HANNAH Read online

  “Fine.” I licked my lips. “But you’ve put yourself in this position by not keeping your promise to me. I need an update.”

  “And I need money, lots of it, if you want me to do this.”

  “I set up the trust for your son, and I linked it to another account that you can pull cash from.” I gave her the bank information. “You can look it up—I just made another deposit.”

  Biyu tapped away on a tablet until she found what she was looking for. Her eyes got wide when she looked at the accounts—I’d been generous. “I see it. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Now tell me what I need to know.”

  She sighed, tucking her hair behind her ear. “The prototype’s complete. We begin testing tomorrow.”

  “That was fast.”

  Biyu nodded. “Li Na had the team sleep on site all week. No one on the technical team’s left the premises, except for a celebratory dinner.”

  “You’re already celebrating? Did you go to the dinner?”

  “Yes. Even I was invited.” A note of pride crept into her voice. “And we’re not celebrating about the releases yet—Li Na was celebrating us. Jiàn’s employees. She wants us all to know she appreciates the sacrifices we’re making.”

  Concerned and somewhat appalled by her reverential tone, I snorted. “Oh, Li Na knows all about making sacrifices, all right—making other people sacrifice for what she wants.”

  Biyu’s chin rose stubbornly. “I don’t know if I can talk to you anymore, even with all that money. You can say what you want about Li Na, but she’s doing amazing things for my country.”

  “She stole my sister’s technology, and that’s the least of it. She’s done terrible things, Biyu—criminal things. Don’t underestimate her—and don’t underestimate what she could do to you.”

  “I don’t. But you shouldn’t underestimate her, either—do you know that this is the first job I’ve been able to find since I graduated from university? Jiàn is one of the few companies that’s actively recruiting right now. The fact that Li Na’s trying to bring jobs and prestige to Shenzhen is huge for us. I don’t know that what you’re offering is better than what she can give me: a job with a future.”

  I shook my head. “There isn’t a future with Jiàn. She’s built her company with lies and stolen intellectual property. She won’t be able to sustain this pace forever, and I’m going to take her down. You need to get out. Take the money I offered you—there’s more where that came from, a lot more. And when the time comes, I’ll make sure you land on your feet. But you have to help me. I need to know exactly what’s going on with the production and what’s happening next.”

  We stared at each other for a beat.

  “She’s not the savior you think she is.”

  Biyu frowned. “Why should I trust you?”

  “You don’t have to trust me. You just have to choose my money over hers, and I’m offering more. Can you do that?” I held my breath, hoping that this was actually going to pay off.

  After a minute, Biyu sighed. “I don’t feel good about it, but yes, I can do that.”

  “I don’t feel good about it, either, but still—great. I’m glad to hear it. Now please tell me where Li Na’s at with the sensor.”

  * * *

  Biyu and I stayed in frequent contact. I made sure that Leo monitored all her accounts for signs of spying or hacking, but things appeared calm.

  She remained undetected. I’d chosen our source wisely—her position within Jiàn was entry-level, and it kept her in a different ecosphere than Li Na. Thank God.

  Leo also confirmed that the reverse-hack of the Protocol files had taken effect—the specs had subtly been rewritten. The therapy would appear to be intact, but it wouldn’t function the same as the one tested here in Silicon Valley—and it wouldn’t work. But the push through the Chinese regulatory approval process wouldn’t flag the issue: they weren’t taking the time to fully conduct clinical trials, relying instead on the successful American trial results. They were fast-tracking the therapy without double-checking that the Chinese version perfectly emulated the American results.

  People could get sick from this therapy. And as much as I wanted to ruin Li Na, I couldn’t let it go that far—I had to stop the therapy before it went to market.

  I had a similar issue with the sensor. On a fast-track through the approval process, it wouldn’t be subjected to extensive clinical trials. The Chinese government was again relying on the pending approvals of the American government.

  The pending approvals which were fakes.

