Shock flashed across her features, chased by hurt.
Dominic cursed silently at the temper he’d thought long ago mastered. “Lexie—” One hand lifted from his side.
She drew her shoulders up very straight. It only emphasized her fragility. She was such a contrast, so delicate and so strong.
But there was nothing fragile about her icy voice. “You’ve made yourself quite clear. If you’ll excuse me, I must get back to work.” She turned her back and walked away.
He watched her go, frowning. Wondering how his normally-sharp instincts had let him down so badly.
She’d seemed so different, that Sunday that had been only three days ago but seemed a part of some other universe now.
She hadn’t known who he was, then. She knew now, and just like always, it had changed everything.
The Dominic who had perfected the art of putting his responsibilities ahead of his wishes, knew it was right to do that now. A treasure hunt for a mirage was a luxury he didn’t have.
No matter how much his heart wished otherwise.
Dominic let out a sigh torn from his depths. Then he shook off foolish wishes and headed for the house.
Chapter Four
“Max?” Lexie called out. “You here?” She entered their shared studio in an old warehouse near the railroad tracks overlooking Lady Bird Lake, torn between hoping he wasn’t and desperately wishing for the comfort of her old friend.
No answer. She headed for the coffeepot, seeing it reduced to sludge but still on. He was here, just obsessed, as usual. Lost deep inside that imaginary world of his mind.
She started a fresh pot, then went to his door and there he was, hunched over his computer, playing her like a lover. Max’s computer was named Natasha, and woe betide the person who didn’t believe she was real. Max certainly did.
For a moment she stood in the doorway, shaking her head. Most people thought of computer geeks as little nerdy guys with thick glasses and pocket protectors. Max was anything but. A lean six feet tall with a leonine mane of golden hair and crystalline blue eyes, he was forever making women stop and stare.
She’d asked herself more than once why she didn’t fall for him. The answer was simple—she loved Max far too much to make that mistake. He was big brother/father figure/best friend all rolled up in one package. Love could ruin a great friendship.
Max felt the same way, she knew, forever nagging her to date more, fixing her up with all manner of men. He kept thinking he’d change Lexie’s mind, but he was wrong. When you invested too much emotion in a man, you were in trouble. That’s when you made yourself vulnerable, when you’d get hurt. After her parents died, a scared, lonely Lexie had finally succumbed to her boyfriend’s declarations of love, given him her virginity, then been dumped for his old girlfriend.
Her father had loved her but left her. The boyfriend she’d invested her hopes in had proven faithless. Her grandfather never said he loved her at all.
Lexie liked men, enjoyed their company a great deal, but she was always wary. Friendship was great. Love sucked. The little white house with the picket fence was a lovely dream, but it happened to other people, not to her.
The other night was a perfect example.
When you screw up, girlfriend, you do it big.
Resolutely, Lexie turned away and went back to the kitchen area, snagging a cup of coffee for herself and filling Max’s Batman mug. She tiptoed toward his desk and slipped it onto the coaster beside him.
Max jerked in surprise, then smiled. “Hey,” he greeted. Then he frowned. “You look different. What happened?”
“Nothing.” Nothing she could discuss. She sipped her coffee. “What are you working on?”
Max smirked. “Like you care. Every time I try to explain my work, you start falling asleep.”
“I do not—” She grinned. “Actually, I think I used the word coma.”
“Maybe this won’t put you in a coma. Have I ever showed you my Easter egg?”
Lexie frowned. “Easter egg?”
“Sort of like a watermark on paper. They’re often used in games to add secret content or give away tips, but they can also be used to authenticate authorship.”
“How?”
“With an image I bury in the code. If you know the right keystrokes to use—” He hit a series of keys, and up popped an image of his old beat-up Volkswagen bus. Lexie blinked in surprise.
Max grinned. “See? Magic.”
She was still staring at the image. “How did you do that?”
“Here—stay awake and watch this. It’s just six keystrokes.”
