He showed me to an empty desk that had a phone and a computer where I could begin the research that Noah had asked me to do. I had made it through Phil and his top-level staff, when my stomach began to grumble. I stood and stretched, then headed over to Phil's office asking him about the possibility of ordering food to the office so that we could work through lunch time.
With the help of his secretary, we ordered lunch for the three of us and then met in Phil's office.
He had a large conference table that we sat around and as much as I wanted to savor the authentic Chinese food, there was work to be done.
"Have you figured anything out?" I asked Noah.
Noah stuffed his face with some sort of Chinese noodle and shook his head. He wiped his face with his napkin and sat back. It occurred to me that this was the first time that Noah had seemed like a businessman to me. Every time he'd been at the Strong offices in San Diego, there always had been an indifferent, slacker attitude about him. But now his eyes were sharp as he looked at Phil and me.
"It's clear that someone has hacked into the system and is making changes and messing with the supply chain, but I haven't been able to track it back to the origin."
“Is it bad?” I asked.
"It’s a little bit more involved than I think you all initially thought. In going through the system, I can see there’re places where they've made changes and they've also left little bits of code in case we find them. It’s trickier for me to deal with them without tipping off that we have seen them. The question is why." Noah looked over at Phil.
"I can't imagine why. Unless it's a competitor." He took a sip of his tea and thought for a moment. "Everyone we do business with doesn't have any complaints, the staff here, as far as I can tell, is happy. So, the only thing I can think of is a competitor."
"But for what purpose?" I asked. "I mean, I suppose impacting our distribution is a hassle, but what does a competitor really get out of it?"
For the first time since I met him, Phil's eyes narrowed a little bit and he leaned forward. "Well, perhaps it has less to do with the endgame of getting shoes to our consumers and more about impacting the value of the company."
Noah stopped eating and stared at Phil. "Are you saying someone's trying to devalue the company?"
"It's a possibility. It's not like it hasn't been done to other companies before."
Noah’s expression hardened. "You think someone's trying to set up a hostile takeover."
I understood enough about business to know that that was the logical path that Phil had been hinting at, but it wasn't something that he had said to Margaret, and while Margaret was shrewd, I couldn't be sure that it was what she was thinking about as well.
Then again, maybe she was and hadn't said anything as a way to make sure staff didn't get wind of it. If people in the company thought the business was in trouble that could cause more problems. And if someone from inside the company was part of the problem, she didn't want anyone to know we were on to them.
"I think it's a possibility to consider. But certainly not the only possibility," Phil said.
Noah nodded and went back to eating. But I had the sense he was thinking more than feeding himself.
Finally he said, "I'm going to put in some additional security features and some patches, but it's likely your hacker will find them and know that were onto him. We need to work fast to figure out who has the knowledge and resources to do this, and why they would want to."
"Sounds like we have quite a mystery on our hands. I’ll spend the rest of the day doing a deeper dive into our suppliers, as well as the other staff,” I said as I packed up the remnants of my lunch.
"I'll keep plugging away at the technical issues and see if I can't hunt this mother fucker down."
I looked down to hide my hint of a smile because admittedly sometimes Noah had the right thing to say at the right time, even if it seemed inappropriate.
Phil nodded. "Well, that's why your grandmother sent you. She knew you'd be the one to do it."
7
Noah
I enjoyed computers, but not for hours and hours on end. Now at the end of the day, my eyes felt blurry and my shoulders were tight. If this was going to go on much longer, I would have to bring in better furniture because if the eyestrain didn't kill me, the back strain would.
The good news I’d have to report to my grandmother was that Phil did seem to be on the up and up. He was doing everything he needed to do to give me access to everything me and Andi needed.
Andi too, was being thorough yet discrete in her research. I tried to tell her that at one point, but was afraid how she might take it. Knowing her, she’d think I was being condescending or somehow making reference to how I’d called her unprofessional before. So, I didn’t say anything.
Andi had returned to the suite earlier that afternoon, making the argument that investigating the people that worked in the office while they were there didn't seem like a good idea. She was right, of course, and I suppose that's why she had booked us a suite. I’d never really had concerns about her doing her job though. My grandmother wouldn’t have hired her and given her so much responsibility if she wasn’t good at what she did.
When I arrived back, she was dressed sitting at the table with piles of folders in front of her. She was still wearing that sexy little skirt and silk shirt outfit. I was about to make a comment that she was welcome to dress more casually when working here in the suite, when I noticed a large basket of fruit on the table in front of her.
She looked up at me, her eyes looking as tired as mine felt.
I nodded to the basket. "Who sent that?"
"It came with a card. It's for you."
I approached the table and picked up the card.
A little bird told me you were in town. How about dinner tomorrow night? I'll send a car at seven. Please bring Ms. Walker along, as well.
Marcus Chen
I tossed the card down on the table. "I'm not going out and schmoozing with one of our partners," I said, feeling so fucking tired. "We have a job to do here and it's my intention to dedicate all our waking hours to getting it done."