  I had to stop the sensor before it went to market. Its false positives would mislead patients and potentially harm them. But the timing had to be perfect. In order to maximize her shame, I needed Li Na to get as far as a formal announcement before I broke the news of the stolen and defective technology.

  That wasn’t my only logistical concern. I needed proof. I needed more than just a story.

  On an atypical night, we were all home from work at a decent hour. Gabe had started a fire in the fire pit, and we were outdoors enjoying the cool weather and the stars. I caught Gabe, Lauren, and Wes up on the latest developments in my scheme, including all the news outlets I’d lined up to run the story as soon as The Wall Street Journal broke the story.

  “So…it’s working out?” Gabe stoked the fire, watching the sparks fly.

  “So far, so good.” But I couldn’t shake the feeling that things were running too smoothly, that the calm surrounding the situation was about to morph into a storm that would blow up directly in my face.

  “You’re being too humble.” Lauren beamed at me. “You’ve done an amazing job coordinating this whole thing. Li Na’s done exactly what you thought she would—grab for the brass ring without being meticulous about the results. That’s basically her trademark move.”

  “I know…but Biyu sees a different side to her. We know she’s a murderer and a thief, but her employees are loyal to her. Biyu said Li Na was devoted to her employees, that she took them out for a special dinner to say thank you for all the hours they’ve been putting in.”

  Gabe turned from the fire. “Listen—I’m sure she inspires others. She’s impressive, and God knows she’s committed to her company. But what she’s doing isn’t sustainable. Jiàn’s only legitimately produced products are fish food in a sea of sharks, and she knows it. She can’t build an empire on what she’s accomplished, and she can’t sustain an empire if all she’s truly excellent at is identifying megahit technology and misappropriating it. She’s going to run out of road with this eventually. Don’t doubt yourself—it might as well be now, and it might as well be us who take her down. Because otherwise, more people are going to get hurt.”

  He grinned at me. “By the way, do you want some Chardonnay? It’s organic and locally sourced, just for you.”

  “Um, no thanks.”

  The three of them blinked at me. I rarely said no to a glass of wine after work.

  “My stomach’s been sort of a mess lately,” I admitted. “Stress.”

  Wes shook his head. “You need to take it easy, baby. I’m making you take a vacation after this.”

  I laughed softly. “I’ll settle for sleeping in on a Saturday.”

  “I can arrange that.” Wes grinned, looking pleased with himself. “Do you want to get going to bed?”

  I yawned.

  “I guess that’s my answer.” Wes stood and held his hand out for me.

  We said good night to Lauren and Gabe, and Wes wrapped his arm protectively around me as we headed to our bedroom. “I’d pick you up and carry you, but I know you’d just yell at me.”

  I yawned again. “You’re right about that.”

  “Are you sick, baby? Or just run-down?”

  “I think it’s just stress, honestly. Which can totally suppress your immune system.” Another helpful thing I’d learned from Grey’s Anatomy.

  “Ah. Make sure you drink a green smoothie tomorrow.”

  I scow
led at him. “I will. You can stop making fun of me now.”

  We took turns brushing our teeth and putting our pajamas on. I sat up and arranged myself sexily on the bed as I waited for Wes, but unfortunately, I couldn’t keep my eyes open.

  “Babe.”

  I woke up to Wes tucking me in. “Hi.”

  He kissed my forehead. “Hi.”

  I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I love you.”

  He grinned down at me. “I love you, too.” But instead of coming close for a deep kiss, he wound his arms around me and pulled me against his chest. “Shh, go back to sleep. I got you.”

  I nestled against his big body. “I thought we were going to do our homework.”

  Dr. Karen hadn’t given us any, but I’d begun to enjoy bragging about our sex life during therapy.

  “Tomorrow. Tonight, I can tell my baby needs to sleep.”

  “Okay.” It came out mumbled, because even as the word left my lips, I was drifting off.

  I woke up to the sun streaming through the windows. I looked at the clock and sat up with a start. “Wes! Why’d you let me sleep so late!”

