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"So what, someone just threw a wrench into your deal at the last minute for entertainment?" I asked.
"More like a bomb," he responded as he dropped his head back on the seat.
I considered his words. The whole thing didn't make any sense. I couldn't imagine it was commonplace for hackers to interject themselves within business deals that they couldn't really profit from. And if they were just some kids messing around by trying to see if they could hack a big business’s computers, why pick a real estate development deal?
"Jude, is there any chance—"
"Nikolai," Jude interrupted before I could voice my suspicions that maybe this whole thing had been directed at him. "I just need a few minutes," he murmured as he closed his eyes. He settled his hand on his forehead. He really didn't look good. I moved across to his seat and sat down next to him. The fact that he didn't argue with me had me a bit worried. I put the back of my hand on his forehead, nudging his aside. He felt warm, but not overly hot. His skin was pale, and his eyes looked a little bit sunken in.
"Did you eat or drink today?" I asked.
"Don't know," Jude murmured, and then to my surprise, he turned toward me and dropped his head against my shoulder.
"Tony," I called. "Take us back to the apartment."
“No," Jude protested. "I'm fine, I just need a few minutes."
"Jude, you need to sleep."
"I will," he said. "Later. I have to finish the contracts that lock everything down for the deal. The seller’s waiting for them. It'll only take me a couple hours."
Even as he spoke, Jude kept his eyes closed and his head on my arm. I found myself shifting closer to him so I could offer my entire body up as support for his.
"Please, Nikolai," Jude said softly, even as his words started to slur because sleep was already claiming him. "I have to finish this. I have to."
Despite his exhaustion, I didn't miss how desperate his plea was. He kept repeating the same phrase over and over again.
I have to.
I reached my hand up to skim my fingers over his tumbled hair as I said, "Okay, a couple of hours." I called out to Tony and told him to take us to Jude's office instead.
The ride took about half an hour. By the time the SUV rolled to a stop in front of TDS Corporation, Jude was out cold. As much as I wanted to just take him home, I knew that he needed to finish his work. I’d learned enough about him to know that when he had his mind set on something, it wasn't that he wouldn't let it go, it was more like he couldn't let it go. If I forced him to go home to get some sleep, he’d do the exact opposite and worry all night about whatever work he hadn't finished. If a couple more hours meant he’d finally find some peace, I could deal with that.
"Jude, sweetheart, we're here," I said as I dropped my mouth down to his ear. He was curled up against my armpit and had one arm slung around my waist. If he’d been fully awake, he surely would have been horrified by our positions. I, on the other hand, had enjoyed every minute of the drive to the office. Jude's body fit mine like it was made for it.
Jude made a little whimpering sound. I skimmed my lips over the shell of his ear and repeated the statement.
"Okay," he mumbled and then he began stretching his body as he tried to pull himself out of the dregs of sleep. It was only when he opened his eyes and saw how close he and I were that reality seemed to come barreling back to him like a freight train. He quickly disengaged himself from me and sat back. His eyes looked everywhere but my direction as he straightened his clothes.
I sighed at the loss but didn't say anything. I led him up to his office and settled myself at Simon's desk while Jude got to work. I took a break long enough to get Jude a bottle of water and set it on his desk, but he barely noticed my presence. An hour later, the water was still sitting untouched on his desk. The two hours he’d told me turned out to be closer to four but when he stepped out of his office at just after two in the morning, he looked more relaxed than I'd seen him in ages. He also looked very unsteady on his feet.
“Done," he murmured.
"The deal? It's all done?"
He shook his head. "Things can still go wrong, but it's like when you close on a house. The deal’s as locked in as it can be."
