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

“There you go.” The guard handed my ID back. “Elevator seven.”

With a nod, I grabbed the toolbox and ladder—both of which I’d nabbed from Steve’s garage—and headed for the elevator.

I maneuvered my ladder inside and kept my face hidden and looked at the floor. I knew where all the cameras were. If they did get tipped off, they wouldn’t get a good look at me.

Rivera only had a small office in the city. He had a big sprawling complex with labs and manufacturing warehouses called Rivera Tech Park, upstate near Syracuse. I would kill to get in there, but it had much tougher security. They had prototypes up there, so they were extra cautious.

But here in the head office, it was easier for a desperate, enterprising hacker trying to save her mother to slip inside.

The elevator slowed, and I hefted the ladder and toolbox.

The place was all open plan. It was dotted with sleek desks, and breakout spaces with colorful couches. At the back were huge touchscreens on the wall and people stood at them touching their fingers against the data and code.

I itched to look at it, but I forced myself to walk to the reception desk.

A young man and woman were seated behind the polished, high desk. The woman looked up at me—she had funky, blue hair.

“Ah, the electrician for the lights that aren’t working,” the woman said. “Let me show you.”

The woman led me back toward the back of the offices.

Now, the layout of the floor changed. There were several doors leading into some conference rooms and offices. As we walked past one office, I glimpsed a computer on the desk.

I stifled a gasp. It was a Rivera Tech Ultra400. It wasn’t even on the market yet.

Pure need filled me. I’d sell my kidney for one.

“Here.” The receptionist pointed up. “These lights are either off, or they flicker. Benji from Accounting almost had an epileptic fit.”

“Got it,” I said. “I’ll take a look.”

I set up my ladder. I’d gotten the schematics of the building. If I was correct, I should be able to find the computer cabling in the ceiling and tap into it.

Humming, I climbed up the ladder and pushed the ceiling panel up. I poked my head in.

Bingo.

I spotted a huge wad of cables of all different colors and grinned. Standing on the top rung, I fished around. I needed the network cable, and I needed not to electrocute myself.

I gripped the blue cable and smiled. Come to mama.

Carefully, I climbed back down and rifled through my toolbox. I grabbed my tablet and some pliers, then climbed back up.

Quickly, I spliced the cable and plugged my tablet in.

There. I was in the Rivera Tech network.

I couldn’t help but feel it was like cheating. A good hacker liked to storm the castle and get through the defenses with wit and cunning, not sneak in like this. Well, a girl had to do what a girl had to do.

I couldn’t afford to stay long, but I wouldn’t need to.

Tapping on my screen, I quickly copied my little angel into the system.

“Go, little gal.” It would quietly sneak around and give me a way in later.

I glanced at all the other wiring. I had no clue how to fix the lights. If I tried, I’d likely electrocute myself.

Carefully, I disconnected my tablet and stuck it in one of my pockets. Then I taped up the cable.

Adrenaline zinged through me.

“Mav, I put those financial reports on your desk,” a voice said.

“Did you have to?” a deep voice replied.

I froze.

Maverick Rivera.

Don’t, Remi. Let him pass.

Ooh, but I really wanted to look at the man in person. I climbed halfway down the ladder and my body stilled.

Oh, crap. Photos of the guy did him no justice.

He was standing nearby, in dark suit pants and a crisp, white shirt. He was scowling at a tall, lean guy in a suit.

Rivera was big. A few inches over six feet, with broad, broad shoulders. They stretched his shirt to the extreme. He might be a billionaire, but he looked like he could heft a broadsword and take it to the battlefield.

He had black hair, a little shaggy and in need of a cut, a rugged face, and that gorgeous black stubble on his cheeks and firm jaw.

I whimpered quietly. Yep, I was a sucker for stubble. I had a thing for the bad boys.

“Read the reports, Mav,” the man said, sounding determined.

Rivera grunted. He turned and walked away.

I leaned out, trying to keep him in view.

Oh, man, the guy’s ass was prime fantasy material.

The ladder shifted beneath me.

Oh, shit.

I tried to right myself, failed and overcorrected, and the ladder started tilting. I sucked in a breath. It all happened so fast.

I fell and hit the floor on my back. The air rushed out of me with an oof.

The ladder, thankfully, didn’t land on top of me. It hit the floor beside me with a clatter.

A rugged face came into view, dark brows pulled together. Maverick Rivera in full, close-up glory.

“You okay?”

His voice held the edge of a growl.

I sat up. “I think so.”

“You have a death wish? You shouldn’t play around on ladders.”

My anger spiked. Thank you, Captain Obvious. “Yes, I totally woke up today and thought, I know, let’s fall off a ladder.”

His scowl deepened.

I leaped to my feet, then made a shooing motion. “Run along, I need to finish my work.”