Hacking Mr. CEO by Anna Hackett
He Doesn’t Even Need a Line
Remi
Ifinished doing my makeup and stepped back.
Wow, I looked amazing. Sexy, hot, and gorgeous.
My little loft didn’t do my stunning dress justice. Mav had told me he’d have a dress delivered, and when the bag arrived, I never imagined anything like this. I fingered the silky blue fabric. It looked expensive, felt expensive, hell, it smelled expensive.
The dress fit me like a glove. It had a deep V that showed off major cleavage, then hugged my curves before flaring to the floor. It was a gorgeous, rich blue.
He’d sent jewelry as well. Thankfully not a big pile of diamonds, which would’ve given me a heart attack. The funky, statement necklace was made of twists of gold. I slid matching twists into my ears. The color looked good on my skin.
I stilled. Surely it wasn’t real gold. I fingered it. But it probably was, wasn’t it?
My phone beeped.
Car is on the way to get you.
I could practically hear his deep voice. And the things he’d whispered to me in his office. You wet for me angel? I like the way you breathe my name, Remi.
I shivered. I was turned on. The man was all the way over in Manhattan, and my panties were wet.
I closed my eyes. I’d fooled around with Maverick Rivera. He’d made me come on his hand.
And I’d liked it.
I wanted to do it again.
Crap. I needed my head in the game. I straightened. I needed to get our little dragon angel onto Rayner’s phone.
After that, we’d see about this thing with Mav. I really wanted to get the man out of his tuxedo.
I could do this, right? I could have a hot little hook-up with him, and keep it simple and uncomplicated.
I looked into the mirror.
Man, I totally sucked at lying to myself.
I heard the honk of a horn outside and grabbed the black evening bag. I shoved my phone, lipstick, and wallet inside. I grabbed my black, evening cape and slipped it on.
When the dress had arrived, I’d taken the time to paint my nails to match. They were now the same deep blue, with little gold jewels on some of them.
I headed down the stairs carefully in my heels. I paused. There was no sound in the workshop. Steve would be at home with Kaylee.
I snuck out of the garage.
And spotted a huge, black limo on the street.
My jaw dropped open. Holy cow.
I hustled toward it.
A door opened behind me.
“Remi?”
At the sound of Mama’s voice, I winced and spun.
She stood in her doorway, looking down at me. Her eyes widened, taking in my dress, then the limo.
“Um, I have a work thing in Manhattan.”
Her brows rose. “A work thing?”
“Yes.”
“Remi, I know when you’re lying, child.”
“I’m not lying.” Just not telling you the entire truth.
“You’re all right?”
I walked up the stairs and took her hands. “Yes, I’m all right.”
She studied me a long time. “Okay.” Her face softened. “You look beautiful.”
I smiled. “I feel beautiful.”
Mama smiled. “I’m sure he’ll think so, too.”
“Who?”
“Whoever the man is who’s put that twinkle in your eye.”
“Mama, a woman doesn’t need a man for that.”
“Pfft, only a special someone who gets the juices flowing can put that look on a woman’s face.”
I winced. “I am not talking about any sort of flowing juices with you.”
She kissed my cheek. “Go. Have fun.”
I hurried to the limo, and the driver held the door open for me and nodded.
I wasn’t off to have fun. I was off to hack Rayner, so we could track The Shadow, and ultimately, I could save Mama.
I fidgeted as we drove. The limo was gorgeous—buttery-leather seats, spacious and luxurious.
I heard the driver make a call in front. He had an earpiece in his ear.
“Yes, sir, we’re en route.” A pause. “Yes, she’s wearing the dress.”
I looked out the window and smiled.
When we finally pulled up, I saw the Queensboro Bridge and a crowd.
Oh, I hadn’t thought to ask where the event was. I figured it would be at some fancy hotel ballroom.
This was Guastavino’s.
It was a New York City landmark. Tucked in under the bridge, it had a famous, tiled, vaulted ceiling. It was a favorite location for events and weddings.
The driver helped me out and I dragged in a deep breath.
I saw a line of people moving inside the glass doors. Urns taller than me were filled with cherry blossoms.
I lifted my chin. All around me were men in tuxedos, and women in designer dresses.
No one knows that you don’t belong, Remi.
Despite the seriousness of the night, I was going to enjoy it. I showed the invite Mav had sent with the dress, and then I was in.
I checked my cape and walked into the main room.
“Oh, wow.”
The vaulted, tile ceiling was beautiful and unique. The space was filled with large, round tables, with giant centerpieces filled with more elegant cherry blossoms. The entire place was lit up with pale-pink light.
It looked like a dream.
An expensive, elegant dream.
