She holds out the tumbler. “One more. This time I’ll sip. I like to get the buzz going right away.”
Laughter spills out my lungs. I wouldn’t have believed I could laugh right now if my life depended on it, yet this thin woman, who’s pixielike for her size with big easy smiles, and fire-red hair that glistens when it catches the light, brings it out of me.
I pour her another and hand it to her. She clinks it with mine. “It’s going to be okay,” she remarks with such sincerity I want to believe her.
“You think?” I swallow down some whiskey and let it burn a fiery trail into my gut that can’t seem to settle.
Her gaze settles on mine. “If you buck up and talk to her, yeah, I do.”
I shake my head. “Not ready.”
She firms her shoulders and straightens her back. “Well, when you are, I’ll be there for you,” she says instantly.
I smile softly, wanting her to know I appreciate her friendship more than I can possibly say right now. “You will, won’t you?” I declare, allowing the words to sink into my heart, tugging that dagger back an inch.
She smiles wide. “That’s what sisters are for, right? To help you with women. Tell you when you’ve got the wrong one on the hook. Call her a ho-bag. Remind you when you’re being a stupid ass.”
Once more, laughter bubbles up and flows to the surface.
“And Park?” she murmurs, before sipping her whiskey.
“Yeah, minxy?”
“You’re being a stupid ass.”
5
“Alexis, there’s nothing in your financials that indicates any form of embezzling. Our gal pulled all of the financials on every employee, and not one of them has any fluctuations that are noteworthy.” Royce sighs and puts the tablet down on the coffee table in her office.
She picks up the device and scans each document.
Two days of Royce reviewing Stanton Cybertech’s finances and me interviewing sixteen employees have come up with jack.
Alexis inhales loudly and lets it out with a groan from her crimson-painted lips. Today she looks out of this world. Her golden hair is up in a messy chignon, and her lips are a glistening cherry red that match her top-to-toe red silk catsuit, or is it a jumpsuit the ladies are calling it these days? I’d have to ask Bo to be certain. Not that it matters. On her feet are the same pair of nude stilettos she wore when she met us in Boston. I lick my lips and notice her toes match her outfit at a siren red. The woman is sex on stilts.
Just as the thought hits me, Alexis places her hand on my upper thigh and leans forward. “What do you think, Parker?”
I clear my throat, grab her hand, and move it off of my thigh as subtly as I can, putting it on the couch cushion between us.
“Hate to say it, but whoever is doing this to you either isn’t making a dime, or maybe they don’t work here.”
She frowns. “But I thought because the leaks were making my competitor rich, we’d find the source here.”
I run my hand down my pant leg, straightening out any wrinkles in the fabric. “Ideally, that would make sense. We need to talk to Wendy, though, see if she’s found out anything about the technology behind the scenes. Maybe we’ll learn more about the potential leaks if we find out who’s using the system to create viruses and manipulating your coding so you have errors. I can bring her into my interview like everyone else. Get some answers.”
She nods. “Okay. I guess that’s a step in the right direction. Royce, are you sure there aren’t any discrepancies?”
He nods, leans back into the chair, and rests his ankle on his opposite knee. “Sorry. I’ve looked up and down, not to mention reviewed each employee’s personal checking, savings, and investment accounts. Some are doing well in the stock market, but most are living off their salaries, which I find are very generous.”
She smiles and winks at him. “I like to make sure my people are happy.”
He clears his throat and adjusts his tie. “That is obvious. And you do it well.”
Her gaze flicks to mine. “So I’ve been told.” She licks her lips seductively.
I have to hold back from grinding my teeth and calling her out on her bullshit. There’s forward, and then there’s forward. Without sounding like a pansy-assed prepubescent teen, I’m getting a little tired of the innuendo and double entendres Alexis is firing off. She’s like a dog with a bone. Once she sets her sights, it’s game on. Almost as if getting me to submit is a challenge she must win. Then again, I imagine a woman like her doesn’t get turned down often, if ever. It makes me think she may not even realize she’s playing a game. Like a battle of the wills. So she gets a man she desires in her bed, then what? It’s not like she’s winning a trophy or an award. What’s the endgame?
