GONE - Part Two (The GONE Series Book 2) (3 page)

The man has one of the most brilliant minds in technology today. He runs a company that some have estimated to be worth billions of dollars. He's cultured, refined and sophisticated. He has dated beautiful women for most of his adult life and he can get laid with a snap of his fingers. Yet, he wants me to believe that he arranged for me to live with one of his dearest friends because he thought I'd hand out nudie photos of myself in Times Square? The man has pegged me as an idiot if he thinks I'm falling for that bullshit.

I pull my hands free of his even though I feel bereft when I do. My body is betraying my desire to race away from him. "You're telling me that you wanted me to live with Rebecca because I sent one naked picture of myself to a man who happens to be your brother?"

"You sent a naked picture of yourself and a letter about sucking cock."

I pull my hands up to my face. "I did it once. I was trying to have some fun. There was no harm in it."

"No harm?" He clenches his hand into a fist. "What if someone else would have seen it, Lilly? A picture like that can impact your entire future."

I know that. The thought has crossed my mind time and time again since I sent it. "I would never do it again."

"You shouldn't have done it the first time," he spits back.

I study his face. I can tell he's frustrated. "I regret doing it. I know I'm lucky that no one else saw it."

"You're damn right you're lucky." He tips his chin towards the floor. "I destroyed it and that letter so no one will ever see it."

I should thank him for doing that for me but right now I can't twist my mind away from the anger I'm feeling. "You haven't trusted me since I sent that stuff to Parker. That's why you really wanted me to live with Rebecca."

"You're wrong." He leans back in his chair again, leisurely crossing his legs. "I wouldn't have offered you the job if I didn't trust you."

"Rowan offered me the job." I point out. "She saw the value in my education and my drive."

He cocks a dark brow as he studies my expression. "You don't think I see the value in those things, Lilly?"

I don't know how to logically answer that question. I want to believe that he was being honest when he told me that I was the smartest woman he ever met. Now, I don't know what is real and what is based solely on his desire to confirm his suspicions about me. "I think that you honestly thought I was going to use your family's name to market the organ donation app I've developed. I think you looked through my computer because something inside of you didn't trust me."

His chin drops and his shoulders surge forward as he exhales. "I didn't go to see Rebecca that morning with the intention of looking at your computer."

The strength of the declaration pushes me back in my seat. I lean back into the leather chair, trying to decipher exactly what he just said to me. "That's a lie, Clive."

"Have you spoken to Rebecca since that day?"

It's a question that is rhetorical to me. He already knows the answer to it and I'd bet my paltry life savings on that. "You know I haven't. You've asked her if I've called her, haven't you?"

He rolls his eyes towards the ceiling. I can see his exasperation mounting with each passing moment. I'm not going to back down from this because, at this point, I have nothing to lose. I don't work for the man anymore and I'm never crawling back into bed with him.

"You arranged to have me meet Jordan here that day to look over your security files," I stop as I poke my finger in the air towards him. "You didn't care what I thought about those files. It was an excuse to get me down here so you could look at my computer."

His hand dips into the inner pocket of his suit jacket to retrieve his smartphone.  I watch in silence as he scrolls his finger over the screen before he brings the phone to his ear. "Jordan, come to my office. Now."

***

"I heard that you quit." Jordan smiles at me as she takes Clive's place in the chair next to me. "What are you doing back here?"

I can't shield my surprise over the fact that she looks genuinely happy to see me. "I came to get my paycheck."

"I was shocked that you'd left." Her gaze darts up to scan Clive's face before it settles back on me. "I was worried about you. We had a dinner date last Tuesday, remember?"

I had remembered on Wednesday. By then the idea of texting or calling her to explain why I was a no-show seemed useless. She's a part of the Corteck family, which means she likely reports back on everything she does to Clive. If I had called her to apologize for not making it to her place, he would have heard about it immediately. I have no doubt about that. I can't imagine that anyone can work for Clive for long before they are doing his biding for him. I have to admit that the notion that Clive had instructed her to befriend me so he could gain more information about me had crossed my mind. I wouldn't put it past him.

"I'm sorry I didn't call," I offer as an expected apology, not because it's something that I truly mean.

"My husband's friend still wants to meet you." She holds up her smartphone. "I showed him a picture I took of you when we were working together on the security system. He's been harassing me for your number ever since."

I blush at the admission. The only person I have to hang out with in New York is Ben and our relationship is based solely on the fact that we are connected through grief. I thought that Clive could fill in the empty space I feel but that's not going to happen. "I'll take his number. I can call…"

"Lilly is involved." Clive crosses his ankles as he leans back against the edge of his desk. "Tell your husband's friend it's not going to happen."

