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Ryder scrubbed a hand over his face and sighed. “Whoever is after Nathalie’s technology knows she has security now. The question is, will they stand down, or are they reassessing their strategy?”
“Nathan took the list of Williams employees you gave him and is monitoring their accounts for any sudden, large infusions of cash, any unusual purchases, or overseas trips. Lucas will vouch for Don Lambert. Says he’s a decent bloke and completely loyal to Nathalie.” Lachlan’s tone darkened, laced with memories that seeped through sometimes even now, when Ryder had never seen his mate more content. “Of course, we’ve all learned the hard way that appearances can be deceiving.”
“We have.” There really wasn’t much Ryder could say other than to agree. The past never really stayed in the past, did it? Look where he was. Sitting in the office of the woman who’d broken his heart, trying to keep her safe.
“I would agree with Lucas’s assessment of Don, but Nathalie’s technology is breakthrough, and we could be facing any number of adversaries with unlimited resources.” Ryder’s hands curled into fists. His skin itched with the feeling that someone was out there, waiting for him to make a mistake. Not the person who wanted the technology but their errand boy. The person tasked with acquiring it.
By any means necessary?
They’d have to get through him first. Nothing would happen to Nathalie.
He glanced at the photo still open on his computer screen.
Who are you?
Ravi nodded approvingly at the computer simulation running on the sixty-five-inch display mounted on the wall. “It looks good.”
Nathalie had to agree. “A few tweaks here and there, but it’s basically ready to go.” Out of nowhere, a yawn snuck up on her. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth.
“You need to get some sleep.” Ravi gestured toward the door they’d been locked behind for over nine hours. “Having that guy around conducting a security audit couldn’t have come at a worse time.”
“Don and Nick are the ones mostly dealing with it.” A half-truth that still felt like a bald-faced lie and weighed on her conscience. Ravi and her other employees were unaware of the real reason for Ryder’s presence.
Once the simulation had finished, Nathalie executed a series of commands to delete a section of source code and backed up the program on two removable hard drives. At this stage of development, she didn’t keep the complete program on any computers with network access. One drive she stored in the reinforced filing cabinet with its high-security cyber lock. The other she inserted into a portable case and slipped into her laptop bag. She had an armed bodyguard. The hard drive with her was probably more secure than the one in the computer lab.
Ravi gave her a questioning look.
“You know me,” she told him. “I won’t be finished tinkering until I boot it up in front of all those Air Force generals. I’ll probably work on it some more at home.” Ravi didn’t know about the security breach. Another thing she felt guilty keeping from him. “And I’m paranoid,” she added lamely.
“Youareparanoid,“ Ravi agreed, laughing. “Is that why you keep removing some of the source code every night? Don’t you trust me?”
Startled, she met his gaze, ready to assure him of her faith in him, when she saw his teasing expression. Her grin was sheepish. “This project meant too much to my father. I won’t let anyone take this away from him.”
“It’s not his project, Nathalie.” Ravi’s hand landed on her shoulder, his brown eyes radiating sincerity. “I admired your dad, but this triumph, it’s all yours.”
Her cheeks warmed. “You had a lot to do with it as well. Don’t sell yourself short.”
Ravi glanced at his watch with a grimace. “My wife is going to kill me if I don’t make it home soon. We have family coming over.”
“I think I’ll head out, too.” Nathalie suppressed another yawn. “It’s been a long day.”
Ravi twisted the dial to retract the door lock and opened the lab door. He drew back with a start. “Whoa, you surprised me.”
“Sorry.” Ryder’s voice came from the hallway. “I’m waiting for Ms. Williams.”
Ravi threw Nathalie a sympathetic glance over his shoulder. “See you tomorrow.”
Nathalie gathered her laptop bag and followed him out of the lab to where Ryder waited. His gray suit, blue shirt, and lavender tie still looked as fresh as they did this morning. She glanced down at her rumpled, dark purple blouse and black A-line skirt with a tired sigh.
“It’s time to go home.”
She bristled at the command in his voice, then let it go. It’s not like she hadn’t already made that decision. “Let me get my purse.”
He followed her down the empty corridor, a silent sentinel. They hadn’t discussed what happened between them yesterday. Ryder seemed to want to avoid it as much as she did. It was probably for the best that they both pretend it never happened.
Except…
I want more.