“Well, all right.” Royce stands up. “I’m going to go back to finance and see what else I can drum up, if anything. Bo should be here any minute,” he says, right as there is a knock at her office door.
“Lexie, a Bogart Montgomery is here for his three o’clock meeting,” her receptionist says demurely.
Royce walks over to the door and sidesteps around Bo as though he doesn’t know him. “Excuse me.”
“Sure.” Bo steps to the side as Royce moves his big body down the hall.
Bo turns to me and Alexis, his eyes widen, and he takes his time blatantly checking out our client from head to toe and back again.
My shoulders fall as if they’re being pushed down by two metal robot hands. This is going to suck. I can already feel the drama of Bo being into Alexis unfolding. Tension coils in my back and up my neck, tightening the muscles.
“Well, hello, gorgeous.” Bo shuts the door behind him and swaggers over to where Alexis is sitting. He holds out his hand.
She places her palm into his and cocks an unimpressed eyebrow as he leans down and kisses the top of her hand. He continues, “Am I awake? Because you look like my dream come true.”
“Easy, tiger. This is our client, Alexis Stanton,” I warn.
“Sexy name for a sexy siren,” he purrs, ignoring my warning completely.
Ugh. I press my temples with thumb and forefinger.
Alexis’s expression changes to one of confidence. “Now this is the type of man I’m used to dealing with.” Alexis crosses her arms over her voluptuous chest, pushing her breasts up even higher.
“Ignore him. We do.” I wave my bandaged hand in the air.
Bo plucks at his goatee; as he does, the buckles on his leather jacket jingle.
“Bo, to quickly get you up to date, Royce hasn’t found anything in the finances of any employee to conclude that they’re being paid for information. I haven’t found anything in the sixteen staff I’ve interviewed, although I have seven more, including Wendy. Nothing they’ve said or the answers to my questions suggests they’re unhappy or indifferent about Alexis and Stanton Cybertech. Each person is elated to be working here and seems genuinely baffled by the products leaking. Apparently, you’re an exceptional boss.” I dip a respectful nod her way, trying to make sure there’s not even a hint of innuendo to my tone.
She grins and bites down on her plump bottom lip. “I’m exceptional at a lot of things when given a chance.”
Bo groans. “Jesus! A woman after my own heart.” In a dramatic move, he crosses his hand over his chest where his heart lies.
I ignore both of them and continue with my findings. “I’ve also reviewed all of the lie detector tests, and each person passed with flying colors.”
Bo chuckles while he eases into the seat across from Alexis, his gaze never leaving her. “Lie detectors are a cinch to pass. The courts repeatedly reject the use of polygraph evidence because it’s unreliable. You’re far better at reading people than a lie detector. In my opinion anyway.”
“Thank you. Still that leaves us at square one. You’re up, buddy. When Alexis gets you into a room with a bulk of the team members to work on your application, feel them out. You know what to do.”
He smirks. “I always kn
ow how to work a person, mentally or physically.” His tone is filled to the brim with innuendo and pointed directly at Alexis.
Sighing, I get up and move to the door. “On that note, I’m going to go back to my room to get the rest of the interviews out of the way.”
“Awesome, I thought I’d never be left alone with the most beautiful woman alive.” Bo leers and smiles wide.
Heck, maybe having Bo on-site will give Alexis a dose of her own medicine. Couldn’t hurt at this point. If her focus is on him and not me, I won’t have to deal with the sexy temptress coming after me anymore. Not that I can’t handle her . . . maybe, probably. I’ve thwarted her attempts so far, which means in this game she’s playing, I’m winning. Not something I imagine she’s used to, which is almost a double whammy win for me.
Alexis laughs out loud, stands up, and goes over to open the door for me.
