Chapter 32 CREATING THE MIRAGE
“Hold still, or I’ll stab your eye out with this eyeliner.”
“I’m perfectly still,” I protested, trying my best not to squirm.
“Your definition of still is questionable,” Mina muttered, leaning closer.
The harsh white lights of the garage loft had been replaced with softer lamps she’d dragged from somewhere in the building. The space now looked less like a criminal hideout and more like a makeshift dressing room. Makeup palettes, hair tools, clothing racks, and shoes were scattered across every surface.
Apparently, when Mina committed to something, she committed completely.
I sat on a tall stool while she hovered over me like an artist evaluating a canvas.
Behind us, Jax leaned against the wall with his arms folded, watching the whole thing with a look that suggested he deeply regretted agreeing to any of this. “This is ridiculous,” he muttered. “If you’re not going there today, why go through this whole shenanigans?”
“Because this is test makeup,” Mina snapped, not even glancing at him. “I need to know the exact things that work for her instead of rushing around like headless chickens on that day,” she paused and threw him a glare. “And stop nagging. You’re killing the vibe.”
“Because it was ridiculous,” he grumbled, but under his breath this time around.
She rolled her eyes at him, then stepped back slightly, tilting her head as she studied my face. “Hm.”
“That, hm, sounds like I would remain under this torture for a while,” I grumbled.
“It means I’m thinking.”
“Which is exactly what worries me.”
Mina ignored the comment and reached for another brush. “Your bone structure is wasted on the way you usually present yourself,” she said thoughtfully. “All that dark eyeliner and leather jackets scream street fighter.”
“That’s because that’s what I am.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Mina said dismissively, dusting something along my cheekbones. “But we need to make you look like someone who owns the building the street fighters work in.”
Behind us, Jax snorted. “That’s ambitious.”
“Trust me,” Mina said. “I know what I’m doing.”
She worked quickly after that. Stepping back every few minutes, she stepped back to inspect the results before adjusting something else.
I watched in the mirror as the woman I had become began to disappear. Mina used contouring to soften the aggressive lines of Sienna’s jaw and cheekbones. She applied a foundation that made my skin look like polished porcelain, hiding the small scars and the grit of the streets.
When she finished the makeup, she grabbed a brush and started working through my hair.
“What exactly is the plan here?” Jax asked from the wall.
“To make her look expensive,” Mina replied simply.
“She already looks expensive.”
“Not in the right way.”
Mina twisted sections of my hair together, pinning them carefully before letting a few loose strands fall around my face.
Then she stepped back again. “Okay,” she said slowly. “Now for the fun part.”
She disappeared into the bedroom area and returned carrying a garment bag.
Jax straightened slightly, eyeing the expensive designer label on the bag. “Where did that come from?”
“My secret stash,” Mina said proudly as she unzipped the bag and revealed a sleek black dress.
It wasn’t flashy, but the cut was immaculate with elegant lines, expensive fabric, and a slit that climbed just high enough to make it dangerous.
I raised an eyebrow. “That looks uncomfortable.”
She rolled her eyes at me and tossed the dress into my arms. “You were the one who wanted this, so don’t grumble. Go change.”
Ten minutes later, I stepped out of the bedroom, and the room went completely silent.
Even Leo looked up from his beloved laptop. “Well,” he said after a moment. “…damn.”
The dress fit perfectly. It hugged my waist and hips before flowing down my legs in smooth, dark silk. Mina had paired it with black heels that added several inches to my height.
I stood up and looked in the mirror. I gasped.
I didn't see Siren. I didn't even fully see the old Sienna. For the first time since my death, I saw a version of Elena Cruz looking back at me. I looked like I belonged at a gala in the heights. I looked like I belonged on Kanan’s arm.
Mina clapped her hands, delighted. “See? I told you.”
Jax hadn’t said anything. He just stared at me like he was trying to solve a puzzle.
“What?” I asked.
He shook his head slowly. “You don’t look like Sienna anymore.”
“Isn’t that the point?”
“That’s not what I mean.” He mused, then pushed off the wall and walked a little closer. “There’s something else,” he said quietly.
I raised an eyebrow. “Enlighten me.”
He hesitated before speaking. “You look…” he paused, searching for the right word. “like someone else…high society.”
He reached out, his thumb brushing against the emerald silk of my shoulder. I felt the heat of his touch even through the fabric. "I feel like if you walk out that door looking like this, you aren't coming back to the garage. You’re going back to the world where you belong." His eyes moved across my face again. “It’s like you were always supposed to look like this.”
