Risky Temptation (11 page)

              “To his office,” Zeke said, his voice strained. “Fuck! Fuck! This is no good, Marco. Fuck!”

              That was an understatement.

              83%.

              “I’m reading 83%,” I said, wanting to attack the first matter at hand.

              “Copy,” Zeke said before adding hurriedly, “He just entered his office!”

              92%.

              “92%,” I said, my mind racing as I tried to think. If Apple finds out about an unauthorized service where the technician actually went
in
to the server room, he would no doubt search the place from top to bottom. Each of the servers would be tested and in no time would they find Zeke’s spy program.

              “Copy,” Zeke said. “The camera can’t angle into the office, Marco. I only can see one of his legs.”

              100%.

              “100%, do you copy?” I whispered.

              “100%, copy!” Zeke said.

              I immediately pulled the cable free and packed everything back up into my belt.

              “Don’t forget the camera drive!” Zeke reminded me.

              That’s right. I headed back to A-13 for the drive but before I pulled it out, I paused.

              Once I pulled the drive, Zeke would lose access to the cameras. I’d have no eyes above me to watch and warn me where Apple was.

              “Where is he now?” I asked.

              “He’s still in the office,” Zeke said. “Marco, if he catches what’s happened, you have forty feet between you and the nearest exit. But there are four security guards standing by the doors.”

              “So basically, shit odds,” I said. Those security guards would be notified immediately.

              “After I pull out the camera drive, how long will you still have access to the cameras?” I asked. “Is it instantaneous? Do you lose access as soon as I pull it?”

              “I can’t say,” Zeke said with hesitation. “Maybe two to three minutes lag at most I’ll have. But it’ll take you at least five to get out. You need to hand back the keycard.”

              I pulled out the keycard to have ready.

              “Is he still in the office?” I asked.

              “Yeah,” Zeke replied worriedly. “Why are they talking so much?”

              Fuck, either way, the deed was done. Whether they find the program and strip it or not, I needed to get out of here. And fast.

              Speed was crucial here.

              “Okay, I’m pulling it,” I said. “Keep your eye on him till you lose signal.”

              “Okay!” Zeke replied.

              Quickly, I pulled out the drive, leaving no evidence of my being there.

              I walked out the server room with a quick but not hurried step. With a smile, I handed the keycard back to the receptionist who took it with a nod.

              “He’s coming out of the office!” Zeke whispered in my ear frantically. “Apple’s heading towards the lobby!”

              I needed to get out of there fast but I couldn’t run. I couldn't call attention to myself like that. I walked briskly though.

              “He’s about fifteen feet away!” Zeke whispered urgently.

              There was a tour grouped around the nearest exits, smattered about making it impossible to effectively weave through them. I gritted my teeth and walked around. Any additional seconds added to my escape was dangerous.

              “Ten feet!” Zeke counted down.

              Almost there. Turn Tech was sizeable and the lobby was the grand entrance so of course it was large.

              “Five!”

              I was near the door. He couldn’t see my uniform. The minute Apple saw my uniform, he would know what was wrong. Or maybe he already did know? Blythe must’ve told him by now. Was that why he was walking to the front?

              “Holy shit!” Zeke exploded in my ear. I nearly tripped at the volume of his voice. “Blythe’s just come out of the bathroom! He was in the bathroom! He must’ve gone in before we got camera access! Apple was in the office by himself!”

              My heart raced. I was nearly at the door.

              “I just lost camera,” Zeke said but there was a tone of great relief in his voice. “Apple was at the front gathering papers to leave and Blythe had just returned to his office from the bathroom. I think you’re clear, boss.”

              And I walked out the door, breathing in a deep breath of relief and success.

Chapter
Thirteen
Halle

              “What are you doing?” I asked.

              Tobias kept his eyes on the elevator doors as we descended. “Seeing you in the sitting room the other night, I realized you’re probably just a little too cooped up. There’s a library on the third floor. You might enjoy a little breather there.”

              I definitely did not want
any
reminders of that night in the sitting room. His rough and powerful kiss had haunted me since that night. But more than that, it had been his torn and broken expression as he spoke of Elizabeth.

