Chapter 58 TRIAL BY EXPOSURE

Chapter 58 TRIAL BY EXPOSURE
“Ok, I have to admit,” Leo whined as we walked into the garage together. “It’s been kinda boring since Si said we weren’t going to chase after Maddox and his secrets again.”
Mina nodded in agreement as she dropped into a sofa. “I know, right? It’s just routine missions on missions nowadays.”
I shook my head, saying nothing. We were just returning from a job that involved extracting the spoiled son of a businessman out of a sticky situation he had found himself in within gang turf. 
The decision to cut the crew out of the loop wasn't easy, but it was necessary. 
The so-called council was an entirely different breed of monster. They didn't just silence people; they made brutal, public examples out of anyone who stepped out of line. I had promised to protect old Sienna’s people, and that meant keeping them far away from the crosshairs of the elite my father used to roll with.
Though Jax’s dark eyes followed me around, heavy with a silent, sharp skepticism, we have all gone back to our regular work after I said we should just focus on the money. 
I ignored it. I was waiting for the one call that would solidify my footprint in Kanan's world.
The next morning, I had just finished taking a bath when my phone rang.
The name on the screen made me answer immediately. “Took you long enough,” I said as soon as I accepted the call.
“You sound excited.” Viper drawled, her tone smug. "Well, can’t say I'm lame you.” Then her voice hardened, becoming serious. “It's time to sign a contract."
"A contract?” I repeated, almost believing I had heard her wrong. “You’re joking.”
“Do I sound amused?” she hissed. 
“Since when do we do that sort of paperwork in our field?" I muttered, sitting on my bed. “I work in underground fight clubs.”
“And now you’re trying to work for Kanan Maddox. And he wants everything legal.” Viper explained with an exasperated sigh. 
I rubbed my forehead. “That is somehow the most disappointing thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Get used to it,” she snapped, her patience running out… not like she had any to begin with. "I told you, he isn't just looking for a stray dog from the trenches. He wants an asset who can handle themselves professionally. But before the papers are signed, he wants to try you out on a mission first."
I sat up straight, my pulse quickening. "What kind of mission?"
“You’ll be representing Maddox Industries during a shipping dispute," Viper said. "They are choking our transport margins."
“What the hell do you mean by a shipping dispute?” I asked, my eyebrows practically disappearing into my hair with shock. “I fight people.”
“Congratulations on your promotion,” Viper said, her tone dry.
I let out a dry chuckle. "Why am I doing that, Viper? I’m not a receptionist, and I’m definitely not a corporate negotiator.” I protested. “That’s a regular company, not a crew we can just stomp out on the streets."
"Suit up, I guess," she replied nonchalantly. "If you fuck this up, you are done. The address is being sent to you now, and an assistant will be waiting for you. Dress appropriately."
I stared at the location on my screen after she ended the call. 
To win this, I couldn't use Sienna’s fists. I had to dig deep into my former life as Elena and remember the hours I spent watching and helping my father manage financial accounts and navigate high-stakes negotiations with elite international guests.
I stood up and went to my wardrobe, pulling out a garment bag from the very back. It was a dress I had bought months ago when I was still struggling to accept the new life I was in now. 
Twenty minutes later, the heavy clatter of discussion stopped instantly when I descended the metal stairs to the main general floor.
Kael dropped his socket wrench, Leo froze at his monitor, and Mina completely let go of the ball she had been bouncing against the wall. They all stared at me as if I were a ghost descending from the sky.
I was wearing a tailored, long-sleeved midnight-black midi dress. It was elegant, structural, and completely covered every single line of ink on my skin. My hair was pinned back into a sleek, professional bun, and I had traded my usual boots for a pair of pristine, high-end designer pumps.
"What?" Mina gasped, her jaw practically hitting the floor. "When the hell did you get that dress, Si?"
"It’s only been sitting in my wardrobe for a while," I mumbled, suddenly feeling very awkward under their combined stares.
"Nah, uh," Leo chimed in, shaking his head rapidly. "That is a total lie. You never wear something like that. You have never worn something like this in your entire life."
My face warmed, the awkwardness turning into a strange, fluttering shyness when my eyes met Jax’s. 
He was standing by the refrigerator, his hand frozen in the air with a bottle of water aimed at his mouth. His eyes had gone incredibly dark, burning with a subtle desire that made my breath catch in my throat. 
I quickly covered the feeling with a roll of my eyes. "Come on, guys. It’s not as if I’m wearing a wedding dress or something,” I sneered, my tone brash. “Mama is about to go face big fishes in order to put food on your tables, and this is how you act?"
Mina instantly broke the tension by saluting playfully. "Yes, mommy,” she said, her voice shifting into a childish whine. “We are so grateful for your sacrifices."
I let out a soft huff and turned around, walking toward the garage doors to take the clean Acura we kept for elite runs, trying but failing to ignore the way I could practically feel Jax’s eyes burning holes right through my back. 
It had been a very long time since I felt desired like that. My life as Elena with Kanan had been a cold, transactional one. He only came to my bed in the dead of night, used my body to breed a child that was supposed to serve as collateral between our families, before leaving.
‘Don't lie to yourself,’ a quiet, treacherous voice whispered in the back of my mind. ‘Kanan was incredible in bed. He never treated you like a whore, and you used to crave that touch like a drug because you’d never had a man like him.’
I shook my head as I slid into the driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel until the thoughts died out. 
"Focus," I muttered to myself. "This is serious business."
The drive to the high-rise in the financial district took twenty minutes. When I pulled up to the entrance of the posh skyscraper, a young man in a sharp grey suit holding a tablet was waiting on the curb.
When I stepped out of the vehicle, the man looked up from his screen, his eyes widening in visible relief as he took in my appearance.
"Miss Sienna?" he asked, stepping forward with his hands outstretched for a handshake that almost made me burst into laughter with how ridiculous the whole thing was.
"Yes," I replied smoothly, shaking his hand firmly.
"Wow. You look... remarkably presentable," he breathed, letting out a nervous laugh. "To be completely honest, the boss actually doubted you could pull it off, so I bought an extra pair of clothes just in case, but you look excellent. Nice work."
A small flare of pride settled into my stomach. I had successfully broken the gutter stereotype Kanan had placed me in. 
I tilted my head, offering a dry smile. "So this is how it works? I really do have an assistant now? Is your boss trying to turn me into a receptionist or something?"
The guy laughed nervously, quickly guiding me toward a private elevator in the lobby. "That’s not it at all, Miss Sienna.” He replied, dressing the button that read conference room. “You are definitely not a receptionist. Right now, you are actually acting as his official representative today."
I froze, arching a brow as the elevator shot upward. "What? He gave me something serious like that to do?"
The assistant nodded, his tone turning grave. "I've never seen him trust an outsider with something like this so quickly. But I guess this trial-by-error run is a real make-or-break hurdle. This logistics route is incredibly important to his going-clean initiative."
My stomach twisted with anxiety.
Was his test for me actually something this important? Or were they just pulling my legs and this was just a set-up?