I glance over at Bo where he’s moved to the couch, both arms spread out along the back, legs wide, settling in as though he’s about to sit and watch a football game. “He’s mostly harmless. Forward, but harmless. Put him in his place if you need to.”
She grips my tie and runs her hand down the length of it, her fingers brushing along my chest. Ribbons of heat spread out from where her fingers touch and along my skin, settling hotly between my thighs. My dick takes notice, coming up to half-mast. I stare at her cherry-red lips and wonder for a brief moment if they’d taste like the juicy fruit. Okay, maybe she’s winning the game at this point.
“Oh, I’m comfortable with forward. What I want to know is when are you going to be comfortable with the idea of you and me?” She places her hand on my waist and leans against my body.
You and me.
Those three words are like throwing a bucket of ice water over my head, putting out the flicker of arousal that was budding inside of me.
The only “you and me” I can even fathom is with Skyler. We talked a lot about being a “you and me” and an “us” for that matter. Now she’s gone. We’re over.
The knot in my stomach tightens and twists, and I grit my teeth against the pain. If this ache and strangling sensation keep up, I’m going to need to visit my doc back home. Something’s gotta give.
As politely as I can, I ease Alexis back. “I can’t. I’m sorry.”
“But . . .” She starts to push, but out of nowhere, a big hand cups Alexis’s shoulder.
“He really can’t, beautiful. Me, on the other hand . . .” He grins, and she shrugs his palm off her shoulder. Bo backs up with his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “Okay, okay. I see my charm isn’t working, but honey, with Park, you’re barking up the wrong tree.”
I fling my gaze to Bo’s and wince. “Back off. I’ve got this under control.”
He shrugs and saunters back to the couch, where he drops onto it like a sack of potatoes. I cringe and focus my attention on Alexis.
“Why?” she whispers softly, her expression changing to one of concern, though I can also hear a hint of insecurity.
I bite into my bottom lip and frown. “It’s personal. And I told you, I’m coming out of a relationship.”
“You know what they all say?” she murmurs, the sound more like a humming purr.
I close my eyes, knowing she’s going to say something to the tune of “the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else.”
“A night of guilt-free fucking can cure all?” she says, smugness rife in her tone, any speck of insecurity gone in an instant.
Bo snaps his fingers and raises his voice enough so that both of us can hear him. “I’ve actually heard that one and believe in it wholeheartedly!”
I tip my head back and laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of it all.
Fighting the attraction between us.
Guilt over having not yet talked to Skyler about what she’s done.
And my wish to not be in this predicament in the first place.
If Skyler hadn’t fucked me over, I’d be able to brush Alexis off with nothing more than using the g word and committed relationship, but it would serve her right if I hopped into bed with Alexis.
Hell, I could take pictures and send them to her. She likes sending texts. “Here are a few of me and another hot blonde. Hope you had as much fun with your ex as I’m having with this bombshell.” Yeah, that’s what I’d do. Hurt her the way she hurt me.
Then the thought of Skyler hearing about how I’d stepped out the same way she did makes the acid in my stomach swirl and clench so hard I might end up getting sick. No, I’m better than that. Better than banging anything hot with legs just to piss off my ex, or soon-to-be ex, depending on who you ask.
Fuck! I can’t think about this anymore. I’ve got work to do.
“Look, it’s a very nice offer, Alexis, and a different me would be more than happy to take you up on the incredible experience I know we’d have. But, I can’t. I just . . . It’s not happening.” I turn and head down the hallway, leaving her and Bo to a battle of the sexes.
When I get back to my interview space, I note Spartacus is curled up in my chair. “Hey, buddy, what are you up to?” I lift the cat and place him in my lap. Surprisingly he curls right back up and plants his head dead center of my stomach. I run my fingers through his velvet-soft fur. “You understand what it’s like, right? To love someone so much and not know how to let them go?”
Spartacus yawns, stretching his mouth open wide, and rubs his head against my abdomen. His warmth and gentle purring presence start to allow the tension in my body to seep out. With every long stroke across his furry body, another bundle of negative energy leaves me until, eventually, my eyes close, I lean back in the chair, and for the first time all week, I can finally take a full breath. My stomach isn’t as knotted, and I feel at peace.
