Garrett (Dark Water Security Book 2)

by Madison Quinn

  “That was…You were...” He leans up to look down at me.

  I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him in for a deep kiss. I know what he is trying to say, but there really aren’t words to describe the connection that I just felt with him. Although the first time we met I felt it, tonight there was something entirely different between us. The connection was stronger, it was almost as if I could feel how much he cares about me by his actions. Just as it’s impossible for me to tell Garrett how I feel; I know exactly the struggle he is having right now.

  He slides his arm under my lower back, holding me close to him as he rolls us so we are both lying on our sides facing each other. He pulls my leg up, placing it on his thigh as he holds me tight against him. Unlike our first night together, he doesn’t pull out right away, I enjoy this brief moment of having Garrett naked next to me. I run my fingers through his hair as he lazily rubs circles on my back.

  “I’m going to use the bathroom before I fall asleep,” I groan and reluctantly pull myself from his grasp.

  “SHIT!” he exclaims before I have a chance to leave the bed.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask.

  “We didn’t use a condom,” he points out. “I’m so sorry, I was so caught up in the moment that I didn’t—”

  “Garrett,” I interrupt gently, “it’s okay. I’m on the pill and have been for several years now.”

  “Thank God. I swear I’m clean…I’ve never had sex without a condom before tonight. I had a complete physical before I left the Marines, I’m sure I can get a copy of it—”

  “I trust you,” I reassure him. “I’ve never been tested, but you’re the only…person I’ve ever been with.”

  “Really?” he gasps.

  “I haven’t been with anyone since…” I can feel the heat rising to my face.

  “But you’re on the pill?” he asks confused.

  “It helps regulate my cycles.” If possible, I feel my face heat up even more.

  “Oh.” He looks almost as embarrassed as I am.

  Not wanting to discuss my cycles any further, I grab the towel that had been discarded earlier, and wrap it around myself before heading into the bathroom. I use the toilet before heading back into the bedroom in search of the pajamas I was originally looking for when I came out of the tub.

  “Come here,” Garrett requests.

  “Just let me throw on something to sleep in,” I reply.

  “No, come here,” he repeats.

  I walk over to the bed and as soon as I’m within reach, he pulls me onto the bed making the entire bed bounce. He pulls the towel open and brings me against him before reaching down to grab the blankets to cover us with. One arm is snug under my pillow, the other wrapped around my waist and his warm body is pressed against mine.

  “Night, baby.” He kisses my cheek before his head hits the pillow behind me.

  “Good night,” I whisper, touched by his words.

  Chapter 25

  Garrett

  I’ve been up for a few minutes now, simply watching Hope sleep. She’s curled into my side, almost exactly like how she was when we fell asleep. I love that she’s stopped worrying that being together will affect our work and that she’s decided to give this a chance. I’ve never met anyone like her and I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.

  “Are you watching me sleep?” she whispers against my chest.

  “I am.” I chuckle at her knowing me so well.

  “That’s creepy, you know.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  She tugs the blanket up and moves so her head is on her own pillow. As much as I love being able to see her beautiful face, I immediately miss having her soft body pressed against mine. I search her eyes though, looking for any sign that she regrets what happened between us. I’m instantly relieved when she smiles shyly at me, her eyes telling me all I need to know.

  “We never got a chance to talk about yesterday,” she says, confusing me.

  “What about yesterday?”

  “Whatever had you running out of here and going to Mr. Meyer’s office?”

  “Ugh that.” I groan.

  “Foxx, we’ve got a problem,” Steve Snyder says as soon as I answer the ringing phone.

  “What’s going on?” I gesture to Hope that I need to go take this, she simply nods in understanding when I head into my bedroom. I’m rarely in here any longer, except to use the computer and grab a change of clothes.

  “Someone got through our firewall,” he answers.

  “How bad is it?” I’ve spoken with Steve before and know that if someone managed to get past the firewall we have a problem. There’s a lot of sensitive information stored on the company’s servers; everything from financial plans to confidential employee information to patent pending software ideas. In other words, information that Mr. Meyer doesn’t want anyone to have access to.

  “While they managed to get past the initial firewall, he triggered a secondary alarm notification so we were able to put a stop to him progressing any further.”

  “I’m on my way in.”

  I mumble a brief explanation to Hope before darting out the door. I send a text to Luke and Emily at Dark Water Security alerting them to what’s going on. I make it to Mr. Meyer’s office in record time, thanking all the street light gods that were on my side. The building is nearly empty, given it’s a Sunday morning is no surprise.

  “We’ve already changed all the security codes per your protocol,” Steve greets me in the lobby as soon as I walk in.

  “Good.” I’m pleased that while Mr. Meyer doesn’t follow most of my security advice, at least his staff does. “I don’t know much about the technology side of security, but can you walk me through what you found? Dark Water Security has an IT expert on hand that I can reach out to if need be.”

  “I think we have the problem handled on this end. I’ve already put in patches and additional security features on the firewall.” He points to his computer screen which I don’t need to tell him means nothing to me. It might as well be in a different language.