I'd be touched by the territorial tone of his voice if I felt anything beyond frustration and disdain for him.

"He's wrong." I gesture with my chin towards Clive. "I'm not involved. You can give him my number."

We both turn to look at Clive in unison when we hear the muted curse he says beneath his breath.

"I have to go, Jordan." I pull myself up. "It was nice to see you again."

"Sit down, Lilly." Clive nods towards the chair I was just sitting in. "I asked Jordan to come here because I want her to explain what's going on with the security system."

I don’t sit back down because I have no interest in hearing anything either of them has to say. "I don't work here anymore," I point out through a clenched smile. "Your security system isn't relevant to me."

The shadow of a grin catches the corner of his mouth before he looks down at Jordan. "Explain to Lilly what we discovered after looking over her notes."

Jordan scratches the back of her head. I see the hesitation in her eyes as she looks at him. "She doesn’t work here anymore, Clive."

"Tell her," he pulls an extra syllable out of each word as if that will grant them more meaning.

She nods in agreement. "We realized after looking over the notes you made that there was a potential breach point."

I don't move from where I'm standing next to Clive. My eyes are centered on Jordan. "I'm glad I could help," I say with more sarcasm than I intend to.

"Two of the computers being used by the researchers needed an operating system patch." She glances at the floor briefly before pulling her gaze back to me. "We assumed it was taken care of weeks ago but you caught the issue immediately. It was an important find, Lilly."

It was an incredible find given the security that is in place at Corteck. It stuck out like a sore thumb to me and I'd mentioned it to Jordan at the time. She'd shrugged it off as being a simple oversight but judging by the stern expression on Clive's face now; it's an issue that could have had far reaching consequences.

"You can go." Clive moves swiftly towards the door of his office and I immediately follow suit.

"I'll just go to Rowan's office to get my paycheck," I mutter under my breath as I breeze past him.

I feel his hand grab my elbow just as I'm about to walk over the threshold into the hallway. "You're not going anywhere."

"When are you going to realize that you're wasting your time?" I tap my shoe against the floor-to-ceiling window as I look down on the bustling streets of Manhattan. "I just want my money so I can go."

"We're not done, Lilly." His breath hovers over my neck. "I'm not letting you walk out of here until you understand a few things."

I edge to the side to avoid being trapped between his arms. I don't want a replay of what happened the night of the office party. My body is longing for it but my mind is in control and it's telling me that Clive Parker is the biggest mistake I've ever made. "I don't need to understand anything. Why can't you just let this go?"

"This?" His hand flies through the air to hover over my head. "You?"

I clasp my hands together in front of me. "I don't want to be here anymore. I'd like to leave."

"Did you like spending time with me?"

It's a ridiculous question considering the magnitude of what's transpired between us the past few days. "I'd like to leave," I repeat.

"I told you that I've never met anyone like you, Lilly." He steps closer and out of sheer need, I step back to widen the distance between us even more.

"I don't think I've ever met anyone as merciless as you." The words are filled with child-like spite and spirit but I'm past the point of caring whether I appear to be a mature adult or not. "The stuff that people say about you online is true."

He tips his chin towards me. "You've researched me."

There's no denying that it's a statement without any curiosity behind it. I'm assuming he's jumped to that conclusion based on the fact that I had tried desperately to get a job with Corteck for years. "I wanted to work here. I knew that if I had a better grasp of your background that it would give me a leg up."

"I'm not talking about that." He crosses his arms in front of him, before he raises his left thumb to his lip. "I'm talking about the browser history on your computer."

The man has no sense of decency at all. His lame attempts to convince me that he just happened to be visiting Rebecca when he saw my computer aren't buoyed by this latest confession. "You actually looked at my browser history when you were helping yourself to my computer files?"

He steps forward again, lessening the space between us. I don't back down this time. I feel my heart pounding. I'm livid. The added knowledge that he took the time to open my browser and rifle through my search history has me bordering on full-on rage. I'm sure that a quick glance in the mirror would confirm the fact that my face is actually turning red from all the fury I feel racing through my body.

I can sense that he's struggling to find the right words. His tongue darts over his bottom lip, moistening it. "No. I'm talking about the computer you used here."

I feel my jaw clench. I can't control my reaction. "Shit."

"Let's see." He leans down so his breath floats over my forehead. "Clive Parker girlfriend was one search term. Clive Parker dating was another. Age of the women Clive Parker dates."

