HACKING THE BILLIONAIRE (7 page)

Riley needed a restroom, and she was hard-pressed to find one. Each door she opened was just another room. Each of them tastefully decorated. Nothing ostentatious. Finally she found a bathroom.

She used it, then washed her hands. When she left it, she had no idea how to get back to the backyard. “They should give out a map.”

“Lost?”

She jumped. Chad was leaning against the wall. She hadn’t talked to him yet and would have preferred Dirk to be there. Chad gave off a creepy vibe, and she guessed, from his red face, that he’d been drinking.

Not just a little. He had a drink in his hand right now.

Riley cleared her throat. She’d dealt with the Chads of the world before this. She straightened. “Yes, I’m lost.”

“It’s a big old house, isn’t it?”

Were they going to shoot the shit before he showed her how to get out of here? She could play this game.

“Must have been interesting playing hide and seek here,” she said.

He didn’t move from his spot. Just shrugged. “We only spent summers here.”

“Still, you played.”

“At the beach.”

Whatever. “Would you mind showing me how to get out?”

He smiled, but to Riley it seemed predatory. She didn’t want to think that of Dirk’s brother, but he was giving off a creeper vibe. As if he’d followed her here knowing she had no idea where she was.

What was he going to do?

He pushed off the wall. “Sure. Wouldn’t want big brother to not be able to find you.”

Seemed like an odd statement, so she just smiled and said, “Thanks.”

He nodded in the direction she thought she’d come from. “This way.”

He led her down the hallway, but none of it seemed familiar. She hadn’t been paying that much attention, as her bladder had been full. She’d been in dire need and hadn’t been able to get away from some aunt who was talking to her.

Now she was paying for her politeness. She should have asked the aunt for directions. There might have been one closer to the patio than this. Instead she was relying on Dirk’s brother to get her back to the party.

Should she trust him? Dirk hadn’t said anything bad about his brother. He was one of Riley’s suspects, and that could easily color her reaction to him. She shrugged off her foreboding and tried to talk to him.

“So Dirk said you are in computer security?”

Chad stopped. “Yes.”

His gaze roved over her and her uneasiness returned. He leaned in close to her. “It’s probably above your head, honey.”

Honey?

Suddenly he stopped and opened a door. “Here we are.”

Eager to be away from him, Riley didn’t notice that he’d led her into a pantry. She spun around when she did realize, but he was blocking the door, a not every nice smile on his face. “At last. We’re alone.”

“Let me out of here, Chad. I’ll scream!” she said.

Meanwhile she was searching for a weapon to fend him off with. He approached her. “No one will hear you. Everyone is outside.”

She swallowed. Oh shit. Zeke all over again. What was it with the people around Dirk?

“Don’t come any closer.”

“And you’ll do what? Big brother doesn’t even know you’re gone. Don’t flatter yourself that he cares. He’ll dispose of you just like he does to every woman in his life.”

That hurt, but it shouldn’t. This was business. Nothing personal. No emotion.

Chad then had her against the only wall that didn’t have shelves on it. He’d put down his drink when she wasn’t paying attention. His breath smelled of scotch. She flinched when he breathed on her.

Maybe if she lit his breath on fire, someone would notice. “Get off of me, Chad.”

“Playing hard to get?”

Chad laughed, his breath wafting across her face. She worked her hands up to his chest and shoved. His face grew redder.

“Do you know who I am?”

“Yes, and I’m not impressed.”

He swung his hand, but she deflected his slap. “Bitch.”

He grabbed her hair and yanked. She saw stars, and when her vision surfaced, he had her blouse partially undone. She slapped at his hands to stop him.

What the hell? Then her knee came up and connected with his balls. He grunted and swore. He didn’t let go. She tried again, but this time he turned so she didn’t hit anything important.

He shoved her harder into the wall, his body up against her. His grabbed her breast as he tried to kiss her. She shoved again, but couldn’t get leverage.

So she bit the tongue he was trying to shove in her mouth.

“Ow. Bitch!”

He slapped at her again, but didn’t have the leverage to do much damage.

“Help!” she yelled.

“No one’s coming, so you might as well give in,” Chad said.

That was not happening. She struggled and thrashed, but he didn’t let go. Shit. This guy was strong.

On impulse she stopped struggling, but became dead weight in his arms. She landed on the floor. She lost any advantage when she climbed on top of her. He forced her legs apart, and she screamed with all of her might.

“Shut the fuck up.”

She thrashed more, desperate to get out from under him. “Stop!” she yelled.

He kissed her neck. “Just let it happen. It’ll be worth your while. I promise. I’m better than my big brother.”

Riley wanted to throw up and wondered if that would dissuade him. She finally got her leg under him and shoved. He hit a shelf and that seemed to make him madder.

