HACKING THE BILLIONAIRE: Part 3 Read online

  HACKING THE BILLIONAIRE

  (Part Three)

  Jenny Devall

  Copyright © 2015

  All Rights Reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter One

  Riley answered the door to her apartment. She’d finished up a day at her new assignment. Much easier and less drama than Dirk’s. Not that she wasn’t still puzzling over that in her head.

  There was something she was missing. Something that was probably right in front of her. She might never get another crack at the case, but she would always be bothered by it. Not just for what happened between her and Dirk. Whoever the leak was, she knew she’d eventually find it, but it bothered her that someone had outsmarted her.

  Joan walked in with Chinese takeout. Riley hadn’t wanted to cook anyway. The day had been exhausting learning about the new company. She wasn’t sure she needed to know that much to do the simple firewall they needed. The owner had insisted.

  So Riley followed the person around to each department. Riley was paid whether she built a firewall or not. It was the customer’s dime.

  Now she was in her sweats. Take out in hand. Joan at the other end of the new couch she’d bought with her insurance check.

  Joan seemed quiet, and that usually meant she had something to say. Riley couldn’t imagine what it was, but her friend would speak in due time. Riley couldn’t rush her. Instead she dug into her General Tso’s chicken and waited.

  She’d opened a bottle of Pinot Grigio to share. It sat on the table in front of them. Riley’s glass was full, as she thought she deserved it tonight. The last few weeks had been nuts.

  “I saw Dirk,” Joan said finally.

  So that’s what had been bugging her. Riley wasn’t sure she needed to know what Dirk was up to. She needed to put him in her past. Not that she didn’t think about him daily. Hourly even. She wished she didn’t.

  “I don’t need to hear about him. I’m having a tough enough time getting over him. No need to reopen the wounds.”

  “I think my news will help.”

  “I know you want me to give him another chance, but I can’t.”

  “I don’t think that anymore.”

  Okay. What had happened? Joan had been his biggest supporter. He must have done something awful to change her mind. Joan had a cooler head than most. This should be good.

  “I saw him out to lunch, and then I saw a picture in a tabloid,” Joan said.

  Of course Dirk would be photographed. He was a bachelor billionaire. That interested people. The details of his life would be fodder for tabloids. Her heart sank a little. He was back to his old ways. As if she’d never been there. “I’m sure that I don’t want to know.”

  She did and didn’t want to know. She wanted to erase Dirk from her memory banks. Her life would be easier. The ache in her heart would go away or not be there at all. She’d mixed business with pleasure. Worse, she’d fallen in love with Dirk. How stupid could she be? She knew better. She wasn’t a child, but she’d acted stupidly.

  “You want to know. This will help. He was on a date,” Joan said.

  Riley blinked. Already? She’d barely moved out of his place. Her heart hurt even more, but now she was mad.

  “A date?”

  “A date. With a model.”

  “Back to his old ways.”

  But it still hurt. She’d thought he’d changed. He’d acted like he had feelings for her, but he hadn’t. Clearly. If he was already on a date, he didn’t feel anything for her. If he had, he might be drowning his sorrows in someone else’s in bed, but not on an actual date.

  The pain stabbed into her heart. Damn. Why had she been so stupid? He’d challenged her perceptions of men. He’d challenged what she thought about relationships. But now she knew she’d been right. Her days should be filled with men who didn’t need to impress her.

  She didn’t need to be wooed. That had been done, and she had the broken heart to prove it.

  “Sadly, yes. I’m so sorry, Riley. I never should have supported him over you.”

  “You were taken in by his charm. I lived with the man. He never turned off the charm. Guess it became part of him so that no one can get to know him.”

  A bitter taste coated her mouth so badly that even the wine and spicy takeout couldn’t wash it away. She wouldn’t be so stupid again.

  “Do you want to see the pictures?”

  Riley bit her lip. Might be good to just rip the bandage off all at once. Get hurt by the truth instead of lies. “Sure.”

  Joan pulled a tabloid newspaper out of her purse, then handed it to Riley. She took a moment to open it. There it was. On the front page. Playboy billionaire. That’s what the writer had called Dirk. That he was. Breaker of hearts. Bastard.

  He was holding the hand of what the writer described as an aging supermodel. Bet she wasn’t that old. He liked them young. And hot.

  Her heart hurt more, but she was even madder now. At him and herself. She would not be that stupid. Ever.

  She handed the paper back to Joan. “Thanks. That helps.”

  “I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news.”

  “No, Joan, you’re being a good friend.”

  “Thanks for seeing it that way.”

  What would she do without Joan? “How’s Kent?”

  Joan’s face lit up. “I didn’t want to talk about him with you in this state.”

  “Sweetie, I’m happy for you.”

  “We’re doing well. Really. I couldn’t ask for a better guy.”