Fuck.
I need to get a cat.
Two hours later, I’ve interviewed another individual and Mrs. Wendy Pritchard is entering my office.
“Go ahead and shut the door, Mrs. Pritchard.”
Her lips twitch with a smile she’s holding back. The padlock around her neck gleams in the light. She’s wearing a pair of royal-blue leggings, suede ankle boots, and a black-and-white checkered top that hits midthigh with a yellow belt hanging at her hips. She’s got silver hoops in her ears and a soft pink color on her lips. On her hands are fishnet fingerless gloves.
A style icon in her own right. Every time I see her clothing I wonder if I like it or not. Regardless, it always works for her.
“Hey, boss man, how goes it?” She sits down, spins in a 360-degree circle once, and then stops her spin by catching herself on the table.
I chuckle. “You know I called you in here like a regular interview so we can hash out some of this crap and the others wouldn’t become suspicious, right?”
“Totally.”
“And . . . Mrs. Pritchard?” I cock an eyebrow.
She beams, her happiness like a ray of light bursting straight from the center of her chest and lighting up the room. “Isn’t it awesome? Sir Mick spanked the hell out of me for it.”
I frown. “Why? He didn’t like you using his name?”
She jerks her head and tilts it to the side. “Uh, no. He liked it very much. Duh, that’s why he spanked the hell out of me. Reward. Heeeelllloooo?”
I spend a few moments mulling that information over.
Wendy purses her lips. “That’s right. I forget how vanilla some of you guys are. I’m sure Bo would have gotten the joke. Though don’t you dare tell him. He’ll come up with an endless number of spanking-related things to bother me with for a solid week.” She groans. “Man never shuts up. Sometimes I want to ball gag him and weld the damn ends together so he can’t get it off.”
“Duly noted.”
She preens as if we weren’t just talking about spanking and ball gags. When the hell did my relationship with Wendy change so dramatically?
“Since we don’t have a lot of time, let’s get right to the point.” I move forward with ge
tting the information I need.
“Okay, boss. I’m ready.” She sits on the edge of her seat, rests her elbows and hands on the table, and waits for my next response.
“Royce found nothing in the financials. I’ve found nothing in the interviews, and I only have a handful left.”
“Even Kidd Stanton?”
I pause and sit back in my chair. “What about Kidd?”
She takes a deep breath and lets it out as if she’s gathering her thoughts. “I’ve been going through his code. There’s a distinct method in which coders write. Almost like a fingerprint. There are idiosyncrasies that I can see between the way Alexis codes and Kidd’s coding. His isn’t nearly as advanced or secure as hers, but he’s damn good.”
“All right, what else?”
“Based on the bit of digging I’ve been able to do in between the projects and training, I’ve found at least three places that were funky. One was a bug in the system that looked like it was placed there. The coding matches Kidd’s style. Another was wonky coding—and let me be clear, even the best of us screw up sometimes when we’re tired or whatever. This . . .” She shakes her head.
“What? Just say it.”
She winces. “This looks intentional. As though he meant to write something that was going to trip up the system. Worse, it’s so blatant that the average techie would skim right over it. Kind of like it’s so amateur, it’s hidden in plain sight in a way. Does that make sense?”
I lean back in my chair and tap my lips with my index finger.
Why would Kidd Stanton write bad code that his sister could easily find?
Why would he bug the system?
“It doesn’t make sense. I sat with the guy. He has his sister’s name tattooed on his arm.”
“Yeah, I saw that. It’s pretty cool. I’d like to get something with Mick on it.”
“Anything else? Another staff member in the department doing strange things?”
She shrugs. “One chick is kind of standoffish. Kind of like she’s put out that I was hired to be on the team. Even made the comment that she didn’t know why I was there when she could easily pick up the department’s slack.”
Montreal (International Guy Book 6) Page 6