She got to her feet and put her hands up to defend herself. He launched himself to her, and she wasn’t sure she could fend him off this time. She was trapped with no way out.

***

Dirk realized that he hadn’t seen Riley in a while. He glanced around, but didn’t spot her red hair.

“Did you get to eat yet?” Eliza said.

He smiled at his stepmother. He ran a multi-billion dollar company, but she still worried about him eating. “I did. I was looking for Riley.”

“I haven’t seen her in a few minutes. I think she went in the house.”

“Crap. She might be lost. I better go rescue her,” Dirk said.

He once had a girlfriend going through the house sizing up how much everything was worth. He hadn’t brought a woman home since then, but he didn’t really think Riley would do that.

She didn’t seem to care that much about his money. One of the things he liked about her. He passed his father on his way into the house. “Have you seen Riley?”

“Uh, I think she went inside,” Carl said.

“Okay, thanks.”

He took one last look over the deck in case he’d missed her, then went inside the house to look for her. It wasn’t odd for someone to get lost if they’d never been in the place before this. Dirk heard muffled voices. Where were they coming from? Was he going to catch two people having sex?

He debated not finding them and searching for Riley. This pair would not be the first ones at one of his parents’ parties to be found having sex. He had no idea what the appeal was to do it during a party.

There were so many other places to do that. And other times. He tracked the voices to the larger of the two pantries off the kitchen. He debated how to handle this. Should he clear his throat or make a noise to warn them?

He chose the direct approach and yanked open the door. What his saw made his jaw drop. Riley was in a state of undress and Chad was kissing her.

“What the fuck is going on?”

Chad stepped away from Riley, who held her shirt closed with her hands. “She tried to seduce me, Dirk. She dragged me in here.”

This had echoes of what Zeke had said. Had he underestimated Riley? Was she really just like every other woman? They all seemed to cheat. He saw red as the anger rose in him.

“You don’t seriously believe him, do you?” Riley said.

Her hair was mussed and she had a red spot on her cheek. Passion?

“Trust me, Dirk. This was her idea,” Chad said.

Who did he believe? Riley hadn’t been screaming or seeming to stop Chad at all. Was she a willing participant? Given his past history, he had to assume the worst. That way he could protect his heart.

Which was sinking into his stomach at the moment. Riley began to cry. A sight he’d never thought he’d see. She was a strong woman, but these could be sympathy tears.

“I think it’s time for us to go, Riley.”

She buttoned up her blouse, straightened it, then strode out as if she hadn’t just been kissing his brother. She didn’t look at him. Dirk said their goodbyes, but it was clear that his mother knew something was amiss.

She didn’t ask and Dirk wasn’t telling. How embarrassing. He didn’t speak to Riley until they were aloft. “My brother?”

She turned to him, her eyes wide. “You think he’s telling the truth? What reason do I have to go after your brother?”

“You tell me. You seem to like to spread it around.”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“Zeke told me about what happened in the elevator.”

“If you think what happened in the elevator with Zeke is me spreading it around then you can fuck yourself. He came on to me.”

She crossed her arms and stared out the window.

“So I’m supposed to believe that both my married best friend and my brother found you so irresistible that they both hit on you?”

“Sounds odd, I know, but guess what? That’s what happened.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Yes I do. Frankly, I don’t care if you do. We aren’t a couple, so even if I wanted to fuck a whole football team, I could. You have no claim to me and I have no claim on you.”

She made a good point. He was acting like a jealous lover. He’d like to pass it off as pretending for the crowd at his parents’ house, but he’d really been jealous. His heart had just returned to its normal rhythm.

He calmed himself down. “You are right. I have no claim on you.”

“Remember that, but the reality is, your brother tricked me into going in there. I was lost.”

That did sound reasonable, but he didn’t know why his brother would try to seduce Riley. He also didn’t know why she would fall for it, but he’d been cheated on before. Why would now be any different?

He didn’t speak to her the rest of the way home. As soon as he landed, she jumped out. She was in the elevator before he could do anything. When he arrived at his parking spot, she was gone.

He called her cell phone, but she put it to voicemail. “Damn it.”

Even if he was mad at her, he wanted to know she was safe. He leaned against his car. What if Riley was telling the truth? What if his brother had tricked her? Not only had she been traumatized by Chad, now Dirk hadn’t trusted her.

He smacked himself in the forehead, but chose not to chase her. He’d give Riley some time to cool off, then he’d go see her. Maybe. He couldn’t decide who was telling the truth in this situation.

He trudged back to the elevator, sad that he was going to spend the evening alone. He was probably being a dumbass, but pride kept him from calling Riley again.

