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

Mav’s lips twitched.

“He’s the kind of man who gives a woman ideas, but deep down, she knows she could never tame him.”

Mav frowned. He didn’t want Remi thinking about Vander at all, let alone taming him.

Remi’s phone rang, and she snatched it up. She touched the speaker button. “Hello?”

A robotic voice filled the space. “You made the wrong choice, Rogue Angel.”

Mav watched anger flare on her face. Fuck. How the hell had the guy gotten her new number?

“You tried to kill my family! You shot at us! You’re a criminal. If you think I’m doing anything for you, you’re crazy.”

“There will be repercussions.”

Now Mav saw the flash of fear in her eyes and his hand curled into a fist. He was tired of The Shadow toying with Remi and making her afraid.

“No, there won’t be—” she snapped “—because we’ll find you. You—”

The Shadow hung up.

“Dammit.” She threw the phone and it hit the desk with a clatter.

Mav wrapped his arms around her from behind.

“I want all this to be over, Mav.”

Her words were like a blow. Did she mean what was between them as well? He tried to tell himself it wasn’t about him. She was scared, worried about her family.

Right then, she turned, pressing deeper against him and he realized he wanted to keep her exactly in that place.

Wanted to keep her. Period.

Sensation washed through him, and it wasn’t exactly comfortable.

A word beginning with L reared its head.

Fuck.

“You hungry?” he growled.

She looked up. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

She rolled her eyes. “Pull the tough guy routine, then, but yes, I could eat.”

He led her out of the lab and down to the kitchen and lounge. He watched her ooh over the snack selection. She snagged another cookie, a packet of M&Ms, and an apple.

She crunched into the apple, leaning back on one of the long tables. “This cancels out the candy.”

“I don’t think it works like that.” He watched her. “When we get back, after all of this is over, I want to take you out to dinner.”

She choked a little. “I’m staying with you. Of course, we’ll have dinner.”

“No. Out.”

She lowered the apple. “Like a date?”

“Yes. And we’ll have lunch with my parents.”

Her nose wrinkled. “Mav—”

“And once your family is home safely, I want us to get away. Just us. Beach. Cabin. Winery. Wherever you’d like to go.”

She blinked, then licked her lips. “Mav, this—” she waved a hand between them “—is not going to last.”

An ugly sensation cut through him and he scowled.

“We’re having a hot affair. Hot sex. It’ll burn out.” She gave him a strained smile. “I know that Hannah woman did a number on you, but one day, some pretty, smart socialite who dresses well, and goes to…I don’t know, charity lunches, will catch your eye.”

He growled. “You really believe that bullshit?”

“No,” she growled. “But I have to, because I’m a foster kid from Brooklyn, thrown away by my parents, and several foster families before Mama, and I’m a hacker for a living. You’re—” her gaze ran over him “—amazing. You can have anyone you want. Someone with an excellent pedigree and style.”

Mav crossed his arms over his chest. “Seems I want you.”

She closed her eyes. “It’ll pass. It always does.” She met his gaze, and he saw such sadness it made his bones ache. “People seem to have no trouble walking away from me.”

“Remi—” His phone rang and he cursed. “It’s Vander.”

She nodded, and moved up beside him, but he noted that she was careful not to touch him.

Dammit. He’d deal with that later. He’d get it through her thick skull that she was his. He didn’t care where she came from.

Mav put the call on speaker. “Hey, Vander, we’re here.”

“I’m here with Ace.” The man’s tone was dark and it made the hairs rise on the back of Mav’s neck.

“Whoever owns that SoHo place is a ghost,” Ace said. “Owns some other places around the country. All in the larger cities.”

“Bolt holes,” Mav mused.

“Yeah,” Vander agreed. “I want to know who this asshole is.”

“What do you suggest?” Mav asked.

“Ace and I are going to go in and take a look around the SoHo property.”

Mav glanced at Remi. She was fiddling with her packet of M&Ms. “Okay, when?”

“Now,” Vander replied. “We need thirty minutes to prep. We’ll do some surveillance. If the place is empty, we’ll go in.”

“How will you know no one’s home?” Remi asked.

“Easy,” Ace said. “Get pizza delivered and see if anyone answers the knock.”

“We’ll also scan with an infrared camera attached to a drone,” Vander added.

Mav wondered what the hell Vander packed in his bag when he traveled. He glanced at his watch. There was no time for him and Remi to get back to the city before Ace and Vander made their move.