“Except for Henry.” I can’t think when she touches me. Grimacing, I lift her by the waist, and after setting her down two feet away, she finishes the second glass of wine.
“They must’ve figured out I was feeding them false intel and used him as an example.” She plops her ass on the bed while I tower over her.
“Fine. Explain your plan, and don’t skip any details, dammit.”
Chapter 17
Even 'Little Red Riding Hood' is a really freaky story. Grandma is gobbled up by a wolf, and the wolf is going to eat the girl. That's scary stuff.~Denis O'Hare
Gwen
Outside, thunder grumbles, and the wind roars. Glad for something to do other than cringe while Axel lords over me, I close the window. His shadow grows as I switch on the overhead light, making the tiny room smaller still.
Those judgmental, piercing blue eyes follow me as I sit in the room’s only chair. Sweating, I recall my decision to sell intel and confirm I had no choice. My project plan was flawless. Henry’s heart attack was a fluke, something no one could’ve predicted.
“I don’t know where to begin.” Placing my hands in my lap, I twist my favorite silver ring and sigh. “My goal was simple: to save my coworkers and deter our enemies from stealing our technology. The bonus was to veer them so far off track that it’d take years to figure out what went wrong.”
“You can do that?” The mattress springs creak when my interrogator eases his tall frame onto the bed.
“And more.” I lift my lids, meet his steely gaze, and jut out my chin.
“How did you exchange intelligence?” These cold, rapid-fire questions remind me of the FBI office in DC.
Understanding I’ve ruined any chance of pursuing a relationship with him, a part of me breaks. However, I'll be damned if I let it show. I did nothing wrong. “The uploads wereall on the cloud. Callie can verify I gave away nothing they didn’t already have.”
“How can you be certain?” The wolf may think he is going in for the kill, but this little piggy has a few bricks up her sleeve.
“I have access to their databases.” Pride hits me as his eyes widen, and he whistles under his breath.
“For fuck's sake, how long has this been going on?” Brows creased, he pulls on his lips and as he rubs a hand across his mouth, I try to filter the arrogance from my voice.
“A little over a year.”
“And they just figured it out?” His assumption, although wrong, I understand well.
“My adversary has no idea. Recently, he pushed me, and I convinced him that I had nothing more to share. In two or three months, he would’ve ceased bothering me. This was my ultimate success criteria.”
While I beam, he snarls, not impressed. “How much ofyour plandoes Callie know?”
“Nothing, I swear. She has three kids. I didn’t want her involved in case things went south. I only let Henry participate because he learned what I was doing and insisted on helping.” Wanting to relieve the oppressive humidity, I reopen the window by the bed.
Under the wolf’s watchful gaze, I walk to the kitchen sink and switch on the overhead fan.
The predator places his elbows on his knees and leans forward. “What other resources have you employed?”
“Jason.” Thirsty, I grab a cold bottle of water for myself, and when he nods, I toss one to him.
Like in one of those old Kung Fu movies, he snatches it from the air. “The fucking AI device helped you?”
Mid-swallow, I nod, then add, “Dr. Jones has no idea.”
“Seems to me that your plan has a serious flaw.” While his Adam’s apple bobs, I recall how not long ago we were naked, and I kissed him there.
“Excuse me?” Mid-sexual fantasy, I realize he’s been questioning me, and I try to catch up.
“No risk management. What were you going to do if this entity you speak of found out you were misleading it?” When his lips part, I’m reminded how he kissed my most intimate place.
“I would send for the FBI, and here you are. It worked.” Why is he making a federal case out of this? We have everything under control.
