Page 31 of Rushing Her: Seattle, Westerners
Briar playfully smacks his chest.
“Ignore him. Yes, I’m Briar Bennington professionally, but my married name is Prentrick. Elora is my best friend. You are the new regional manager for Top Tier Sports Agency. You’re company rents a couple of floors in one of our buildings.” She then points to the man. “My husband, Thor Prentrick.”
“We do. I know you, too,” I nod at him. “You’re the dean at Ramsey University.”
“I am. But we are here as friends of Bray’s. My wife and I have some extra computer skills that we can help you with.”
I shake my head, not sure of their meaning until I glance at Brayden, and he offers, “They can hack just about anything. They plan to use a special program on your phone to track the stalker.”
I nod as understanding finally hits me. “Okay.” I reach for the bedside table to hand over my phone but realize I haven’t seen it since collapsing in the doctor’s office. “Uhm, I don’t know where my phone is right now.”
“I have it.” Brayden reaches into his pocket and pulls it out, handing it to Briar. She starts typing away on it while Thor gives Brayden a box containing another phone.
He says, “Picked that up as you requested. We don’t want to mirror her old phone because if there’s any tracking software on it, it will transfer, too. I’ll get it taken care of, though.”
I’ve had enough and quietly smooth out the blanket covering my legs and then fidget with my hospital gown. The objective is to calm myself before completely blowing up. Briar interrupts the work she’s doing on my phone and watches me as I tug my upper lip between my teeth, then close my eyes and count to ten in my head. None of it helps, as more of Thor and Brayden’s conversation filters through my ears.
“I think if we can get a backtrace on her phone, we should be able to find this person. Leave the phone with me for a few weeks,” Thor says.
“Nope.” I pop the P for emphasis. “No one will be taking my phone. I have personal client information on there.” I look at Brayden. “I realize I told you that I would cooperate, but I can’t just let my phone go somewhere else.”
“Baby,” Brayden starts, but I hold my hand up.
“I will use a new phone, but I can’t lose the important data on the other one. Plus, there is private contract information on it that others cannot have access to.”
“How about if I agree to allow you to be with me when I do the data transfer?” Briar offers.
I’m about to agree when Thor interjects.
“Bri, I can do it. Why do you get to?”
“No, absolutely not.” I put my foot down. “You work for a university and can influence your player contracts with me if I give it to you. She doesn’t have any skin in the game.”
“I wouldn’t do that,” he defends himself.
“You wouldn’t on purpose, but you still could.”
“As the dean, I don’t work with contracts, so that’s a moot point.”
I repeatedly worry my lip between my teeth, considering how I honestly feel about this.
Thor’s attention switches back to his wife. “I’m doing it because I have the SCIF room; you don’t. Besides, babe, I love you and all, but we both know I’m the better hacker.”
They face off and continue to argue.
Brayden pulls up a chair and folds his tall frame into it. He kisses the back of my hand, and I turn to look at him. “Alex, it’s going to be okay. I understand your concerns, but let them help you. They’d never do anything to you like you’re insinuating. Thor performs this type of work for his own company, in addition to being the dean of the university. They are some of my closest friends.”
“I understand, but I can’t give that information away. I have a reputation, too.”
He smooths his hand down my cheek and releases my lip before I do damage. “Okay,” he reassures me, and then barks at the couple, “Enough! Briar will help Alexandra.”
Briar smirks triumphantly at her husband, and a giggle escapes my mouth.
She says to me, “Keep your phone locked, and when you get out of here, Brayden will bring you to the office where we will work on your phone together. But I want to take it with me now; okay?”
I’m fairly certain that with the way she was already maneuvering through my phone, she’s bypassed the locks.
“I’ll have you sign an NDA if you are okay with that.”
