Page 23 of Hacker Betrayed

"I'm still looking into your family, and Donovan’s operation on the outside looks dirty. But we have someone who works closely with him who was able to give me inside information," Brock replied.

Donovan leaned back in his chair and stared directly at Mia. "I've worked for years to clean parts of the business up. Do I run a one hundred percent legitimate operation? No. But we don't traffic women and kids."

Wes tossed the folder he was holding on the table. "You launder money, run drugs, and I'm sure the charity you began is a front. But you made a mistake in one place. You should never let the CIA give you a shell company for your books. They use the same format every time. Like they call themselves different colors, they use the same tactic with how they name companies. So, what are your ties to the CIA?"

The deeper the conversation went, the further I felt out of place. Shell companies and the CIA were things I never thought I would learn about. But as long as Mia kept her fingers twined with mine under the table, I would stay put.

I had a bad feeling that grew the more they talked. There were too many players in the game, and any one of them could come after her. I couldn't protect her, but every other man around the table could. Hell, even my two brothers took boxing classes and learned to shoot. I choose to read romance books and study. Now I wondered if I'd made the wrong decision because I couldn't help her.

"God, I hate the CIA," she griped. "Why does the CIA always have to be involved? I can never escape, but I'll make some calls. I plan to head to Tabitha's house tomorrow and see if I can find any evidence that points to this boyfriend Lucas mentioned."

Brock glanced between Wes and Eric. "Eric, you're to stick to her ass like glue when you go there."

"It's not necessary." Mia frowned Eric's way. "I can handle going to Tabitha’s house alone, and Eric doesn't seem to want to be around me."

Eric's expression softened. "Mia, I'm still digesting your story. Give me some time to come to grips with the fact the woman I loved is dead."

Donovan peered in Mia's direction and shook his head.

"I'm sorry," Mia replied. Her jaw ticked, and I wondered what Donovan stopped her from saying.

"If you need me, you can call." Donovan got up from his seat and straightened his suit jacket. Mia's brother followed. Brock and Eric picked up their things. Before Donovan left the room, he turned toward me. "I'm serious about helping you."

Mia gave me a raised brow before she dropped my hand and hugged everyone goodbye. Donovan and Sebastian were not the only people ready to leave.

We were now alone in my house. She turned, and the strong woman I witnessed hold her own at a table of men crumbled and tears streamed from her eyes as she stared at the door.

I pulled her into my arms and placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. "Everything is going to be fine."

"I'm a horrible mother."

Any mother who sacrificed for her kid as much as she did deserved an award. Careful not to touch her wound, I swept her up into my arms and she rested her head against my shoulder. "Mia you're an excellent mother. I'll explain why in a second."

She didn't reply as I carried her down the hall to my reading room. The room I’d turned into my reading nook was my second favorite room in the house. I'd designed this section of the house as a place to decompress after a long day and hoped I would get to share my passion for reading with my partner one day. I shifted Mia in my arms and opened the door to my library. The books in my office were all medical books and nonfiction, with some novels I didn’t particularly favor, but this room held all the romance books I read over the years. In the center of the room was a couch-sized gray bean bag and a lounge chair next to a side table.

I sank down into the lounge chair.

"What is this place?" Mia shifted to the side and took the book I was reading off the table. "Romance?"

I nodded and pulled the book from her hand. "Yes. But let's talk about how you think you're a bad mom. What I see is a strong independent woman who can kick ass and will do anything to protect her son. You did what is best for Lucas. Sending him with Zack keeps him safe. That boy loves you."

Mia's eyes were still on the book in my hand. "I heard everything you said, but I'm trying to come to grips with this room. You're telling me the sexy doctor reads dirty romance—about doctors?"

I tended not to read too many medical romances because the authors got so many things wrong. I would say authors seemed to do a lot better than television writers, but there were still so many things incorrect. Then one of the authors I loved happened to put out a medical romance book that had most of the medical scenes correct. "Yes. Do you think different of me for reading romance?"

Her brows drew together. "No, I never expected this."

"Reading is my escape; it's been one since I lost my parents and my sister. We can talk more about what's next for you and your son or we can each grab a book and read."

She shifted her ass on my lap and my dick hardened. This woman would be the death of me.

"Or you could read the book to me, and I could listen."

I gulped, knowing the next scene I was about to read was a sex scene. "We can find another book."

"Nope, this one." She opened the book and handed it to me.

Mia rested her head against my chest, and I started to read. The deeper I got into the sex scene the more painfully hard my dick became. The longer I read, the more Mia rubbed her thighs together. Seemed I wasn't the only one getting turned on. When I read the last page of the sex scene Mia pulled the book from my hands. "Kiss me."

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