His Secret Request: Billionaire Secrets - Book Three Read online

  "What's the bizarre relationship to women thing?"

  "Oh shit."

  "What is it?"

  "I'm watching CNN. This guy Patterson has a picture of you."

  "Fuck. God damn it."

  "How the hell did he get that?"

  "How should I know? Maybe I've been getting sloppy or maybe he had some technology already that passed my sweep when we met. Maybe the guy just isn't as dumb as he looks."

  "Obviously not."

  "Is it a clear shot of my face?"

  "Clear as day."

  "God damn it."

  "You better stay low baby. This doesn’t look good. If your old employers sees this--"

  "Shut up. Not another word. I've got to go because it looks like they already have."

  Suzy froze. Her crazy long distance, no name, covert relationship to her old friend was a lifeline to her. She was the oldest friend she had and the loss of her as collateral damage to that evil crime dynasty had hit her hard. She desperately wanted to call her friend by her old name but didn't dare.

  "Stay on the line. Don’t hang up."

  "I've got to go. Someone's following me. This isn’t safe for you anymore."

  "It never was. Don't hang up. Tell me where you are."

  "No way. Come on, I don’t know how much longer I've got. What else do you know about Hargrave."

  "It's not important."

  "Just tell me for Christ's sake."

  "Okay, it's about his women. He's choosy. Very choosy. But he always goes for geeks, engineering types, high IQ. Always slim and good-looking but always techies."

  "I'll be damned."

  "He has a thing for girls like…"

  "Girls like you." They both said at the same time.

  "Ah, ah. Girls like you. Suzy said. You're the hot one."

  Suzy glanced in her rear view and saw the car behind her looming closer than ever.

  "Cut it out Suzy… shit, I've got to hang up. I need to take care of this right now."

  "Wait--"

  The line went dead.

  "Fuck." Suzy hissed and immediately dialed her friend back but it went straight to voicemail. She felt a wave of panic begin to take hold of her and took a deep breath to try and clear her thoughts. This was all happening too fast. Nadia's face had only been on the news a couple of hours ago and already she was being chased by Boyevik's men?

  It didn't add up.

  "What am I gonna do?" She whispered, momentarily paralyzed by indecision. Nadia was her best friend, her oldest friend, maybe even the only true friend that she had left since the world of ethical hacking had swallowed her into a twilight of half relationships and paranoia. She checked her computer screen to make sure that her connection to the Hargrave Robotics servers had been securely closed and saw a warning flag. They had seen her, she was being traced.

  "Shit."

  She shut down the connection immediately and initiated a scramble procedure to cover her tracks on the session hijack protocol she had used to gain access to their systems. There was still a chance she could be located but it was remote. She didn't have time to worry about that now though.

  Nadia was in trouble and she needed to get to her somehow. She only had an approximate idea of where her friend was. Loyalty to her friend meant that she had never conducted a trace on her whereabouts. If she had that kind of information and it became compromised then she would be responsible for the consequences if anyone gained access to her computer.

  She ran to the bedroom to find her emergency overnight bag and got ready to head over to Maine, Nadia's last known location. What else could she do? She could leave her dog Redmond with that cute neighbor she sometimes met on the beach while running. He had dogs of his own and seemed to love Red so hopefully it wouldn't be a problem. She would set her tracers in action to continue gathering information while she headed to the airport. Once she had her flight to Maine she would log in via her laptop to try and pinpoint where Nadia had been living most recently. At the same time she would keep on calling her.

  This could all come right in the end. This fight wasn't over yet, God damn it, it was only just beginning. Together she and Nadia had topped their classes again and again beating off all kinds of competition from the smartest boys in the country. These Mafia goons whether they were equipped with hi-tech equipment or not would have a fight on their hands and as long as she still had her sleek, cloaked, ultra clean high end laptop in tow then she would have a level of control over the situation that could put her and Nadia ahead of the game.

  What else could she do?

  The smart thing would be to look out for number one.

  'Stay low. Stay clean. Leave no trace.' That's what Nadia and her had said to each other a thousand times over. But this was her friend…. her only true friend.

  Wasn't loyalty still worth something too, even in this world of hi-tech deception and betrayal?

  ********************

  Suzy was a careful driver by nature but she had been pushing the speed limit all the way from Bangor, Maine to Lovett and she was making good time.

  The exchange with her neighbor long hours hence had been awkward in the extreme. It was a miracle that he had said yes to her request considering she had just landed on his doorstep and with a dirty dog in tow and basically just blurted out; 'can you take care of my dog for a couple of days?'

  The gorgeous looking guy had given Redmond a quick glance, smiled and then reached out his hand for the leash.

  God, how sweet was that?

  She didn’t even know his name and he hadn't even asked hers when he had accepted her big crazy mutt into his home.

  When she had made sure that Nadia was okay and she was back home again she would have to make it up to him somehow. Not get involved, not with her crazy background, but just collect her dog, give him a nice gift and then stay as far the hell away from the poor guy as he deserved. Better for him, better for her.

