Page 99 of Maneater

I lift my hands in concession.

“You’re right, you’re right. I know the company, but I don’t know the employees as well as I should. You guys have been doing all the heavy lifting.”

Rory looks at me for a long minute, taking me in before a small, almost imperceptible smile spreads on her lips, and she nods, as if she finds me acceptable, as if she’s approving.

“I could ask my assistant, Sutton, if she knows anything about the employees. She’s much more personable and chats more.”

“I think the bar for that is on the floor,” Rory says under her breath, and Josie, while fighting back a laugh, hits her friend gently in the arm.

“No, no, she’s right. A valid criticism,” I say, looping an arm around her waist and tugging her in close. It’s been too long without her right by me. Now that she’s mine, I somehow know it’s going to be a while before I feel sated by her touch.

“Okay, well,” Rory says. “Since we both have Daniel on our list, let’s start there: what can we do or find to either pin this all on him or cancel him out?”

“Withmy accounts, can you get into the email server and see if there’s anything obvious or incriminating there?”

Rory nods, lighting up, but deflates just as quickly.

“Yes, but I believe Annette already had someone do all of that, and it came up empty.”

I nod, expecting that. If Annette was worried enough to hire the Mavens under everyone’s nose, she would have had Wilde Security look into the easy stuff first.

“Is there a way to monitor his personal devices without having them in our possession?” Josie asks.

Rory tips her head to the side, like she’s contemplating the idea, before nodding again.

“Yes,” she says slowly, like she’s still trying to figure it out in her mind. “We could track his incoming and outgoing messages that were going to any device via a tracking device and a mobile network interceptor. We’d have to plant it in his office, and I’d bug it at the same time. I’d need about an hour uninterrupted, though.”

I look to Josie in part awe and part panic.

“She’s scary, isn’t she?” she asks with a laugh, and Rory narrows her eyes. “In a hot way!”

“I’m not going to touch that one at all,” I mumble.

“Good call. It was a setup,” Rory confirms, and Josie laughs.

“You passed,” Josie says, not bothering to argue her friend’s accusation.

“I thought being together meant all of that fucking with me shit would end.”

Her smile goes devious, and I suddenly know that it will never be over. Josie will never stop teasing and taunting me.

“Good luck, bud,” Rory says, reaching over to pat my arm in consolation.

“Okay, so what’s the plan?” I ask. “How do we distract him for over an hour without causing alarm?”

“And that, my sweet boy, is where I come in,” Josie says with a smile.

THIRTY-NINE

JOSIE

“I’ll be in meetings most of the day, but keep me updated, okay?” Rowan asks after our morning planning session. I nod before he leans in, giving me a deep, hot kiss that is far too short for my liking before stepping back with a smile.

“God, you two are sickening,” Rory grumbles from behind me.

“It’s great, isn’t it?” I say with a laugh. Rowan shakes his head, then heads off down the hall to his room to change before going to his office. After that, I get all dolled up in my Mavens gear before we make our way to the little cafe, where we plan to set up and keep an eye out for our target.

It’s about noon when our plan goes into action, as I grab a cup of water and move quickly towards the pool deck, noting the exact spot Daniel is. I shift at the last second, slamming into his chest and, in turn, spilling water all down my front, drenching my top.