Liam lifted his glass. “Cheers to that.”
“And to celebrate you being in love.”
Liam hadn’t expected that to be something that Maverick Rivera would want to celebrate. “Thanks, Mav.”
Scanning the room, Liam found Aspen. She was laughing with her mom, her sisters, and Monroe. One of the twins—Liam wasn’t sure which—was waving her arms around and telling a story.
But his gaze was solely for Aspen. Damn, he loved her so much.
He’d called his mother and Annabelle to update them on the situation. He’d known that they’d probably get calls from reporters and read about what had happened in the press. Annabelle had been thrilled that he’d fallen in love and couldn’t wait to meet Aspen. His mother was less pleased and more cautious.
He didn’t care. He didn’t need their approval.
Nearby, Liam spotted Jake Knox sitting in a chair. The bruises on the man’s face were now ugly shades of green and yellow. But he was healing. Erica sat beside him, holding a soda and lime. The man reached out and rested a hand on his wife’s still-flat belly.
The couple shared a private smile.
Then Jake looked up and met Liam’s gaze. The man nodded.
Liam nodded back.
A few other friends were there, including Eleanor and her husband. Liam’s assistant was sipping champagne, but she gave him the evil eye. Yes, she hadn’t quite forgiven him for taking a week off at the last minute. She’d been the one who’d had to cancel and reschedule meetings, and soothe ruffled feathers.
Boone stood with Eleanor and her husband, cradling a bottle of beer. When he saw Liam looking, he lifted his bottle.
Liam lifted his glass in return. Without the man’s help, Liam and Aspen might not have made it out alive.
Suddenly, Maverick muttered a curse.
He was glaring at his phone.
“Problem?” Zane asked.
“Over the last twenty-four hours, someone’s been targeting the Rivera Tech system with some high-level cyber attacks.”
Liam frowned. “Have they managed to get in?”
“No,” Mav growled. “But they’re having a good go at it. They’re good, but not good enough. Rollo and I have been busy beefing up system security.”
At the mention of her hacker friend, Monroe smiled and sipped her wine. “I’ve never seen Rollo happier. He loves working for Rivera Tech.”
“Because I supplied him with a top-of-the-line, experimental Rivera Tech computer,” Mav said.
Liam studied his friend’s face. “You’re worried about these attacks.”
Mav shrugged a broad shoulder. “We get thousands of attacks a day, but these ones are more sophisticated. They haven’t gotten in, but I worry that they aren’t going to stop trying. If they can’t get in, they’ll find a better hacker who can.”
“Makes you wonder what they’re after?” Zane said.
Mav’s scowl deepened.
“Mav,” Liam said. “If anyone can stop this, it’s you.”
His friend looked at his phone again, his jaw hardening. “Hell, yeah. I’ll stop them and make them regret it.”
“Liam!”
Liam turned. One of the twins was waving at him. He was pretty sure it was Briar.
“When are you and my sister making it official?”
His fingers curled around his glass. He saw heat flood Aspen’s face.
“Briar!” Aspen snapped.
Liam smiled. Briar. He’d been right.
“I mean her moving into your totally awesomesauce pad,” Briar continued. “She’s slept here every night this week.”
“Briar,” Aspen said again.
Liam’s smile widened. He walked toward his woman.
“Ignore her, Liam,” Aspen said. “She’s—”
He took Aspen’s hand and pulled it flat against his chest. “Aspen, will you move in with me?”
She froze. Her mouth dropped open.
“Fill my place with plants. Drop your clothes on the bedroom floor. I’ll buy you chocolates every day. Be mine, Aspen Chandler. Now and forever.”
“Liam.” Warmth filled her face and she melted against him.
His tough investigator melted just for him.
“Say yes,” he whispered.
“Yes,” she whispered back.
He grinned, scooped her off her feet, and kissed her. Their friends and family cheered.
What had started with blackmail, now ended with love, and Liam couldn’t be happier.
I hope you enjoyed Aspen and Liam’s story!
The Billionaire Heists Trilogy concludes with Hacking Mr. CEO, starring grumpy billionaire Maverick Rivera, releasing next month, on the 27th July 2021.
Want to know more about Vander Norcross? Then check out the first book in the Norcross Security series, The Investigator, starring Vander’s brother Rhys. Read on for a preview of the first chapter.
And for more on Declan Ward, Darcy Ward, and Special Agent Alastair Burke, then don’t miss the Treasure Hunter Security series, which starts with Declan’s story, Undiscovered.
Don’t miss out! For updates about new releases, free books, and other fun stuff, sign up for my VIP mailing list and get your free box set containing three action-packed romances.
Visit here to get started: www.annahackett.com
Preview: The Investigator
There was a glass of chardonnay with her name on it waiting for her at home.
Haven McKinney smiled. The museum was closed, and she was done for the day.
As she walked across the East gallery of the Hutton Museum, her heels clicked on the marble floor.
God, she loved the place. The creamy marble that made up the flooring and wrapped around the grand pillars was gorgeous. It had that hushed air of grandeur that made her heart squeeze a little every time she stepped inside. But more than that, the amazing art the Hutton housed sang to the art lover in her blood.
Snagging a job here as the curator six months ago had been a dream come true. She’d been at a low point in her life. Very low. Haven swallowed a snort and circled a stunning white-marble sculpture of a naked, reclining woman with the most perfect resting bitch face. She’d never guessed that her life would come crashing down at age twenty-nine.
She lifted her chin. Miami was her past. The Hutton and San Francisco were her future. No more throwing caution to the wind. She had a plan, and she was sticking to it.
She paused in front of a stunning exhibit of traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy. It was one of their newer exhibits, and had been Haven’s brainchild. Nearby, an interactive display was partially assembled. Over the next few days, her staff would finish the installation. Excitement zipped through Haven. She couldn’t wait to have the touchscreens operational. It was her passion to make art more accessible, especially to children. To help them be a part of it, not just look at it. To learn, to feel, to enjoy.
Art had helped her through some of the toughest times in her life, and she wanted to share that with others.
She looked at the gorgeous old paintings again. One portrayed a mountainous landscape with beautiful maple trees. It soothed her nerves.