  But God, wasn't he sweet? In a perfect world she'd have a face like that to wake up to every morning of her life.

  She shook her head and got back to the task at hand.

  Against the rules she checked her messages in-flight on her way from Seattle to Bangor and had seen that Nadia, thank God, had sent her a message.

  'In safe place. Don't worry. Contact u soon."

  It didn't do much to reassure her but at least it was something. It sure wasn't enough to call off her search.

  She had wracked her brain on the flight for a lead to follow when she got there because she had turned up nothing new on her friend's whereabouts. Finally she had come to the conclusion that her only good leads were the Hargrave brothers, specifically Clayton, and Jack Patterson. She was no detective, electronic snooping was her thing, not field work, but it couldn't be a coincidence that Clayton Hargrave had just bought a huge place in Lovett and that he owned the football team that Jack Patterson played for.

  Nadia had asked for a background check on Hargrave so she had decided to bypass the town and head straight up to his newly acquired seafront, hilltop property overlooking the Lovett bay area. With all of the surveillance technology and wealth at his disposal breaking into this place would be madness and she had risked herself already by hacking into their servers from her home computer. Besides, she was certainly no house breaker and by the looks of it there were guards on duty as well.

  In fact it looked as though something pretty big had recently gone down there. Either that or Clayton Hargrave was extremely paranoid about his personal safety.

  She parked her rental car and clicked open her laptop. The machine was deceptively sleek and small but as long as she had her technology with her she felt connected and in control of her world. The electronic capabilities it conferred upon her would put the NSA suits to shame if they knew what she could do.

  She logged in and began snooping around to see if she could find anything floating in the electromagnetic ether and found the estate's Wi-Fi connection. It was powerfully encrypted
with virtually unbreakable safeguards in place.

  Virtually unbreakable, but not impossible.

  If she logged into her immensely powerful home computer then she would find a way to hack the connection remotely. It wasn't a question of 'how', but of 'how long?'.

  She set to work but within seconds a loud tap on the window made her jump.

  "Can I help you ma'am?" The man asking the question didn't much look like he wanted to offer any help at all.

  "Roll your window down." That one wasn't a request. She stared at him, her heart already beginning to race. This was getting very real, very fast. It was a far cry from breaking into someone's computer from the comfort of her living room.

  Her mind began to race.

  If she opened her window then anything could happen. The guy could just grab her by the throat. But if she refused and just took off… same scenario, anything could happen, a damned car chase or police involvement or worse.

  She glanced at her keys in the ignition.

  Why the hell didn't I leave it running? She berated herself, but she was a hacker after all, not a private detective.

  "Roll down the window ma'am. You're on private property."

  Her heart rate was going through the roof, her mouth was dry, her palms already moist with cold sweat. This was way, way too real.

  "I'm leaving now." She said hurriedly. "I'm sorry."

  "Roll down the window. You're on private property. The authorities have already been notified. Do not attempt to leave."

  The butterflies in her stomach made it hard to focus, hard to know what to say. She snapped her laptop shut and pushed it to the passenger seat. The man outside pulled at her door handle.

  "Do not attempt to leave." He said more loudly.

  "Let go of my car. I'm not breaking any laws."

  "Do not attempt to leave."

  She turned the key in the ignition but twisted it too far and made the engine choke and grind.

  "Leave me alone. I won’t come back here, I promise."

  "Step out of the car ma'am. You do not have permission to leave this property."

  She looked in the rear view mirror and saw a vehicle approaching from behind, blocking her off. There was only one way to go and that was forwards but she had no idea where that would lead. She turned the key in the ignition again and this time it started. The security guard instantly drew a weapon from his jacket and leveled it at her window.

  She was no gun person and had rarely seen a weapon in real life.

  This is not happening. She told herself desperately.

  She had wanted to help Nadia, not make things worse.

  "Put the gun away Marco." Someone said in a commanding voice. Suzy looked up and froze. She recognized that face. How could she not? She had lost track of time looking at full screen images of those intense dark eyes, that insanely confident all knowing smile, and those impeccable suits he was always photographed in.

  It was the mystery man; the ever present, silent associate of the high flying Hargrave brothers.

  "Ruben Mayweather." He said, tapping his broad chest, the smile never leaving his sensuous lips, and then holding his hands up in a gesture of openness.

  "May I?"

  He pointed to the window and then held his hand out waiting for her to roll the glass down.

  Suzy feverishly weighed up her options. If she tried to run they would surely catch her, possibly hand her over to the police and leave her struggling to explain her presence on Hargrave's property. Even worse, if they detained her and confiscated her laptop and phone, God only knows what they would find there.

  The consequences of that were too horrible to contemplate and worst of all it would leave her unable to help Nadia if she were sitting in a holding cell with no technology at her disposal.

  On the other hand, this guy could be exactly the person to help her get to the bottom of what was happening to Katy.

  She lifted her hands up slowly to show she was no threat and then popped the door open.

  "Is that better?" She asked, her voice still trembling from the adrenaline rush.

