Undercover longings Matilde Oliveira UNderCOver lONG iNG S To Simone, he was much more. He was the target. Matilde Oliveira 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. For details, contact: ovimagazine@yahoo.com No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior permission of the writer or the above publisher of this book An Ovi eBooks Publication 2025 Ovi eBookPublications - All material is copyright of the Ovi eBooks Publications & the writer C Undercover longings Undercover longings Matilde Oliveira Matilde Oliveira An Ovi eBooks Publication 2025 Ovi eBookPublications - All material is copyright of the Ovi eBooks Publications & the writer C Undercover longings T he city stretched out before her like an end- less sea of glittering lights, its heartbeat puls- ing in time with the frenetic energy of those who ruled it. The skyscrapers rose against the inky night sky, tall and unyielding, a testament to power, wealth, and the unspoken dominance that thrived within the glass and steel of the metropolis. It was a world where secrets were currency, and no one played the game better than Everett Stark. Simone Blake stood in the shadows of the balco- ny, her fingers curling around the cool glass of the wine glass she barely tasted, her eyes locked on the man of the hour. He stood at the center of the room, surrounded by high-society glitterati, his posture commanding, his very presence bending the space around him. To everyone else, he was simply the bil- lionaire businessman, the mastermind behind Stark Enterprises, a name spoken with a reverence that bordered on fear. But to Simone, he was much more. He was the target. Matilde Oliveira Her assignment was clear, observe, infiltrate, ex- pose. Everett Stark was rumoured to be the master- mind behind a tangled web of illicit operations that reached into the highest echelons of government, business, and crime. Weapons, money laundering, bribery, the whispers had been enough to earn him a place on the radar of the Department of Justice. And she, Detective Simone Blake, had been chosen to in- vestigate him. But what had started as a calculated assignment quickly became something far more dangerous. The first time their eyes met, across the grand ballroom of the charity gala, it was as though time had mo- mentarily stopped. A flicker of something dark and magnetic sparked between them, igniting an aware- ness that neither could deny. It wasn’t just his strik- ing good looks—though those were enough to make even the most composed woman lose her breath, it was the raw power emanating from him. A qui- et force that seemed to settle over everything and everyone around him. His gaze, steady and unflinch- ing, locked with hers, and Simone felt something stir deep within her that she hadn’t expected, something far more unsettling than the assignment she’d been given. Undercover longings He was dangerous. That much was clear. But there was a hunger in his eyes that called to her in a way she couldn’t explain. “I didn’t think they allowed people like you in plac- es like this.” His voice was low, almost a whisper, but it sent a shiver down her spine as he appeared at her side, cutting through the crowd like a shark through water. He wore the air of a man who was untoucha- ble, the kind who never needed to explain himself. Simone’s breath hitched in her chest, and for a moment, she found herself speechless. “I’m here on business,” she replied smoothly, her voice betraying none of the chaos swirling in her chest. “A charity event isn’t quite my scene, Mr. Stark.” He smiled, the curve of his lips both amused and dangerous. “Then why are you here, Detective Blake? Because I think you’re lying.” Her pulse quickened. Her cover had only been in place for a few hours, and already, he was digging be- neath the surface, seeing things she hadn’t meant him to. It was unsettling. It was dangerous. And worst of all, it was thrilling. “I could say the same about you,” she replied, try- Matilde Oliveira ing to regain her composure, “Mr. Stark. Aren’t you a little out of place among the glittering philanthro- pists?” He chuckled softly, his eyes never leaving hers. “Perhaps,” he admitted, his voice laced with an ar- rogance that made her want to both challenge him and stay as far away from him as possible. “But some- times, I find that power is best wielded in plain sight.” Simone’s stomach twisted. There was a subtle dan- ger in the way he spoke, an underlying challenge that made her question everything. Was he toying with her? Was he onto her? She couldn’t afford to get dis- tracted, couldn’t afford to let her emotions bleed into this investigation. But the more time she spent near him, the more she realized that walking away might be harder than she thought. “I’ll be sure to look into that,” Simone said, step- ping back slightly, her gaze never wavering. “After all, I’m here to gather information. And you, Mr. Stark, are nothing but a mystery.” His eyes darkened, and she could feel the inten- sity of his scrutiny like a physical thing, pulling at her, unravelling the layers of her carefully construct- ed barriers. “Then I suggest you be careful, Detec- Undercover longings tive,” he said, his voice low and dangerous, each word wrapped in a warning she couldn’t quite decipher. “Some mysteries are better left unsolved.” Simone’s heart stuttered in her chest. His words lingered in the air, thick and charged, and she knew, deep down, that this investigation would never be as simple as she had imagined. Not with Everett Stark. Not with the magnetic pull that she could no longer deny. There was something