Riley sat in front of her computer, in her temporary apartment, staring at the screen. Her program had netted another notification, and she’d received an e-mail from Zeke on top of that.

The notification said Zeke had sent another e-mail. Riley was still waiting on Joan to get back to her. Someone knocked on her door. She was half expecting Dirk, but that wouldn’t happen. They hadn’t talked since the family gathering, and he hadn’t had any public appearances, so he hadn’t needed her.

Joan walked into Riley’s apartment. “I have some news.”

“I hope it’s good news. I could use some right now.”

Joan plopped herself on the couch behind Riley. “What happened?”

“A few days ago, when I went to visit Dirk at work, his friend Zeke cornered me in the elevator. He said he got Dirk’s leftovers. The man is married. I rejected him, and then he told Dirk that I made a pass at him. Fast-forward to this past weekend. We’re at Dirk’s parents’ house for a party. His brother Chad corners me in a pantry and…tries to rape me. Dirk finds out and is now convinced I’m playing him.”

“Oh my God, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” She waved off her friend’s concern, unable to even think properly about what had happened to her. “I’m not even that hot for two men to want me that badly,” Riley said.

Joan smiled. “You’re way hotter than you think.”

Riley dismissed Joan’s words. “Doesn’t matter. He’s pissed at me, and I get to work with a pissed customer until I find the leak in his company. I’ve been waiting for a call from our boss that I’m off the case, but they have no one else. Lucky me.”

“Did you try to talk to him?”

“He was not interested in listening to me.”

“What about now? He’s had time to cool down.”

“I’ve decided I don’t care anymore,” Riley said. She did, but she didn’t want to, so it was the same thing in her mind. Dirk could screw himself for all she cared. That problem wasn’t her present one anyway. “Do you have an answer on that code?”

“Yes, it is code that tracks the flow of information in and out of the firewall.”

Riley sat back in her chair, tapping her chin. “Why would someone put that in?”

“Because they want to know what’s going in and out?”

“I get that, but why? Did someone else know that there was a leak? This code isn’t amateur stuff.”

Joan shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you. There wasn’t a note about the motive of the coder.”

Riley laughed, but it came out sardonic. The more she dug the more complicated this whole case became. To complicate matters more, part of her missed Dirk. She hadn’t done anything other than get lost, and he blamed her. The whole situation chafed at her. She wasn’t a cheater, and this was a job, so it was that much more important.

Riley chose not to tell Joan about the e-mail from Zeke. He wanted to meet her. He knew about Dirk’s investigation and had information. Why so cloak and dagger? She didn’t trust him, but she wanted this case over. The sooner the better.

“You need to get out. Get away from the computer,” Joan said.

“Probably, but I want to figure this out.”

“Let’s have a girls’ night out. The problem will still be here in a couple of hours. No worries.”

Easy for her to say. She didn’t have feelings for a client. Riley did. That made it more important that she solve this soon. She wanted Dirk out of her life.

“Yeah, I know, but I’m feeling like a dog with a bone. I want to figure this out. I don’t want to let it go.”

Joan eyed her, and Riley was afraid to make eye contact. She didn’t want Joan to realize what her real problem was. Dirk. And her feelings for him.

“Come on, Ri. You’re a boring girl, and I need a night out. Maybe pick up a guy.”

Riley contemplated it. As long as she wasn’t seen with another guy to blow her cover, she should be fine going out. “Okay, but I don’t want to stay out late. I have to meet someone tomorrow.”

“Something I should know about?”

“No. Nothing to do with the case,” Riley lied.

Joan cocked her head. “I think you’re lying, but I’ll let it go. I need a margarita and to dance.”

“I need a shower. Meet me back here in an hour?”

“Okay.”

Joan left, and Riley went back to looking at the e-mail from Zeke. She puzzled over it. Why was he contacting her? How did he know about the investigation? How had he gotten her e-mail? Was it really Zeke?

She’d have to meet him to find out.

She typed. “I’m free tomorrow.”

Riley waited a few minutes then picked out an outfit. She returned to the computer, hoping for an answer. “Damn.”

Showering, she was sure he was going to toy with her. When Riley was about to leave, she heard the beep on her computer. It was Zeke answering her e-mail.

“We can meet tomorrow afternoon.”

He gave her an address for a meeting spot. She acknowledged she’d be there then signed off. She looked on a map program to see where she was going. A warehouse district in Brooklyn. Wow. Closer to her home turf, so she wasn’t worried about it.

What could happen? Still, it was odd that he wanted to meet there instead of somewhere in Manhattan. He must have something to hide. Her doorbell rang, then Joan walked in dressed to pick up a man.

“You clean up good, girl,” Riley said.