  “What do we know about the person who tried to break in?” I sit down next to him, staring at the multiple computer screens on his desk though I have no idea what I’m looking at.

  “He’s good,” Steve sits back and crosses his arms over his chest. “No firewall is hack proof, but ours is pretty darn close. We’ve built multiple security layers into it to ensure that even if they manage to get through the first layer we’re notified and they don’t get through the next one.”

  “How many layers did he get through?”

  “Three, he was caught on the final one.”

  “Fuck,” I hiss. “We have a security expert on staff that I’ll consult and see what she can find out.”

  “All I can tell you is that he’s someone who knows his way around a computer. He’s not an amateur kid who decided to start hacking recently.”

  “Got it. I’ll speak with our expert and will let you know what I find out.” I stand up, planning on heading into my office to call Emily.

  “Foxx?” He stops me before I leave the room.

  “Yeah?”

  “The person who did this is probably just doing it for money. Even if your guy manages to find him, I doubt he’s going to tell us who hired him.”

  “Yup, already considered that.”

  “Let me know what you need from me.”

  “Will do.”

  I take the elevator to a small private area on the third floor near Mr. Meyer’s office where I usually spend my day. I start up my computer, logging in to Dark Water Security’s servers and review the information there. Until now, Mr. Meyer hasn’t received any credible threats since I was put in place, but even prior to that the threats were through anonymous emails or letters sent to the office. From the information in the file, Mr. Meyer never reported a break in at his office physically or through technology.

  I hate to bother Emily on a weekend, but everyone knows the secur
ity business doesn’t take a day off, even though we would love to sometimes.

  “Garrett, everything okay?” she answers her cell phone before the first ring is even completed.

  “Sorry to bother you on a weekend—”

  “Don’t worry about it. Luke has been on calls all day, so really you’re saving me from complete boredom right now.”

  “Glad I can be of service then.” I chuckle earning a laugh from her as well.

  When I first met Emily, it was a coffee shop not far from the apartment I was renting. She was scared shitless because some guy had been following her when she was out running errands. Even after I assured her that he was gone, she remained petrified, though she didn’t look it. Instead, she looked like she was the one providing security detail rather than me being there to protect her. But the moment Luke rushed into the shop, that all changed. She was still a little on edge, but it was like she felt safe just because he was there. I don’t know what their story is, but something tells me they have a good one.

  “How can I help you Garrett?” she asks.

  “Someone tried to hack through Meyer’s firewall—”

  “Interesting…how far did they get?”

  “According to the IT guy here, the hacker made it through several layers until he was finally stopped at the final level. He theorizes that this person knows what they’re doing because their system is virtually hack proof—”

  “That’s more wishful thinking on his part,” she laughs. “Their system is good, I give them that, but it’s not that good. All it would take is someone with a little money to hire a hacker to get them in.”

  “You’re familiar with their system?” I ask surprised.

  “Of course. When Richard Meyer first approached Dark Water Security, Luke and Alec asked me to run a background check on him and his company. While they handled the security features of the building, I looked into the security behind their technology. For someone who develops anti-virus software, I honestly expected it to be better. It’s good, just not great. And definitely not hack proof.”

  “Is it possible to find out who hacked their system?” I ask.

  “Probably, but it wouldn’t do you much good.”

  “Because that won’t tell us who hired them.” I shake my head at the possible dead end.

  “Exactly.” I hear her typing away on her keyboard. “Meyer’s company is set to release a new program in the next couple of months—”

  “Are you sure? I specifically asked him to keep me apprised of any new products or software being released in advance so I look into additional security features that might be needed,” I interrupt.

  “I’m sure.” Her tone leaves no doubt. “I found some talk in one of the chatrooms I sometimes use. I don’t think it’s common knowledge yet, since it’s only in this one room but I’ll do some digging and see what I can find.”

  “So someone could have hired the hacker to get their hands on this new program?” I theorize.

  “Possibly.”

  “Would you mind letting me know what you find out? This is kind of out of my realm here. I’ll speak with Luke later today and see what else he thinks I should do.”

  “I’ll be in touch when I know something, Garrett.”

  I hang up the phone with Emily and spend the next hour reading everything Dark Water Security has on Mr. Meyer and his company. I try to call Mr. Meyer, but I’m not surprised when he doesn’t answer my call or my text. On my way back to the apartment, Luke calls letting me know that Emily brought him up to speed on today’s developments.

  “Have you spoken with Mr. Meyer about the attempted hack? He may be able to provide you with a list of people or companies Emily can look into. Whoever could be his closest competition? Or someone with a lot to lose by this announcement—”

  “I left him a voice-mail and texted him, but he hasn’t responded yet.”

  “He left again, didn’t he?”

  I have regular calls scheduled with Luke, so he’s aware that Mr. Meyer “ditched” me to go to his brother’s the other week. We talked about it at great lengths, including the security risk he was putting himself in by doing this.

