Dark Seduction

by Cheyenne McCray

  Maybe Carla just wanted friends with benefits, something that he wasn’t interested in. He didn’t plan on being used until her next conquest came along. He’d had his share of one-night stands, but being a friend with benefits was different and not in the least bit appealing.

  Yet, the way she seemed to have changed…the dinner…their night together.

  And her words. That she loved him.

  His phone vibrated in his pants pocket and he reached in then drew it out to see who was calling. Carla.

  “Toes and fingernails pretty and polished,” she said when he answered, and some of the tension eased from his shoulders. She’d apparently been telling the truth about getting a manicure and pedicure. “Are you up for lunch and a movie?” she asked.

  “I was thinking dinner and the theater.” He turned away from the rainy view. “I have some things I need to take care of during the day.” And he knew she loved the theater over movies. She’d probably just picked movies because that’s what he preferred.

  “Wonderful,” she said, but he thought her voice lacked its usual enthusiasm when it came to the theater. “What’s so important that you would turn down a movie with me?” She had a pout in her voice, but from experience, he knew she was just pretending.

  “I have to go into the office.” He gritted his teeth as his attention turned back to his call from earlier this morning, before he’d stopped to think about his night with Carla.

  He could picture the way her brows were probably knit together. “On a Saturday?”

  “Yesterday afternoon someone hacked into the company’s computer system.” He clenched the phone tighter. “I need to go in and run some damage control.”

  A pause before Carla said, “That’s horrible. Do you know who did it?”

  “We’ll track down the person or persons responsible.” Anger edged his words. “It won’t be too difficult.”

  Another pause. “With today’s technology I don’t suppose it will take too long.”

  “Does tonight work for you?” he asked.

  “Sure.” Her tone brightened but there was something else there that he couldn’t define. “Have you picked out a show?” she asked

  “Why don’t you select one you want to see?” He grabbed his jacket, preparing to leave. “Let me know what time it starts and I’ll pick you up.”

  “Okay,” she said, then added. “Don’t begin to think you can back out on me.”

  He gave a low laugh. “I promise I’ll love whatever you pick out.”

  “You’d better.”

  “I’ll call you later,” he said before disconnecting the call.

  * * * * *

  Damn. Tori paced the living room in Carla’s townhouse. How had Logan’s team caught the breach in the system? They must have had securities in place that Jeremy hadn’t known about and they stopped it.

  Had Jeremy been killed by her own people? If not, why would she have seen Brian leaving his apartment building?

  She shoved her hair behind her ears and continued moving back and forth across the floor. She had to do something. Something.

  What if someone saw her spending time with Jeremy, someone who recognized both of them?

  What if the police found her wallet in Jeremy’s apartment, in some place she hadn’t thought of looking? She hoped to hell not.

  Her days as Carla might now be numbered.

  After changing into a blouse, jeans, and athletic shoes, along with one of Carla’s jackets, she grabbed her purse and an umbrella. She headed out the front door then locked it behind her before opening the umbrella and stepping out into the rain. It pattered on top of the umbrella, a rhythmic sound over her head. The rain-washed air smelled clean and fresh.

  The next order of business was finding a location safely away from the townhouse to call in to the agency. The line and phone were supposed to be secure, but she didn’t want to take the chance that something would go awry and lead the wrong people straight to Carla’s home.

  Should she tell Janice about finding Jeremy’s body? Should she mention she saw Brian there?

  She unlocked Carla’s BMW by touch, then closed her umbrella and climbed into the vehicle. She shook the rain out of her hair that had dripped on her between the time that she’d closed the umbrella and had gotten in the car. She started the car, put it into gear, and began driving.

  The closest mall would likely be the best place to make the call. When she reached the mall, she grabbed her umbrella, got out of the car and locked it. After she opened the umbrella and held it over her head, she started walking until she reached an unoccupied bench.

  Instead of sitting on the bench, she started pacing again, feeling the muscles in her shoulders tighten. She gripped the umbrella handle so hard her fingers ached and her knuckles whitened against her already pale skin.

  Again she called the secured number and again someone answered the line, this time, “Marconi’s Pizza House. May I take your order?”

  “Extra large pepperoni with olive,” Tori said, using her key “pizza” code.

  “Hold on, and I’ll be back to get your payment information.”

  A click, a hum, and then Janice’s voice. “I didn’t expect you to call in so soon.”

  “The intel I gave you is no longer valid.” Frustration made Tori’s body burn. All of that for nothing. Jeremy’s death for nothing. “Someone at Savage Industries discovered that the system was hacked into. Likely they’ve changed everything so that it can’t be breached in the same way.”

  A pause and then Janice asked, “Have you been compromised?”

  “No.” Tori hesitated for a moment. “I—I don’t think so.”

  “Which is it?” Janice’s tone hardened.

  Tori gripped the phone tighter. She needed to let her boss know about last night, but something told her to hold back that she knew Brian had been there.

  She took a deep breath. “When I went to Jeremy’s apartment I dropped my wallet with Carla’s information, but didn’t realize it until later.”

