Page 22 of Business Temptations

And interestingly, Mandy stole irritated glances towards Zahir and Tim finally relaxed enough to sit down and enjoy the food.

Meanwhile, Bailey watched everyone around the table, truly grateful for their help, but also wishing that she could be happily paired up as well. If she happened to glance at Matteo, Bailey forced her eyes quickly away. That path could only lead to heartache, she reminded herself.

Chapter 4

Matteo looked around, standing still and taking in the sights and sounds of the laboratory. The quiet, dim room was lit only by the security lights and the hallway lights coming in through the laboratory door’s window. It was almost peaceful here at night. After the chaos of the charity event and then the delicious dinner, the current silence was welcoming.

Still, he wasn’t here to explore the pleasures of silence. Matteo wanted to figure out what the hell was going on in his company! It was one thing to have a competitor try to steal one’s corporate assets. Matteo, Tim and Bailey had set up an excellent security system to prevent outsiders from stealing their secrets.

But an employee? He couldn’t believe it. The headquarters staff was small compared to the support staff at the various factories around the country. And Tim’s laboratory technicians and staff had always seemed fanatically loyal to him and the corporate mission.

Looking around, he surveyed the work areas, the supply closets, the chemical storage areas, and the desks. Everything was locked down. Standing still, in the middle of the lab, he tried to put himself in the mindset of a corporate spy. What would he do? How would he get the information?

The vault, the decoy vault, was an obvious place to start. But the thing was massive, built to appear intimidating even to the most advanced thieves.

Since Matteo wasn’t a criminal, it was difficult to think like one. But he closed his eyes and thought about his father and half-brother. What would they do in this situation?

And that brought the other question that had been lingering in the back of his mind. After decades of silence, why had his father suddenly appeared at the gala?

Was his presence in town at the same time that someone was trying to steal corporate formulas just a coincidence? Or was there a more menacing explanation?

He’d have to speak to Bailey about that. He’d bounce the idea off of her and…!

Someone was here!

Matteo couldn’t see anyone, but he could sense another presence. He’d left the lights off, so that he could see the environment in which a criminal would work. He wanted to experience and see the same things.

At this moment, he didn’t know who was trying to break into the lab, but they weren’t being particularly stealthy about their intrusion.

The light footsteps clicked along the tile hallway. Then there was a beep as someone waved a security badge against the electronic lock. The heavy, steel door opened, then slowly, quietly closed. Too quietly. Someone was holding the door, silencing the closing snick as much as possible.

A woman?

Matteo moved back into the shadows, wanting to hide from whoever was coming into the lab. He wanted to catch the person in the act.

The person moved quietly and Matteo was now certain that the burglar was a woman. What was also evident was that the person was familiar with the layout of the lab. She moved easily through the workspaces, as if anticipating the stools and desk corners, as well as the delicate glass test tubes on the various countertops.

The woman walked over to the vault and, almost casually, spun the handle. Was she testing the vault to see if it was open? That was odd.

The woman then turned, abandoning the vault. Matteo would have thought that a real criminal would have put a bit more effort into trying to open it.

Then the woman turned and…!

Muttering a curse, Matteo stepped out of the shadows and Bailey yelped in surprise.

“Matteo!” she gasped, putting a hand to her chest as she tried to catch her breath. “What are you doing in here?”

He shook his head. “The same thing you are, apparently.”

She made a sound and looked around. “I was trying to figure out what it was like down here at night.” She sighed. “It’s quiet in here, isn’t it?”

“I was thinking the same thing,” he replied, amused by the way their minds worked sometimes. “When Tim and his team are in here, there’s an energy that is hard to miss.”

She laughed. “Tim’s intensity can be…,”

“Exhausting,” he finished, fisting his hands on his hips.

Bailey nodded. “Exactly. He’s so laid back when he’s outside of his lab. But when he’s in here, in his element, Tim can be overwhelmingly intense.”

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