Page 99 of In Case You Didn't Know

“We think whoever broke in left some kind of back door,” Brad says. “We can’t find it, but it’s there.”

“Christ.” I run my hand through my hair. “I thought we had this locked down. I don’t suppose you have any idea who it is?”

“We’re trying. But whoever they are, they made sure to leave very little trace. We’ve been over the whole codebase to see what’s changed, and there’s nothing.”

“There has to be something.” I open the trunk, set the bag inside, and slide into the driver’s seat. “Go through it again.”

“We already are. I’ve authorized the team to work overnight. I hope that’s okay.”

“Of course.” I hit the button to start the engine. “I’m assuming you haven’t heard anything from the police.”

“Not a word. You?”

“Nothing.” Which is good. Because whatever’s going on in our systems, I want to be able to deal with it fast. Without the law looking over our shoulders. “You checked on Nathan again?”

“He’s out of the country. Apparently on the bender to end all benders.”

With the money I paid him. I wrinkle my nose.

“Doesn’t mean it isn’t him.”

“I know that. We have him under twenty-four hour surveillance. The man’s done nothing to raise suspicion. He’s too drunk and drugged up to do anything but sleep it off. Either he’s the world’s best actor, or he’s not involved.”

I run my tongue over my dry lips. “I’ll be back first thing tomorrow.” Even I know when I’m defeated. And truth be told, I never should have come back here after the break in. I wouldn’t have, except for her.

“We’ll be here,” Brad says, sounding relieved. I know I’ve asked too much of him. I shouldn’t be here when the business is under attack. And yet I haven’t been able to stay away either.

Guilt pulls at my gut. If I’d been in New York these past few days, would I have found the breach sooner? It was there all along. Whoever broke into the office almost certainly used it as a cover up for creating a backdoor into our systems.

And I flew back to Liberty and let them walk right in. Because my dick did the thinking.

Pulling out of the hotel parking lot, I take a right, seeing the lighthouse rising into the sky in the distance. For some reasonit immediately calms me. Knowing she’s there. Knowing I’ll see her in a few minutes.

That I’ll be able to touch her. My body relaxes at the thought of holding her. Kissing her. Making her come.

For the first time in years, maybe longer, I’ve felt… steady. Like I belong somewhere. With someone.

I hook another right, the tires crunching against the loose gravel, each rotation sending a soft scatter of stones beneath the wheels. It sounds like home, which is such a fucking stupid thing to think. But I do anyway. I park, grab the insulated bag, and those fucking contacts that Hudson was so desperate to give me, and stride to the front door.

Francie is waiting for me when I unlock the door, her smile lighting up her whole face. She’s barefoot, wearing one of those oversized sweaters that hangs off her shoulders. Her hair is in a loose topknot, strands spilling from it.

Her legs are also bare. My eyes drink them in.

“Hi honey, how was your day,” she says, her voice low and sexy.

“Better now.” I put the bag on the entry table and pull her into my arms. She smells of flowers, like she’s freshly showered. For me.

My dick immediately goes hard.

“What’s wrong?” she asks, like she can sense my mood.

I brush the loose strands of hair from her face. She’s not wearing makeup. Fuck, I want this woman.

“Brad called right as I left the hotel. There’s been another breach in our system.”

She frowns, looking up at me. There’s so much concern in her eyes that it makes my chest tighten. “Another one?” she asks softly. “I thought everything was okay now.”

“We think somebody left a backdoor in the system after the break in. We can’t find it yet. But it means I have to go back to New York.”