“And?”
“She claims that some of the companies that signed onto a local environmental project are actually using that project as a cover for pollution. I need to look at the documents, but I’m hoping they’re copies of the falsified environmental reports.”
“That is what they seem to be.”
I grinned. “That’s amazing, thank you.”
“Are you sure this is something you want to pursue?” He asked. There wasn’t judgment or dominance in the question. “Companies like this don’t fuck around if they find out they’re about to lose millions of dollars. Or if their company is about to be destroyed because of public opinion.”
“Yeah, I know. But if this is true, I can’t just let them get away with dumping shit straight into the ocean. I thought the break-in might have something to do with the drive, but nothing else has happened, so it was just bad timing.”
“Break-in?”
My mouth opened, and I closed it again. The problem with the whirlwind that brought all six of us together was that not everyone knew everything. So I told him. “Brooks mentioned wanting to help me clean it up yesterday after everything. I’ll be lucky if I get any of my security deposit back.”
“Your apartment was trashed the day after you received this?”
“I’m unlucky.”
Aiden shook his head slowly. “I don’t believe in coincidences.”
“You either? The guy who gave me the drive said that too. Clearly, I need to bring more coincidences into your life because I promise theydoexist.”
Clearing his throat, Aiden leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. “If I promise you that I won’t take any action without you, will you be all right with me looking into all of this? I’m probably going to do it anyway, but I’d prefer your blessing.”
I noticed he used the wordblessingand notpermission. “Into the companies?”
“Into everything. The companies, your boss, the break-in.”
“If you really think there’s something to find, I’m okay with that.”
He tugged me off the floor to stand between his knees. “I have no idea if there’s anything to find, but I already told all of you. I don’t fuck around with the people I care about. And I’ll be accelerating the security upgrades for this place.” He laughed when he saw the look on my face. “No, I’m not going to install explosives in the walls.”
“Well, that’s relieving.”
“This place still needs better security. And,” he slid his hands up the backs of my thighs, “I’d like it if you shared your location. I don’t want to track where you go or what you do, but if something were to happen?”
“That’s fine.” I shared my location with Isolde and Ocean. With Dad too, but I checked his more than he checked mine. When I was younger, I used to look at his location when he was supposed to come home. It usually told me he wasn’t.
I opened my phone and shared it with all of them.
“I’m careful, you know.”
He smirked at that. “I do know. I’ve seen your work, and you are an excellent reporter.”
“You looked me up?”
“You could say that.”
It was probably the tip of the iceberg, given the amount of tech at his fingertips. “I’m not going to ask what you found. But Iamgoing to change out of these jeans. Can you email me a copy of the stuff that’s decrypted?” I assumed he still needed the drive for the rest of that.
“Will do. Wait.” Aiden snagged me around the waist and pulled me back to kiss me. “Welcome home.”
Maybe changing my clothes could wait. Instead, I just kept kissing him. With my Alphas, it was easy to forget.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
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