Page 78 of Fate's Unseen Shadow

With a side of boring sex.

Ella gagged at the memory. “That’s what he bragged about?”

“Yup. Damon looked like he wanted to go after him right then, but Xavier got him out of there. So what nonsexual thoughts didn’t you have about Matteo?”

She smiled at the phrasing. “After being with Damon, I’m not sure how I ever had a sexual thought about Matteo. But I have this odd memory of the time I caught Matteo on the phone with Julia. I didn’t think anything about it at the time. But after that lunch he mentioned, after, well, boring, no-orgasm sex”—shepaused while Ryker laughed—“I heard him on the phone with Julia.”

“Did you hear what they were saying?”

“No. But there’s no reason for them to talk. None. I met Matteo at a fundraiser in San Fransisco. My dad met Julia in jazz club in New York—two entirely different worlds between them. I’m the only common link, and I can’t remember when they were together enough to swap numbers and become besties. Is there a way to pull up their call logs? I wonder if it was a one-time thing or they talked a lot.”

“Yes, but it’s going to require getting through their login to their carrier’s website. Do you have any clue who he uses and what email or password? I can run it in my software, but it’ll be quicker if you know it.”

Ella grinned. “Oh, I know it.” She rattled off the carrier and email. “The password is IAMASEXGOD#8.”

Ryker slowly swiveled his chair around and took off his glasses. “You’re kidding?”

Ella shook her head. “No. He thinks he’s fantastic in bed.”

“Most guys overestimate their abilities. I meant the eight-inch reference,” he added underneath his breath. “Never mind.”

“That’s also an overestimation.”

With a chuckle, Ryker typed the password into the browser. “We’re in.” He reviewed the monthly records and pulled the last year before logging out.

“Next, I need you to get into my Cassin Systems. Can you do it and not be seen?”

Interest lit Ryker’s eyes. “That’s all dependent on your security. Is it in-house, or do you pay a company to maintain your IT security software?”

“We pay.”

“Harder for me on this end. Who is it?”

“Secure Tech.”

Ryker groaned. “That’s a good company, Ella. I can try, but I’m sure it will alert them to what I’m doing. Who was your contact rep? If I know them well enough, I can give them a heads-up so they know it’s me.”

Her hope started to rise. “Let me think about it for a second. We hired them about three years ago.” She stared at the ceiling, wishing the name would come to her. “Do you know anyone there? Start telling me names. Maybe it will click.”

“Quincy? Roberto? Kaylee was there, but she left. Mitchell.”

Ella snapped her fingers and pointed at Ryker. “That’s it. Mitchell.” The same day she’d met with Mitchell, she met to finalize a deal, and that guy’s name was also Mitchell. “Do you know him?”

“Yup.” Ryker picked up his phone and popped off a text. “What are you hoping to do in your system once I get in? That will probably determine whether he helps me.”

“I need access to my accounting software.”

The look on his face wasn’t as reassuring as it could have been. But he typed into the phone. “Alright.” He huffed when it chimed immediately. “Mitchell said no. Damn, that rejection was quicker than some I get from women at Cager.”

“Shit.” She chewed on the end of her thumb, pacing. “I just…I don’t know. It seems weird—this entire thing.” Ella felt bile rise in her throat. “With me gone, I don’t know what the CFO and direct manager will do. They don’t know Julia like I do. They might trust her enough to let her run the company as my proxy. Maybe I can talk to Mitchell. Because if Julia is screwing with my company, I’ll be able to tell in the accounting records.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Ryker popped his knuckles. “Do you remember all of your login information?”

“Yes. But the only account you can log into externally is my email.”

“That’s perfect,” he murmured, shaking his head as he typed furiously on the keyboard. “This won’t win me any friends, but it should be an effective threat.”

“What’s that?”

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