  I squinted at the time—could that be right? I’d slept ten hours.

  He stuck his head out of the bathroom, shaving cream covering half his face. “You didn’t budge all night—no nightmares again. I think you’re finally past them. Your body’s probably resting from all the drama. You just need to catch up on your sleep.”

  I hustled out of bed. “I need to catch up on my work!”

  I bolted past him, stripping out of my pajamas and throwing them on the floor, turning the shower knob on forcefully. I hated being late for work. If I didn’t wash my hair, I might be able to get out of here in time…

  Wes finished shaving, then stuck his head in the shower. “Is there room for me in there?”

  “No,” I said, grumpily applying shower gel to myself.

  He slid in anyway, and I tried not to ogle his enormous, chiseled body. Damn but that evil Ashley did nice work.

  He caught me eyeing his chest appreciatively and grinned. “Busted.”

  I started to rinse off. “Am not.”

  He poked me—I looked down and saw it had been with his huge erection that seemed to be reaching for me across the shower stall.

  I fake-frowned at him. “Busted.”

  He poked me again. “I’m a repeat offender. I’m not ashamed to admit it.”

  I shivered a little, my thighs immediately trembling. Oh, no you don’t, I warned myself. Must. Get. To. Work.

  I finished rinsing as Wes eyed me like I was the last juicy rib eye on earth. My heart thudded, rolling over inside my chest as I felt the familiar heat unfurl between us. He reached out, taking my nipple between his fingers. It beaded instantly. I felt moisture that had nothing to do with the shower pool between my legs, and my breath started coming in hot little pants. My body loved Wes, too, and it reacted immediately, opening up for him, eagerly grasping for him, completely out of my control. My body loved the way Wes made it feel, with his tender caresses and his very, very large penis.

  My body didn’t care if I was late for work. My body just wanted to ride that thing.

  He kissed me again, tongue roaming.

  I guessed I didn’t care, either—my email inbox wasn’t going anywhere.

  And I wanted to ride that thing, too.

  I reached for him, leaning up to crush my lips against his. He sank his hands into my hair and positioned me so the hot water ran down my back. I no longer cared that my hair was getting wet. His tongue lashed against mine. Every time we kissed, I had this feeling: an unbearable ache, a longing for him to be inside me.

  He ran his fingers over my jawline and put his forehead to mine. “I love you so much, it hurts.”

  I smiled even as tears sprang to my eyes. I kissed him again, enjoying the sharp pang of all the feelings I had for him. “I love you, too. Now, show me how you feel.”

  I leaned back against the tiled wall and lifted one of my legs slightly, opening my body up for his. I took his long, hard length in my hand and massaged it, playing with the sensitive tip. I rolled it between my fingers until his head lolled back and he moaned, moving against my palm, lost in how good it felt. When his eyes opened back up, he lazily and expertly put his thumb against my clit, circling it until my actions mirrored his—moaning and moving against his hand, my body begging him to enter me.

  Please. Fill me up. I grabbed his ass and pulled him closer, my kisses growing wild. I put his tip against the entrance of my sex, and he notched himself inside me.

  He flexed his hips—pure power rolled off him, and I dug my nails into his ass, moving him in deeper. He gave me what I wanted, pumping his hips again so his whole shaft was inside me, stretching me, making me shake against him as he stroked my core.

  He thrust into me, and I saw white. He was all the way in, his thick girth filling me like only he could. Our bodies felt made for each other, two interlocking pieces designed to end up together. Lost in the moment, I wrapped my legs around his waist, and he lifted me up, pumping into me hard and fierce. I bounced up and down as I rode him, his penis deep inside me, caressing the place only he could reach.

  I saw stars as I came, hard, screaming his name.

  Wes’s orgasm chased mine. He thrust into me, again and again, his guttural groan turning to a laugh as he finished.

  He set me down gently, and I clung to him, shaking.

