Page 40 of Undeniably Corrupt

Then I’ll go back to being myself again.

Focusing on work as both the CEO and the vigilante hacker.

A place where women aren’t part of my world other than for simple and fleeting moments.

As I guide the motorcycle up the ramp and out into the afternoon air, I wonder what twisted part of me needed this. Needed to offer pleasure with no expectation of return. Is it guilt? Desire? Some combination of the two?

The cold breeze surrounds us, but I barely feel it. All I can focus on is Liora's arms around me, the phantom echo of her pleasure in my head, and the certainty that when we arrive at the meeting, she’ll step off this bike and become my efficient, distant assistant once more.

And I’ll let her because that’s exactly what I need her to be.

13

In the two days since I put my mouth on Liora’s fantastic pussy, I’ve done my due diligence not to see her more than necessary. Which, in my case, isn’t much. I can be an asshole, and no one blinks twice at it. The weird and reclusive CEO. The wild genius introvert who spends more time with his computers and drums than people.

No one cares as long as I keep their systems safe and their paychecks coming. Not even Alesha, who likes to find me and chat my ear off and flirt in her veiled way for half an hour in the morning with little to nothing in return.

But there’s the flip side of the coin. The one where you’re alone in a room surrounded by monitors or at your desk, and people stop trying to direct your actions or morals because they know better by this point.

And you go unchecked.

I tell myself on the occasions that I track her down in my building that I’m simply making sure she’s here and she’s safe and not actively, blatantly sabotaging me. After all, facial recognition didn’t come up with anything, and as suspected, there’s no Agent Vega in the FBI. When he left my building, he didn’tget into a car as you’d expect. He got on the T and rode it who knows where. I lost him after a certain point on the city cameras.

Which is calculated. It has to be. He knew I was going to track him, and he evaded me. So who is he working for? And why was he asking about Liora and my past relationship with her?

Is Vega’s showing up in my office about me? Or Liora? Is she in danger, or am I?

Legit, none of it makes sense. I haven’t had time to do more digging, but now I need to know who else he’s involved with. And yes, I will dig. At this point, I believe I’m entitled. The guy showed up on my doorstep, but right now it’s one blocked end after another. Which means someone is treating this like their Super Bowl and, no matter what, is determined to win at all costs.

Liora: I’m done for the day. Do you need anything else?

Yes. You.

Me: Nope. See you tomorrow.

I watch Liora leave from my phone, telling myself it’s simple distrust and doing my due diligence. Maybe part of it is. Idon’ttrust her. I follow after, but as she heads for the daycare and then the T, I force myself to get in my car and go home.

And with that, I can’t lie to myself. I’m not fucking stupid, and I’m not one to play games. She’s corrupt. She’s a liability. A massive one. And part of me can’t help but think all of this, from the very start, was a setup.

But…

My mind drifts as I drive home.

Our eyes met across the grassy embankment of the lake, and asalways, with any time I looked at her, I felt that hiccup in my heart. She gave me a private smile, and I couldn’t help but return it. Last night I kissed her for the first time. I also made her my girl.

“What are you looking at, brother?” Cass asked, snapping me away from his sister.

My gaze shot over to him at the speed of light. A guilty unease crept up my neck, and I attempted to rub it away.

“Huh?” was my brilliant response.

“You checking out that Megan girl?”

“Huh? Oh. Um.” I let it go from there. I didn’t know who he was talking about. There was no one hitting my radar other than Liora.

“Yeah,” he agreed even though I hadn’t said anything. “She’s pretty hot.” He jutted his chin over toward where Liora was, and I followed his gaze until I saw the blonde she was talking to. That must be Megan. “You should go for her.”

“Nah, I’m good. That’s all you.”