Page 5 of Crude Heir

“I…I would think so.” She nods vigorously.

Having started the lie, there’s not much I can do except follow it through. The elevator dings, and I look over to confirm that we’ve arrived at the executive floor. I automatically jam my thumb on the button holding the doors closed.

She looks up at me with those big brown eyes full of innocence. “Um, this is my floor.”

I make the best of the few seconds I bought myself. “Do you have a computer at home?”

She nods. “A laptop.”

“I’ll email you a link so you can connect to the office from wherever you are.”

Then she chews her lip again. “I-I don’t know. I don’t want to end up getting caught when it’s not allowed.”

Maybe I should have waited and told her I was going to shut down over the weekend. Well, it’s too late now. “Do you want to finish everything on time or not?”

She bites down on her bottom lip. “But won’t I get in trouble?” Okay, she’s more of a goody-two-shoes than I expected.

“How about this? I’ll give you some time to work tonight, then I’ll remove the access.”

Concern is in her eyes. Much as she wants to, she can’t take the win and run. “Are you sure? I don’t want you to end up in trouble, too.”

“I don’t see how Simon could get any more pissed at me,” I mutter.

She ducks her head but not fast enough that I miss seeing her cringe. While I wasn’t here to see it happen, I’ve heard Simon had a fit when he found out he has a brother. Worse still, that my mother is his old man’s secretary.

“Don’t worry, I can arrange it. Trust me,” I add with a confident smile.

It’s not lost on me that after bitching about Mom, I turned around to manipulate the situation and push to gain her trust so I can get what I want. I suppose I am my mother’s son.

“Okay, Mr. Stockton. I appreciate it.” She nods, going on for a little too long.

I nod, satisfied that I was able to get her hooked. “I should have everything worked out in a couple of hours. You’ll have time to get home and have dinner. I just need your email.”

Nicole hesitates again before offering me the address, but as expected, she gives in. “Nicole dot Fuentes at—”

“No.” I stop her, recognizing she’s giving me her work email. “A personal email where I can send you a link so you can remote in.” Her demeanor changes now that things will progress off the company’s server. The flash of excitement in her eyes sends up a flag. Nobody should be that happy to be working after hours.

The doors open, and Simon’s secretary stands there tapping her foot, her lips pulled down in an annoyed expression. She catches sight of me and flashes a smile before turning to my companion. “Oh good. I was hoping it was Nicole,” she says, in an overly friendly tone that sounds like it’s as fake as her perfectly even teeth.

“Excuse me.” Nicole presses her lips together and gives me an apologetic nod as she goes by. She knows as well as I do that Jenae wouldn’t have been so charming if she’d been alone. There’s a reason she’s standing out in the elevator lobby.

“Shoot me a text and I’ll look into the problem for you,” I add, purposely delaying her an extra-few seconds as Jenae swipes her key card to get past the glass doors into the office area.

“I will, sir.” She pauses, forcing Jenae to stand there, holding the door, a tight expression on her face. “Right after I drop this off.” Her gaze shoots to the coffee she’s carrying.

Sir. I like how that sounds coming from her. “I’ll be waiting.”

With that, she turns away, leaving me second-guessing myself. As much as I hate to do this, if I’m going to try to investigate this, I should go talk to my mother. I make thedecision, putting my hand on the door to hold the elevator. Since I’m on this floor, now’s the time to do it.

I catch up with the women as they enter the office space. They’re going left and I head right.

“Where’s my damn coffee?” Simon’s voice thundered from somewhere behind me. The entitled tone grating on my nerves.

After the crap I’ve had to put up with from him, and the fact he may have just roped Addler into an embezzlement issue, my temper flares. I’m not going to blow up in front of him. It would give him too much satisfaction to know he got to me.

“Nicole,” I snap, turning on a heel.

She comes to a dead stop, her back stiff. I pull the coffee holder from her hands as Jenae stands there looking on, a horrified expression on her face.

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