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After several hours, I grab a quick break to check my phone. She hasn’t texted me again, but I’ve got a missed call from Victor. I walk out onto the balcony adjoined to my office, giving me a view of the LA cityscape and a healthy lungful of fresh air.
“You called?” I say, skipping a greeting.
Victor chuckles. “It’s that bad, is it? I was going to ask if you want to go for dinner one night this week, but from the way you answered the phone, clearly you think there’s a big, important business deal about to go down.”
I laugh darkly. “It’s been nonstop,” I admit.
“Any update on the sabotage?”
Why did he have to ask me this? If he didn’t, I would’ve remained quiet about it. But I can’t lie to Victor, the closest person to a father figure I’ve ever had.
“It was TechGuard,” I say with a tired sigh. “But before you offer any theories, I’ve spoken to Sera. She had nothing to do with it.”
“You told her,” he says flatly.
“I trust her,” I snap. “Go on, tell me I’m being an idiot.”
“Oh, Luke.” He sighs. “I don’t think you’re being an idiot. I just want you to think about this. I know you’re smitten, but?—”
“It’s more than smitten,” I interrupt. “She’s a good person. If you told me I had to bet my fortune one way or the other, I’d bet on her not being involved. I know how that sounds, but it’s the truth. She’s got a good heart.”
“And you know all this after a few days in Vegas.”
“Yes.”
“It’s not my place to tell you how to live your life, but please, Luke, for your own sake, be careful.”
Chapter Fifteen
Sera
The next morning, I arrange a meeting with Graham. He’s been difficult to work with since we came home, locking himself in his office, refusing to talk to the rest of the team. He had a lot riding on NeuroDrive’s showcase. Our part in the AI was going to be significant for the department. After the cancellation – and considering what Ellie is going through – I don’t blame him for being depressed. But this can’t wait.
He grunts when I knock on his office door. He looks tired, bags under his eyes. Above his desk there’s a photo of me, him, and Ellie at an amusement park.
He stands, trying to plaster an effortful smile on his face. “You wanted to see me?”
“Yes, I…”
In the reflection of the recently cleaned photo frame, I can see Graham’s three large computer screens. Two of them show news articles about NeuroDrive, and the third shows an email… with the heading:We Need To Do MORE!!!!!!!!!!
“I wanted to talk about…” I murmur, sitting opposite him, my head spinning as I put pieces together.
Graham was adamantly against me spending time with Luke, showing an interest in my love life he had never shown before. Of course, I didn’t have much of a love life before Luke, so maybe that’s notsoodd. But now that I think about it, he seemed awkward leading up to the trip to CES too. I thought he was anxious for it to go well, but what if I’m wrong? That email is sending off alarm bells.
“Sera?” he says, with that familiar impatient look, seeming as if he’s burying a lot.
“The Peterson report,” I say, referencing another piece of work that has nothing to do with Luke. “Do you still need it by the end of the day?”
He frowns. “Yes, of course.”
“Okay, that was all.”
“That wasall?” He says pointedly.
“Yes, sorry. I just wanted to be sure.”
I return to my desk, taking out my phone and texting Luke.