The illicit affair L u c a s D u r a n D The illicit affair There was nowhere for him to hide if things went wrong. Lucas Durand Ovi ebooks are available in Ovi/Ovi eBookshelves pages and they are for free. If somebody tries to sell you an Ovi book please contact us immediately. 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The only sound was the echo of Richard Hartley’s boots against the cobblestones, each step a reminder of the weight of the mission he had just been given. His hand, wrapped tightly around the leath- er-bound envelope, felt the edges of the papers in- side, a secret that could change everything. He wasn’t nervous; he’d been in tighter situations than this. But tonight, something about it all felt... off. The cold, the silence, the sense that there were too many eyes watching. Lucas Durand The alley he walked down seemed too familiar, too isolated. There was nowhere for him to hide if things went wrong. Ahead, a shadow moved, and Richard’s sharp eyes flicked towards it. It was her. Ilse Braun. Her fur coat swept behind her like a dark, flowing river, and her veil only partially concealed the sharp, aristocratic features of her face. Despite her efforts to blend in, Richard could tell she was someone of im- portance. Her every movement was deliberate, and her posture suggested she was a woman who knew how to command attention. But tonight, there was something colder in her demeanor. “Lieutenant-Colonel Hartley,” she said, her voice low, betraying a trace of amusement. She stopped a few paces away from him, her gaze never leaving his. He inclined his head, his eyes scanning the sur- rounding darkness once more. “Miss Braun,” he said. “I trust you have what I asked for?” She nodded, and without another word, she reached into the folds of her coat and produced the envelope. Richard’s fingers brushed against hers briefly, and a The illicit affair sudden jolt of electricity shot through him. It was ab- surd. He barely knew her, and yet, there was some- thing about her presence that unsettled him, some- thing that made him question the very nature of this mission. His mind was always working, analyzing, calcu- lating, but now, his instincts were telling him to be careful. “Is there anything else?” Richard asked, his tone even, his eyes narrowing slightly. Ilse’s lips curled into a faint, knowing smile, and she tilted her head. “You think I would come all the way here for nothing?” Her voice dropped lower, the words more like a whisper. “I think you know there is... something else.” Richard’s brow furrowed. This was the moment he had feared. “What are you not telling me?” She leaned closer, her voice dropping even further, almost seductive in its low murmur. “There are those watching. I am not the only one with secrets, Rich- ard.” His pulse quickened. “Where?” Lucas Durand “At my house,” she said. “It’s safer there. But we must hurry. And be careful. They have eyes every- where. We cannot trust anyone.” Her words hung in the air like a dark promise, but before he could respond, a figure appeared at the far end of the alley, a tall man, wearing a long overcoat, his face obscured by the shadows. Ilse stiffened, and Richard’s hand went to his pistol instinctively. “You brought someone else?” he asked, his voice laced with suspicion. “Don’t be foolish,” Ilse snapped, her eyes flashing with irritation. “This is my brother. He’s...” Before she could finish, a sharp crack of gunfire split the air, and the man in the overcoat collapsed, blood spurting from his chest as he hit the ground with a sickening thud. Ilse’s eyes widened in shock. “No!” she screamed, rushing toward him. The world slowed as Richard’s instincts kicked into overdrive. He grabbed her arm with a vice-like grip, pulling her roughly toward him. “Stay down!” he barked. The illicit affair Another shot rang out, the bullet grazing Richard’s shoulder, and he gritted his teeth against the pain. It wasn’t bad, but it was enough to make him angry. He shoved Ilse into an alleyway and ducked behind a stack of crates, positioning himself to return fire. He could hear Ilse’s sharp breath behind him as she crouched low, but he didn’t take his eyes off the shad- ows. From the darkness, a deep voice spoke with a thick German accent. “Such a pity, Colonel,” it mocked. “You should have known better than to trust her.” Richard’s heart pounded, but he didn’t let it show. The betrayal had come earlier than expected. “You were never supposed to be part of this, Ilse,” he muttered under his breath, his mind calculating his next move. There was no time to dwell on the pain or the shock. He had to act. “Get to the car,” Richard ordered, his voice cold and commanding. “Now.” Ilse hesitated, looking over her shoulder toward the dead man, her expression one of grief and dis- belief. Richard didn’t have time to console her. He fired twice into the darkness, his shots cracking the silence, forcing their would-be attacker to retreat. Lucas Durand “Go!” he barked again, this time with more urgen- cy. She hesitated a moment longer before nodding and bolting toward the street. Her heels clicked sharply against the wet cobblestones as she ran, her figure vanishing into the mist. Richard