Page 5 of The Twilight Theft

I pulled open the door, slipped out with my cart, and bustled down the hallway. After the first corner, I started down a thirty-foot escape route to the service elevator.

Emmett appeared at my side. “That was too close.”

I waved it away and blew a raspberry.

“You were baiting him, which was an unnecessary risk.”

“Nah.” A strange mixture of warmth and something uncomfortable skittered around my stomach. Not the normal high after a job well done, but something tinged with… something else. “He totally thinks I was flirting with him.”

“And what were you really doing?” Emmett sounded as unimpressed with me as Drew had.

“Getting even.” I plucked the beautiful watch from my pocket. Smooth black calf leather with a gold face. “He pissed me off.”

Emmett chuckled to himself. “You can’t keep that.”

“Yeah, I know.” I sighed theatrically and jogged back to Gideon’s assistant’s desk. Passing the watch to him, I maintained the thick French accent. “I found this in the office of Monsieur Tremaine. I was too nervous when I saw him after the fire alarm and the noise and… Could you return pour moi?”

He smiled his polite little smile and I hurried back to the cleaner’s cart, dutifully heading for the service elevator. Emmett had vanished down a separate hallway. We’d meet up outside and head back to the jet, then fly home.

If everything went the way Brie said it would, her Trojan program was enough to access the information we needed. Gideon hadn’t gotten a good look at me, but his assistant and security would have. I wouldn’t be able to try that game a second time.

And no doubt Drew was already working out a plan to ensure I couldn’t.

Chapter 2

Drew

Gideoncrossedtheroom,heading for the sideboard opposite the windows. “Do I need to worry about a sexual harassment suit?”

“I’ll handle it.”

“Of course you will. You’re good at your job.” He lifted two cut crystal glasses from a shelf at the back. “That’s not what I’m worried about. You were in there with her for a long time.”

“Nothing happened.” I joined him at the sideboard. “The fire alarm rattled her. I was calming her down.”

Rather than selecting one of the bottles on display, he slid open the lower section and withdrew an oak presentation box with a purple and gold imprint across the front.

“Would you rather wait for Craig?” I’d run into Gideon in the lobby downstairs, so we’d come up early for the meeting. My boss wouldn’t be more than another few minutes.

I flipped over my wrist.

And sighed.

No watch.

That explained Jayce being so handsy. When had she taken it? When I grabbed her wrist and then she grabbed mine? Or after I’d stepped back from pinning her against the wall?

I’d played right into her devious little hands.

“Let me pour. I’ve been looking forward to tasting this one.” He unlatched the case and withdrew the smooth, simple bottle. Gideon poured while I reviewed my adventure in the bathroom.

I could read just about anyone. But somehow, that ball of sarcastic energy—despite two separate targeting packages I’d prepared—always surprised me.

If it had been her team lead, Scarlett Reynolds, we could have had a reasonable discussion and she likely would have told me what her team was doing in Gideon’s office. At least Emmett had forced Jayce to tell me the bare minimum.

There was a knock at the door, and Gideon’s assistant opened it. “Mr. Tremaine, you asked me to let you know when Craig Bishop was here?”

Gideon waved a hand. “Show him in.”

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