Page 86 of Man of the Year

“So what are you doing?”

“Copying the info to the external drive in case we can find the passkeys.”

“Where are the passkeys?”

“They are probably on some sort of thumb drive. We haven’t found it yet. We spent months around him. Months searching everything, bugging his phone, his place, listening to every word he says. Nothing.”

Nick’s words ring in my ears.My little feisty dragon guarding the treasure.

Those words might be nothing. Or they might mean that the thumb drive is here, in this guest house.

Julien presses his finger to his earbud, then turns to me. “I need to put you somewhere safe while we deal with this.”

“What’s happening?”

“You need to be out of sight.”

“Whose sight?”

“Nick’s. And mine, while I’m dealing with him.”

“What doesdealingmean?”

“Something you shouldn’t be witnessing.”

Despite the chill running down my spine, I want to know more. “I want to confront that asshole.”

“You can’t, Natalie. You either go with me, so I can take you somewhere safe, or…”

I cock my head at him, daring him.

He blinks slowly. “Or I’ll have to tie you up to keep you out of trouble while we deal with the situation.”

“Tie me up? Really, Julien?”

“I am not joking,” he says sternly, though his tone is not threatening.

“I am not either. I’ll bite your nose off,” I warn. I don’t have a chance against this guy, but a girl’s gotta try.

Julien’s chest shakes in a suppressed chuckle. Obviously, I’ve gotten better at getting under his skin.

“Please, Natalie,” he asks, and I think this polite version of Julien is really cute. “Please,” he repeats even softer.

“Okay,” I agree. “Where do you want me?

I won’t listen. No way I’m going to sit in hiding while the asshole who sedated me might escape.

Julien just doesn’t know it yet.

SIXTY-SIX

NICK

The board meeting was a piece of cake. All those rich peacocks have no idea that soon, their dreams will come crashing down on them.

Neither does Phil.

I need to get him into my guest house. Next, I will drug him—I can’t leave witnesses. Definitely not the one who knows the entire logistics behind the IxResearch scam.

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