Deadly Testimony (Safeguard #2)(38)

A funny butterflies-in-the-belly feeling tickled her and she immediately decided to ignore it. “Lunch. Like I said. And some thinking.”

He released her hand and a pang of disappointment hit her just as quickly as the butterflies had happened. Then he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, whispering in her ear. “There was a bomb in the elevator I wanted to get into a few minutes ago. That doesn’t bother you at all?”

It was a fair question. Normal people would probably be very unsettled. Some of the people who worked in the building would probably be seriously freaked out.

“We weren’t in it. It’s been set off before someone else triggered it.” She turned her face toward his and pressed a kiss against his jaw, playfully. “I call it a win-win situation.”





Chapter Thirteen

There were few greater challenges than to put a project manager in the midst of events he could not control. For Kyle, it was torture, and he was back in the hotel room.

Alone.

Lizzy had stepped out soon after they’d returned and no amount of argument could convince her to take him with her this time. In fact, she’d seemed very much prepared to restrain him if necessary. Not something he generally found exciting but the threat, coming from her, had given him a few lightning quick fantasies as distraction.

Ah, the woman was delightfully uncommon. He was oddly grateful he’d met her now, in the midst of change, as opposed to prior to this insanity when he might have wasted the opportunity to get to her know her on a one-night stand.

That was, of course, assuming she’d have accepted his offer.

She was too sensual, too full of vitality to be the type to abstain. No. He was certain she did entertain propositions on occasion. But he was also equally sure she chose her trysts with more care than he had in the past.

Restless, Kyle rose from the bed and walked across the room, stopping in front of the fishbowl. Frederick swam in lazy circles, stopping only here and there to pick at the colorful gravel in the bottom of the bowl.

There had been conference rooms at Phoenix Biotech casually referred to as fishbowls. All four walls had been made entirely of glass with minimal or no frosted section to provide any sort of privacy for groups utilizing them. The fishbowl conference rooms had normally been on the executive levels, ostensibly to allow natural light farther into the interior of the floor. But it was more obvious that the company had taken transparency very literally and the executives kept an eye on everything.

Some people were like Frederick, content with their existence.

Kyle might have been too, but in the past several months, things had changed. As self-centered as he’d grown to be in his adulthood, and perhaps even a bit narcissistic if certain disenchanted ladies were to be believed, he had compelling reasons to adjust his lifestyle. There were more important things in the world than his bachelor life.

Speaking of which...

He headed over to the sofa and sat facing the laptop Lizzy had left behind. Using login information she’d given him for the guest profile, he accessed the desktop and brought up a browser. He typed in a URL by memory and a site loaded.

It was a live streaming video platform with a forum community for gamers. Normally, the broadcaster he was looking for was online at this time, even though it was late night in South Korea. But at the moment, the boy was off-line. Odd.

Personally, Kyle had no interest in games. It was the broadcaster he was looking for.

Ji Sung was diligent, both in his studies and in his game play. Kyle’s sister had written him many emails about his nephew. In fact, the boy’s abilities were professional level and there had been more than one team to offer Ji Sung a place. Ji Sung’s father had refused though.

At first, Kyle had thought the man had been irritating, unsupportive of his son’s talents. But after some time and research into the actual career a player of Ji Sung’s talents could build, Kyle realized the father was standing in the way of a huge opportunity. The gaming industry was booming. South Korean players at the professional level could bring in substantial earnings via tournaments.

In fact, when one took a look at developing markets for the gaming industry globally, South Korea was arguably the leader in many ways. Several players had actually been awarded special visas to the United States usually reserved for baseball players or other athletes. It was a chance for Ji Sung to pursue an incredible career.

Frustrated, Kyle pushed to his feet and began to pace. In his fishbowl, Frederick seemed to keep pace.

Without access to any of his personal accounts or email, Kyle had no way of communicating with his sister. There could be no video calls or texts, no emails or other messages. He’d warned her he would be out of communication for a time.

But the streaming video broadcast would’ve been a way for Kyle to see his nephew and be reassured that both Ji Sung and his mother, Eun-bi, were well. With the boy off-line, Kyle was left to wonder...and worry.

For the first time since coming under Lizzy’s protection, Kyle chafed at his restrictions.

He did not take well to sitting and waiting for things to happen. He preferred to be proactive, shape events based on his planning. This entire situation had left him powerless and vulnerable until he was able to testify. It left his pride bruised in countless ways.

Needing something to do, he moved back to the bedroom area and gathered the few clothes Lizzy had obtained for him besides the suit she’d saved and the clothes he’d had on his back when they’d bolted from the initial hiding place. He shook each article of clothing out and folded it carefully. After a moment’s thought, he also retrieved the toiletries in the bathroom and tucked them into the bag.