Seducing Texas (So not Prince Charming #2)(48)

“Nikita had nothing to do with you losing your money. When are you going to figure that out? It has to be someone who either works here or has access to your computers, and she isn’t capable of putting a key logger and malware on your systems.”

Shane turns toward Timmons. “What have you found on the IP addresses I handed over to you?”

“We’re still working on them,” Timmons says.

Dark pockets sag under Shane’s eyes. Despite his exhaustion, he looks good in his button down shirt and jeans. “Cyn’s right. Why are we chasing our tails with her?”

“What good are you?” I ask Timmons. “You haven’t made any real progress from what I can tell.”

“Look, Miss Diaz,” Timmons says, anger sparking his words. “You have no idea the amount of resources we have on this case. We expect Niki to make contact with other clients she’s embezzled from, and that’s not all we’re looking into.”

“You haven’t heard a word I’ve been saying. She would’ve only had access to Shane’s personal laptop while at his apartment, and he was there the whole time.” I scowl at him because she was underneath him the whole time. He wouldn’t have left her alone for enough time. When she wasn’t with him, she stayed at the sorority house.

My face crumples because all I want is Shane, and I can’t do this anymore. Dealing with Manny has taken it all out of me, and I need Shane tonight and every night. I need him in my bed, and I need his healing. I shake my head and leave.

“Cyn,” Shane says, but I close the door behind me. I can’t argue about this anymore.

On my private laptop with the Internet turned off, I spend some time looking at the files on the flash drive my father gave me. Once Juarez lets me know about the primary file, I’ll see if my mom’s lawyer can make a deal for my dad. I’ll do it for Mom and Willa.

I work on deciphering the folder filled with files. There’s no sense worrying about the other one. I gave my word to Juarez and he seems good with that.

Shane had mentioned UTF-8, so I spend some time figuring out what it is. It’s an extension of the ASCII 7-bit character coding to define other languages’ alphabets.

Using a free UTF-8 editor I found online, I peruse the files. Shane said they were Asian. I find a few masks and try several. Most popular Asian countries, Japan, China, and India. The Japanese mask plus a translator doesn’t do jack. The interpreter doesn’t make it any more readable.

Tang walks into my office. “Hey, thanks for doing payroll.”

“No problem,” I’m curious why he’s in my office until he walks over to the cupboards behind me and pulls out some Post-Its and a couple pens.

“Sorry, the supplies are in here.” He glances over my shoulder, and I change the screen to a Word document to hide the flat files.

“What are you working on?” he asks.

“Some genealogy.” I wink at him. “Don’t tell my boss.”

He grins. “I don’t think he cares as long as you keep the books updated. See you later.”

Tang leaves my office, closing the door behind him. I open the text file and search online for other character set masks.

China has several languages: Wu, Cantonese, Mandarin and a few others. Mandarin is the most popular, so I try that first. It translates it but it’s not quite right. A few words are wrong, so I try Wu and holy crap. It’s a hit.





Chapter Shane


I knew we’d argue over Niki, so I left the truck for Cyn without saying goodbye. This is the last time I’m seeing Niki. It’s not worth losing Cyn. She was as upset seeing Niki kiss me as I was seeing Juarez touch her. I can’t keep seeing Niki because it’s tearing Cyn and me apart.

I’ll stay long enough to see if Niki meets those other contacts and then I’m out of here. I love Cyn and she could’ve died today. It still rots in my gut. I should’ve been the one to go after her uncle.

Even though I can only think of sleeping next to Cyn, I walk into the bar where I’ll meet Niki. Off in a dark corner, she is speaking to a young businessman I recognize from the tower. As soon as she sees me, she leaves him and walks over, looking a little guilty.

“I wasn’t sure you were going to make it,” she says, grabbing my shirt to pull me down for a kiss.

I give her my cheek, and that’s when I see Cyn, going up to the bar. She’s watching us. Fuck. I don’t want her in here. Pain slices across her expression, gutting and tearing me apart. I can’t keep doing this. I need to get whatever information I can from Niki and go home with Cyn.

After ordering scotch, I sit down next to Niki. “Who are you meeting here? And who was that guy?”

She cocks her head innocently, like she doesn’t want me to know. “Just a friend. I’m meeting you here.”

“A close friend?” I accuse. I’m sick of Niki and her lies.

She nervously glances around us but then reaches for my hand and then my face. I don’t want to kiss her, especially in front of Cyn, so I push Niki off.

Before I see her, I smell Cyn’s spicy scent that has always driven me crazy before she speaks.

“I’m not doing this anymore,” Cyn says. “Tell her the truth.”

I can’t tell Niki everything. “It’ll just be another hour or so, and I’ll be home.”