After a brief silence, Noah spoke for them both. “What exactly is going on there?”

Mack sighed and dragged his hand down his jaw. “I told him to wear dark clothing.”

Noah parked, got out, and went around to open the back doors. The Russian climbed in, his massive hulk taking up most of the space. He sat on the floor, knees to his chest, the lunch box resting next to him.

A few minutes after Noah started driving, a rustling in the back seat made Mack turn around. The Russian was riffling through his lunch box and handing out snacks to Hop and Liv.

“What are you doing?” Mack asked.

“I’m hungry,” the Russian answered.

“You packed food?”

“I get very hungry.”

“There’d better not be any fucking cheese in there.” Mack turned back around in his seat. “This is quickly becoming the worst idea in the entire history of bad ideas.”

“Here they come.”

Just before eight, Mack sat up straighter in his seat and watched one of the computer monitors in the back of the van. They’d parked the van on the top floor of the parking garage overlooking Savoy. Malcolm’s black SUV stopped at the valet stand in front of the restaurant. A black-attired driver opened the door for Malcolm’s wife, Tracy.

“I can’t believe we’re really doing this,” Liv breathed, scrunched next to Mack on the floor. He took her hand, and she laced her fingers with his. That’s how nervous she was.

“It’ll be okay,” Mack reassured her. He kind of wanted to lean over and kiss her head, but that was probably pushing it.

Less than a minute passed before Geoff reported in. “They’re being seated.”

Then a few minutes more. “He’s coming out to greet them.”

“That’s our cue,” Mack said.

Mack turned to his left, where Liv sat biting a fingernail. “It’ll be okay.”

She nodded. “Be careful.”

Fuck it. He dipped his head and kissed her hard and fast.

He, Noah, and the Russian jumped out of the van and jogged down the stairs. They were all winded by the time they reached the ground floor. They rounded the corner into the alley behind the restaurant. Ahead, a back door to the restaurant swung open. Silently, all three ducked inside.

Geoff guided the door closed with a silent click. He handed Mack a key card.

“Whose is this?” Mack asked.

Sweat dripped from Geoff’s chin. He was nervous as shit. “No one’s. It’s the generic card that we use for deliveries.”

“So they can’t track it. Perfect.”

They’d entered the delivery bay of the restaurant, which was probably bustling during the day but was thankfully deserted now. The place smelled like dirty concrete and motor oil. A door at the far end was illuminated only by a red EXIT sign.

Geoff pointed to it. “That’s the staircase. Do you remember what I told you about how to get there?”

“Turn left at the top of the stairs,” Mack said.

Geoff nodded and wiped his hand down his face.

“You’re sure the office is unlocked?” Noah asked.

“I just unlocked it myself. You have ten minutes.”

“Let’s go.”

“Talk to me,” Hop ordered through the earpiece.

“We’re in,” Mack answered. “Headed up the stairs now.”

Mack remembered Geoff’s instructions from earlier. There were two main staircases to the upper floors. The one from the back, which they were taking, was used mainly for daytime staff, so it would be empty this time of night.

The screens of computer monitors bathed the entire administrative floor in a soft blue glow when they snuck out of the staircase. The office they wanted was at the end of the hallway and to the left, Geoff had said.

“Hurry,” Mack hissed.

The three of them crept across the carpet until they spotted the office Geoff had described. Mack held his breath as Noah gripped the door handle with his gloved hands. They were really doing this. Jesus Christ.

With a quiet turn of the handle, they were in.

Mack let out a breath and followed Noah inside, the Russian on his heels.

Mack motioned to the door, and the Russian nodded. He took up a guarded position by the door to keep watch while Noah and Mack crossed the small space to the desk. The computer was on but needed a log-in.

Mack swore under his breath. “You’re sure you can do this?”

Noah sat down in Royce’s chair and immediately started pounding the keys. It was like watching Mozart compose a symphony the way Noah manipulated the computer. Seconds later he was in.

“Jesus, you did that fast.”

“People don’t give enough thought to passwords,” Noah said. He dug a thumb drive from his pocket and shoved it into the port on the side of the computer.

Mack turned away to study the office. He glowered at the picture of Royce with his wife.

“Ten minutes,” Hop said into their ears.