She turned off her computer and tucked the details of the case into the back of her mind. For one night she wouldn’t think about leaks or firewall for handsome billionaires who knew how to give her orgasms beyond belief. For one night she was just Riley.

***

Dirk looked at his phone. He was pouting in front of the television. A football game was on, but he’d ceased to watch it. He had no idea the score or even who was playing. His mind was on Riley. Had she been telling him the truth? Maybe she hadn’t been cheating on him.

Chad wasn’t the best of men, but Zeke was his friend. Why would he lie? None of it made sense to him. If she was playing him then his instincts were off. He’d never known them to be wrong.

He’d made a mess of it, and now he was not sure what he should say if he called her. Not like him at all. He always knew the right thing to say. Always knew his next move. Riley stumped him.

His phone buzzed, but it took him a few minutes to look at it. Riley had sent him a text.

“I’m meeting someone about your leak. I’ll let you know when I’m done and give you info if it is significant.”

He sat up. She was meeting someone. It was his damned company. Why hadn’t she invited him along?

“Damn independent woman.”

She was going to handle this all by herself. All because she knew he was mad at her. Damn his temper. Damn his jealousy. He should be in better control, but Riley had him all out of sorts.

He dialed her number. She didn’t answer. It didn’t go right to voicemail, which meant she just ignored him. He called again. “Come on, Riley. Answer.”

This time the call went straight to voicemail. She’d either turned off her phone or denied his call. Damn. She was being obstinate. He should be in on this meeting. This was his company. Did she forget that? Or was she just being a pain because of his temper?

He paced across his living room, not enjoying the view at all. His brain went through many scenarios, some of which he didn’t like. She may not think corporate espionage was dangerous, but it could be. People were murdered over corporate secrets.

Then he remembered that he could track her. He’d turned on location services on her phone one day. He’d never used it, but he could now.

Booting up his laptop, he whistled. He’d find her. He wasn’t tech savvy, and as long as she didn’t realize that he’d turned on the service, he’d find her. He knew how to do this. One of his old girlfriends had taught him.

With a few clicks of his keys, he located Riley. In Brooklyn. He didn’t know much about that part of Brooklyn, so he used Google Earth to look at it. Warehouses. Not a nice neighborhood.

“Damn.”

He called his driver. He wasn’t going to take any of his cars into that area. No one would be around. Who knew what could happen.

His heart rate spiked. He had to go find her and get her. What if something happened to her? His driver arrived a few minutes later.

“This address,” he said to the man.

“Right, boss.”

The man had learned a long time ago not to ask too many questions. Some businessmen relied on their drivers to talk to. Dirk didn’t do that. The man needed to get him from one place to another. He paid him well with bonuses, but he didn’t see any reason to take his business advice.

Dirk tapped his foot, wishing the trip wouldn’t take so long. At least he was going to Brooklyn and not The Bronx. Maybe he should have called the cops, but he didn’t have anything to report. What would he say? “I know something might happen?”

He’d sound ridiculous. And he may be worrying too much, but Riley was not a true city girl. She didn’t have those instincts. She wouldn’t know that she could be in danger. Damn. He should have called her sooner. He should have fixed this.

She was being reckless, and if he’d been there for her, she wouldn’t have had the chance. His heart hurt, wishing he hadn’t done that. Not one to have regrets, these feelings were brand new to him. His whole life, he believed that whatever he did to advance his career was fine. And not being committed to anyone had been part of that.

His past girlfriends had understood this. Then his heart stopped for a moment. He was forgetting that Riley wasn’t his girlfriend. This was business. Pretend. Here he was going off half-cocked and on his way to Brooklyn to save her. She didn’t need to be saved.

He shook his head. No, he still had a responsibility to help her. This was his company. His corporate leak to plug. She was just a means to an end. She still needed him.

Besides, if he admitted it, he missed her. This way she could come home with him and they’d work this out. Whatever this was. Even if they only sorted themselves out for the length of this job. He would do what it took to get his company back, and Riley was a part of that.

No doubt about it. He had to make nice with her for all of this to work out. Right now, he needed to find her, meet with the other person, then bring her home.

Home. Yes, to his home. Don’t get sentimental. It’s business.

That settled, he looked out the window, enjoying the buildings going by. They were almost there. Brooklyn didn’t seem too bad. He didn’t often get out of Manhattan. If he did, he flew most of the time. He didn’t see the sights. He sighed. What was he doing? He was in Brooklyn for this woman. For goodness’ sake. Was this a wild goose chase?

“Just a few more minutes,” his driver said.

“Thank you.”

The buildings became dingier and dingier, and now Dirk knew he’d done the right thing. This place gave him the creeps and he was inside the car. Hopefully he’d find Riley before anything happened.