Page 21 of Stripe for the Picking
Wren fixated back on her console and dove into her work, just like she always did when she was trying to avoid dealing with her emotions. She tapped her fingers over the interface as she analyzed security logs and system diagnostics. The familiar rhythm of code review and pattern analysis helped quiet the chaos in her mind, her intellect engaging with the complex cybersecurity frameworks Nova Aurora employed.
But something nagged at her consciousness as she worked. The timing felt wrong somehow—no attempted breaches during the Council dinner, complete radio silence overnight. In her experience, organized syndicates didn't just take breaks from their operations unless...
Unless they had inside information from a certain someone about when to strike and when to lay low.
Her stomach dropped as pieces began clicking into place. Prime Minister Arvox's calculating stares, his artificial smile,and the way he'd tracked every interaction between her and Rylan with predatory intensity. The microexpressions she'd cataloged—the slight tension around his eyes when Rylan spoke and the way his fingers had drummed against his wine glass during her introduction.
Oh, shit. He's involved, isn't he?
She glanced back at Rylan, who'd been working in pointed silence for the past hour. His broad shoulders were rigid with tension, and his jaw clenched as he methodically reviewed patrol schedules. Guilt twisted in her chest—she'd hurt him with her coldness, and he didn't deserve that.
Taking a steadying breath, she turned in her chair to face him. "Hey."
Rylan looked up, his expression carefully neutral. "Yes?"
"I didn't mean to brush your praise off. I just felt... overwhelmed in that moment and I shut down." The admission felt vulnerable and scary. "I didn't mean to make you feel dismissed. I'm just not used to working with someone again after branching off on my own. I'm a little rusty at teamwork."
His features softened immediately, the commander mask slipping to reveal the man underneath. "It's okay, I understand." He leaned back in his chair, those impossibly blue eyes searching her face. "I didn't mean to overwhelm you. I just got excited that our collaboration yesterday paid off in such a big way. I really hope it continues. But there's no pressure." His eyes locked onto hers, causing her pulse to quicken. "You're brilliant and capable, Wren. You don't need to prove anything to me."
God, he really is different.
Warmth bloomed in her chest at his words, at the genuine respect and admiration in his voice. Her ex-boyfriend and ex-business partner Mark had always made her feel like she had to earn his approval, constantly testing her knowledge anddismissing her contributions. But Rylan seemed to see her worth immediately, without question.
"Thank you," she said softly. "That makes me feel better."
But the unease in her stomach hadn't disappeared. "But there's something else that's been bugging me for the last hour."
Rylan's attention sharpened, his body language shifting into full alpha mode—protective, alert, and ready for action. "What is it?"
"The timing of these cyber attacks." She pulled up the chronological data on her screen, highlighting the gaps. "Notice how there were no breach attempts during the Council dinner last night? And complete silence overnight?"
His dark blonde brows drew together as he studied the patterns. "What are you getting at?"
"I know we talked about Arvox last night, how he seems manipulative and wants to trip you up." She hesitated, then plunged ahead. "Something is just really off about that man. Not just political games—there's an underlying current, like he wants to stir chaos."
Rylan's muscles coiled with tension, his tiger instincts clearly on high alert. "Go on."
"Last night at dinner, I was watching him." She called up her mental catalog of observations, her analytical mind organizing the data. "Microexpressions others might miss—the way he moved, who he smiled at, what he avoided. My instincts are screaming that he's connected to these attacks somehow."
"How?" Rylan asked, his protective instincts clearly engaged.
"I think he's feeding information to the syndicate." The words tumbled out as the theory crystallized. "Think about it—they know exactly when to strike and when to lay low. They've been consistently one step ahead of your countermeasures. That doesn't happen with external hackers working blind."
Rylan's jaw clenched, his hands fisting on his desk. "I was thinking the exact same thing last night before I fell asleep. The way he operates, the subtle disruptions... I believe Arvox is playing everyone around him." His voice dropped to a dangerous rumble. "But I'm not playing along anymore."
"What are you going to do about it?"
"We need proof." His tone carried absolute authority, the commander taking charge. "Speculation won't fly with the Council. They'll demand concrete evidence before they even listen."
Wren's pulse quickened with excitement and purpose. This was exactly what she had hoped to be doing with her expertise all these years—unraveling complex conspiracies and exposing corruption through digital forensics. "Then we better start gathering our evidence. I can map out the anomalies, and cross-reference attack patterns with Council schedules and Arvox's known whereabouts."
"Do it." Rylan's eyes blazed with determination. "If he's feeding intel to this syndicate, we're going to expose him."
But why would Arvox do this?The question burned in her mind.
"What's his endgame? What does he gain by destabilizing Defense Nexus?"
Rylan's expression darkened, his predatory instincts surfacing. "That's exactly what we're going to find out."
