Page 47 of Locked Down

“Wereallyneed to know what Davis is up to. Can you think of anything, anything atallthat stands out to you? Anything that’s not the norm?”Ryker rubbed the back of his neck. Archer had been clear. He needed to make progress on this, or Archer would replace him.Usuallyin his job, replacement included a relocation program to a realm six feet under.

He’d driven back to Vic’s, and now she looked at him with confusion from her sofa. She clutched the pillow in her lap tighter. Dark smudges discolored the skin under her eyes, and her shoulders were sagging. It was latebuthe didn’t have a choice. He needed something to go on.

“Austin has Tracy and a few others working on a super-secret project. He won’t talk about itandneither will she.I’ve asked, but shejustsmiles and says it’s super cool, but she can’t share yet.”

“She hasn’t given you any hints?”Ryker asked as he sat across the room from her. He’d debated sitting on the couch but decided to skip the temptation. She looked so damn sexy in her boxer shorts and tank top.There was no way he couldsit next to her without pulling her into his arms.

Vic shook her head.“None.”

“What does Tracy normally do for your uncle? What’s her job?”

“Marketing.Sheand a fewof theothers createhismarketing campaigns, look afterhissocial media, make all the swag, that kind of thing.”

“Huh. Why would your uncle need a marketing campaign now? His seat isn’t up for election for a couple of years.Thisis a Presidential election year. Do you think he has Tracy and the rest working on something to do with that?”

Vic snorted.“Not likely. My uncle only does what benefits him. I don’t see how he would get anything out of it.”

Ryker tapped his fingers on his thigh.“Does Tracy keep her laptop at workordoes she take it home?”

“Home.”Vic narrowed her eyes at him.“Why?”

“I need to see the files on her laptop. I need toknow what the project is.”

Vic shrugged.“Short of breaking into her apartment and stealing it, you’re out of luck. Tracy keeps it with her wherever she goes.”

“She brings it to workthough, right?”

“Yes,”Vic agreed and covered her mouth as she yawned.

“She sits next to you, right?”

Vic nodded, yawning again. Then she stopped.“Why? What are you thinking?”

He didn’t like doing this. It wasn’t really something he wantedto pressure Vic into, but he was out of options.“Can you access Tracy’s laptop and find outwhat the project is?”

Vic stared at him and then shook her head.“No. No way. Oh, hell no. I will not do that. It’s an invasion of privacy.”

“Your uncle is up to somethingandwe need to knowexactlywhat it is. He’s a dangerous manand, lefton his own, things could go downhill fast.”Ryker had no idea if this project had anything to do with the Society and whateverthe hellDavis was planningbuthewas grasping at straws because this was the only lead he had.

“I can’t betray Austin like that, never mind my friend.”She hugged the pillow closer.

“Are you serious?”Ryker tried to keep his temper in check.“After what the man tried to do earlier in the evening? He’s trying to capitalize on you dating a power player he wants an alliance with. He’s pimping you out. You even called him on it yourself.”

Vic let out a loud sigh.“I know what you’re sayingand, yes, I know what it sounds like. I regret telling you what Daisy said, but it scared me, and then to enter the party and have himactuallydo what she accused him of was demoralizing. The thing is…what he said on the drive home made sense.Maybe hereallydoesjustwantto protect me and help me find someone.I mean, it’s stupid, and I don’t need help, but honestly”—she gave a little shrug—“I can’t fault him for it.”

Ryker’s mouth hung open. Vic wasn’t stupid, so why couldn’t she see how badly her uncle treated her? He could see it and he desperately wanted to choke the life out of the man.“Do you really believe that? Do you really believe that your uncle only has your best interest at heart? Seriously?”He tried to tone it down.“What does your gut tell you?”

Vic licked her lips and stared at Ryker.“I think... I feel...Look, I think my uncle’s up to something. I know my uncle is plotting and planning some big thing because he’s always doing thatandthat’s not new. But he saved my ass. He pulled me out of a commune my parents had me on, and I just…I owe him for that.”

“But don’t you think you’ve already paid him back?I meanitlooksto melike you’ve been paying your debt everysingleday since he took you out of there.”He’d read in Vic’sfileabout the communebutsomedayhe wanted to hear about it from her perspective.

Vic waved him off.“Look, I only have a few weeks left and then I’m out of here.”Her eyes flew to his.“Don’t tell anyone.”

What the hell did that mean? Ryker stared at Vic with an assessing gaze.“Why are you leaving?”

“Because in a few weeks, on my thirtieth birthday, I inherit my family’s solar farm. I plan on going back to Texas to run it.”

Shock rippled through him. That had not been in the file. Texas. That was too far away.At least if she was in Washington, theyhad a chance of seeingeach other.His head spun withall the thingshe wanted to saybuthe had to put everything else aside because now wasn’t the moment. His job now was to convince her to do what he neededher to do. And she had to do it because he owed Archer that much. Bile came up his throat. The thought of forcing Vic wasliterallymaking him sick to his stomach.

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