  “He’s at his brother’s place…at least that’s where he told me he was going,” I growl.

  “You have doubts,” he states rather than asks.

  “I don’t know. He could very well be at his brother’s place, but he could also be anywhere. Like we discussed, I reminded him of the importance of having security in place and the reasons he contracted with Dark Water Security to begin with. He seems to think that the threats are tied to his business rather than him as a person. I honestly don’t think he believes there’s a risk to himself,” I tell him honestly.

  “I had a conversation with him last week as well—”

  “You did?” Luke never mentioned that he was going to speak with Mr. Meyer, though it’s his name on the line as one of Dark Water Security’s two owners, so I can’t blame him for that.

  “I reminded him of the key components of his contract with us and even sent him a copy via email, with specific areas highlighted including the section that stated failure to comply with security measures outlined and previously agreed to, that our contract could be terminated. Alec is dealing with a situation right now or else I would consult with him, but I’m confident he’ll agree with my decision. Monday morning I’ll be sending Mr. Meyer a contract termination notice. Your assignment will end thirty days from Monday, however there will be a clause built in that if he doesn’t comply with the contract currently in place that you be removed prior to the end of the thirty days. I have a few short term assignments coming up that I could put you on, but unfortunately I don’t have anything live-in available right now—”

  “If it’s all the same, I think for right now I’m good with local assignments, sir,” I interrupt.

  “I’ll have something waiting for you when your contract with Meyer is done,” he promises. “And Foxx, just know that this contract termination has no reflection on your performance or your status with Dark Water Security. Even though we’re crystal clear with our expectations with our clients when they sign on with us, sometimes they still don’t get it, and think they’re above everyone else. Meyer will find out the hard way that he’s not.”

  “Thank you, sir. I appreciate that.”

  “I’ll be in touch. Let me know if anything with Meyer changes or if he goes AWOL again on you.”

  Chapter 26

  Hope

  “Everything okay?” I ask. Garrett seems to have zoned out for a few minutes there.

  “Sorry.” He shakes his head and sits up in bed. “We need to talk.”

  “Okay…”I pull the blankets up around my bare chest and sit up next to him. Immediately my muscles object, still sore from our time together last night. I don’t know what happened yesterday when Garrett was gone but when he came home he was…different. I didn’t have a chance to ask him about it; the moment I came out of the bathroom and saw him in here, I forgot everything.

  “My contract is being terminated with Mr. Meyer—”

  “What?!?! Why? When? How—” I blurt out as my mouth struggles to keep up with my sudden racing thoughts. My mind is going a mile a minute. What happened that Garrett needs to leave? Did something happen to Mr. Meyer? What does this mean for us? What happens when Garrett moves out? Will we keep seeing each other?

  “I can practically see your mind racing, Hope.” He reaches out and takes my hand in his, squeezing it gently.

  “Sorry,” I mumble, though it does nothing to stop my mind from doing just that.

  “Yesterday someone tried to hack into Mr. Meyer’s servers at his office—”

  “Oh!”

  “I was on the phone with Emily—I mentioned her to you before.” I nod. “She did some looking around and found that Mr. Meyer’s company is going to release some new software program in the next couple of months and it’s already causing some chatter.”

  “Okay�
��” I’m not sure I understand how this led to his assignment here ending.

  “Mr. Meyer’s contract has specific procedures that need to be followed, which allows me to ensure I’m doing my job properly. Just like he’s not supposed to leave for weekends away without me, anything that has the potential to impact the security of his business, such as new program releases, he’s supposed to inform me. This is so I can prepare for those reactions.”

  “He didn’t tell you about the new program.” I realize what Garrett isn’t saying.

  “No, he didn’t,” he confirms between clenched teeth. “Just like he didn’t answer my call or text to inform him of the break-in at his office. Luke called me when I was on my drive back here; he’s making the decision to submit a contract termination notice to Mr. Meyer tomorrow morning. My assignment is up in thirty days, or earlier if he continues to put Dark Water Security’s reputation at risk.”

  “Oh.”

  I don’t know what to do with what Garrett just told me. Things have been so good between us…so perfect. We’ve lived in this small bubble for the last few months and now in the blink of an eye it’s all going to disappear. He’ll get a job somewhere else, maybe not even close by, and he’ll be so busy I’ll be lucky to see him once every few weeks. After seeing him every day and spending every night in his arms, I don’t know how to go back to not having him in my life.

  “I…I’m going to go take a shower. I have things to—”

  “Hope.”

  I don’t turn around, instead I dart from the bed, completely naked and head into the bathroom. I use the toilet before getting into the hot shower. I let the scalding water hit my body, turning my skin pink from the high temperature. I lose the fight of holding back the tears, and just let them fall. I’m devastated that things are changing, but I understand why Garrett’s bosses made that decision. I’m not stupid. I know Mr. Meyer was making Garrett’s job harder by not cooperating. I just hoped we could stay in our little bubble a little longer. We never talked about what would happen when our jobs here ended, even though we both knew at some point they would.