  Riley smiled as she listened to her friend talk about the sweet things Kent did. Riley knew that a happy ending was not in the cards for her. Maybe it had to do with Riley being independent. Maybe it was how she looked.

  Whatever it was, she didn’t have it to keep someone around long term. Sad, but better that she knew that now. So that she didn’t keep hoping to find someone. She could date and have sex and have fun and not have to worry about looking for the right guy.

  He wasn’t coming. There was no right guy. She’d thought Dirk was it, but she’d been wrong. She couldn’t pick men, and frankly she didn’t ever want to feel this way again. No way. This hurt and it sucked.

  No one was worth this. No one. So she listened to Joan go on and on and could be happy for her friend. Even if she herself would never experience it.

  ***

  Dirk sat back at his desk, not seeing anything. He’d been doing damage control for the last two days. His brain was fried. His shirt was uncharacteristically wrinkled. His sleeves were permanently rolled up.

  He needed food and drink. And if he were the Dirk of a few months ago, he’d opt for a blowjob, too. But not since Riley.

  But he did need to see Riley. She would be able to make him feel better. He thought he’d given her enough space.

  Marcia came in. “I’m leaving for the day. Anything I can do before I leave?”

  He looked up at her then shook his head. She’d put in some
long days, too. Right by his side. “Take tomorrow off.”

  “You sure? What are you going to do about this leak?”

  He shrugged. “Not sure, but the FBI are taking their time. I don’t have that kind of time. Another issue and I’m done for. The company cannot survive unless our customers have faith in us.”

  “Call Riley. I bet she’d work on it again.”

  He nodded. “Even if her company didn’t pay her. She never liked that the case was taken from her.”

  “You going to call her? Gives you an excuse.”

  Yes, he’d been searching for one. He wanted to know how she was doing. He wanted to talk to her. See her. Touch her smell. Holy shit, he wanted to get her naked, hear her noises when she came.

  Now his dick got hard. Thankfully he was behind a desk. Marcia wouldn’t see it. She’d laugh.

  “It does give me an excuse. A business excuse. I’ll go see her.”

  Marcia snorted. “Yeah. Go see her.”

  “What? I’ve given her enough space. I want to get her back. I want her to take care of this leak, and then I can tell her how I feel.”

  “I’m not sure she will be receptive to it, but you need to try.”

  He did. He was afraid she would stay out of his life and he’d never feel this way again. About anyone. He liked what he felt for Riley. He couldn’t just let her go. She’d had time. She should be past being mad at him.

  Now he had to convince her he needed her. Even if it started in his boardroom, he wanted it to end in his bedroom. Suddenly energized, he rolled down his sleeves, straightened his tie, and threw on his suit jacket.

  “Go get her, tiger,” Marcia said.

  Dirk had a spring in his step as he walked to where his driver sat reading a magazine against the car.

  “Where to, boss?”

  “Brooklyn.”

  “Brooklyn?”

  “Yep. Riley’s house.”

  “I know how to get there.”

  Dirk hopped into the back while his driver started the car. They arrived half an hour later, but it might as well have been three hours. His anxiety made him pause with his hand on the door. Nope. He had to do this. He needed Riley.

  He needed her to solve this case; then he needed her in his life. Maybe forever. He rolled that idea around in his head. He’d have to tell her how he felt. It would be a risk, but he had to. He wasn’t risk averse. He’d just never felt this way about anyone. Nor had he known he would want to.

  He wouldn’t trade this feeling for anything. He loved Riley Adams.

  Hopping out of the car, he said, “Wait around a few minutes. I might need a ride home or not. I don’t know.”

  “Okay, boss.”

  Dirk knocked on Riley’s door. He heard shuffling then she opened the door. He hoped she’d looked before that. She didn’t smile. Instead she eyed him warily.

  He put on his best smile. “Hi, Riley.”

  “Hello. What are you doing here?”

  “Can I come in?”

  She stepped back, but not right away. Then she closed the door behind her. “What?”

  She didn’t move from her spot.

  “The leaker has struck again, and the FBI aren’t doing anything. I need your help.” He stepped toward her and touched her face for a moment. She flinched. “I need you back in my life, too.”

  “I might be able to help on the case, but you and I are finished.”

  “Riley. What we had was good. I never should have let you walk out.”

  “Tell me about the case. What has happened?”

  She derailed him for a moment. “There’s been more information leaked.”

  “I closed that back door before I left,” she said. “How is it getting out? Should be traced more easily if someone is using e-mail. I can’t imagine someone is. We should have put a tracer on the database. We could see if anyone printed anything.”

  “You’ll help?”

  “If I can do it from here. I’m on another job. I can only work on it after hours. I might still have access from my laptop.”

  “I really appreciate that. This leak could ruin my company.” He paused. “Will you come back?”

  “To you?”

  “Yes, Riley.” He took her hand, but she pulled it away. “Oh, Riley. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you how I felt.”

  “I don’t want to know.”

