HACKING THE BILLIONAIRE: Part 2 by Jenny Devall Read Free Book Online Page A

Here’s the address and time.”
    The doorbell rang. Kent rose. “I’ll get it.”
    “Of course.”
    He’d answered the few times someone had rung the doorbell. Kent’s voice was clearly warmer when he realized it was Joan. Riley hadn’t had a chance to talk to Joan about it, but the date must have gone well. They chatted for a moment before they entered the kitchen.
    Both had smiles on their faces. Riley smiled back, liking that they were getting along well.
    Of course, she was probably going to lose her friend, but she was happy to see Joan happy. Even if Riley herself didn’t want the same things as Joan, she wanted the woman to get her life wishes.
    Looked like Kent might be it.
    Now to business.
    “We have an hour to figure this out before we need to get on the road,” Riley said.
    Her two companions turned serious.
    “I’m meeting him at another coffee shop.”
    “You’re sure this is a man?” Kent said.
    “I’m going with it being a man. It could be a woman,” Riley said.
    The two sat. Riley showed them a Google Earth photo of the area. “This isn’t a bad neighborhood. It’s the middle of the day. I can’t see what can go wrong.”
    “Where do I fit in?” Joan said.
    “I’m not sure. I’m hoping Kent can help us with logistics.”
    She turned to him.
    “I don’t want Joan involved if this is dangerous.”
    Already? He was protecting her. Nice.
    “I don’t think it will be. The person assured me that he had nothing to do with my attack. My instincts tell me that it had nothing to do with this case, but I don’t want to risk anyone’s life.”
    “Good. Now, we’ll go together. Of course parking will be crappy, but I can get us a driver who is a whiz at getting around Manhattan,” Kent said.
    “On short notice?”
    “He’s my brother, and he’s between jobs at the moment.”
    Riley nodded, glad that Kent wasn’t giving her a hard time.
    “Okay. Then we’re set?” Riley said.
    “I’m not sure what my role is?” Joan said.
    “To stay here,” Kent said.
    Joan crossed her arms. “I’m here. I’m part of this. I’ll sit at another table, but I’m not staying here.”
    He frowned. “I’m not happy about this.”
    “We had one date, Kent. You don’t get to tell me what to do. Ever,” Joan said.
    The frown didn’t leave his face. “Something odd happens, you leave. You go find the car and stay there,” he said.
    Joan’s gaze didn’t waver. “Maybe.”
    Kent’s eyes fell closed, and a sigh escaped his lips. “Fine.”
    “Can we go now?” Riley said. “I want to get this done. I’d like to make some headway on this case.”
    Kent nodded then called his brother.
    Riley snagged Joan’s arm and dragged her out into the living room. “How’d your date go?”
    “Really well. We’re seeing each other again tomorrow night.”
    “Good.”
    “Not impressed with that Neanderthal behavior,” Joan said.
    Riley understood. They’d both been on their own for a while and had made many life decisions without a man. Riley would bristle if Dirk started sticking his nose into all of her life. He’d kept himself to her business life. That was fine. That meant she’d easily extricate herself from the situation when the job finished.
    But did she want to?
    Her head had one answer. Her heart had another. She wasn’t one to follow her heart. She was a scientist who relied on facts and figures and reality. Dirk wasn’t going to marry her. No matter what she felt for him.
    He didn’t feel the same way, and that was okay. She had to get her job done and move on. The sooner she did that, the less broken her heart would be. Berating herself for feeling anything for Dirk would not help anyone.
    She felt something. Her heart would break. No need to dwell on it.
    “I can understand that, but it means he sees something in you that he wants to keep safe,” Riley said.
    “We aren’t damsels in distress,” Joan said.
    “No, we aren’t. Dirk once said that he doesn’t open the