Page 26 of The Orc of Wall Street

I take the stage and look out into the audience. My gaze catches on Craig, who smirks at me triumphantly. I clench my jaw in an effort to keep from smirking back. Let him think he’s won.

“Thank you each and every one of you for coming out today. At Jarn Enterprises, we believe in making tech products that help to make our everyday lives easier. And so we’ve developed a product to do just that. I present to you, The Accuracy.”

The screen illuminates behind me with a rotating image of a sleek pair of sunglasses.

“The Accuracy has high-quality imaging processing software that can scan goods in your everyday life. Buying something at the store? The Accuracy will scan it and give you information on the brand, reviews, and if there’s a better deal in your area.”

Murmurs of interest ripple through the crowd, and I know I have their attention. “No need to ever guess if you’re getting the best for your money when you have The Accuracy. And being built into our sleek sunglasses, you’ll look fashionable while doing it.”

Gage’s ad begins to play in the background, demonstrating everything I just said. It’s smooth and professional, and the music makes it sound revolutionary. It puts Craig’s ad to absolute shame.

I continue with a growing smile on my face. “The Accuracy also comes in prescription glasses so that you don’t have to mess with two pairs of glasses. And all of this is available starting at $39.99 and coming out this spring. It’s a tool you can use anywhere in your daily life to save you a whole lot of trouble.”

The screen cuts back to an image of the glasses, and I throw my arms wide. “The Accuracy. Always be accurate and never be unfashionable.”

The room erupts in applause as I finish. I look at my team to see them all clapping and whooping excitedly. Even one of Valentina’s rare smiles makes an appearance.

My eyes search the crowd for the one person whose reaction I want to see most. My gaze catches on Craig near one of the far walls with his team. He looks utterly gobsmacked, and there’s rage slowly building in his eyes.

I finally allow myself to smirk at him. Checkmate.

I continue to wave at the crowd and make my way down when my eye catches someone else in the crowd. I nearly trip down the stairs as I see Sloane standing in the back and grinning like a maniac.

She’s here. She’s alright. Not stuck somewhere with Salvatore. Not being cuffed by the police.

If she’s grinning like that, it means she must have succeeded. It takes everything in me to not let my gaze linger on her. To make sure she’s truly there and unharmed. To not run to her and make sure she’s okay.

It occurs to then that my delight at knowing she succeeded is almost completely overshadowed by my relief at seeing her unharmed. And strangely, I don’t fight the feeling.

CHAPTER 13

Sloane

I'm excited, and for more than one reason. I was nervous before about getting caught, but deep down I knew I'd be successful. Once the download was complete, I was thrilled to be able to show Tarek that I completed my mission.

Why? I have no idea.

Sometimes he makes me feel things I thought I'd never feel. Like now. I can see how hard it is for him to keep the smile off his face as we walk back to his room.

As soon as the door closes behind us, he bursts into laughter and hugs me. It surprises me for a split second, but then I return the gesture eagerly. He's so big that I can't quite wrap my arms all the way around him, but he engulfs me in his warmth.

"I was worried about you," he admits.

"Really?"

"Yes, Sloane. What if you’d gotten caught? Throughout the presentation, I was afraid you were going to get hurt."

I frown. Feelings like this were not supposed to happen, but there's a part of me that’s glad he cares enough to concern himself with my well-being.

I smile. "It was smooth sailing."

The smile dies off my face as he cups my chin, his thumb brushing my cheek. Will he kiss me now?

I hope he does.

Tarek leans down and his lips capture mine.

The kiss is gentle at first, a soft exploration of each other's lips. But as the seconds pass, it deepens and becomes more urgent, hungrier. His hand leaves my chin and trails down my back, pulling me closer to him. I can feel the heat emanating from his body, the intensity growing with every passing moment.

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