“Damn, Si, you’ve even got Jax spitting poetry. Bro doesn’t even look at women,” Leo said, laughing. “Isn’t that literally what they were aiming for?”
Jax gulped and stepped back from me, focusing his gaze elsewhere.
“Well,” I said lightly, “good thing we’re infiltrating a rich man’s club.”
Mina clapped again, clearly pleased with herself. “Speaking of which, Leo, do you have the club layout yet?”
Leo spun his laptop around so we could see.
The screen showed a digital map of the city with a highlighted block downtown.
“This is what I could get from La Caverna,” he said. “I can't get into their systems except with remote access, so I just scanned it using street cameras around the area.”
He tapped a few keys. “There are lots of cameras outside,” he said. “But...”
He zoomed in on the map, showing red dots marking camera locations.
“There are a few blind spots,” he continued. “Mostly around the service alley and the side parking structure.”
Jax leaned closer to the screen. “You’re sure?”
Leo nodded. “Been watching them for six hours.”
He highlighted a narrow section behind the building. “Right here is the best entry point.”
Mina whistled. “That’s tight,” she said, looking at me. “That’ll be a challenging fit.”
I shrugged. “Why on earth do I have to sneak in?”
Jax’s gaze snapped to me. “No….”
“Yeah,” I countered. “I would simply walk in there as a patron. I'm looking this way, there’s no way I won’t be allowed in.”
“That place needs an invite or reservation,” he growled. “And they’re always booked for months.”
I scoffed. “With this body?” I stated, running my hands down my hips. “Trust me, I don’t.”
Jax’s eyes darkened as they followed my hands before he quickly averted his gaze, clearing his throat.
“She’s right,” Mira piped up. “Sienna never really knew how to utilize her beauty privilege well. I’m glad that she’s finally getting how powerful feminine wiles can be without punching things.”
“I don’t like this,” Jax grumbled under his breath, but didn’t protest further.
Leo looked up again. “Oh, before I forget. "I have a lead on Miller."
I immediately leaned over his shoulder. "Where is he?"
"He was spotted two states over," Leo said, clicking through a series of grainy traffic cam images. "He is using a fake ID, but his gait is the same. He’s staying in low-rent motels and paying in cash. He was seen at a diner in Virginia two days ago."
"Is he settling down there?" I asked.
Leo shook his head. "No. He stayed for a few days, then headed south. He is definitely on the run, Si.”
I turned to Kael, who had been quietly watching everything. "K, I need you to go there, find him, and stay on his tail for a few days. But do not engage. I just need to know where he goes and who he meets. Can you do that?"
Kael nodded, his face serious. "Consider it done, Boss. I’ll leave within the hour."
"Good," I said. "Keep your comms open. If anything feels off, pull back."
Jax frowned slightly. “I still don’t understand why you’re after that detective.”
“I want to know what that man knew about that case.’ I said, maintaining nonchalance. “Any information that may give us leverage is power right now.”
"We need to know when he will be there," Leo quickly said, before Jax could say anything to counter my statement. "Maddox doesn't follow a public schedule. He’s a ghost."
"He’ll be there this Friday," I said.
Jax looked at me, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "You sound pretty confident about that. I'm pretty sure he doesn’t just tell people his weekend plans, so don’t.”
I hesitated, my mind racing for a plausible lie. "I... I remember something from the files I got on him before my accident.”
“You were researching the harbingers before the ambush?” Jax queried, his voice cynical. “How come none of us had any idea?”
I ignored his question, rushing on. “ There was a recurring reservation for the VIP lounge on the third Friday of every month. I its when he meets with his primary investors for the real estate side of the business."
Jax studied me for a moment. “Right,” he said slowly.
I could tell he didn’t fully believe the explanation, but he didn’t push further.
Leo closed the laptop. “Alright,” he said. “Friday night infiltration.”
Jax looked at me, his eyes full of a silent plea. "Just be careful, Si. If you get caught in there, there is no backup. You’ll be in the heart of the Harbinger territory with a bullseye on your back."
"I won't get caught," I promised.
“Papa Jax, give her some credit. It’s Si we’re talking about here,” Mina said, then crossed her arms proudly while admiring her work on me. “I’m too good. I think our siren here is going to cause a lot of trouble.”
Jax sighed quietly. “I’m afraid she already has.”
I looked at my reflection in the mirror, feeling a shiver of dread. I was finally going to see the man who had murdered me.