AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What is it?” I’d been glued to my phone all day, not only because I needed to attend to my usual business, but because of the threat. George Cruz, my sworn business enemy, was up to something.
“Sir, there’s been a hack. A security breach.”
That represented a certain degree of irony, given that we were a security tech company. “Explain.”
“The internal system’s been compromised. Someone’s been trying to get into your private files, but the firewall stopped them. I’ve got the IT guys coming out right now, but I thought you should know.”
I remained silent, privately fuming.
“Do you think it’s him?” she asked. “Mr. Cruz?”
“Yes,” I said. “It’s definitely him. Did you find anything for me?”
“I’ve been in contact with your friend, Paul, and he’s forwarded me some information to send to you,” Melanie said, her voice dropping to its usual tone as she calmed herself. “But he said to call him the minute you had a chance. He has something more than what he sent me, and it can only be discussed in person.”
“Thank you, Melanie. Good job.” I paid her well, more than most executive assistants, and I’d always appreciated her loyalty and drive when it came to the job.
“No problem, Mr. Baker. Have fun. If you can.”
“I’m trying.” I hung up. Between worrying that Cruz would make good on his threats and having to be near Summer again, I couldn’t keep my shit straight. Extremely unlike me. I’d been out on assignment, I’d trained in extreme circumstances and completed missions that were, frankly, burned into my mind though they remained unspeakable.
Yet, Summer fuzzed my brain.
I waited for Paul’s message to come through, forwarded by Melanie. Paul was a multidiscipline security professional in the CIA, having transitioned after our time in the military together. He owed me a favor, and this was it.
Information on George Cruz. The text came through and I opened it, scanning through the basic information. I used the number on the bottom and called Paul, leaning against the wall outside the hotel bar.
“Baker,” Paul answered.
“How are you doing, you sonofabitch?” I asked.
“Better. Better. Fully recovered now. Still can’t feel my right thumb, but goddamn, it’s good to be able to use my hand again.”
“I’m happy for you, man.” A quick quiet followed.
“About this mark,” Paul said. Neither of us tolerated awkward silences.
“Yeah. What else you got?”
“You saw what I sent you, yes?”
“Yeah.”
“Potential connections to the mafia,” Paul said. “George Cruz hasn’t got a criminal record, but he’s been skating the line for a while. Friends with men who’ve been brought in. Bottom line, the guy’s dangerous. Not just business dangerous, but real dangerous.”
“Noted.”
“You need help on this one?”
“No, I just want to know where he is,” I replied. “I’m not in the States at the moment. I want assurances that he is and that my sister’s wedding won’t be interrupted.”
“I can check on that for you,” he said.
“I appreciate this, man.”
“You know I’ve got you.” And then he was off the phone, and I tucked it back into my pocket.
Relying on others wasn’t my specialty, and the fact that it was an old buddy made no difference. But the problems with Cruz were bigger than my ego. He was new to the security tech world, and from what I’d heard, he’d taken a particular disliking to my company. In part, because we’d innovated and nearly put his copycat app out of business.
A screech rang out from the bar, and I strode back inside, expecting the worst.
But it was just Emilia, slightly tipsy and dancing on one of the tables. Scott stood underneath her, his arms outstretched, caught halfway between smiling and concern. Good guy. I hadn’t approved of most of Emilia’s boyfriends, but Scott was the exception. He genuinely cared for her.
I exhaled and sat on one of the bar stools. I hadn’t had a drink yet, but I rapped my knuckles on the bar, and a bartender hurried over. I ordered a scotch on the rocks and swirled the ice against the sides of the tumbler after I’d gotten it.
I took a sip, but the liquid didn’t make much of a difference to me. Something didn’t sit right in my chest. I scanned the crowd of bridesmaids and groomsmen, all chatting, some of them kissing, others dancing and laughing, and found who I’d been looking for.
Summer sat at the other end of the bar, a glass of champagne untouched next to her.
I admired her from afar, my cock twitching and becoming insistent again.
It didn’t help that she was so fucking perfect—and neither did the dress she’d chosen for tonight.
It was blush pink, like the pink of her pussy lips, and it clung to her curves. Strappy, cupping her breasts, but not too revealing. The dress swept halfway down her thighs, and she’d paired it with strappy silver shoes. Her dainty toes pressed against the straps, and she wore a toe-ring.
