Technical Threat (Westin Force #4) - Julie Trettel Page 0,42

snooping in places she shouldn’t be.”

I gasped. How could he know that? No one knew that.

“Why are you searching for information on the Raglan?”

“Who are you?”

“You first, love.”

My heart betrayed me as it fluttered in response to his endearment. Stupid heart. Knock it off.

“The Raglan are a group of humans who prey on shifters,” I said quietly.

“Amongst other things,” he muttered. “How do you know that?” he asked a little louder.

“What other things?

“This will go a lot smoother if you just answer my questions first.”

“Or what?”

He cursed under his breath and shook his head. “Don’t try to find out. Please.”

I had no idea what to make of his answer. Who was he? What was he? How could he possibly know about any of this?

I didn’t know what to think or how to feel with this blindside. I felt betrayed but curious and a little excited. If he had come all this way searching for me, then that had to mean that I’d come close to finding something. It meant he might have even more information that could help with Sonnet. I wasn’t sure I could trust him with her though. Not yet.

“You’re part of Westin Force, aren’t you?” I blurted out.

He took a step back and the shock was evident on his face. I was right. He was here because I’d breeched their system.

“What do you know about Westin Force?” he asked.

I chewed on my bottom lip wondering just how much I should tell him.

“Why did you come looking for me? I’m no one.”

He scoffed. “No one’s don’t have the knowledge or resources to do what you did, Susan.”

I wasn’t sure if he was admonishing me or if there was something more because it sounded a little like pride.

My cheeks burned either way.

“Am I supposed to say I’m sorry, or something? If Shay hadn’t gone psycho I would have gotten what I needed. I just needed one more night.”

“How often do you work at the café?” he surprised me by asking.

Was he messing with me? What did that have to do with anything?

“Uh, every day, why?”

“What are your hours?”

“What does this have to do with anything?”

“Just answer the question.”

“Usually, I’m here by 5:30 and stay until closing at 10.”

“5:30 AM or PM?”

I scoffed. “AM of course.”

“So every day you are working fourteen plus hours? And then go home and stay up all night hacking? When do you sleep?”

I sighed. “That’s only when I’m obsessively on a trail, you know, when I’m close to something.”

He nodded. “I know the thrill of that, but you’re going to burn yourself out fast like that.”

“I know my break point. I had to walk away because of it.”

It was weird to talk about this so openly. It had always felt like my own dirty little secret. I’d never shared this part of me with anyone.

“Why were you looking into the Raglan, Susan?”

I shook my head. “I’m not going to explain that to you. No offense, but while my fox and heart tell me to trust you, I’m going with my brain on this one.”

“You don’t trust me,” he said.

I shook my head again. “No, not yet at least.”

He looked pained but nodded. “I can respect that.”

“What do you do for Westin Force?” I asked. I knew I was pressing my luck. If they were what I thought they were there was no way he would tell me. I could see he was considering it though.

He looked around. “Not here. We’ll talk back at the hotel tonight when I know it’s secure.”

I was surprised by his answer. “Okay.”

There was an awkward silence between us.

I chewed on my lip some more.

“Shay knows my computer’s still there, doesn’t she?” I finally asked.

He nodded.

“She’ll destroy it just to get back to me.”

“Wait, she’s your mother?”

I stared at him blankly. “She hates me. I have to go get it now.”

He cursed under his breath. “I’ll take care of it.”

“No, she’s my problem.”

He grabbed my arm and growled. “And you are my problem. Mine.”

I gulped. I couldn’t have spoken even if I knew what to say to that.

“Go back inside. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Despite everything, he pulled me to him and gave me a quick kiss on the lips before disappearing.

I stood there a minute trying to find my balance. Everything about the day had me off kilter.

I don’t know how long I stood there but eventually I walked back inside. I wasn’t good at relying on other people. Trusting him to get my most prized possession and