  “You don’t?”

  “Not a chance. I’m not letting you charm back into your bed just to have you hurt me again. I was reluctant to get involved in the first place. And now I know that I never should have.”

  What was she talking about? They’d been good together. They had broadened each other’s lives. They’d made each other better. What could possibly trump that? He had to know.

  “Why not, Riley?”

  She opened the door. Then she handed him a newspaper while shoving him out the door. He looked down at hit to see a picture of him having lunch with his ex. It all made sense now.

  And if she was going to believe what she read in a tabloid newspaper, maybe their breakup was for the best.

  At least she would find his leak.

  Chapter Two

  Riley had her own cubicle at the new company until her job was done. She could have worked offsite, but the owner wanted her onsite. A little controlling, but she was getting used to that with CEOs.

  That led her thoughts to Dirk. Who was the last person she wanted to think about. Then a man walking by caught her eye. Not because he was that hot, but because she knew him. Not only did she know him, but she’d dated him in college.

  “Justin?”

  He stopped. His face turned to her and then lit up with a smile. “Riley?”

  “Hey.”

  “You that consultant we hired?”

  “Yes.”

  Justin didn’t look that different from when they’d been in college. His hair sported some gray, but he’d been an older student when she knew him. He probably had five years on her. He was a young soul, but he’d been more serious about their relationship than she’d been.

  She’d been having fun in college while he’d been looking for a wife. He rested his left hand on her cubicle wall, and she noticed no wedding ring. Guess he hadn’t found that wife yet.

  “How long you here for?”

  “Probably only a month. I just need to code some stuff and clean up what the last person didn’t do well.”

  “Really?” He checked his watch. “You free for lunch?”

  “I can break away in about an hour. That work for you?”

  He nodded, flashed her that thousand watt smile that she remembered, then walked away. Her day was looking up. Her month was looking up. Justin was the most normal, down-to-earth man she’d ever met.

  Might be nice to have normal in her life again.

  The hour went quickly, and she found herself in a Honda on her way to a deli for lunch. No Aston Martin. No driver. No fancy restaurant. No worries about picking up the wrong piece of silverware.

  They ordered sandwiches and then found a table by the window.

  “So how long have you worked for this company? Justin asked.

  “Three years. They’re pretty good to me. Lots of flexibility. Good benefits. I can’t complain.”

  “So we can’t woo you away from them?” Justin said.

  His dark brown eyes bored into her. That’s what this was about? He wanted to offer her a job?

  “I doubt it, but we can talk. I like to keep my options open. What would I be doing? You know I love being a code jockey.”

  “Not sure I can offer that.”

  She shrugged. “Not sure I can enjoy doing much else. It’s my thing. Code is pretty simple compared to people.”

  He sipped his soda. “Sounds like a woman who has had her heart broken recently.”

  She didn’t really want to talk about it. “I guess.”

  “You don’t want to talk about it?”

  “Not really. I’d rather just enjoy a lunch
with an old friend. Not think about the bad things in my life.”

  “So name something good,” he said.

  “Well, I love my job. I’m never in the same place for more than a month. I work with all sorts of different people.” She reached across the table and touched his soda with hers. “And sometimes you get to see some people from your past.”

  He nodded. “You look good, Riley. Like you’ve been happy.”

  She’d been happy. At least part of the time with Dirk. Too bad it had become too complicated. “I have been.”

  “I’m guessing, even though you don’t want to talk about, that he complicated things.”

  She laughed. “Must we talk about it?”

  “I’m just feeling you out as to what you might still feel for this person.”

  “Oh?”

  “Well, I did have feelings for you, and maybe I never got over them.”

  “Hm. Not sure I’m ready to jump right into anything now. I’d like some time to myself.”

  He reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “Then we’ll be friends for now.”

  That was a relief. “Okay. I can do that.” She sipped her soda, her mouth suddenly dry. “Tell me what you’ve been up to since college.”

  “Well I actually have worked for this company since I graduated. They’ve been good to me. I have had some moderate success.”

  “I’m guessing that you never found that wife you were looking for.”

  Why did she ask that? Maybe because that was the one thing that had broken them up.

  He frowned. Crap. Sore point with him.

  “You don’t have to answer that.”

  “No, it’s fine. I did marry someone right out of college. It didn’t work out. We divorced after a year.”

  “No kids?”

  “No kids.”

  She pondered that as she ate her sandwich. Justin could offer her so much more stability if she wanted. Unlike Dirk, he was a normal guy. No dating supermodels. No jetting off to Martha’s Vineyard in his own helicopter.

  She’d have a simple life with him.

  “That’s sad.”

  “I think I wanted marriage too much and settled,” he said.

  His gaze had never left hers. He looked at her as if she were the only woman in the room. She didn’t remember Dirk looking at her that way. He was always involved in something else. Even if they were together, she’d sensed he was thinking of something else.