about him, something that called to her in ways that had nothing to do with the mission. And that terrified her. Her assignment was clear, gather evidence, take him down. He was a criminal, a man to be exposed and destroyed, just another piece of the corrupt ma- chine that ran the world. But the closer she got to him, the more she real- ized that he was no mere villain. There was a storm in his eyes, a depth to him that made her question everything she thought she knew. Could it be that the whispers surrounding him were lies? Could it be that, like her, he was playing a game that no one else could see? Was she the one being played? Matilde Oliveira Simone’s world was beginning to tilt, the lines be- tween right and wrong blurring with every passing moment in his presence. She couldn’t help herself. Her heart, her mind, were at war with each other, the heat between them undeniable. He was dangerous. He was powerful. And he was watching her, like a predator savouring the moment before the hunt. But she wasn’t the type to back down. Not from a challenge. Not from him. As she turned away from him and made her way through the crowd, Simone couldn’t shake the feel- ing that her life had just taken a dangerous, irrevoca- ble turn. She had entered his world, and now she was in too deep to walk away. And, worst of all, she was starting to wonder if she ever wanted to. Undercover longings Ι. Simone Blake’s heels echoed in the cavernous lob- by of Stark Enterprises, each click on the marble floor reverberating through the vast, gleaming space. The air was thick with the scent of polished wood and expensive cologne, and the walls seemed to shim- mer with the power and wealth that defined this place. Every inch of the building screamed success, expensive art on the walls, an oversized chandelier hanging from the ceiling like a modern-day crown, and staff moving silently like shadows. But none of it impressed Simone. She was here for something far more elusive, far more dangerous than this polished exterior could ever reveal. Her eyes scanned the room, but it wasn’t the art- work or the sleek furniture that held her attention— it was the man she was here to investigate. Everett Stark, billionaire, CEO, and the rumoured master- Matilde Oliveira mind behind an operation that stretched its tendrils far into the underground world of arms dealing, mon- ey laundering, and political corruption. For months, she’d been piecing together the puzzle, but all she had were whispers. Whispers and a name. Stark. She was a woman who blended into her surround- ings with effortless grace, one of the best undercover operatives in the city, and she’d done her homework. Today, she wasn’t Detective Blake. Today, she was an invited consultant, brought in to assess the security systems of Stark Enterprises. It was a perfect cover for her real purpose. A dangerous game was unfold- ing, and Simone had already decided she would be the one to win. She stepped forward, the elevator at the far end of the room awaiting her. Just as she crossed the thresh- old, the doors opened with a soft ding, and she froze. There he was. Everett Stark. He stood just inside, impeccably dressed in a tai- lored black suit that clung to his lean, muscular frame like it had been made for him and it probably had. His black hair, slightly tousled, fell just above his Undercover longings brow, and his eyes, those piercing, dark eyes, locked with hers the moment she stepped into the elevator. For a second, it felt like the entire world had disap- peared, leaving only the two of them in the small, intimate space. Simone’s heart stuttered for the briefest of mo- ments, but she masked it, pulling her shoulders back and meeting his gaze with steady, unwavering re- solve. “Detective Blake,” he said, his voice smooth as vel- vet, each word seemingly dipped in honey and steel. The sound of it washed over her, setting every nerve in her body alight. “Mr. Stark,” Simone replied, her tone calm and controlled, though inside, she felt the flicker of some- thing she couldn’t name, a sense of trepidation, yes, but also an undeniable pull. This was no ordinary man. This was a man who commanded the room without ever raising his voice. The elevator doors slid shut, the hum of the ma- chinery surrounding them as the lift began its ascent. They stood in silence for a moment, the tension be- tween them thickening with each passing floor. Si- mone couldn’t bring herself to look away from him, Matilde Oliveira and it seemed neither could he. His gaze, sharp and calculating, never left her, as though he was studying her every move, trying to decipher the puzzle that was Detective Simone Blake. “I’ve heard about your... skills,” he said after a beat, his lips curving into a half-smile that was both invit- ing and dangerous. The smile didn’t quite reach his eyes—those dark eyes that held an intensity Simone knew could be either a gift or a curse. “I’m intrigued.” Simone’s breath caught in her throat, her pulse quickening ever so slightly. She had to keep her com- posure. This was business. He was the enemy, the tar- get. But there was something in his voice, a seductive undercurrent that rattled her like nothing else could. “I’m just here to help with a few... matters that need attention,” she said, her voice steady, betraying none of the confusion and heat that suddenly twisted inside her. He tilted his head slightly, his dark gaze narrowing, his lips curling ever so slightly. “Matters that require a woman like you?” Simone’s stomach fluttered at the implication, but she refused to let it show. She was too good at