by Cassie Cross
Josh stood and pulled out Abby’s chair, hugging her quickly before she took a seat. She ordered an Amaretto sour from the bartender as Josh took a pull from his beer.
“How are you enjoying the city so far?” he asked, tattering the edges of a napkin with his fingers.
Abby shrugged. “What little bit I’ve seen of it is very nice. Apart from going to the office though, I haven’t really ventured out of the two-block radius around the hotel.”
“Cole’s working you pretty hard, huh?” Josh gazed at Abby for a moment before turning his attention back to his drink.
Abby felt foolish for even thinking that this meeting might have something to do with anything other than business. It relieved her in a way, knowing she was off the hook for having to let Josh down easily. But the fact that Cole was the topic of conversation put a knot in Abby’s stomach. She didn’t want to talk about him with Josh, it felt disloyal and wrong. But the side of her that always looked out for Cole and made sure that he was taken care of stood at attention. She was going to have to be very careful with how she played this, whatever it was.
“Yeah, he keeps me pretty busy.” Abby took a sip of her drink, hoping the alcohol would calm the nerves in her stomach.
“Can you believe he fired Jack the other day?”
Abby nodded. “It was a performance issue.”
Josh rolled his eyes. “That guy did more for Kerrigan than he’ll ever realize.”
Having seen the sales reports and having been in the room when Cole ran down the reasons why he was firing Jack, Abby seriously doubted that.
“Cole had his reasons. He didn’t become a billionaire by being reckless.” Abby swirled her drink with the straw and watched the ice cubes circulate and bump up against the glass. She wanted to leave. Immediately.
“He became a billionaire by being a prick,” Josh replied, laughing. And it broke Abby’s heart that the reason Josh was talking about him like this in her company was because not too long ago she would’ve been saying nasty things about him too.
Abby attempted a giggle, but it fell flat. It didn’t seem like Josh noticed.
“Do you ever think of leaving?” he asked.
“The company?” Abby replied dumbly.
“Yeah.” Josh looked halfway between nervous and anxious.
Dumbfounded, Abby searched for an answer. “I don’t know, I haven’t ever given it much thought.”
“Would you consider leaving?”
Abby paused. “Are you offering me something?”
“It depends.”
“On what?”
“I need something from you.”
Abby was both intrigued and sickened.
“You have access to Cole’s emails, right?”
Oh, no. No. No. No.
“What does that-”
“I need the spec sheet for KC-23.”
Abby balked. “I can’t get that.” She could get that for him, she just wouldn’t.
“Can’t or won’t?”
“Won’t. Do you know how much trouble that could get me into? He could sue me for everything I’ve ever had, and everything I ever will have.” Cole might not have sued her over a non-disclosure agreement, but he would surely sue her over his company’s most important project.
“What if I could offer you protection?”
“Protection from what?”
“Legal protection. Monetary protection.”
“You can’t do that.”
“I can.” He shifted in his seat, looking around as if he thought someone might be eavesdropping on the two of them.
“How?”
“I’ve put my heart and soul into that project and I’m barely making enough to pay for my mortgage. I can improve the design; Cole’s plans for it aren’t big enough. He lacks the ability to see the big picture and realize everything it can do.”
It could guarantee hack-proof protection of worldwide banking systems. Was there a bigger picture than that? Panicked, Abby knew that in order to get all of the information she could out of Josh, she was going to have to go along with this at least for tonight, in order to give Cole the tools he’d need in order to safeguard his work.
“What, are you going to sell it to someone?”
“I have several interested buyers, Abby. I can offer you a position in research with me. Double, even triple your salary. We both know you’re too damned smart to be an assistant.”
“Who are you going to sell this to?” He’d have to be a moron to tell her this, but maybe since she held the key to getting him the information he needed, he’d be a little lax with the details. Besides, Abby knew better than to underestimate the hubris of a man who thought he was pulling something over on someone.
“Yamamoto or Minghella. I haven’t decided which yet. Actually, they haven’t fully committed to bid until I can get them the final spec sheets.”
Yamamoto or Minghella. Abby repeated in her head. She couldn’t forget those names. Swallowing down the bile that rose in her throat, she asked Josh when he needed the information.
“As soon as you can get it to me.”
“It won’t be until I get back to New York.”
“Monday,” Josh said.
Abby was tempted to ask Josh why he was doing this, but that was probably a question that was better left unasked if she wanted him to believe she was going along with him. He had an ego, he thought he was smarter than the guy who hired him, and he didn’t think he was being paid what he was worth. Knowing that, she didn’t really need to ask him for his motivation.
“Obviously I don’t need to tell you to keep this between us?”
The nervousness was rolling off of him. Abby could tell he’d rather do anything than ask her for what he was asking her for.
“I won’t say anything at all.”
She swallowed the rest of her drink and Josh stood, putting a twenty down on the bar.
“I’ve gotta go,” he said. He handed her a card with a hand-written number on it. “When you get the specs, give me a call on this number, okay?”
Abby took the card, tucking it safely in her purse. “I will.”
Josh reached out and clasped her hand in his. “I’ll see you later, Abby.”
