HACKING THE BILLIONAIRE: Part 3 Read Free

pondered that as she ate her sandwich. Justin could offer her so much more stability if she wanted. Unlike Dirk, he was a normal guy. No dating supermodels. No jetting off to Martha’s Vineyard in his own helicopter.
    She’d have a simple life with him.
    “That’s sad.”
    “I think I wanted marriage too much and settled,” he said.
    His gaze had never left hers. He looked at her as if she were the only woman in the room. She didn’t remember Dirk looking at her that way. He was always involved in something else. Even if they were together, she’d sensed he was thinking of something else.
    Didn’t do a girl’s ego much good. No, someone like Justin would treat her properly.
    Someone like Justin would be happy she was in his life and not try to control everything she did. But would the sex be good? She didn’t remember what it had been like in college.
    “That’s sad.”
    “It is. I was young. I didn’t really know what I wanted in a partner.”
    “You have a better idea now?”
    “Yes, I do.”
    He looked pointedly at her. She didn’t want to hurt him, but she wasn’t over Dirk yet. She needed more time. She looked at her watch. “We should probably get back.”
    He rose and smiled. “I had a good time, Riley. Hopefully we can do it again.”
    ***
    Dirk sat in his office, which was where he spent most of his time. Across his desk was someone from the detective agency he’d hired to follow Riley. He wanted to keep her safe, and she never would have agreed to another bodyguard.
    Since she was going to help him with his leak, she could be in danger.
    So he’d hired some people to follow her. At this point, she hadn’t figured it out. The photos in front of him were of her with another man. He wanted to storm over to her place and confront her, but he couldn’t. That would reveal that he had someone keeping an eye on her.
    Or he could play it cool and say he saw her himself.
    He blew out a breath. “Do you get the sense that anyone else is watching her?”
    “No. We’re the only ones. I’ve had teams doing this, and neither of them has spotted anyone.”
    “Good. Keep on looking. This case is going to heat up again. I want to keep her safe.”
    “She means a lot to you.”
    Yes, she did. More than maybe he’d ever admitted to her. More than he admitted to himself. The man left him with the pictures. Riley looked happy. He was selfish enough to want to put that smile on her face.
    He didn’t know who the other guy was, but he didn’t consider him competition.
    But, Dirk needed to see Riley. Today. Before this other guy got ahead of him. How should he do it in a non-stalker way? Call her.
    He picked up his phone and called Riley. Straight up. Tell her he’s coming over.
    His call went to voicemail, so he left her a message. He paced in his office, hoping she would call back.
    She did. Half an hour later. Yikes.
    “Dirk?
     
    “Riley. I wanted to come see you tonight. Talk about the case.”
    “I don’t have anything to report. I’ve only sat down today to do anything. I do have a full time job besides yours,” she said.
    “I get that, Riley. Let me bring some dinner.”
    “Dinner?”
    “We both have to eat. I’ll bring some dinner.”
    She let out an exasperated breath. “Okay.”
    “I’ll be there in forty minutes.”
    He hung up and did a happy dance. She couldn’t resist him. The trip took only thirty-five, so he was early. He still knocked on her apartment door. She let him in. She seemed a little jumpy.
    He laid out the food, and she put plates and silverware on the table. Finally they sat.
    “You want some wine?”
    “No, I have to work tonight. Right? We have to figure this out.”
    “I’m upset the FBI guys haven’t done more.”
    “You’re one of several cases they have to deal with, Dirk.”
    He’d brought her favorite Italian food. She was eating slowly and almost moaning between bites.
    “How’s your new job?”
    “Can’t complain. I have an office. I don’t