Perfect Undercover

There was a dull thud.

The baton slammed into the outside of my thigh.

Pain shot through me. I let out a muffled groan and let myself fall to the ground, clutching my leg as I curled up.

In truth, the moment Derek swung the baton, I had instinctively shifted my weight and tightened the muscles in my leg to avoid the bone.

But the hit still hurt.

Seeing me down on the ground, Derek only got more worked up. He pointed the baton at my head and sneered.

“Why are you playing dead? Weren’t you acting tough just now? One hit and you’re already done?”

The residents around us did not show the slightest sympathy.

Instead, they burst into laughter.

“Serves him right. People like him need to be taught a lesson.”

“Good hit, Derek. Trash like this won’t remember unless you beat it into them.”

Melissa walked up to me and frowned in disgust.

“What a mood killer. Derek, drag him out. Don’t let him dirty our building.”

Just as Derek was about to raise the baton again, a low voice came from behind him.

“What’s going on here? Why is it so noisy? You know I like things quiet.”

My heart jolted.

He was here.

Lying on the ground, I saw a pair of polished leather shoes stop in front of me.

Victor Grant.

A high-priority fugitive wanted for multiple deaths and a massive money-laundering case.

To keep him from noticing anything wrong, I quickly adjusted my breathing and made my body tremble slightly.

“Honey.”

Melissa, who had been so arrogant a second ago, immediately threw herself into Victor’s arms and whined.

“You finally came down. This delivery guy bullied me.

“He spilled my soup, then rolled his eyes at me. My heart is still racing.”

Victor glanced at the mess on the ground, then swept his cold gaze over me.

As a veteran detective, I immediately recognized the look in his eyes.

It was killing intent.

A desperate criminal like him would eliminate anything that might draw attention to him.

“All right. It’s not worth making such a scene over.”

Victor sounded impatient as he pulled a thick stack of cash from his pocket.

There had to be more than ten thousand dollars.

He tossed it casually into the air, and the bills scattered down over my face like rain.

“Take the money and get lost.”

His voice was not loud, but it carried a pressure no one dared challenge.

“And don’t ever let me see you in this building again. Otherwise, the next baton won’t just hit your leg. It’ll crack your skull.”

The residents gasped.

“Oh my God. Mr. Grant is so forgiving.”

“A loser like him couldn’t make that much in a year of deliveries. Why isn’t he thanking Mr. Grant already?”

“If I were him, I’d lick the soup off the floor before leaving. That money is way too easy.”

Humiliation burned through me.

But I had to endure it.

I reached out with a trembling hand, pretending to greedily pick up the cash scattered on the ground.

As long as I acted like a coward who would do anything for money, Victor would lower his guard.

The moment he turned around, my team would close in from every direction.

But just as my fingers were about to touch the bills, a leather shoe came down hard on the back of my hand.

“Hold on. You think you can take the money and walk away? That’s too easy.”

Victor pointed at the tiny splash of soup on Melissa’s shoe, his eyes dark and vicious.

“If you’re taking my money, then do the job properly.

“Lick her shoe clean.

“If you miss a spot, I’ll have Derek break one of your fingers.”

Then his voice dropped, cold and sharp.

“What are you waiting for? Lick it.”