Lexie watched carefully, grateful for the distraction from her misery. She tried it herself, ridiculously pleased when it worked. “Did you put it in the code that you think Poseidon stole?”
His eyes darkened. “Yeah.”
“If you haven’t seen Poseidon’s graphics, why do you suspect them?”
“Gamer chatter. Talk about an amazing algorithm being used in a new game with a VR version.”
“What’s an algorithm? And what’s VR?”
One brow lifted. “You really want to know?”
She managed a weak smile. “Not really.”
“One of them called the algorithm ‘Einstein’s marble.’”
“That’s important?”
“I created Einstein’s marble. So I’ve been nosing around under a screen name I created just for this, and when I put the pieces together along with the buzz on Poseidon’s new game and its lightning speed, I’m almost certain that’s what’s happened. Someone hacked me—someone crazy good.”
“You know because you’re a hacker, too.”
He shrugged. “Anyone who’s good does it now and again. But I thought I had my security locked down tight.”
“So what do you do about Poseidon?”
“Unless I can get some firepower on my side, I wait until the game comes out.”
“What kind of firepower?”
“Preferably a shark lawyer or seven. Except that takes money I don’t have.”
“Why don’t you confront Poseidon now?”
“They’re too big. They’d just stall me while they buried the evidence.”
“But—”
He pinned her with a solemn stare. “I can’t be hasty about this, Lex. If I get impulsive, I’ll lose for sure. Every step has to be carefully thought out. Most of all, I need proof, more than just some guys bragging on the Dark Web.”
It was so unfair that he didn’t have the money to take on a giant like Poseidon. Had she met the man who might have stolen his dreams—and fallen into bed with him that same night? A stubborn part of her still wanted to believe that her Nikos existed. That man would never have—
“Hello?” Max snapped his fingers. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Kid, don’t ever play poker. Your face tells everything.” He was always calling her ‘kid.’ He was only thirty-one, two years older than her.
She’d have to tell him something or he’d never leave her alone. She shrugged, making her tone casual. “Just a hard day.”
He studied her too closely but to her relief, he didn’t push for more. “You hungry?”
“Not really.”
“Well, I am. Come on—you can keep me company. We’ll got to Hut’s. I’ll even buy.” Without waiting for an answer, he headed for the door, assuming she’d follow.
Lexie admitted to herself that the last thing she wanted was to return to the dome, with all its memories, so though she wasn’t hungry, she fell in behind Max. Five minutes later, they’d walked the two blocks to their favorite hangout.
Hut’s Hamburgers was an institution in Austin dating back to the 1950s, and nothing about it had changed since long before Lexie had first come here ten years ago. Still the same linoleum floor, still the same mementos on the scarred dark walls …still jammed full every day of the week with patrons from across the spectrum.
“Ah, grease …” Max sighed. �
��There’s something about the smell of a grill and French fries sizzling in artery-clogging glory.”
A laugh bubbled up from Lexie’s throat, and it felt wonderful. Here was something solid, something familiar.
Max waited until they’d given their drink order, then pounced. “Okay, spill it. Tell me what’s wrong.”
Lexie knew he wouldn’t give up until she’d told him something, so she tried for casual. “I met someone, that’s all. Or thought I did.”
“Someone?” He leaned closer, staring. “You never meet someone. Guys hit on you and you never notice. I try to fix you up with guys who could become someone—you run like a rabbit from the first sign of the real thing.”
“What would you know about the real thing? You never date a woman more than once.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “We’re not talking about me.” He cocked his head, then whistled softly. “Son of a gun. You did it, didn’t you? You met a guy who got past the wall.”
Lexie wanted so badly to tell him everything. She’d never hidden a thing from Max before—but she didn’t know who she’d met. Just that she’d never felt like that before—ever.
“Lex—” Max’s tone was serious now. “Talk to me.”
She met his gaze and was shocked to feel tears brimming. “He was incredible, Max,” she whispered. “I’ve never—”
Max clasped her hand across the table. “Oh, hell, kid. I always knew you’d fall like a ton of bricks one day. Who is he?”
