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CHAPTER ONE
Draco lingered at the diner longer than usual, because of her presence.
People came and went but she stayed, so he stayed. Or maybe she stayed because he did. The thought amused him. Whichever it was, the curiosity appeared to be mutual.
Shortly after he’d noticed her, he caught her taking surreptitious glances his way from beneath her eyelashes. When he caught her eye, she quickly shifted her attention back to her laptop and her face flushed. She didn’t want to get caught looking at him. Either she was shy, or it was important he didn’t notice her.
What was she, an undercover cyber crime cop? It was a distinct possibility. This diner was where his stepbrother, Sean, had been hanging out when the cyber cops turned up and arrested him, over a year ago. In fact, if the cops had arrived a few minutes later, all three of them would have been there. Draco knew he shouldn’t come back here, but they’d had good times in this place before Sean’s arrest, and he missed those days. It was a familiar haunt and it kept drawing him back
If she was a cop, was he under suspicion? It didn’t compute, because he hadn’t hacked for ages, not since Sean had been sent down. Rory and Draco had made a pact. No hacking any more.
Miss Prim and Proper seemed a bit too young to be a plain clothes detective. She looked the part though, in black framed glasses and a tight business suit. All the suit did was show off her curvaceous figure. Draco guessed she was the same age as him, maybe even a bit younger, it was hard to tell with the heavy spectacles. If she was police, she wouldn’t find anything incriminating on him or his laptop. Since Sean had been sent down, Draco had stuck to the pact.
Amused at the possibility she was going to try to arrest him, he anticipated her coming over, presenting a badge, asking him to accompany her for questioning. Could be interesting. Could be a chance to get her number.
Then there was the other guy. A lanky, smartly dressed guy who sat in the booth directly behind her. Draco had the feeling they were together, even though they’d arrived separately. The guy, who was smartly dressed and older, looked out of place as well. He studied his laptop too, but every time the girl picked up her phone to send a text message he picked up his own. Coincidence, or comparing notes? It was the weirdest setup. Draco wanted to know why it was happening.
Mostly he wanted to know the girl. There was something intriguing about her. Intense, that’s what she was. Edgy, like she had a wild side she was keeping in check. The idea of it made his interest levels soar.
Who was she? Maybe his cyber crime cop guess was off. They definitely weren’t regulars. The pair of them looked particularly out of place. Sometimes people came in who had a meeting nearby but they made a quick escape after they checked the place out. The diner was pretty much a greasy spoon, not for the likes of her, that was for sure.
She was attractive but was trying to play it down with her glossy blonde hair tied back sharply. The suit was all wrong for her. Too uptight. He figured it was either new, or she wore it to create an impression. Maybe both. When she’d first entered the diner, Draco caught a breath of her perfume as she passed by. She’d taken a booth away from his on the opposite side of the long narrow coffee bar and observed from behind her laptop.
Just then he caught her having a look at him, and it went on for so long it made him twitch. The scrutiny of law enforcement? He ought to get out of there, but something about her made him stay, made him take that risk.
He’d always been observant and he was blessed with a photographic memory, but since his step brother Sean went into prison over a foolish hacking challenge, it was like his senses had been heightened. He was always watching for something that they’d missed or should’ve been aware, a step that could’ve stopped Sean going down. That moment had changed their lives, otherwise the three of them would still be together taking on the world
From what he could make out across the diner her eyes were dark, possibly a shade of brown. Draco detected no lipstick. Her mouth was beautiful, kissable.
Imagining kissing those lips, he smiled her way.
She blushed, her face coloring quickly, and looked away to fiddle with her bag. Either she was squirming in her seat because of his scrutiny, or she was about to leave. He couldn’t possibly let her leave without getting a closer look, and he didn’t want her to leave first.
Pocketing his phone, he slid out of his booth
Would she follow him, try to make an arrest?
Only one way to find out.
He did a circuit of the diner before he left, taking a good look at the lanky guy as he passed. He could cover the distance to the door in seconds. He’d be on the street and away down the back alleyways. They could still catch him, but he took the risk.
The lanky guy pocketed his phone and looked in the other direction, clearly rattled. Draco figured Lanky wasn’t just overseeing the girl—which was one possibility—he was watching Draco as well. But she was in charge, she was at the front. Definitely something weird about it, and the quicker he figured them out the better.
Slowing his paces, he came up behind her. She turned her laptop off and glanced over her shoulder as he came up behind her. Her eyes were definitely a darker shade of brown. Their gazes locked. Draco saw instantly how shocked she was at his approach.
Finally sure, he smiled directly at her, letting her know he’d figured her out.
Seconds later he was out the door.
Breaking into a jog, he turned down a nearby alleyway, drew to a halt and put his back against the wall. The passageway was narrow and shadowy, a small gap between the buildings. Would she send Lanky out, or would she come herself? He didn’t have to wait long to find out.
He heard the bell chime on the diner door.
When she passed the end of the alleyway, Draco reached out and pulled her into the shadows with him.
CHAPTER TWO
/> Why did he have to be so godamn attractive?
Lara gasped for breath, astonished to find herself in a gloomy alley pressed up against a brick wall by her target.
When he left, she bolted after him, despite Harry’s warnings. She’d meant to call out after Hackerboy before he disappeared completely, catch up to him and proposition him for work. Somehow he’d got the better of her.
Strong hands wrapped around her shoulders, pinning her in place.
Enveloped in leather-clad masculinity, her heart raced. When she lifted her chin to meet his stare, her legs went weak under her.
“What is it you’re looking for, little kitten?”
“Kitten?” she retorted, annoyed.
He grinned. It made him even more attractive, How was that even possible?
“Lost little kitten has wandered into the dark alley where the tomcats prowl.” His voice was deep and gravely with a distinct accent.
“I didn’t wander, you grabbed me.” Damn, this wasn’t going right. She was supposed to be in charge of this situation, casually approaching him with an enticing offer. The fact he wasn’t what she expected at all threw her.
She’d envisaged some teenager clued to gameboy or keyboard wearing a non-descript hoodie. She hated that she even had the clichéd picture in her head though, because one thing she didn’t like was generalizations. It was a pet hate, and yet she couldn’t deny she’d had an image of a hacker in her head and this guy wasn’t it. He wore black jeans and a sexy black leather jacket—soft leather, strokeable. Beneath it was a pristine white T-shirt. His hair was neatly cut close to his head on the sides and thick, lush and longish on top, black as night—and also strokeable.
When the diner owner pointed him out from behind the counter, she doubted it was him, but her cousin Harry—who’d insisted on accompanying her on this dubious mission—assured her this was the guy who went by the handle Welshdragon. Not a hoodie or Gameboy in sight. She was confronted with a sexy, sophisticated looking guy who clearly was aware she was looking at him. She steeled herself. It was so important she held her nerve and saw her plan through. Time was short and she didn’t have enough of it to source another target.
“Lara, are you okay?” It was Harry and he was at the end of the alley, peering in.
“Lara,” Hackerboy repeated. “I like it.” He stroked her cheek.
She shivered under his touch, blinked. “I’m fine, Harry. Wait by the car.”
She didn’t take her eyes off Hackerboy.
He smiled.
Harry still loomed. “You sure?”