“See you later.”
Abby watched him as he walked out. Even though she was desperate to run to Cole or to call him, she stayed put and kept her phone in her bag just in case Josh was watching her. She decided to wait it out at least a few more minutes and ordered another drink from the bartender. She couldn’t drink it, though. She had to get back to the hotel. She had to tell Cole.
CHAPTER THREE
COLE STOOD at the window in the suite’s dining room, staring out at the traffic below as he sipped a glass of red wine. The suite was too quiet, almost eerily so. Even though he was used to being alone at home in the city, he’d grown accustomed to having Abigail around. He missed her. So much that he gave more than a passing thought to calling her and making up some kind of work emergency just to get her to come back. Even though his phone was in the palm of his hand, he resisted pulling up her number. He wasn’t quite ready to venture into obsessive boyfriend territory.
The task he’d sent Abigail on wasn’t dangerous, and it required no risk on her part. It did, however, come with great risk to Cole. If she found out that he’d used her this way, he might lose her twice. Once as his assistant, and once as a…lover? A girlfriend? Cole wasn’t even sure what to call her. If she found out what he’d done, he might not be calling her anything anymore.
Cole usually wasn’t one to get too stressed out about anything, but the tension in his body was making his muscles ache. He set his glass on the table and loosened his tie, then rolled his neck to relieve some of the tightness that was building there.
Everything will be better when I get back to New York. When he got back to New York, he’d figure out what was going on with Abigail and focus on that.
Just when Cole was reaching for his phone again, he heard Abigai
l’s key card click the lock, then the door swung open. She stood there with a stricken look on her face and concern welled up through his veins. What did he do to her?
“What’s the matter?” Cole asked, rushing toward her. If that prick hurt her, so help me I will make him pay.
Stunned, she looked up at him, worry deep in her beautiful eyes. Cole put his hands on her shoulders, caressing the sides of her neck with his thumbs, hoping to calm her down.
“Josh wants to steal KC-23,” she finally said, her eyes wide.
That much Cole had known, but he found that he didn’t really care about the project at this point; he only cared about her.
“He asked me to get the final spec sheet for him,” she said, her voice wavering.
Cole took a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling. He was an idiot for not seeing it, he should’ve known. This was the very reason why he had different departments work on different phases of the project, so that if anyone tried to sell information it would be incomplete. It didn’t matter now, Cole would put a stop to it.
Still, Hamilton had asked Abigail to steal from him, but she’d raced here right away. Cole felt a surge of affection for Abigail in that moment, completely separate from his romantic feelings for her. He was…proud? Relieved? He couldn’t place it.
“What did you tell him?” Cole asked.
Abigail looked up at him with a twinge of fear in her eyes. “I didn’t want to say no, because I was worried about what he’d do if I didn’t go along with his plan. I said I would get the plans for him, but not until we got back to New York. I would never steal from you, Cole.”
Unshed tears threatened to fall, and Cole caressed Abigail’s cheek. “I know you wouldn’t,” he said. Beautiful, smart, fierce woman. Abigail leaned into his touch, allowing him to cradle her face in his palm.
“He’s going to sell it to either Yamamoto or Minghella.” Her voice was very quiet.
Cole surprised himself by not really caring about who had the potential to get the info. This trip had stopped being about the project a long time ago.
“Did he make you any promises in exchange for this information?”
Abigail took a few moments to respond to him, although Cole couldn’t quite make out why she would be nervous about telling him.
“He said he would give me a job at a higher salary and that he would protect me if you filed a lawsuit.”
Cole felt a rage boiling inside of him the likes of which he’d never experienced before. He turned away from her, not wanting her to see the anger in his eyes, and he clenched his fists as he walked to the window, needing to look elsewhere as he worked himself through the urge to walk out of this room and kick Josh Hamilton’s ass. Not for the stealing, but for what he’d done to Abigail. He had lied to her; he could offer her no such protection, and he was counting on her being ignorant enough to not know that. He was counting on her being greedy and disloyal enough to betray him.
Josh Hamilton didn’t know her at all.
“He can’t do that, can he?” she asked. “Protect me from a lawsuit?”
Cole shook his head as he looked out the window. “No.”
“Asshole,” Abigail said under her breath.
Cole grinned.
“Couldn’t you sue him, too? What could he possibly have to gain?”
“People with large egos often think they’re above the law,” Cole said, shrugging. “Who knows what kind of deal they offered him for the plans. That software has incredible potential, he may have believed the risk would have ultimately been worth it.”
“I guess it doesn’t matter now.”
Cole turned to face her. “No, it doesn’t.” But I will make him pay for using you.
“What are you going to do?”
He took a deep breath before he answered. “First I’m going to fire him, then I’m going to make sure he never works for another reputable company again.”
Worry flashed across Abigail’s face, and Cole walked toward her, wanting to comfort her. “He’ll know I told. What if he tries to-”
Cole brought his finger to her lips, stopping that thought from even being spoken aloud. “I will never allow anything to happen to you,” he told her. It wasn’t just a promise about retribution from Josh Hamilton. He wouldn’t allow anyone to touch her, to harm her, to put this worry in her eyes ever again. He wrapped his arms around her until she was pressed against his chest, her head tucked under his chin. He’d never felt so protective of anyone in his entire life.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Abigail asked.
