes shot open and she scurried across the forest floor, quickly grabbing her phone. It was headquarters.

 

“Hello?” she answered, trying to mask the huskiness in her voice.

 

“Yes. Savanna. Is everything alright? We just got news of the disturbance last night. Did everything go according to plan?”

 

“Not exactly. Our target anticipated us, but we managed to handle the situation. The German is dead,” she said. There was a long pause on the other end of the line.

 

“Good. There will be a jet waiting for you at the airport so you can come back to headquarters.” With that, the line went dead.

 

“Who was it?” Ronny asked, a grin on his face.

 

“Headquarters.”

 

“Ah, now they decide to call when you could have been blown to pieces.” He rolled his eyes and got up, handing Savanna her dress. She smiled and started to get dressed as he did the same. Soon, with a little stealth, they made it back to the airport and were soon on a jet together.

 

The flight to headquarters was quiet, as they remained silent, giving each other space to organize their thoughts. Before long, they were both fast asleep. Eventually, they landed and got off the jet together. Ronny made a bold move and grabbed her hand. To his surprise, she didn’t pull away, making him smile in satisfaction. Had he really managed to break through to her? Feeling proud, he brought her into the building as they continued to hold hands.

 

Inside, Gerald was waiting for them. He was about to congratulate them on a completed mission when he noticed them holding hands. “Hmm… did the mission cause more than just the death of the target?” He grinned, teasing the young couple. He chuckled when they both looked bashful. Here were two of his best Special Operatives and some gentle teasing was enough to render them mute.

 

“Anyway… I want to congratulate you both on accomplishing your task. All went well I hope?” he asked. Savanna and Ronny looked at each other for a moment, before nodding. No one else needed to know about what they had gone through. “Good… if that’s the case. I have a new mission for you both…”

 

After that, Ronny and Savanna turned into regular partners. They had a perfect dynamic. It seemed like nothing could stop them and no target was too big to stand in their way.

 

Two years after their initial mission, they both agreed to retire. They had made their contribution to the world and Ronny was satisfied, thinking he had avenged the death of his best friend.

 

“I have been waiting a very long time to do this…” Ronny whispered excitedly as he squeezed Savanna’s hand. She was blindfolded, sitting in the passenger seat of his red BMW.

 

“What the hell are you up to?” she snapped. She didn’t like all the anticipation. She knew that Ronny was up to no good. Now that their work as Special Operatives was over, she just wanted to settle into a normal life. She wanted to go home.

 

“Oh, come on don’t be so sour,” Ronny whined as he suddenly took a right and the car seemed to go up a slight incline.

 

“Where are we going?”

 

“So impatient. Jeez.” Suddenly he killed the engine. With that, he got out of the car and opened the door for her. She got out with his help, before he untied her blindfold, letting it fall to the ground. She gasped as her eyes fell upon a large, beautiful mansion, adorned with gardens, windows, and a stucco finish.

 

“Welcome to your new home…” Ronny leaned over, kissing her cheek gently. She blushed slightly, looking up at him. As their eyes locked together, he made one more comment. “I told you it was better than Kozlowski’s.”

*****

THE END