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“Fuck, did you really just ask him that?” Remi gets upset for me, but I know why she asked.
I put a hand to his shoulder, stopping him. “I didn’t. Yes, I could have. Yes, I have developed programs that could have done it too. But all of those are locked in my vault of research and development. I would never put out something that could allow a stalker to gain access to his prey. It’s why I buried that software. I should have destroyed it. Many people know I created it.”
She nods. “That is why I asked. Look in your own building and see if someone got access to it and maybe used it. Someone wants you, and thus they are going after Briar and Orion. That’s why I’m not telling you where she is. She’s in her safe place and wants it to remain that way.”
“Okay.”
Remi and I exit the building shortly after, and I’m upset that I still don’t know where they are or how serious she was hurt. I’m worried about her.
“I think I know where they are. But if I tell you, you can’t go off half-cocked and leading this person to them,” Remi says from the driver’s seat as we head to my condo. I wanted to go back to the office, but I know I wouldn’t be able to focus. So I’m heading home for now and will deal with everything soon enough. Briar and Orion need to be my priority.
“Do you really?” I look over at him.
“It couldn’t hurt to go look.”
I think about the fact I could run the computer searches to verify his hunch, but right now I don’t know what is compromised and what isn’t. I need to do this carefully.
Chapter 7
Briar
The warm June sun beats down onto my body. We’ve been here in Poipu for a couple of days now. I hate that I ran, but I had no choice. I had to protect my son. Until I know how they got into my condo and accessed my building, I won’t go back.
I go through my laptop again, looking at the code as it scrolls across the screen. I look up for a moment to see Orion playing in the surf. I inherited the property and house from Chase’s mom after she died. I always called this place my sanctuary, and she wanted it to continue to be that after she was gone. I hid out here right after my parents disowned me when I told them I was pregnant with Orion. I hung out here several times after that while I was pregnant. Orion was born here because I didn’t want to be in Seattle during my final trimester. Yvonne and Chase were here with me. The three-bedroom house sits just off our private beach.
“Mom,” he yells, and I look up again.
“Yeah, buddy?”
“Can we go to the beach at the resort?” He’s been bugging to do that since we got here.
Usually, we come here in December during school break, but I told him this time I needed a break for a bit after I got hurt. He doesn’t know I was beat up, just that I fell and got hurt. My elbow is tender and bruised, but it wasn’t broken. My ribs and face are the worst. I have a shrug on over my swimsuit so he can’t see the bruises on them. My face looks pretty bad with a black eye and busted lip. Thankfully, my nose isn’t broken, just bruised also. I have a bruise on my cheek too. I don’t want to go out in public. I let my housekeeper do my shopping so I didn’t have to go out and about.
“I guess.” I finally give into him. I can’t keep him here without other kids just because I’m embarrassed to go out in public. I could use makeup if I wanted to, but the thought of it makes my face hurt.
“Yay.” He jumps up and lands on the castle he’s been building.
I stand up from my chair under the umbrella. I close my laptop and turn to head back into the house. I can see the men off in the distance who are my guards. I told Elora I would be fine without them, but she insisted.
* * *
An hour later, I’m pulling our Jeep up the public access to Poipu beach. It’s the most popular beach on the island and one of the best ones. There are quite a bit of people lying out with umbrellas and chairs. Orion jumps out and moves to the back to help me get our things.
I open the back, and we grab our chairs, cooler, bag, and umbrella. I point to an area off to the side, and we head that way. My sandals sink into the sand as we continue to move toward the spot. I made sure the security guys knew they had to keep a distance because I didn’t want Orion to be scared by them. So they aren’t helping us. I’m not wearing my sling for my elbow, and my arm is hurting by the time we reach the spot. I set up the umbrella while Orion does the chairs. I sit down to unpack his toys and floaties. He’s been swimming for years. As soon as I could, I put him in lessons, just like skating. I’m in my bikini top and shrug with a sheer wrap skirt over my bottoms.
“Come on,” Orion yells after I get him ready. He runs off, and I’m laughing at him as I untie my skirt and drop it on my chair.
I take off after my son, and we play in the surf together for a while until movement catches my eye. I turn in fear but stop when I see Thor storming over to me. A security guard is moving in on him fast to stop him. I hold up a hand to let him know he’s okay. Thor stops and turns to see who I’m waving at. When he sees the man, he turns back and is on me before I know it.
“What the hell do you think you’re wearing?” He looks me up and down. I square my shoulders and he stops. “Not like that. I mean anyone can see your body. Goddamn it, woman.” He leans into me. “No man should be seeing what is mine,” he says, and my breath catches at his words. “Your body is all mine. For my eyes only. I want to dig out the eyes of every man on this beach who is looking at your sexy as fuck body.”
His?
“What?” I stammer and look over to Orion, who just realized I wasn’t with him.
Orion runs up to us. He’s got his bucket in his hand, and I know what’s going to happen before Thor catches on.
Thor turns toward him and shakes off his anger to address our son. “Hey, I thought it was you. I’m here taking a vacation.”
