Page 85 of Sinister Intentions

I ran a hand through my hair. I clamped down on the rising frustration. It wasn’t about the money—not really. It was the goddamn principle of it all. Someone had gotten the better of me, of us, and had weakened my position within the company. And if it was who I suspected…

“Enough to sting,” I growled. “But it’s not the amount that matters. It’s the fucking audacity.”

Alex leaned against the glass door of a server rack arms crossed. “You think you know who did it?”

I shot him a death glare, and he straightened again.

This room was a controlled environment, not a children’s playground.

“Is that why they’re here”—Matt pointed at the Raptor guys—“because you don’t know who did it?”

My mind flashed to Jemma—her defiant eyes, that infuriating smirk. The feel of her lips against mine in the library.

Fuck.

I shoved the memory aside, clamping down the warmth spreading in my chest.

“I have my suspicions,” I muttered, then turned to Peaches. “Any progress on finally nailing her down as the person of interest?”

Peaches swiveled in his chair. “We’re getting close, boss.” His expression got maddeningly smug when he called me boss.

I glared at him. Those Raptor guys were entirely too cocky.

“But whoever she’s working with, they’re good. Real good. They even went back and covered their tracks,” he said.

I scrubbed a hand over my face, equal parts impressed and infuriated. If it was Jemma, and by now, I was convinced she was at least a member of the group, well, the girl had more guts and ability than I’d given her credit for.

“Her? Person of interest?” Matt stared at me for a second, then snorted. “Let me guess—you think Jemma Donnelly’s involved somehow?”

I whirled around. “What did you just say?” No way had he made the connection. Not my fun-loving, self-absorbed brother.

“Jesus, now it all makes sense.” Matt shook his head. “That’s why you’re so obsessed with her all of a sudden.”

“You suspect Jemma is involved with a group of hackers who hacked into your online gambling platform?” Alex’s voice was laced with disbelief. He shook his head and chuckled. “You’ve lost your freaking mind.”

I bristled. “The fuck do you know?”

“It means I know the Donnelly girls,” Alex said, then his smug grin suddenly disappeared, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “Fuck me.”

“What?” Matt said, staring at Alex.

“Fee mentioned something a while back, but I didn’t pay attention,” Alex said, then stared at me. “You should’ve told me. She’s family. I could’ve handled it.”

I cocked my head. “I’m dealing with it. And she’ll be family soon enough.”

Matt exhaled noisily. “Only you would think forcing her into an arranged marriage counts as ‘dealing with it’.”

Then a knowing glint entered his eyes. “Now, on the other hand, since your interest in her is bordering on obsession, maybe you should be the one marrying her, you know, just to have even better control over her,” Matt said, his mocking tone of voice grating on my nerves.

“Interest, obsession, mixed with some major attraction,” Alex deadpanned. “Sounds like a solid basis for a fake marriage.”

I gave him the death stare.

“He’s got the hots for her even when she’s pissing him off and vice versa,” Matt added. “It’s basically a match made in hell.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but the words died in my throat when the image of her on top of me entered my mind uninvited.

They weren’t entirely wrong, damn them. I side-eyed Peaches and Goofy, who stared at the three of us, interested, low-key amused, and entertained.

---