              No matter the situation, it was hard to view him as the same calculating monster afterwards. He had had his heart broken in the most tragic and brutal way. It would be enough to alter anybody forever.

              But I had seen that look of hope, that hungry wish for peace in those green eyes.

              I shook my head. These thoughts were too much for me. I was already worried about Marco and Jamie. I couldn't also worry about Tobias as well.

              “No?” he said, seeing my shake. “You don’t want to go to the library?”

              “No I do,” I said quickly. Getting out of my room to go anywhere sounded like a relief. But getting to go outside of my floor? Even better.

              The elevator doors opened.

              The third floor was just as richly decorated as the sixth. With shining marble flooring and glittering chandeliers, it was hard to remember that the outside of the building looked like a decaying pile of bricks.

              There were several rooms on this floor. I saw smoke coming out of one. So a smoking den. How very gentrified.

              Several of the rooms were closed, the ornate doors shutting peeping eyes out. At the end of the floor were two grand double doors with gold handles.

              Tobias opened the doors dramatically, revealing a large room with floor to ceiling shelves carrying an unimaginable amount of books. Who in the Black Saints would require such a library?

              But I was too entranced to care. There were several cozy chairs with delicate side tables by them for you to stack your books. There were warm but not overly bright lights above and smaller lamps strategically placed around the room.

              “This is impressive,” I said honestly.

              Tobias actually looked quite pleased by my words. I realized he had hoped I would like the room.

              I stepped in, enjoying the smell of pages and ink. No one else was in the library. I had the entire place to myself.

              Tobias remained in the doorway. “Now,” he said slowly, “I have some business to attend elsewhere. I’d hate to spoil the mood for you here by posting guards to watch you.”

              I froze in place. So far, I hadn’t experienced guards. Since the sixth floor was Tobias’s private floor, I had enjoyed the relative privacy and comfort of being on my own.

              “Can you promise to remain here until I come find you?” Tobias asked.              

              I tried not to let the surprise show on my face.

              The calculating, dangerous Enforcer was bargaining with me for my trust. Something had changed in him since our kiss. There was a subtle but definite earnestness in the way he spoke to me now, as if he was trying to ensure my happiness while still keeping me hostage.

              “Yes,” I said softly.

              “You’ll remain only in the library?” he pressed.

              “Yes,” I said.

              Tobias eyed me for a moment, his green eyes sweeping over me. “I should be back within two hours. I hope you can find something enjoyable here.” And after another peculiar look of earnestness, he left, shutting the doors behind him.              

              He really did want me to find a book to enjoy here.

              I counted out a minute before I headed towards the doors, cracking them open just a bit to peek out. I caught the elevator doors closing on Tobias as he took them down, presumably to the first floor.

              So he was really gone.

              I closed the doors, needing a moment to gather myself. This was the first time in days (or weeks? I wasn’t sure how long I’d been here) that I was by myself. And I was by myself on a different floor no less!

              Okay, what was my next move?

              I was not going to waste two valuable hours reading a book when I was on my own and on a different floor for the first time.

              Taking in a deep breath, I opened the door another crack and looked out again. I looked up towards the ceiling and noticed no cameras. On the first floor there had been several black orbs mounted above.

              On the sixth floor there were no cameras but I assumed it was because they were the personal residence of Tobias. Now I was starting to think there were no cameras anywhere except the first floor.

              The Black Saints had taken great pains to cover up their headquarters and to make themselves as invisible as possible. That makes sense, considering the illustrious roster of members associated with the Black Saints. So naturally, these members wouldn’t appreciate having their every movement recorded and captured in this secret and shadowy location.

              Well, that just meant good luck to me. I could come out of the library without being caught by security guards downstairs.

              But that did leave the rest of the rooms on the floor. Most of the doors were shut, leaving me no idea of how many people were on the floor. I had seen cigar smoke coming out of one room so I knew there was at
least
one other person on the floor.

              I looked behind me. There was no clock anywhere to be seen. So I had no way to measure how much time had passed. I needed to act quickly.

              Taking my courage in my own two hands, I took in a deep breath and pushed myself out of the safety of the library and into the open space of the third floor.

