Page 80 of Arrogant Bastard

“You should take that.”

I jerk around at Fionnella’s voice.

She and Faith are standing six feet away from me. Christ, I wish I weren’t so averse to strangling annoying women. “Not until you get Faith the hell away from here,” I snarl at her. Although my instincts tell me she’s on our side, I get the feeling she’s more on Faith’s side than mine.

More fucking secrets.

“You’re right. My bad. Come on, B.”

She’s yanking my chain with that B thing. I know it. All the same, my teeth grind as I wait for them to return to the living room, and then I go through the security measures to open the front door.

Linc looks a little concerned as he hands me the envelope. “Is everything all right, sir?”

“I have no fucking idea. Do me a favor and get my pilots on standby, would you? And tell Mitch we might need to leave at short notice. Oh, and get the guys outside to be extra-vigilant.”

He nods briskly and hurries away.

I turn over the plain white envelope in my hand. Then I slide my finger under the flap and upend it. A plain black thumb drive falls into my hand. It looks innocuous enough, but anonymous deliveries never bode well. Not in movies and most definitely not in real life.

I examine it closely as I walk back into the living room. The women are standing at the window, speaking in low voices. Faith stops and tenses as I approach. Fionnella’s gaze rests on her for another moment before she sends me that Sunday-school-teacher smile that makes my gut clench.

That is until she sees what’s in my hand. For the first time, her affable expression drops, and she looks a cross between angry and resigned. “Oh, dammit.”

“What?”

“That looks familiar.”

I examine the stick closer. “Probably because it’s a cheap, seven-dollar thumb drive. You can get them anywhere.”

“But not what’s on it. Unless I’m hugely mistaken, and I really hope I am.” But she doesn’t sound hopeful.

I look over at Faith, and her face is as haggard as I feel. The vise around my chest tightens. I don’t regret chasing her down but, Jesus, if all this shit is happening because of me…

“Well, we’re not going to find out just standing around,” Fionnella says. “I have a laptop—”

“So do I.”

She shakes her head. “Use mine.”

“Why?”

Her smile attempts a resurrection. “I have a feeling you’ll react a certain way once you see what’s on there. It’s better you don’t leave digital bread crumbs.”

“Fuck, do you ever just speak plainly?” My question emerges in a near growl.

“All the time. You just don’t want to hear me now because you’re pissed I broke through your precious security. And you feel a little threatened about my familiarity with your woman.”

My breath hisses out of me. “Jesus…”

“You wanted plain. Now you have it.” She nods at the drive in my hand. “We’re wasting time, son.”

“Give me your laptop,” I manage to say through gritted teeth.

She returns to the sofa and yanks open a large, tattered purse. The machine is compact, but even by my standards, it’s hugely impressive. She braces it on her arm, lifts the lid, and inputs strokes too fast for me to follow.

Faith walks toward me as I take the laptop and insert the drive. I wish there was a way to shield her from whatever’s coming. My gut tells me it won’t be pretty.

It’s not.

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