I know he feels huge guilt over everything that went down. It’s one of his few redeeming features, but he’s shitting all over it now with the way he’s treating Xavier, purely because of how he looks.
“If Xavier walks, you can kiss your company goodbye.” I drill a look at my father. “Who cares what he wears? He’s intelligent with sharp instincts, and he’s a good guy. If you want someone to vouch for him, I’ll vouch for him.”
“I don’t need anyone to vouch for me,” Xavier interrupts. “My work speaks for itself, but I won’t stay where I’m not wanted.”
Tension is thick in the air as we stare at one another, and his words weigh heavy on my soul. “You’re wanted.” I maintain eye contact, and I know he understands the double meaning.
“Very well, Mr. Daniels. It seems I’m in the wrong. Please accept my apology. We would value your input, and I thank you for reconsidering your resignation.”
“You’ve already thanked me,” Xavier says, fixing my father with a smirk. “My boss signed off on a significant increase in my salary and a six-figure performance bonus.” I hope the company is still solvent to pay him his dues when the time comes. His eyes swing back around to mine. “I’m here for the money. Only the money.” His dagger hits its mark as a tight pain stabs me in the chest.
“Let’s get this started,” the CTO says. “We have a lot of ground to cover.”
Xavier takes a seat at the end of the table beside Jamison. I watch as they shake hands and make introductions, frowning at the flare of interest I spot in Jamison’s eyes. I know he’s bisexual, like me. Unlike me, most of his partners have been men, and I don’t like the appraising way he’s staring at Xavier.
“Is there a problem, Jamison?” I ask, forcing his head to lift.
He rubs the back of his neck, looking sheepish. “Sorry, Sawyer, ugh, Mr. Hunt. I was just introducing myself.”
“We’ve had enough delays. Please focus on the reason we are here. Don’t make me regret recommending you.”
Jamison can’t meet my gaze as Xavier drills me with a venomous look.
Dad kicks off the meeting then, and everyone is focused as he explains the situation. The CTO shares images on the screen as he talks us through the steps he, and the previous team, took to identify the culprit or culprits. The CFO shows copies of bank statements clearly showing the withdrawals. There is healthy debate over options we can explore and how we should assign duties with everyone given an opportunity to say their piece.
Three hours later, we have a plan, and everyone has been assigned tasks. Dad ends the meeting, reminding everyone of the urgency of the situation and the need to maintain complete secrecy. Work is to be done in isolation or in small groups at the apartment Techxet owns on Seventy-fifth Street. The apartment Xavier will be staying at for the duration of his time in New York.
I pull my father aside as everyone starts gathering their belongings to leave. “Dad. I would like to have a word with you and Xavier. There is another angle I think we should explore.”
“Mr. Daniels,” Dad calls out as Xavier and Jamison head together toward the door. “Could you stay behind. There is something additional we need to discuss.”
5
Sawyer
Xavier arches a brow in my direction, a look of shocked surprise on his face, and I know where his mind has gone. I subtly shake my head, and his expression morphs into disappointment.
We wait in awkward silence, seated at the table, for Russell to pack up his shit. Dad closes the door after him when he eventually leaves. “Okay. Let’s hear it,” he says as he reclaims his seat.
“I don’t think we can rule out elite involvement,” I say.
“This isn’t their work.” Dad is quick to rebuke me.
“While I hate to agree with anything your son says, I think he is right,” Xavier says as sweat breaks out on my brow. I know he’s hurt and angry, but if he says one word to my father about us, I will go ballistic on his ass. “That was going through my head the entire time, except I’m not aware of anyone within our known elite acquaintances who would have access to the kind of IT expertise we are dealing with.”
“Their extended network could,” I say, propping my elbows on the table. “We know the organization has roots all over the US. It’s not unfathomable they have someone who can do this.”
“Or they have partnered with a foreign entity specialized in ransomware,” Xavier muses, looking deep in thought.
“But they haven’t hijacked our systems or demanded a ransom,” my father protests.
“Because they’ve already extracted their ransom without the need to render our data inaccessible,” I say. “Xavier could be right. It’s like reverse ransomware. Those hackers are skilled at getting into systems undetected. There are examples all over the world where these assholes were sneaking around systems for months before they made their move. We don’t know that whoever this is hasn’t been doing the same to us.”
“So, it’s not the elite,” Dad says, scrubbing a hand over his smooth jawline.
“I wouldn’t discount them,” Xavier says. “The people behind ransomware are in it for the notoriety and the power as much as the money. This isn’t their kind of MO. If they are involved, the motivation is different.”
“Or it’s simply an extremely lucrative job,” I suggest.
“Exactly,” Xavier agrees.
“Why did you say it wouldn’t be the elite?” I ask, curious why Dad seemed so sure.
“Because I made my peace with them last year,” he says, clasping his hands in front of him.
Silence descends, and it’s not the comfortable kind. I gawk at my father, utterly shocked. “What exactly does that mean, Dad? What the hell have you done?” Prickles of apprehension sprout goose bumps on my arms.
“I did what was necessary to protect you and your mother.” He stands, indicating the conversation is over.
I jump up. “I need to know. This could all be connected.”
“It’s not. Just drop it, Sawyer.”
“Fine,” I lie, watching with a growing sense of trepidation as he walks out of the room.
“That’s bullshit,” Xavier says when my dad is out of listening range.
“I know.” I sit back down, sighing heavily.
“What are you going to do?”
“Run a little side investigation parallel to the official one.”
His eyes light up. “Are we bringing the gang in?”
“If you mean Anderson and Lauder, then yeah.”
“Not Drew or Charlie?” he questions, arching a brow.
“Not yet. I’d like to see what we can unearth ourselves first. If we need back up, we’ll call in the cavalry.”
He nods, and there is no tension on his face as his brain churns ideas and options. Without stopping to think, I stretch across the table and take his hand.
His eyes lower to where our fingers are linked, and his Adam’s apple jumps in his throat. “I miss you already,” I truthfully admit. “Can’t we talk? See if there is any way we can make this work?”