Andi frowned at me. "I think that's a mistake. Mr. Chen is very important to Strong Incorporated here in Hong Kong. His network, his factories, his distributors are all very necessary to the work we do here. We can't afford to blow him off. Plus, he could be a source of information about who might be trying to sabotage our success here."
"I didn't come here to be wined and dined, or make good with our partners. I was sent here to find the hack and stop it."
"I just told you Noah that he could be helpful in that. You have to eat anyway, so what's wrong with getting dinner and a lay of the land?"
"Your job is operations and understanding how all the systems work. My job is on the computer finding the hacker." I pulled my laptop out of my back, along with my noise canceling earphones and sat down to get to work and do my best to ignore Andi's presence. Was that her perfume or did she just smell like that all the time?
Even as I tried to ignore her, I couldn't help but notice as she stacked up her files and closed up her computer. She stood and walked into her room, and I figured maybe she was turning in for the night or maybe she was just hiding from me. Well, that was all right by me.
A few minutes later, her door opened, and she emerged wearing a short, sheer dress, under which she appeared to be wearing a bikini swimsuit.
Little rockets started firing in my brain and my dick, of course, responded immediately. Thank God my computer was on my lap.
"What are you doing?" I asked, hoping she didn’t hear the hoarseness of my tone from the dryness in my mouth.
"I'm going to the pool to have a swim for some exercise. It will help get all the kinks and stress out."
The only way I was going to get my kink out as if she sucked my dick until I came inside her mouth.
"Do you want to come with me?" she asked.
Inwardly I groaned, becau
se yes, I wanted to come with her and then come on her. I shook my head. "No thanks."
She shrugged, picking up her key card and heading out the door. I turned my attention back to my laptop grateful that she wouldn't be there to interrupt me anymore. The problem was, even with her out of the suite, she still interrupted me. My brain couldn't seem to let go of the image of her in that little swim dress with a hint of her bikini on underneath it. Just like in that towel the other day, I could see the swells of two perfect tits and my mouth watered to suck them. My dick was not showing any signs of relenting, so with a curse, I set my laptop and earphones aside and headed to the bathroom in my room, turning the shower on cold. I would freeze that little bastard into submission for causing me so much frustration.
The cold water pelted me, and I let out a long curse. But even with that, my dick did not shrivel up inside my body. Oh sure, he didn't like the cold water, but that image of Andi with those sweet Cupid lips wrapped around my dick lingered, and he wasn't going to be denied.
Jesus fucking Christ. I reached out and turned the knob warming the water up.
"Okay you little Fucker, I'll give you what you want, but after that you have to behave." I reached down and wrapped my hand around my cock.
I groaned as a shock of electricity shot through me. I suppose that’s what I got for going so long without getting laid while at the same time having to deal with the temptation of Andi. I supposed the good news was that I wouldn’t last long.
But if I was going to do this, I was going to do it right. I conjured up Andi in her swim outfit. No, towel. I was sitting on the couch working and she sauntered over, her towel sliding down her petite yet curvy body.
My hips rotated as pleasure built in my dick. My hand stroked, slow, long as I imagined Andi getting on her knees between my legs and listing her hot tongue from balls to tip. Fuck, that’s good. My hand sped up. Her lips sucked. Her tongue licked.
“Fuck yeah…suck it Andi…make me come…”
In my mind, her dark gaze held mine as she wrapped her sweet lips and sucked me hard to the back of her mouth.
I let out a long feral growl, my hand stroking like a maniac and my hips rocking. I shot cum out on the tile; once, twice, and on and on, until I had to use both hands on the wall to steady myself
I heaved in a deep breath. I didn't usually get this winded taking my sexual business into my own hand. It was a testament to my ability to fantasize, I decided and not the result of the subject of my fantasy.
I looked down at my dick that was finally shriveling up. "You fucking behave."
I couldn't afford to think of Andi in a sexual manner. Not only was it unprofessional, but also it wouldn't go anywhere. In fact, if it did go somewhere, it was more likely to end in a crash and burn, so it was better to just stay away from her. So, I had to stop thinking about her like this.
I prayed to God that by giving in this one moment that my self-indulgent urges would be satisfied until I could finish the job here and we could go home. Once back in California, I’d be free to do what I wanted to do, so I would pack up and make my move north.
I pumped out some shampoo from the container and washed my hair, rolling my shoulders to get rid of the discomfort that started to tense up there.
"Just be sure what you want is what you really want." Hunter's voice came back into my head.
"Fucking A. I wish everyone would just leave me alone."
8
Andi
Somehow Noah and I managed to get through the rest of last night and through our workday today without any major incidents. I suspect it was because we hardly saw each other. I stayed in the suite today working on all the background checks and doing research deeper into the staff and the key suppliers and distributors that Strong Incorporated work with.
Tonight, I was planning to go to dinner with Marcus Chen, partly because he was a powerful man who might have more information, but also because he certainly should be someone we looked into. I felt a little guilty about that because he had been a vital part of our expansion here. His success and our success were mixed together, and I couldn't imagine why he'd want to sabotage that. But I decided that I would look at anyone and everyone who was involved here and that included Marcus Chen.