this, Undercover longings too good at maintaining control. She wasn’t about to let Everett Stark see the slightest crack in her armour. “You have no idea what I’m capable of, Mr. Stark,” she replied, her voice low and measured, a challenge in every syllable. The air in the elevator grew thick, almost oppres- sive, as the distance between them seemed to shrink. Simone felt the warmth of his presence envelop her, and the space between them became charged with an electricity she couldn’t ignore. It wasn’t just his phys- ical proximity, it was his power, his dominance, the way he made everything feel like it was his to com- mand. Simone couldn’t help the way her heart raced, or the way her breath hitched in her chest. But she had a job to do. She couldn’t afford to lose herself in the magnetism that was Everett Stark. As if sensing her internal struggle, he leaned just a fraction closer, his voice a soft murmur that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. “I think you’ll find that I’m very good at... getting peo- ple to show their true colours, Detective. Very good.” Simone’s pulse spiked, her body betraying her as her instincts screamed at her to step back, to put some distance between them. But she stood firm, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her flinch. Matilde Oliveira “I’m not here to play your games, Mr. Stark,” she said, her voice cutting through the tense silence be- tween them. “I’m here to do a job. Nothing more.” He smiled again, the curve of his lips a little more dangerous now, a little more knowing. He knew ex- actly what he was doing, exactly how to get under her skin. “We’ll see about that, Detective,” he said softly, the words lingering in the air like a promise. “Because from where I stand, you’re already playing.” Before Simone could respond, the elevator dinged, signalling their arrival on the top floor. The doors slid open with a quiet whoosh, and the oppressive atmos- phere between them didn’t lift—it followed them as they stepped into the lavish, open-plan office space. Simone took a steadying breath, her gaze flicking across the room, but it was impossible to ignore the way her body thrummed with awareness of him be- hind her. Every step she took felt weighted, as if he was watching her every move, waiting for her to slip. She had come here to expose him. But as she glanced back over her shoulder, she wondered, just for a fleeting moment, who was really in control of this dangerous game. Undercover longings And she had to admit, for the first time, she wasn’t entirely sure if it was her. Matilde Oliveira ΙΙ. Simone’s days at Stark Enterprises had blurred into one long, suffocating haze of secrets and lies. She had been trained to remain distant, to observe, to never let emotions cloud her judgment. But it was becom- ing harder with each passing day. Every time Everett Stark looked at her, she felt as though he could see right through her, beyond the role she was playing, beyond the guarded exterior she worked so hard to maintain. His gaze was always too intense, too searching, and it unsettled her in a way she couldn’t explain. She had come here to investigate him, to expose the darkness lurking beneath the polished surface of his world. But the longer she spent with him, the more the lines between duty and desire began to blur. And that terrified her. Undercover longings It had started with the smallest things: a subtle brush of his fingers as he handed her a document, the low hum of his voice when he spoke her name, the way his presence filled the room in a way no one else’s could. At first, she had brushed it off, telling herself it was nothing more than the natural pull between two strong-willed individuals. But it had grown. The tension had grown. And now, she couldn’t ignore it anymore. It was late one evening, after hours of meetings and negotiations that had drained her more than she cared to admit, when Simone found herself on the rooftop garden of Stark’s penthouse. The city stretched out before her, a sea of lights twinkling like a thousand stars beneath the darkened sky. She needed a moment to breathe, to clear her mind of the weight of the role she was playing, to remind herself why she was here. She was no longer just a woman caught in the web of this man’s world, she was a de- tective with a mission, and she couldn’t afford to let anything, especially him, distract her from that. But when she heard the soft click of the door be- hind her, she knew, before she even turned around, who it was. “Are you running from me, Detective?” Everett’s Matilde Oliveira voice sliced through the stillness, dark and teasing, like velvet wrapped around a blade. Simone stiffened, her fingers tightening around the railing. She didn’t want to face him, didn’t want to give in to the temptation he represented. But she couldn’t help herself. Slowly, she turned to find him standing there, tall and commanding, his expression unreadable. His dark eyes flickered with something that she couldn’t quite name, but it was enough to send a shiver down her spine. “I’m not running from anything,” she shot back, forcing herself to meet his gaze, even though her heart was racing in her chest. “I’m just... taking a breath.” His lips curved into that dangerous, knowing smile, the one that made her blood run hot. “It’s a dangerous game you’re playing.” Simone’s pulse quickened at the challenge in his voice. He always made it sound so simple, like it was nothing more than a game. And maybe, in his world, it was. But for her, it was life and death. It was everything. “And you’re one to talk,” she countered, stepping