Hacking Mr. CEO (Billionaire Heists #3) by Anna Hackett

Fucking hell. He blew out a long breath. He took the long way back to his place and once they were in his garage, he carefully scanned around.

He wasted no time getting Remi into the elevator and upstairs. Inside his place, he checked his security system, and made sure it was engaged.

Then he turned. His heart clenched.

Remi had her arms around herself, her shoulders hunched. Her caramel macchiato had ended up spilled down the front of her.

He cupped her chin and saw misery in her eyes.

“It’s never going to end. He’ll keep coming until he kills me, or you, or my family.” She bit her lip and shook her head. “I couldn’t live if you or Mama, or the kids—”

“Hey.” He yanked her to his chest, holding her tight. He was clearly getting the hang of the hugging thing, as this didn’t feel odd at all.

She gripped onto him and he felt dampness on his shirt. Looking down, he saw the tears tracking down her cheeks and felt a moment of panic.

“Don’t cry.”

She sniffled. “I can’t exactly control it, Mav.”

“Try.” He rubbed a soothing hand up and down her back. “I promise you, we will find this asshole, and we will stop him.”

She looked up at him. The tears were slowing. “Together.”

“Together. Maverick Rivera and his Rogue Angel.”

That got him a twitch of her lips.

“Why don’t I run you a bath? You can soak in there and relax.”

She tilted her head. “Have you ever run a bath before?”

“No.” He’d never used the tub in the master bathroom. “How hard can it be? Dump in some smelly stuff and run the water.”

“There’s that nice Maverick guy again.”

“I can put you in the bath with a red ass.”

She giggled. “A bath sounds nice.”

“Good.” In the bathroom, he turned on the water in the marble tub, and found a bottle of something lavender smelling in the cabinet under one of the sinks. He dumped some in and bubbles frothed.

When he turned, he found a now-naked Remi standing in the bathroom.

His cock twitched.

Shit, they’d been shot at. She was scared, upset, probably still in a bit of shock. He got a lock on his desire.

“Get in the tub.” Crap, his voice held a rough edge.

Remi didn’t seem to mind. She just smiled, stroked his arm, and slipped into the tub. She leaned back, closed her eyes, and let out a little sigh.

Good. He let himself stroke her cheekbone. “I’ll be in my office. Just yell if you need anything.”

“Thanks, Mav.”

He slipped out before he stripped off his clothes and got in with her.

In his office, he checked the tracker—still nothing—and answered a few emails. He flicked through a report that Richard was waiting on. His CFO got testy if reports were late.

Well over an hour had passed when he heard a noise in the doorway. He felt a little flash of déjà vu seeing Remi standing there, bundled up in a robe. He held out a hand to her.

She reached for it, fingers curling around his. She perched on the arm of his chair. “Rayner?”

“Nothing.”

She nodded. “It’s a little early, but will you come to bed. I don’t want to sleep without you.”

He pressed his forehead to hers. “Whatever you need, angel.”

“I just need you,” she whispered.





Mav


The next morning, Mav stood in his kitchen, making coffee for himself and Remi.

He sipped his black one, then stirred more creamer into hers. She and Liam would probably bond over sweet, milky coffee.

Mav’s gut tightened. He realized he wanted to introduce her to his friends. Wanted them to like each other.

Yesterday, at Starbucks, he’d had a moment where he’d thought for a second that Remi was another Hannah. Wesley had stood there, proclaiming to be her boyfriend, and Mav had been plunged back to college and the entire mess with Hannah.

But he realized it had just been a split-second gut reaction. He knew Remi. He knew she was fiercely loyal to those she loved. Knew she’d never betray someone who was hers.

He’d known her a week. He shook his head. He shouldn’t be so ready to trust her.

“Okay, I’ve changed my mind, I’m moving into your bathtub.”

Remi skipped into the kitchen, holding the new Riv 6+ phone he’d given her to replace her destroyed one. She was in a pair of black leggings, with a silky-looking, white sweater and a denim jacket over the top. Her hair was out today and sometime since he’d left her well-pleasured in his bed this morning, she’d painted her nails. They were now red and black, painted diagonally across the nail.

She looked refreshed. There was no sign of the dejection and fear from the night before. She’d just bounced back. Mav pressed his lips together. He’d like to make it so she didn’t have to roll with the punches.

“I’ll still charge you rent.”

Smiling, she walked up to him, sliding her hands up his chest. “I think I could get around you.”

“I’m no pushover, Solano.” He looked at her hands. “I like your nails.”

“This is my ‘hunting the bad guy’ look.”

He didn’t want her thinking about The Shadow just yet and tugged her closer.