  A longer pause. “Is it still there?”

  “I don’t know.” Tori adjusted the umbrella so that no one could see her face. “Last night I called Jeremy and he found it while I was on the phone with him. He said he’d put it somewhere safe.”

  “And?” Janice prompted.

  “I went back to his apartment sometime after midnight.” Tori’s throat constricted. “I found his body. Someone murdered him.”

  “I know,” Janice said. “It was unfortunate.”

  Ice chilled Tori’s spine. “What do you mean?”

  “The agency sent someone to convince Mr. Farrell to assist into hacking into the system again to get his part of the CVP specs and translation software.” As Janice spoke, Tori’s skin grew even icier. “Once his part of the specs were downloaded, he was no longer needed and our tracks had to be covered. The death of Mr. Farrell was a…necessity.”

  Tori’s words strangled in her throat. Dear God, they had murdered Jeremy. Ultimately it was her fault. Her fault for getting the young scientist involved. If she had known anything like this would happen she would never have involved him, no matter that she’d been ordered to.

  “You didn’t find your wallet in his apartment?” Janice was asking.

  “No.” Tori lowered her voice as a couple walked by. “I searched everywhere. Tore the apartment apart trying to find it.”

  “I’m going to pull you out,” Janice said.

  Then she wouldn’t have access to Logan as Carla. She could come back into his life as Tori, but then she’d be out of Savage Industries and wouldn’t be privy to anything relating to the company. Even though Logan was one of the bad guys, she found herself wanting to be close to him and not letting that go. Being in his arms, feeling him inside of her…

  She clenched her eyes shut.

  What is wrong with me?

  She had to take down Logan. If just for making her fall so hard for him. Bastard.

  And if he hadn�
��t been selling the technology to other countries, Jeremy would never have been a part of the equation.

  No, she couldn’t blame his death on anyone but herself. And Janice. She had put Brian on the job.

  Damn. She was so confused that she didn’t know where to begin.

  “I can do this.” Tori opened her eyes and glanced around her to make sure no one was listening. “Maybe they won’t find the wallet. I didn’t.”

  “All right,” Janice said. “But first sign of trouble and you’re out of there.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Tori said.

  “Keep me posted.”

  “I will,” Tori said right before Janice disconnected the call.

  Tori peered out from beneath the umbrella at the darkened sky. She wasn’t sure what to make of Jeremy’s death and the fact that Janice hadn’t even pretended to sound in the least bit sorry for what had been done. She’d said it as casually as if he was no more than a tissue being disposed up in a wastebasket.

  A sick sensation twisted in her gut. Whatever she did, she had to make sure no one else died because of her.

  Chapter 12

  “He was smart, whoever he was, I’ll give him that.” Henry Laker, Savage Industries computer securities tech, frowned as he looked at Logan. “I’m not sure if he got anything.”

  “You’re not sure?” Logan braced his hands on the desk beside the computer the tech was working on and tried to control the fury rising up inside of him. “He either did or he didn’t.”

  Henry lowered his head. “I believe he did. He could only have accessed a portion of them since the specs and translation software are split up between two of the scientists.”

  For security reasons, no one person had access to all of the specs, with the exception of Logan. He dragged his hand over his face as he looked up at the ceiling in the computer security office and then turned his attention back to Henry. “Are you close enough to track the hacker down?”

  “I think this guy was more than just a hacker,” Henry said. “Things would go a lot faster if Michael Demitri was here so that he could explain why this hole even exists. But he called in sick two days ago.”

  “How in the hell did anyone get in deep enough to get near the Cerebral Voices project to hack into it?” Logan narrowed his gaze at Henry. “There are supposed to be layers and layers of security. I supposedly pay for the best security there is.”

  Henry’s neck grew red and loosened his tie as if it was choking him. “Everything’s in place the way it should be. It’s hack proof.”

  “Hack proof?” Logan said. “Then explain to me why we’re standing here trying to trace a hacker who managed to get into my company’s computer system.” Logan spoke slowly, clearly, and Henry shrank beneath his cold gaze.

  “This has to be an inside job, Mr. Savage.” Henry adjusted his collar. Apparently loosening the tie hadn’t been enough for a man who was facing the end of his career with Savage Industries.

  Logan paused, considering what Henry had just told him. “You think it was an inside job?”

  “That would explain how someone would be able to break in all the way to the CVP.” Beads of sweat glistened on Henry’s forehead. He knew it was weak and he was grasping for straws.

  “You’re telling me that someone from the company hacked through every level of safeguards that we have in place, utilizing a computer that’s outside of the company?” Logan clenched his jaw. “I could almost understand someone getting in from a computer within the company, although that is supposed to be impossible, too. But no matter the person’s inside information, how the hell was he able to get in?”

  “I—I don’t know, sir.” The red around Henry’s neck had flushed all the way up to his bald head.

  “Then I’ll just have to hire someone who does know.” Logan pointed to a free chair. “Have a seat while I have security escort you out to your vehicle.”