stayed low, taking cover behind a pillar, his eyes scanning for any movement. He could feel the blood trickling down his arm, but the pain was secondary to the mission now. He couldn’t let her get away, not without answers. As the seconds stretched into what felt like hours, Richard quickly assessed the situation. He had no idea how many others were watching, how many men were waiting in the shadows. The sound of Ilse’s footsteps faded, and Richard took a breath, his grip tightening on his weapon. He had to follow her. There was no other choice. Another shot rang out, barely missing him, and Richard instinctively rolled to the side, behind an- other wall. He fired two quick shots into the dark- ness, hearing a grunt of pain from somewhere be- yond his view. The illicit affair With a final glance over his shoulder, he darted into the alley after her, his senses sharp and alert. He had been betrayed, but he would survive. He always did. The car was just ahead, parked in the shadow of a building, the engine idling in the cold night air. Rich- ard ran toward it, his thoughts focused on the next step. He could hear Ilse’s voice, barely audible above the sound of the engine. “Richard, please...” she was pleading. “I didn’t...” “Shut up,” he snapped, cutting her off. “Just get in. We’ll talk later.” He slid into the driver’s seat, and the car sped off into the night, the London streets a blur of light and shadow. They had made it this far, but Richard knew that the worst was yet to come. Lucas Durand I. The candlelight flickered, casting long, shifting shadows on the walls of the small, dimly lit safe house on the outskirts of London. Richard Hartley’s eyes were cold, his mind still racing from the firefight ear- lier that night. His shoulder throbbed with pain, the wound freshly bandaged. But the pain wasn’t what gnawed at him. It was the betrayal. Ilse Braun, the woman he had trusted, had led him into a trap. And now, she was sitting across from him in that same room, her hands clenched tightly in her lap as if to prevent them from betraying her nerves. He could still hear the faint sound of the rain beat- ing against the windows, the storm outside mirror- ing the chaos in his mind. The illicit affair “You didn’t tell me the whole truth, did you, Ilse?” Richard’s voice was low, a thread of steel running through it. Ilse didn’t flinch at his accusation. Instead, she looked down, her face pale under the flickering light, the weight of her brother’s death still hanging over her. Her eyes, usually sharp and full of purpose, were now clouded with a mixture of regret and defiance. She opened her mouth but hesitated, as if search- ing for the right words, then finally said, “I had no choice, Richard. They’ve been watching me for months. They threatened my family.” Richard’s eyes narrowed, the anger simmering be- neath his cool exterior. “Who, Ilse? Who’s behind this?” His voice grew sharper. He didn’t have time for half-truths anymore. Ilse took a breath, her lips trembling as she spoke, “The Nazis, of course. But there’s someone else... a man named Klaus Adler. He works for the SS. He’s been blackmailing me.” Richard leaned forward, the chair creaking under his weight. “Why would someone like you be work- ing with them?” He could hardly believe the words Lucas Durand coming out of her mouth. His mind was still trying to process it. Ilse looked away, her hands tightening in her lap. She was avoiding his gaze, but Richard had seen enough to know when someone was hiding some- thing. “Because they promised me protection,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Protection for my family. They said if I cooperated, they’d keep them safe.” Richard clenched his jaw. His instincts told him she wasn’t lying, but there was more to this. There had to be. “You didn’t intend to betray the British. But you were still playing their game. Why didn’t you come to us sooner?” Ilse’s eyes flickered toward him, the vulnerability in them momentarily making him hesitate. “I wasn’t sure who I could trust. The Germans... the SS... they’ve infiltrated everything, Richard. It’s not just about my family anymore. It’s about something big- ger. Something that could end the war.” Richard leaned back, his mind running at full speed. She wasn’t lying, he could see that in her eyes. But the pieces didn’t fit together. Not yet. “So, you were gathering information for us all along. What kind of information?” The illicit affair Ilse hesitated, then met his gaze. “Something that could turn the tide. The Germans are planning some- thing big, Richard. I don’t know the details, but Klaus Adler... he’s been gathering everything ...everything that could break the back of the British war effort.” Richard’s heart skipped a beat. He had suspect- ed as much. They’d been getting reports of unusual German activity, but nothing concrete. Now, Ilse was confirming his worst fears. “And you’re sure Adler’s behind it?” “Positive,” Ilse said. Her voice was steady now, like a woman who had made peace with her conscience or as much peace as she could. “He’s dangerous. And there’s someone else. Someone inside Britain’s gov- ernment, someone working with him.” Richard’s pulse quickened. “A