Page 56 of Business or Pleasure

Now resolved about what I needed to do, I sent a text to my father, asking to meet, and then took a shower. By the time I was done, he replied with an address to a warehouse he said he owned.

Twenty-Seven

Baylen

My shoulders slumped as I tapped my key card against the lock on my door. I managed to stay stoic on the ride to the hotel, not betraying even the slightest hint of my inner turmoil to the overly talkative driver. I gave a generous tip and hoped that I told him to have a pleasant day. The desk clerk had gotten a nod and as polite a smile as I could manage.

After that, I was gratefully alone.

Despite my plan to tell Alec where I was last night, I needed to clean up and change my clothes. It was one thing for him to know I slept with Harlee last night, but quite another to show up while I still smelled like her and sex. Maybe he wouldn’t notice, but I would. And I needed to get her scent off me before I could pull myself together enough to do what needed to be done.

I didn’t want to do it. I knew once I told Alec what I saw, he’d fire her. If he was able to find physical proof of her breaking her NDAs, MIRI would sue her. If he found enough proof, he might even press criminal charges. And as much as I hated the idea, perhaps that would be for the best for everyone.

I tried not to think of how I had physical evidence in my hand but had left it behind when I exited the apartment. It wasn’t a conscious act on my part, or so I told myself, but it happened, and I took responsibility for it.

Shit.

I stripped in the bathroom, leaving my clothes on the floor, and got into the shower. Placing my hands on the cool tile, I let the hot water and white noise soothe me. Considering the state of my mind, it didn't help much.

How the hell had I allowed things to get so out of control? Again. Was I truly that incompetent when it came to choosing who to trust? Could I even rely on my own instincts anymore?

By coming to America and speaking with Alec, I thought I had taken the first step toward resolving the enormous blunder that had been my relationship with Angie, both professionally and personally. I may have just screwed things up even more now.

I didn’t believe Alec would blame me for what Harlee did, as I didn’t provide her with access to any of the information she took, but all I needed was one person asking questions, and my parents would completely write me off. It would be one incident too many.

I sighed and reached for the shampoo. I was foolish to think that something as simple as a shower would be able to help me clear my head. Accepting that I couldn’t stop thinking, I tried to turn my thoughts to something more positive. Anything.

Like the fact that, while I felt the anger and hurt at having my trust broken, my being involved with Harlee hadn’t contributed to her betrayal. In fact, if I looked at the situation objectively, I could say that my relationship with her, brief as it had been, had actually brought her actions to light far sooner than they might have been.

My stomach clenched, and I was grateful I hadn’t eaten yet this morning.

BSS was a security company Alec recommended to me specifically because he thought it would provide better protection for institutions I supported, most of which dealt with providing safety and resources for victims of domestic violence. He told me that the new software MIRI was helping BSS develop would make it harder for the abusers to locate and access their victims.

Harlee’s father could sell the information and code from the software to the highest bidder. Or bidders, plural. While it would most likely benefit those who would need to eliminate competition, possible witnesses, and the like, I could see not only thieves wanting to get ahold of the same information but also the egomaniacal cowards who considered their family to be property.

The very people I wanted to protect could be hurt by what Harlee did. I talked to her about the work I did, and she was far too intelligent to not put things together, just as I had. That betrayal hurt worse than the rest. It also steeled my resolve about what I needed to do.

I cared about her, even after all this, but I couldn’t justify downplaying her actions when they had put innocent, vulnerable people in danger.

I just finished dressing when someone knocked on my door. A quick peek revealed it to be a concerned Brigh. I really didn’t like the idea of having to explain to her what was going on, but she’d been with me through all the recent turmoil, and she proved that I could trust her. I needed that right now.

“Good morning,” I said as I opened the door and stepped aside to allow her entrance. “Is something wrong?”

“I was going to ask you the same.” Her gaze moved around the room quickly, taking in the neatly made bed as well as my clear, just-out-of-the-shower appearance. “I tried reaching you this morning, but you didn’t answer your mobile or the room phone. Did you stay overnight with someone?”

I sighed and sat down on the end of my bed. “Other than a headache, I’m fine.”

“Let me get you something for that.” She rummaged in her purse for a moment and then handed me two pills. Before I could thank her, she went to the sink, filled a cup with water, and brought it back to me.

“Thank you,” I said sincerely.

“Do you have a schedule for the day?”

I rolled the now-empty glass between my hands. “Aye. I’ll be going to see Alec in a bit. While I’m gone, please make arrangements for us to return home. I have everything I came for.”

The last statement wasn’t entirely true as Alec hadn’t yet given the final documentation to me, but he assured me that it would be ready by Monday, and we planned to meet either that day or the next. Once I told him about Harlee, I’d ask him to send me everything and set up a virtual meeting to discuss the results. However, as I told Brigh that I’d be speaking to Alec, I’d let her infer that I would, indeed, have everything I needed before we boarded the plane.

“When would you like to leave?”

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