  He kissed me deeply, but I still shuddered when he pulled out, feeling bereft.

  “I shouldn’t have let you pick me up like that.” My cheeks heated in shame.

  He tapped my chin so I looked up at him. “I could totally handle it. Want to do that again so I can prove it to you?”

  My legs were jelly. “In a perfect world, yes. In this one, I don’t think I can handle it.” I smiled at him weakly.

  He grinned. “I’m just bluffing. I couldn’t do that again right now. Maybe ten minutes from now, but that might be wishful thinking.”

  We both giggled, and I nestled against his chest, the warm water still spraying us. “I love you.”

  “I love you more, baby. Now get going. The world needs conquering, and you’re just the high-powered female executive to do it.”

  I pulled back, snapping back to reality. “That reminds me.”

  He was instantly on alert. “Oh boy. What?”

  “I need another favor from Ellis.”

  Wes frowned. “Do you mind asking him yourself? I think I’m on his bad list.”

  “Why?”

  “I kept asking him about Fiona.”

  I studied his face. “Why’d you do that?”

  He shrugged, looking uncomfortable. “I don’t know. He just seems…invested.”

  “Maybe he’s just throwing himself into his work.”

  He looked unconvinced. “Maybe. But you think you can call him this time? You’re his favorite.”

  I rolled my eyes as I turned off the water. “We’ll see about that. You don’t know what I need to ask him.”

  Wes raised his eyebrows, questioning, as he toweled himself off.

  “And trust me, you don’t want to know.”

  “Tell me when the afterglow’s faded. I can handle it.”

  I sighed. “I know you can.”

  The question was, could I?

  Chapter 26

  Hannah

  “What if she can’t get the samples to him?” Ellis paced my office, looking uneasy—probably because Fiona was locked in a meeting with Lauren and he couldn’t see her, and also because of what I’d asked him for.

  “She will. She promised.”

  Biyu hadn’t promised, exactly, but she’d said she would try.

  She wanted to get the samples. I believed that. In addition to the trust fund, I’d offered her plane tickets to California and a fresh start here for her and her son, which included a new car, a condominium, and a position at Paragon—if she could deliver.

 
; I hadn’t shared the parameters of my offer with Wes. A good, conservative Midwestern boy, he thought I was being a little too extravagant of late.

  He might be right, but I needed those samples, dammit. I needed evidence that the claims I was about to make against Li Na Zhao were real. So I’d charged Biyu with the task of stealing lab results for both the gene therapy and the sensor. We could run the labs at Paragon, and then we’d have the proof we needed to show that Jiàn’s technology was faulty.

  I had to document the process every step of the way, so I’d invited Calvin and a Wall Street Journal photographer to join me in Silicon Valley. They would organize and catalog all the evidence, and then we’d reveal the entire story in a front page exclusive.

  I paced, waiting for Ellis to say something. Anything.

  “I don’t think he’s going to like being an international courier of corporate-espionage-inspired stolen goods, but he’ll do it if the price is right.”

  I nodded fervently. “The price is right. Whatever he wants, I’ll do it.”

  “Okay.” Ellis didn’t look like he really thought it was okay.

  I continued to pace, not letting myself consider that he might be right.

  * * *

  “I have a Mr. Carey for you on line two,” my assistant said.

  “Send him through.” I waited until the line clicked over. “It’s Mr. Carey now?”

  “It’s just Carey.” As usual, my informant sounded humorless and slightly pissed.

  “What’s going on?”

  “I have those names you wanted.”

  “Great.”

  He’d been collecting the names of all the independent contractors who’d worked for Li Na over the past year. I wanted to assemble the list for the FBI as further proof of what Li Na had been up to.

  “What about the other name we discussed?” I held my breath, hoping he’d been able to find out who was responsible for Jim Pace’s death.

  “I have the information you’re looking for.”

  “But?”

  “But it’s going to cost you.” Carey sounded pleased with himself, and I sincerely wished he had a higher moral fiber.