Sweat rolled down Mack’s face. The Russian was at the door, ready to take out anyone who happened to come upon them.

Noah’s fingers flew across the keyboard.

“How do you even know what you’re looking for?” Mack asked.

“Don’t talk to me,” Noah snapped.

“Liv is driving me crazy for an update,” came Hop’s voice.

Mack smiled. “Tell her we’re fine.”

Except they weren’t. Noah was swearing and banging on the keys.

“What’s wrong?”

“I said don’t talk to me!”

A car horn on the street outside nearly sent Mack jumping clear to the ceiling. “Hurry the fuck up,” he griped.

“I’m in,” Noah breathed.

Mack raced over to watch as Noah called up list of files. “What are we looking at?”

“I’m just going to download it all.”

“How long will that take?”

Noah ignored him. Mack clasped his gloved hands into fists and banged them against his forehead.

“Almost done,” Noah said. “Five more seconds.”

Mack counted down in his head.

“I’m out,” Noah said.

Mack let out a relieved breath. “Let’s go.”

Noah pulled out the thumb drive, clicked out of whatever file he’d been in, and then backed away from the computer. The Russian held up his hand before they could leave, looking back and forth down the hallway before giving them a nod.

They made it halfway down the hall before they heard footsteps.

Shit. Shitshitshit. Mack met Noah’s equally alarmed gaze. The Russian spun around.

Whoever they were, they were coming right for them. Mack grabbed Noah and threw him under a desk. The Russian wrapped his fingers around Mack’s wrist and yanked him behind a half wall separating one cubicle from the next.

Two male voices were coming. The night security guards Geoff had warned about. Oh fuck. Oh shit.

And then suddenly the Russian let out a soft moan.

“Oh no.” Mack peered closer at his face. “Oh shit, no.”

“What?” Hop hissed through the earpiece.

“I think there’s something wrong with him,” Noah answered into the microphone.

“Wrong with who?”

“The Russian dude. He’s got a weird look on his face.”

Mack grabbed the Russian’s lapels and dragged him close. “Breathe. Breathe through it.”

The Russian started to pant like he was in labor.

“What the fuck is going on?” Hop barked.

“I don’t know!” Noah hissed.

“What did you eat?” Mack whispered.

“No cheese. Just vegan cheese.”

“You can’t eat vegan cheese!”

“It’s nondairy. Nondairy.”

“It’s still fucking cheese!”

The Russian groaned again, and even in the low light of the computers, Mack could see as the color drained from his face.

Sweat ran down Mack’s back. “You gotta squeeze your cheeks, man. Squeeze and breathe, because if you let that go right now, we’re done for.”

“Are you kidding me?” Noah hissed. “Is this about a fart?”

“You don’t understand,” Mack said, looking sideways. “He doesn’t just fart. It’s like ripping open a sewer line and—”

A soft Russian chant cut him off.

Panic set in. “This is bad. This is so fucking bad.”

“Can’t he just let it out silently?” Noah asked.

“It’s not the sound we’re worried about. It’s the goddamned smell.”

“This is a joke, right?” Hop said through the earpiece.

“I can’t hold it,” the Russian groaned.

“You have to.”

“Not healthy to hold it in,” the Russian grunted.

Mack shook him. “It’s not going to be healthy for you if you let it out either.”

The Russian groaned and wrapped his arms around his abdomen. His face twisted in pain. Outside their hiding spot, footsteps drew closer. Mack smacked his hand over the Russian’s mouth. Sweat poured like a river down his face.

He couldn’t believe it. He was going to get busted for breaking and entering and a hundred other offenses because of a goddamned fart.

And not even one of his own!

But as it so often happened in the manuals, a sudden epiphany broke through the haze of panic. Jail would be worth it because he was doing this for Liv. No one else. He had officially fallen for her. Enemies-to-lovers was no longer just a fictional trope for him—it was his fucking life.

“What the hell is happening in there?” Hop barked into their ears.

The light from the security guards’ flashlights bobbed back and forth across the floor, closer and closer.

The Russian sucked in a breath and held it.

The guards passed by.

The Russian exhaled.

And the smell of death filled the air.

Noah fell onto all fours and crawled, gagging. Around the corner, someone shouted. “Goddamn, dude. Did you just fart?”