“Champagne, miss?” A server in a white suit stopped in front of me, holding a tray of champagne flutes.
“Hell, yes.” I took a flute and sipped. Yum.
I wandered the crowd. I saw a few faces I recognized—politicians, actors, models, well-known business people. The Who’s Who of the wealthy and famous of New York.
Where the hell was Mav?
I wandered some more. A man smiled at me. He was handsome, and looked good in his tux. I gave him a polite smile and kept moving.
“A beautiful woman I haven’t met. I just had to rectify the situation.”
I turned. This one was handsome, too. Clean-cut man, blond, cute face.
“Does that line work for you a lot?” I asked.
He smiled. “Fifty-fifty.”
Then I felt a prickle on the back of my neck.
The man glanced past me, and his smile slipped. I looked back, and everything in me clenched with need.
Mav stalked toward me. Everything about him was dark—a black tux with a black shirt, and a black scowl.
My pulse skidded, then raced.
I glanced back at the blond man. “Keep practicing. He doesn’t even need a line.”
I turned to face my incoming dragon.
He stopped an inch from me, his hot gaze sliding down, then up.
“Who was the guy?” he growled.
“What guy?” I knew people were watching us. I straightened his bowtie. “Good evening to you, too. Why, thank you, I think the dress looks great, too. And you look hot in a tux.”
He growled again, then yanked me close and kissed me.
* * *
Mav
Mav lifted Remi off her feet, his mouth taking hers hard.
There wasn’t much to her, so it was easy to hold her pinned against him. She made a hungry sound, and kissed him back. Giving as good as she got.
Coming to his senses, Mav lifted his head. He saw fierce hunger in her eyes. A ferocious, possessive need rose up in him. He was a loyal friend, protective of his family, but he’d never felt like this about a woman. Not even Hannah.
“Way to keep a low profile, big guy.”
He set her down, well aware that people were looking, whispering.
“People always watch me.” He hated it. “When I’m not doing anything interesting, they make stuff up.”
“So, you figured you’d give them something to gossip about.” She slipped her arm through his.
“Actually, I wasn’t thinking about anything but you.”
She stilled.
Crap. He hadn’t meant to say that. The words had just slipped out. That seemed to happen a lot around Remi.
She went up on her toes and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.
“I need more champagne.” They walked across the room.
“Have you seen Rayner?” he asked.
“No.”
“Too busy getting accosted by jackasses?”
“He had a tired pickup line. If you wanted no one to notice me, you shouldn’t have given me this dress.”
Mav grunted. He wanted to burn the dress. “I’ll cover you in a sack.”
She grinned.
He got her another champagne, and she sipped it.
“I love the jewelry,” she said.
His gaze dropped to the necklace. It succeeded in dragging his gaze to her luscious, full breasts.
Yes. Burning the dress and the jewelry.
“It’s not real gold, right?” She stroked the necklace and he noticed that her nails were now blue.
He arched a brow.
“Right. Don’t tell me.”
“I saw the necklace and earrings. I thought you’d like them.”
And he’d wanted to see them on her. Preferably while naked.
“I need a drink,” he growled.
She held out her glass.
“No, I need a scotch.”
“Well, I—” she broke off, looking behind him.
“Remi?”
She leaned in, pressing her palms to Mav’s chest. “It’s Rayner.”
Mav straightened. He slipped a hand in the pocket of his trousers, and touched his phone.
“Ready?” she murmured.
He nodded. He leaned down, his mouth brushing hers.
“The phone is set to transmit. We just need to get close enough.”
She cocked her head, looking like a feisty princess, ready to defend her realm.
He scowled. Jeez, where was his brain coming up with this stuff?
They wandered closer. He saw Leon Rayner now. The man wore his tuxedo with ease, and had the rich, entitled look that some kids from wealthy families got.
“Canapé?” Mav swung Remi close to the table loaded with food.
“Sure thing.” She popped something in her mouth. Her face changed.
He worked hard not to laugh. “Not to your liking, angel?”
She swallowed and her nose wrinkled. Then she drained her champagne flute.
“Ugh. That was disgusting.”
Mav laughed quietly.
“Quit it.” She hit his chest.
“Maverick Rivera. A pleasure.”
Mav straightened and faced Rayner. He was a shade under six feet, slim, elegant.
The man smiled. “It’s nice to see you.”
“It’s Rayner, right?” Mav said.
The man’s smile dimmed. “Right.”
Mav lifted his chin. Just a little closer.
“How are things at Rivera Tech?”
“Busy. We always have new projects on the boil.”
“He’s always so busy.” Remi leaned in with a bright smile.
Rayner’s smile widened. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Leon Rayner.”