“I didn’t fall for anyone,” she protested. Then she burst into tears. “He was gone when I woke up.”
Max’s voice turned deadly, like the big brother she’d always wanted. “That’s it. I’ll kill him. What’s his name?”
She couldn’t tell him. She was too ashamed of being a fool. And truthfully, she didn’t know who she’d met that night. Certainly not the cold stranger who owned Poseidon. She would never have given that man a second look.
“I don’t know,” she whispered.
He shook his head slowly. “Oh, man…” He squeezed her hand tighter, his eyes filled with concern.
After a minute or two, Lexie pulled away, sniffing hard. Max pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it. She accepted gratefully.
“So what are you going to do?” he asked.
“What can I do?” She pasted on a smile. “I feel like such a fool.” He couldn’t know how much.
“Don’t beat yourself up, Lex.” Max glanced uneasily toward where he’d last seen the waitress.
Lexie stifled an honest laugh. Like most guys, Max would rather take a bullet than deal with tears. “You’ve done your friend duty. I’m fine now. No more tears, I promise.”
She was surprised to find out it was true. She did feel better. Her best friend and comfort food—what more could anyone want? Suddenly she was ravenous. “I want onion rings, a shake—the works, Max. This is gonna cost you.”
He grinned and shrugged. “I’m not sure if I ate today, so I’ll just consider that you’re saving my life—and that, my friend, is priceless.”
Lexie laughed again, and somehow she felt stronger. More hopeful. She could do this. Max was, indeed, priceless. Their friendship had gotten both of them through many hard times, living off ramen noodles for weeks on end, scraping every penny to make their dreams happen.
But the thought sobered her. Her dream was happening, but Max’s had been stolen.
By Dominic Santorini.
Even as she thought it, she didn’t want to believe it. “Max, are you sure about the theft?”
His blue eyes fixed on hers. “As sure as I can be until the game launches and I can get hold of a copy. I’ve tried to hack into their system, but it’s state of the art.”
“And that Easter egg thing, that’s how you’ll prove it?”
“Why are you asking?” His gaze narrowed. “No. No way. You’re not considering doing something stupid at Poseidon, are you?”
“Well, I—”
“Don’t even think about it. This is my problem, and I’ll work it out. Don’t you dare jeopardize your contract with them, trying to be my champion. You’ve worked too hard to get this shot.”
“So have you.”
“Stop thinking what you’re thinking—right now, you hear me?” When she didn’t answer, he leaned closer. “Look, you’re the best friend I ever had, but I’m a big boy. I’ll work this out.”
“But, Max—” She glanced away, trying to marshal her arguments for why it made sense for her to snoop around.
Her gaze strayed to the hall beside the bar toward the couple just then walking by—
And every thought fled as she met Dominic Santorini’s piercing stare.
Dominic and Ariana. What were they doing here? Slumming?
“Lex, what’s wrong?”
She couldn’t speak. Just then, Ariana spotted her and waved, then pulled at Dominic’s sleeve. Lexie tensed, wishing she could somehow vanish.
But it was too late. Dark eyes fixed on her, he turned to follow his sister.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost—” Max craned to see what was spooking her, then whistled. “Well, well, the big boss man himself. I saw Santorini once, speaking at a conference.”
“Max, you won’t—”
His jaw flexed. “Relax, Lex. I’ll play it cool. I’m not about to tip my hand until I’m sure.” A dangerous glee danced in his eyes. “But I wouldn’t mind an introduction to the babe who’s with him. Know her?”
Lexie could barely speak. “She’s his sister.”
Tawny eyebrows lifted. “How interesting.”
“Max, she’s—” And then it was too late. Ariana was almost beside her.
The raven hair swung about Ariana’s shoulders, and one pair of dark eyes glowed with pleasure. “Lexie, I am very glad to see you. I don’t know anyone in Austin yet, so it is a wonderful surprise to encounter someone familiar.”
Lexie darted a glance at the other set of dark eyes, as stormy as Ariana’s were pleased. Heart thumping at the warning there, she rose and hugged the woman. “Hello, Ariana. I’m glad to see you, too.”