  "That is so much better." Ruben answered, his deep voiced approval making Suzy feel disproportionately relieved. As impressive as the man had been on screen, he was something else altogether in the flesh. She could imagine women, or even men, wanting to do anything to please him.

  "Call the police and tell them we won't require their assistance. The threat to Mr. Hargrave's property is… under my control." He told his people. They jumped to follow his orders.

  Suzy looked down to her shoes and then back up to the tall man in front of her. Her heart was still racing but she couldn’t tell if it was fear of the situation or something far more serious than that. She was, for the moment, under the control of this darkly powerful man and the thrill she felt at the thought was completely wrong, so damn completely wrong and for all the worst reasons.

  ********************

  This girl was playing with fire and Ruben loved it. As always, the best encounters were random, accidental. He had been watching CCTV surveillance of the estate's perimeter at exactly the right moment when the mysterious dark haired girl had rolled up in front of the main gates. Moments later when a sophisticated attempt at breaching the home's elaborate cyber defenses occurred his killer instinct went into high gear.

  It was no co-incidence that the girl was hunched over a laptop in her car, no way in hell.

  He had left the surveillance control room instantly to 'intercept' her. One look close up at her laptop told him everything he needed to know; it was clearly the prize possession of a super-geek. She was cute as hell, perfect in fact, smart in all the right ways but dumb enough to get caught in the act with her electronic soul sitting right there on her pretty little knees outside the most private property in notoriously private Lovett, Maine.

  It was game set and match as far as he was concerned. There was only one way this was going to end up and it would be in his bedroom. Ruben could see the beginning of a very beautiful, if entirely superficial relationship taking shape.

  "Won’t you come in Ms…?"

  "Baker. Cynthia Baker." Suzy said, thinking on her feet and extending her hand to meet his. The contact between them was soft at first but he gently exerted a slow firm squeeze that sent a ripple of heated response through her entire body. The impression of massive strength combined with intelligent control and masculine gentleness was as exciting as the guy's already overwhelming presence.

  He was so perfect it almost made you want to hate him.

  Almost.

  "Interesting name Ms. Baker. You don’t look like a Cynthia to me." He said.

  Suzy glanced at her shoes again and then back up to his deep set, dark brown eyes and felt like a fool. Her unpracticed attempt at deception must have been written all over her face.

  "Please follow me." He said, releasing her hand.

  "Let me just get my laptop, if you don’t mind."

  He turned his head and smiled. "Of course not. Marco. Carry Ms. Baker's laptop for her."

  Marco jumped to the task but Suzy blocked his path.

  "I'd rather carry it myself."

  "Not at all." Ruben said, dismissing her. "I insist. It’s no trouble. Marco. Take the laptop and be careful - treat Ms. Baker's property with the utmost caution."

  Marco nodded, stared at Suzy and then proceeded to carry out his task.

  Suzy let it go. She was smart enough to know that in reality she had no other choice.

  Ruben led her up the driveway, through the main gates, and then up the narrow wooden stairway that led to the property's main deck area overlooking the spectacular Lovett Bay. The view was as breathtaking as anything she had seen in Oregon but with a touch of ruggedness and mystery that added even more to it than the view from her own rented coastal accommodation.

  The deck itself was fabulous, the size of an average home and as well equipped as any five star luxury hotel.

  So this is how the othe
r half lives. She thought. An instinct made her look around to see if there was any trace of her friend's presence here. She saw nothing but still couldn’t shake the feeling that Nadia had been here in the not too distant past.

  But Nadia didn't work well with feelings. She needed facts and evidence and rarely trusted her own gut instinct.

  "Please take a seat." Ruben said urbanely, indicating an open area with a perfect view of the bay. Suzy sat nervously down on edge of a divan sofa.

  Ruben smiled.

  "You're positively shaking Ms. Baker." He said, causing her to tremble even more. "But let me assure you there's really nothing to be nervous about. You must excuse Marco, we had an… unfortunate incident here in the last twenty four hours that has everybody on edge."

  "What kind of incident Mr. Mayweather?"

  "Nothing to be worried about. It was all taken care of. Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee, something else? The kitchen here is very well stocked."

  The offer made her realize how much she had neglected herself in the long, tense, adrenaline filled hours since she had spoken to Nadia. She was exhausted, thirsty, hungry and almost out of her mind with worry. She knew exactly what would steady her nerves.

  "Would it be rude to ask for a smoothie?"

  Ruben raised his eyebrows archly in surprise.

  "Not at all." He said. "How would you like it?"

  "Cacao, spinach leaves, banana and avocado." She rattled off the ingredients to her favorite combination. "A little chocolate flavored organic soy protein powder if you have it." She added.

  Ruben shook his head.

  "I'm pretty sure we have all of that." He said. "Marco can you take care of that?"

  "Uh, yes sir. What exactly was that again?"

  Ruben looked at him dispassionately.

  "Cacao, spinach leaves, banana and avocado with a little chocolate flavored organic soy protein powder. If we have it."

  Marco turned to go as quickly as he could. Obviously taking orders wasn't his thing and he wanted to get to the kitchen before the list of ingredients slipped out of his mind.