“This is Angelica.” Mav pulled her closer.
“I’ve been busy myself,” Rayner said. “I have lots of work going on.”
“Leon!” A trio of men nearby called out to the man.
“Excuse me. A pleasure to meet you, Angelica.” With a nod, he walked away.
Dammit. Mav pulled his phone out. “Fuck.”
“Not long enough?”
He shook his head.
“Give it to me.” She took the phone. “Now look angry, say something nasty, and stride off to get that scotch.”
Maverick glowered. “I hate that every man here has a perfect view of your breasts.”
“Wow.” She put a hurt look on her face. “You’re so good at grumpy and snarly.”
“So I’m told.” He leaned over her, glaring.
“And need I remind you that you picked the dress? I think my breasts look great.”
“They do. They look very good.” He swiveled and strode off.
He headed to the bar, hating that he was leaving her alone. He reached the bar and the bartender headed over.
“Scotch. Neat. The best you have.”
The bartender nodded and turned away. Mav leaned on the bar and glanced in Remi’s direction.
She was convincingly wiping her eyes. A second later, Rayner appeared, talking to her. Remi shook her head, and offered him a watery smile.
Rayner sidled closer.
Mav frowned. The asshole didn’t need to get that close.
Remi took his arm, and angled in closer, her breast brushing against Rayner’s arm.
Damn, she was good. The phone was practically rubbing the guy.
“Your drink, sir.”
He took it and drained it in one gulp. He watched Remi smiling, flirting.
A second later, she looked at her watch, then beamed at Rayner, patted his arm, and walked away.
Mav didn’t miss all the other sets of male eyes watching her.
As she got closer, she caught Mav’s gaze, winked, then walked out of Guastavino’s.
A beat later, Mav followed.
Outside, a few people milled around. Late arrivals were coming in, others braving the cold to smoke, or escape the crowd inside.
Remi turned, now with a high-necked, black cape around her, and a grin trained up at him. “Uploaded.”
Mav scooped her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist.
“You are good,” he said.
“Oh, I know, big guy, I know.” She kissed him.
Fuck. Every time he kissed her, he thought this gut-gnawing need would lessen.
It only got worse.
“I like working with you,” she said. “Right now, that little trojan of ours is doing its thing.”
It was a hell of a feeling.
“Well, well, well,” an amused male voice drawled.
Shit. Mav turned his head.
Beside him, Zane stood with Monroe. The woman’s dark hair was up, and she was wearing a sleek, aquamarine dress, peeking out from under a black evening coat.
Beside them, a grinning Liam looked impeccable in his tuxedo and overcoat, and Aspen wore a blush-pink dress with a fitted top covered in silver beads, and a long full skirt. She had a furry, silverly-white bolero coat over her shoulders and arms.
Mav set Remi on her feet.
“Maverick Rivera kissing a woman in public.” Zane looked at Liam. “He ever been into PDA?”
“No.”
Monroe elbowed Zane. “Who’s your friend, Mav?”
“Hi.” Remi gave a little wave. “I’m Remi.”
Mav watched his friends study her.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Remi,” Zane said, all charm. “How do you know Mav?”
“Oh, well, I…work with computers.”
His friends weren’t dumb. They were very sharp, and they’d used their brains to make themselves billions of dollars. He could see them putting things together.
“We have to go,” Mav said.
“But we just got here,” Aspen said.
“I need to get Remi home.”
“Remi.” Zane pinned her with a glare. “You wouldn’t happen to be a hacker, would you?”
Remi lifted her chin. “That’s none of your business, Mr. Roth,” she said sweetly.
Both Zane and Liam turned to Mav.
“Mav, what the hell?” Zane snapped. “She’s a traitor.”
Mav felt Remi flinch.
“Zane—”
“Mav, you fought hard to protect us when you thought we needed it. Now it’s our turn.” Zane shot Remi a dark look. “I won’t let her drag you down. Not like Hannah did.”
“I’m handling this,” Mav said.
“By kissing the hell out of your hacker? Is that your plan?”
“Zane,” Mav growled.
“She can’t hurt you if she’s locked up in jail.”
Remi gasped.
Mav slid his arm around her. “Enough. There are things you don’t understand.” He saw Remi shiver from the cold.
He stripped off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.
“I can’t explain everything to you yet. I need you to trust me.”
His friends looked away, jaws tight. Monroe and Aspen looked worried.
“I need to get Remi home.”
“Mav, tread carefully,” Zane warned. “Treason is treason.”
Mav nodded, then whisked Remi toward the limo.
“Will they…have me arrested?” she asked.
“No. That’s not going to happen.” The euphoria of the night was ruined. “Let’s get you home.”