double agent?” Ilse nodded, her eyes shadowed with fear. “Yes. I don’t know who, but I overheard them talking. Klaus Adler isn’t just running the show; he’s got help inside. And if they succeed, Richard, it will be the end of ev- erything. Britain won’t stand a chance.” Richard’s mind raced. There was too much at stake now. “How many others are involved in this? How deep does this go?” Lucas Durand “I don’t know,” she admitted, her voice cracking. “But Klaus Adler’s plans go far beyond me. He has a network, a shadow organization. And they’re plan- ning something catastrophic. Something I can’t stop alone.” Richard leaned forward again, his eyes never leav- ing her face. “You’ve been playing a dangerous game, Ilse. And now, I’m stuck in it with you. But you’ve got to tell me everything. How can we stop them?” She swallowed hard, the weight of the moment pressing down on her shoulders. “I don’t have all the answers, Richard. But I know Adler’s planning some- thing. Something at the heart of Britain’s defenses. And I know he’s meeting with someone, a high-rank- ing official. Someone who’s been feeding him infor- mation.” Richard’s eyes narrowed. “Someone inside the gov- ernment?” His voice dropped lower, as the gravity of what she was saying settled in. “Yes,” she replied, her voice barely audible. “And they’ll be meeting soon. I overheard them talking. If we can get to that meeting...” A loud crash interrupted her words. Richard’s hand The illicit affair shot to the holster at his side, his pulse racing as his instincts took over. He rose to his feet, moving with the speed of a man who had been in too many dan- gerous situations to hesitate now. “Get down,” he barked, pulling Ilse behind him as the door to the safe house slammed open. In the shadows, the silhouette of a man emerged, tall and imposing, the barrel of a gun gleaming in the dim light. Richard’s mind snapped into action. It was one of Adler’s men, no doubt. He didn’t have time to think about who or why. He had to protect Ilse. “Stay down,” he hissed. Ilse crouched low, her breath coming in shallow gasps, her eyes wide with panic. Richard didn’t hesitate. He moved with practiced ease, drawing his own weapon as the man stepped into the room, his gun aimed directly at them. Rich- ard fired first, the shot ringing out in the stillness of the room. The man staggered back, his hands flying to his chest as he crumpled to the floor. Lucas Durand Richard’s heart pounded, but there was no time to celebrate. He grabbed Ilse’s arm and yanked her to- ward the back door. “Move! We’ve got to get out of here, now!” They burst into the alley behind the house, the rain now pouring down in sheets. Richard didn’t look back as he pulled Ilse into a nearby car, the engine roaring to life as he slammed the door shut. The car sped off into the night, tires screeching against the wet streets. Richard’s mind was a whirlwind, but his resolve was clear. They were in this together now. And noth- ing, not even the Nazis, would stop him from uncov- ering the truth. Ilse, the woman he had once trusted, was now the key to everything. But the price of that trust might just be his life. And that was a price Richard Hartley was willing to pay. The car weaved through the narrow London streets, the city’s lights reflecting off the rain-soaked pavement. Richard’s grip tightened on the wheel. His eyes flicked to Ilse sitting in the passenger seat. She The illicit affair was silent now, her face pale but resolute. He could feel the weight of her gaze, the unspoken questions hanging in the air between them. “Where are we going?” she finally asked, her voice quiet. Richard didn’t answer immediately, his thoughts churning. He needed a place to lay low, somewhere they could regroup, figure out their next move. “There’s a safe house in the West End,” he said, his voice steady. “We’ll meet with someone who can help us, someone who can give us more information on Adler.” Ilse nodded but didn’t say anything more. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the only sound the hum of the engine and the rain tapping against the windows. But as they rounded a corner, Richard’s instincts flared. A car was following them. It was subtle at first, the headlights barely visible in the rearview mirror. But Richard could feel the tension in the air—the sense that something was closing in. Ilse stiffened beside him. “Do you think they’re fol- lowing us?” Lucas Durand Richard’s jaw clenched. “It’s too soon for them to know where we’re going.” But the car behind them wasn’t backing off. It was gaining speed, coming closer. Richard’s fingers tight- ened around the steering wheel, his mind already calculating their next move. “We need to lose them,” he muttered, his voice hard. He slammed the accelerator to the floor, the car lurching forward as they sped through the streets. The other car wasn’t far behind, its headlights gleam- ing in the rain-soaked darkness. Richard took a sharp turn, the tires screeching against the slick road. The car behind them fol- lowed, but Richard wasn’t going to let them catch up. He could hear the engine roaring behind them, the chase was on. He glanced at Ilse. “Hold on.” And then the real game began.