She turned and gestured toward Max, who had already risen to his feet, his eyes fixed on Ariana. “This is my friend, Max Lancaster. Max, meet Ariana and Dominic Santorini.”
Max shook Dominic’s hand, and Lexie had to admire his aplomb, knowing that Max probably wanted to rip into Dominic’s throat. “Santorini.”
Dominic nodded just as curtly, his eyes barely moving from Lexie’s face. “My pleasure.”
It felt like a spotlight, his gaze. If she’d been a bug on a pin, she couldn’t have been more uncomfortable, even avoiding meeting his eyes as she was.
“Ms. Grayson, it is a surprise to see you again so soon.”
She dared a glance at him, then wished she hadn’t. There was something hot and angry in his gaze.
How dare he? She wasn’t the one who’d lied, wasn’t the one who’d been so rude this afternoon.
Max broke the moment by reaching for Ariana’s hand. “Ms. Santorini, whatever brings you to Austin is welcome indeed.” He lifted her hand to his lips with his practiced charm, and Lexie wanted to smack him.
She didn’t have to. Ariana withdrew her hand quickly, her cheeks flaring bright red. “I’m visiting my brother.”
One look in those anguished eyes, and a look of chagrin crossed Max’s face. “I only meant to say that you brighten this little backwater.” He withdrew carefully, and an awkwardness filled the air.
“Well, I—” Lexie desperately wanted to keep Max from noticing the charge leaping between her and the dark, dangerous Dominic.
“We had better take our seats.” Dominic rescued them all. “Lancaster, good to meet you.” He nodded and turned toward Lexie. “Ms. Grayson, I’d like to meet with you again and straighten out some details.”
He was surely talking about the gala plans, but she couldn’t be certain. Those black eyes raked her just short of indecency. And the heat and anger hadn�
�t cooled.
She was all too aware of Max’s curious glance and Ariana’s perusal. She swallowed hard. “I thought you wanted me to coordinate with Mr. Stafford from now on.”
“I changed my mind.” The deep voice was as much command as explanation. “Call my secretary tomorrow and let me know when you are available. I will do my best to accommodate your schedule.”
She needed this job. Surely at his office, he wouldn’t—
“Yes, all right,” she stammered. “You’re the boss.” She couldn’t meet his gaze again, too afraid Max would put two and two together, too worried about being alone with Dominic.
So she glanced at Ariana instead. “I’m glad to see you again, Ariana. I hope you enjoy the food here.”
“Thank you. I hope you’ll be at the house again soon, Lexie.”
Lexie cut a glance at Dominic’s forbidding countenance, very aware of his dictate that she leave his sister alone.
Well, too bad. He might be able to order her around when it came to this job, but if Ariana wanted to talk, she’d listen. Lexie knew all about being lonely. “I’ll look forward to it.”
She smiled brightly, defiantly.
Dominic scowled.
Dominic ushered Ariana to a table in the corner, seating her with her back to the room so that he could take the chair with the view of Lexie and the tall blond man with whom she was so intimate.
His teeth ground together as he heard Lexie’s delighted laughter. He fought the urge to walk back over and smash his fist into Max Lancaster’s face—
Simply because Lexie laughed with him as she once had so freely shared her laughter with a man named Nikos. Because her hand had been clasped in Max Lancaster’s and not his own.
“I’m so happy to see Lexie again. I really like her—” Ariana glanced up from her menu and every bit of pleasure fled from her face. “What’s wrong?”
He realized that he was frowning. Hard. Glaring toward Lexie’s companion. “Nothing.” He straightened, picked up his menu, tried to make sense of the words.
“Nothing? Nikos, we may have spent most of our lives apart, thanks to my mother’s deceit, but a perfect stranger could tell you’re upset about something.” Then she hit too close to home. “You were upset this afternoon at the house. You don’t like Lexie?” Her face showed how incomprehensible that was.
Texas Magic Page 6