Having worked for Margaret for years, I learned that I needed to be prepared for anything at anytime, anywhere. It was for that reason that I had thought ahead to pack a nice dress in case I needed it. In reality, I thought it wouldn’t be worn on this trip, but as it turned out, I'd once again thought ahead and prepared well.
I brought a blood red velvet dress that always made me feel regal and powerful. From the front, the cut was nothing spectacular, except that it was fitted to my shape. In the back, it scooped low enough to be tantalizing, but not so low as to be vulgar.
Although this was going to be a professional dinner, I decided to go ahead and wear my hair down letting the thick dark hair cascade over my shoulders. I was fortunate to have the kind hair that didn't require a lot of time because of its thickness and its natural wave. My makeup was a little more dramatic than usual, but still subtle enough so it didn't look like I was planning a night on the town. I wasn't a woman that had a lot of jewelry, or who dated men who gave jewelry, so I went without. But as I looked in the mirror, I decided I looked just fine without accessories.
Satisfied I looked fined, I headed back out into the living area. I’d left my laptop on so I could check on a few last-minute things before I closed it down and went to meet Marcus for dinner.
"What are you doing?"
I looked over to where Noah was sitting on the couch hiding behind his laptop and his noise canceling headphones. I almost didn't realize he was there.
"I'm doing what your grandmother asked me to do. I'm going to look into what is going on, and dinner with Marcus Chen is going to help me with that."
His blue eyes took a long inventory of my body and I was about to make a snarky comment but then he set his laptop aside. "Give me a minute."
"For what?"
But he was already in his room with the door shut. I checked my watch, and I had another half-hour before Marcus would be there, so I sat down at the table checking my email and reviewing my notes of the day.
When the door opened, and he stepped out I was immensely glad that I was sitting down. My knees were like jelly as I took him in. I'd seen Noah in a suit before at his brother's wedding, and admitted only to myself that he was handsome. But this suit looked like it was tailored by God as it fit him perfectly. It was a dark charcoal and underneath it was a white starched shirt pulled tight over his broad chest. He wore a tie that I swear to God was the same color as his eyes and it was knotted up under his chin as it should be instead of pulled loose like he almost always wore when he was forced to wear a tie. His hair, which had always seemed to me something he never bothered with, was now combed back. He looked like he'd stepped out of a men's fashion magazine and all my feminine bits started humming inside.
When my gaze drifted back to his face, he was looking at me with his brow arched. I realized I'd given myself away. He knew that I thought he looked hot.
But I didn't have to admit it. "Where's Noah?"
He smirked. "Come on let's go."
I stood slowly in case my knees were still wobbly and picked up my purse as I made my way to him. "I thought you weren't coming."
"You made a compelling argument, so I'm going with you."
Now wasn't the time to get in a battle with Noah, so I shrugged and exited the door that he held open for me.
When we made it to the lobby, a concierge stepped up to us. “Mr. Strong, Ms. Walker, Mr. Chen has sent a limo. It's waiting outside for you.”
As we walked, Noah whispered to me. "Mr. Chen doesn't seem to think we're so important as to meet us here."
I nodded in agreement. But trying to give Marcus the benefit of the doubt, I said, "Maybe he's wanting to show off a little bit, so that we don't think he's small potatoes."
"I think he just wants us to think he's important. That he is an appropriate partner for Strong Inc."
"I don't see how insulting us makes us think he is more important, but okay."
I frowned up at Noah. "Since when are you all into manners and propriety?"
"I'm just trying to think like Gran."
I got onto the limo and Noah followed me in. The restaurant wasn't that far, and when we got out there was someone at the door to meet us to escort us inside the restaurant.
Just inside the door an immaculately dressed Asian man met us with a large smile.
He extended his hand toward Noah. "Welcome Noah Strong. I’m Marcus Chen." Marcus turned his attention to me, and he took my hand bringing it to his lips kissing the back of it. I glanced up at Noah, wondering what he thought of all this pomp and circumstance. His jaw tightened and his eyes were fierce. I rolled my eyes.
“And you must be Amanda Walker. Such a pleasure to meet you after talking to you on the phone so many times."
Not very many people called me Amanda. It was odd to hear it from him. "It's very nice to meet you Mr. Chen. Thank you for inviting us to dinner."
He led us to a private dining area. "Have you been to Hong Kong before?" he asked.
"I haven't," I said.
"Then this trip must be a treat for you." He motioned for us to sit down at the table and several servers were around us providing water and tea.
"I'm very happy to meet another one of the Strong brothers. I met your brother Carter briefly. Mostly I’ve talked with your grandmother. She’s a formidable businesswoman."
Noah smiled. "She is at that."
Marcus turned and looked at me again, his smile wide. "I must say though, I would have a challenge working around such a beautiful assistant."
I always thought I was immune or could see through flattery that was used to manipulate, and yet I did feel flattered. I wasn't the type of woman that men usually went out of their way to impress. Again, I think it went back to the fact that I was outspoken and wasn't afraid to call them out on their nonsense. Of course, this was a business meeting, so I would be on my best behavior.
Hate to Love You Strong Brothers #4) Page 5