              With my heart racing a mile a minute, I pressed close to the wall and scooted towards the nearest door. It was closed but I pressed an ear against it, listening for any kind of sound or movement.

              I was sure I hadn’t waited more than thirty seconds but it felt like thirty years. When the time passed with absolutely no noise coming from inside, I swallowed and carefully grasped the handle.

              If there was anyone inside,
anyone
, I was done. I couldn’t even imagine what Tobias’s reaction would be and I honestly didn’t want to. This was a man who could make kings disappear. I would be no challenge.

              But pressed for time and luck, I swallowed my reservations and gently opened the door, careful not to make a sound with the latch.              

              Opening the door, I only saw dimness. None of the lights were on. I breathed a sigh of relief.

              No one was in here.

              I quickly entered the room and shut the door behind me. Groping around I found a lamp and turned it on, revealing the room to me.

              I was in some kind of office.

              It was small but it was well furnished and impeccably kept. There was a thick walnut desk with intricate gold decorations on it. A large leather chair sat quietly behind the desk, looking as if it hadn’t been sat in in a very long time. But the crowning jewel was sitting at the corner of the desk—a thin sleek computer.

              I immediately rushed around the desk towards it. The screen was off. I punched the power button, my pulse racing. I could email Marco! I could tell him the general idea of where I was since I wasn’t exactly sure of my specific location. I could tell him I was alright.

              Maybe together we could come up with some kind of plan to get me out of here and to get him out of his job.

              My mind raced at all the possibilities but it quickly was all put to a halt when the screen turned on and a little window popped up, asking for a password.

              Of course.

              I was a fool to think it could’ve been as easy as turning on a computer and having instant access to the internet.

              I stared at the screen, debating on whether I should try to guess the password. Would bad guys also try something stupid like ‘
password’
for a password?

              But in the end, I decided against it. I wasn’t sure what the repercussions would be if I got the password wrong. Would the computer alert someone that someone had failed to type in the right code? It was safer just not to try.

              I sighed and drummed my fingers on the desk.

              I couldn’t get stuck here! I still had time. I needed to take advantage of it. I wracked my brain for ideas, trying to think of what I could do out here to help Marco’s and my situation when suddenly, I heard a muted cough.

              I froze, panic ebbing nearer to my heart.

              Then ten seconds later, another cough.

              I turned to my right. It was from the room next door.

              Someone was coughing in the room next door.

              That meant someone was in that room!

              Immediately, I slowed down my movements to that of a sloth, not wanting to cause any unnecessary noise. Turning off the computer screen, I inched my way towards the wall so I could press my ear against it.

              The walls were fairly thick and I couldn’t hear much. There was another cough. What kind of room was next door? If it was another office, the computer there must surely be on. If there was a way to get in there….

              I listened carefully, trying to recognize the tonalities of the coughs to see if I could tell how many people were in there.

              From what little I could tell, it sounded like there was only one person in there.

              I knelt on the floor, my ear pressed against the wall for nearly half an hour, listening to the sporadic coughs of the mysterious occupant next door. I kept an eye on the door to make sure no one barged in and an ear on the wall, to hear what the next door neighbor was doing.

              God, all I needed was a shot at a computer! That would change everything!

              I jerked when I heard a loud squeaking noise. It sounded like someone was pushing themselves up from a large reclining chair. I turned my head towards the leather chair that sat in my own room. I was sure it reclined a bit. And I was sure that it would also make a similar squeaking noise if I rose from it.

              I listened carefully, nearly biting my lip in half with my nerves. There were footsteps. Was the man leaving? Was he leaving the room? Oh god, he hadn’t heard me, had he?             

              He couldn’t have. I had barely been breathing for fear of making noise. But then, what? Why was he leaving? Maybe to have a smoke? There had been that smoking room.

              I tiptoed in an odd crouch towards my door. I opened it to the tiniest sliver of a crack and peeked an eye out.

              Within two minutes, a middle aged man who looked no more remarkable than a bank teller stepped out of the office. He hacked into his hand before clearing his throat and heading down the hall towards another room.