I pull my hand over my mouth to muffle the internal scream that I feel is about to escape from me. I remember sitting at my station during one lunch day and doing a search of all things Clive Parker. I'm too smart to be doing shit like that. I know for a fact that I deleted my browser history but at Corteck, it wouldn't take anyone more than twenty seconds to retrieve that information. "Fuck."

"You were interested in me, Lilly."

I run my index finger over my left eyebrow. "I was."

"You still are." His hand leaps to my hip.

I step back far enough that it drops to his side. "I'm not anymore."

"I want to fix what happened between us."

"You can't." My eyes shoot to the door of his office. I need to leave. I have to get away from him now.

"I fucked up." His hand darts back towards me and I almost stumble as I move back quickly.

"I can't be here anymore." I reach into the air to grasp something to level myself.

His hand catches mine. "Please don't go. I need you to stay."
I look down to where my feet are now planted firmly on the floor. I wrench my hand free of his. "Mr. Parker, I don't work here anymore. I'm not sleeping with you again. I want my money so I can leave. "

He doesn't say another word to me as he pulls his smartphone from his pocket. He runs his thumb over the screen and tells Rowan to bring my paycheck to his office.

"So you're the wonder kid I've been hearing about?" His green eyes lock on mine. It's rare for me to meet anyone with the same shade of eyes as me. There's a strange kinship there that I doubt he's feeling. The man, after all, is Alec Hughes.

"Mr. Hughes." I look down at the red pencil skirt I'm wearing. "I want to thank you…"

"Never call me that, Lilly." He taps the end of his pen against his desk. "I'm Alec. You're going to call me Alec. You got that?"

I smile at the stern reminder of his name. "I've got that."

He picks up a piece of paper that has been sitting atop a massive pile of magazines on the corner of his desk. "My assistant Lance tells me that you weren't taking any prisoners during your interview. It's all anyone around here is talking about."

I blush. I never expected to be called in for a second interview at Hughes Enterprises. I had actually applied at several diners yesterday with the hope that I could get something to help me move out of the hotel and into an apartment. "I was just trying to clarify what the position entailed."

"You practically invented a new position for yourself." He raises both brows. "Actually, technically, you did."

I lean forward. I try hard not to read between the lines but these lines hold the promise of something that may wash the memory of my brief stint at Corteck out of my mind. I ask the obvious question. "What position?"

"I've been looking to branch out more in the app market." He pushes his hands against the arms of his chair. "It's a space we need to have more of a presence in. I think you can bring that to the table for us."

My heart wants to leap at the idea of doing what I love the most and getting paid for it, but I'm hesitant after what happened at Corteck. I press for more while I try to contain my ever growing excitement, "I'm not sure I understand what you exactly you're looking for. Are there specific apps that you're considering developing?"

"I downloaded that medical travel app you're selling." He nods towards his smartphone, which is sitting directly in front of him on the desk. "It's a work of art, Lilly. Your brain is in a league of its own. I want you to be at the helm of new app developments for us. You'll work mainly on your own coming up with ideas and then our senior team will help work out the kinks."

These are the words I craved to hear from Clive Parker when I first walked into his office. I can sense the excitement in Alec's voice. He sees the value I'm bringing to the table and for me, that's not going to translate into just a steady income, but it's going to allow me the freedom to work on the projects that I see the most value in.

"Your resume says that you've worked primarily in a bistro." He cocks a brow. "Do you have any experience beyond that? I know you're developing stuff on your own but I'm wondering about anything related directly to what you'd be doing here."

"I worked for Corteck for a couple of weeks." I feel foolish admitting to my brief time at Clive's company but I need to be honest. I'd hate for that tiny bit of information to pop up months down the road. I want to be candid even if I have no idea how I'll explain why I left there.

"You worked for Clive?" His dark brow pops up. "That guy's something else."

I don't respond because I have no idea whether the something else he's referring to is a good or bad thing.

"What happened with that? Did he realize you were smarter than him so he let you go?"

I laugh out loud at the notion. "It was about a personal project I've been working on. I actually have a question about that if I may?"

"You may ask whatever you want." He waves his hands in the air. "I need you to work here so ask away."

I stare down at my palm for a moment. I need to ask if I want to start off on the right foot at Hughes Enterprises. "I'm just wondering if I'm allowed to work on my own projects on my off time. I have a lot of ideas for apps that I could help you develop but I'm working on a couple that are just mine."

The corner of his mouth pops up. "What you do after you walk out of this office every day is none of my business. I actually like that you have the drive to develop your own stuff. It shows how committed you are to your craft."

That's all I need to hear. "I'd really like to work here."

"Consider yourself part of our team, Lilly."