Cole kissed the top of her head. “You already have.”
CHAPTER FOUR
ABBY DIDN’T sleep well at all that evening, tossing and turning as she thought about her meeting with Josh and the look on Cole’s face when he told her that he would never let anything happen to her. She knew he meant what he said, but she wanted to believe that he was speaking of more than business when he offered her such promises. Abby felt safe with Cole, safer than she’d ever felt with another human being. And it was funny to her that she could feel so secure around a man who offered such a great possibility of a broken heart.
It was only six-thirty in the morning, and the dim morning light was creeping through the curtains in Abby’s room. She slipped on her robe and climbed out of bed, then shuffled to the bathroom to brush her teeth. She stared at herself in the mirror when she was finished, piling up her hair on the top of her head and examining her profile in the mirror. She was still too short, too plain. She thought back to the model whose name she couldn’t remember in the gossip mag Becca had shown her last week. Abby knew she couldn’t compare to the women Cole could attract, so there was a niggling voice inside of her that warned her that this would all be fleeting. It was fun here in Chicago, but things would go back to normal once they were back in New York. No way would Cole be interested in her long enough for this fling to amount to anything.
Abby yawned as she made her way towards her door, looking forward to a little caffeine. She noticed, however, that the smell of freshly brewed coffee was already in the air. When she opened the door, she saw Cole standing beside the dining room table, the morning paper in one hand and a cup in the other.
“Did I wake up too late?” she asked, panic in her voice.
Cole wore a soft, happy grin when he looked at her. “No, I’m going to head into the office in a few minutes. I’d like you to work from the suite today.”
Abby could tell from the look in Cole’s eyes that he didn’t want her in the office when he fired Josh. She was a little relieved; she didn’t want to be there either. Not to mention the fact that part of her was still worried that he was going to take this out on her. Still, Cole would protect her. She had to believe that.
“Okay, I will,” she replied.
Cole set down his cup on top of the paper and walked toward Abby, coming to rest a few inches from her. He smelled so clean, and Abby found herself wanting to wrap her body around his, to imprint his smell on her body.
“Listen,” Cole said, trailing his fingers along the edge of the collar of her robe. He cleared his throat before he spoke. “I’ve been invited to a dinner this evening, and I’d like you to come with me.”
“Okay.”
“Would you like to come?” He sounded nervous, the thought of which made Abby smile.
“I wasn’t aware I had a choice,” she replied playfully. He was paying her after all, she would do whatever he wanted her to.
“This is a request, not a requirement,” he said, looking in her eyes. “I’d like for you to be my date.”
Abby’s stomach fluttered, and warmth spread throughout her body. He wanted her to be his date. He wanted her to be his date.
“I didn’t bring anything to wear.” She could’ve smacked herself for that reply, what a stupid thing to say to a man who looked like that, made her feel like he made her feel. She should’ve said yes immediately. Shouted it from the rooftops.
Co
le seemed amused by her answer, thankfully. “I didn’t ask if you brought anything to wear,” he replied with a laugh. “I asked if you would like to be my date.”
“Yes,” Abby said, blushing. “I would like to be your date very much.”
“Good.” Cole sounded genuinely pleased. “I’ve asked someone to come over later to help you pick out a dress.”
“Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?” Abby was teasing him, but there was an edge of truth to it, one that Cole heard loud and clear.
“I hoped,” he said, wrapping his arm around her waist. “I always hope when it comes to you.”
Cole drew Abby in for a kiss, long and slow, and she wanted a hundred more. It had been too long since she’d tasted his lips. Unfortunately, the car was downstairs and the business Cole had to attend to today couldn’t wait for matters of the heart.
“I’ll meet you at seven,” Cole said, running his fingers through her hair as he brushed his lips across her cheek. “Right here.” He lingered for a few more moments, then grabbed his briefcase and walked out the door.
CHAPTER FIVE
COLE SAT quietly in his Chicago office, directly across from Josh Hamilton, who was flanked by two of Kerrigan Corp.’s finest lawyers. The HR director was standing by the door, her head down, marking off some exit interview checklist. Josh’s eyes were wide, like a scared deer staring into a pair of oncoming headlights. It was one of Cole’s favorite looks to see on an opponent, especially one like Josh.
“Do you know why you’re here today, Josh?” Cole asked, tapping his fingers along the surface of his desk.
Josh shook his head slowly, looking at the lawyer on his left first, then the one on his right.
“No, sir. I’m honestly clueless.”
Cole let out a short laugh. He was clueless all right.
“Last week, I was on a conference call with my Tokyo office, and the VP of marketing in Japan, Keiko Tanaka, told me that she had received an interesting letter from an anonymous source that Kerrigan had a top-secret software project it was shopping around Japan,” Cole said, watching Josh as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Included in the envelope was a jump drive that had the specs for the part of the project your group was responsible for on it.”