  Henry’s mouth opened. Closed. Opened. “But Mr. Savage—”

  “You are finished working for me.” Logan gestured for Henry to get out of the chair in front of the computer. “You’re lucky if I don’t kick your ass outside myself. Now move and have a seat over there.”

  Henry straightened. “I can walk myself out.”

  “That’s not how we do things here,” Logan said. “We have security protocols in place that apply to an employee’s termination, as you well know.”

  Henry got up and moved to the chair Logan had pointed to.

  “Aimy, notify the head of security that he is to come to my location immediately,” Logan said aloud.

  “James McKnight is out of the office,” the computer replied.

  “Call him and tell him to get his ass in here.”

  “Yes, Mr. Savage.”

  “And Aimy,” Logan added. “Track down Michael Demitri and tell him he needs to get here as soon as possible. I don’t give a damn if he’s sick or not.”

  “Of course, Mr. Savage.” Aimy paused. “Mr. McKnight is on his way in.” Another pause. “Mr. Demitri is not answering his phone.”

  “Keep trying.” Logan turned his attention from Henry who looked absolutely miserable, which he damned well should. If any of the specs or the translation software for the CVP were stolen—that would be bad.

  A fucking understatement.

  Logan’s computer skills were exceptional and he worked to track the hacker’s signature where Henry had left off.

  The concept of CVP was Logan’s and he had created the basic design. He’d worked with one of the best scientists in the world to develop the prototype. When it was finally ready, he’d turned it over to his own team of scientists to make it all happen.

  While Henry sat in the chair and waited for the head of security, Logan followed the hacker’s signature. It wasn’t long until James McKnight, Savage Industries’ head of security, arrived in the lab.

  “I no longer need Mr. Laker’s services, so please see him out,” Logan said to McKnight, a big, muscular guy and former Marine. Logan turned his attention to Henry. “Human resources will call you for your exit interview. Your belongings will be shipped to the address on file.”

  Henry met Logan’s gaze then stood and turned away when James gestured toward the door.

  “Aimy, any luck reaching Demitri?” Logan asked aloud after the two men had left the computer security office.

  “None, sir.”

  When James returned, Logan glanced up at him. “Have someone get a hold of Michael Demitri and get him down here ASAP.”

  “You’ve got it.” James made a couple of calls from his cell phone as Logan continued to go after the hacker.

  And then he was in.

  Pay dirt.

  “There you are, you little sonofabitch,” Logan muttered.

  “Got him?” James asked as he got off the phone.

  “Yep.” Logan scrolled through some files. “Now to figure out who the hell he is.” Logan came to an abrupt stop and cut his gaze to James. “The sonofabitch who hacked into the system was Jeremy Farrell.”

  “One of Demitri’s junior scientists?” James asked with surprise.

  “It’s his computer.” Logan gestured to the monitor. “All of his personal information is right there. He retrieved the portion of the specs and software that he had access to.”

  James whistled through his teeth. “An inside job.”

  Logan slowly nodded. “But that doesn’t explain how he was able to get through all of the security levels from outside the system.”

  “Must be one smart little shit.” James said.

  “Or he had help.” Anger heated Logan like a furnace blowing hot air over his skin. “Aimy, call Agent Susan Taylor and transfer the call to my cell phone.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  A few moments later, the phone rang. “Logan here,” he answered.

  “You rang, Mr. Savage?” Taylor sounded slightly irritated.

  “Last night our computer system was hacked into,” Logan said. “He was after the CVP.”


  “Did they get anything?” Taylor’s voice changed from irritated to all business.

  “Yes, some of the specs and software.” Logan thought he heard her say an expletive under her voice. “We tracked the hacker’s signature,” he continued. “It’s one of our own. Jeremy Farrell.”

  “Give me his information and I’ll have a team over there within fifteen minutes,” Taylor said. “Does he know you’re on to him?”

  “I don’t think so,” Logan said. “There was no attempt to shut me out if he did have safeguards that would notify him.”

  “Got it.”

  “I’m heading there now,” Logan said. He heard the agent start to protest but he snapped his cell phone shut and was out of his chair and headed to the door.

  He made his way to his own office. When he was certain no one had seen him go in, he shut the door behind him. He closed his eyes and images of an apartment door came into his mind. A door with the number 301 on it.

  Somehow it was familiar, yet he’d never been there in his life.

  He focused on the door in his vision. As he concentrated, his body chilled, slowly turning ice-cold. The air stirred around him, a freezing wind against his skin.

  And then he shimmered and faded.

  Not ten minutes after talking with Agent Taylor, Logan was standing in front of the door to Jeremy’s apartment. He wanted to punch the little sonofabitch before anyone from the CIA arrived and could stop him.

  He knocked on the door. No answer. Knocked again. Still no answer.

  His gut told him something was wrong. Beyond wrong.

  He considered breaking in the door but hesitated.

  The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs caused him to take a step away from the door. He leaned back against the wall and folded his arms as he waited for Agent Taylor to arrive. A moment later she appeared, four other agents with her.

  “Have you had any contact with him?” Taylor said, looking extremely annoyed that he was there before her.

  Logan shook his head. “Knocked a couple of times but no answer.”