Free Bad Boy Billionaire (A Standalone Romance) by Cara Cruz

this.
    “It has everything to do with Maria. Think of Jack’s setup as a series of bear traps designed to catch people treating the system in ways they shouldn’t.”
    “So what, she opened something she wasn’t supposed to and you’re coming down on her? Maybe she made a mistake.”
    Mike exhaled patiently. “No. Not possible. Jack’s traps were set up to ignore one-off mistakes. They’re foolproof, man.”
    “Okay, then. What’s she been accessing that she shouldn’t have?”
    “What hasn’t she been accessing? She’s been working through all of the files on the server. By folder. Doesn’t that tell you she’s looking for something she can’t quite find?”
    Chase sat down on the bed. “Maybe. Or maybe she’s just curious. She’s a smart girl, Mike. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if she was trying to learn everything she could about us so she can rise up through the ranks.”
    “Okay then. Well tell me this - would she have reason to go through all of your email for the past two years?”
    Chase closed his eyes. “She’s my assistant,” he said finally, glancing at the door and lowering his voice. “It’s a bit strange but she has access. And it could be the same thing; trying to learn.”
    “Jesus, bro.” Mike said, sounding pained. “You don’t sound like you. I take it things have progressed with her?”
    “Maybe. I still don’t see anything wrong in her actions.”
    “Fine. Here’s something that might worry you. It’s what triggered the system warning to begin with. She’s been searching the file directory for some strange things.”
    “What things?”
    “BEK. Naylor.”
    “Doesn’t ring a bell.”
    “So how would she know about them?”
    Chase sighed. “You’re beginning to sound hysterical.”
    “Okay. Keton. Why would she look for that?”
    Chase opened his eyes and stood up, automatically looking to the door.
    “What did you just say?”
    “Keton.”
    “That’s what I thought. Why the hell?”
    “You didn’t mention it to her? It’s what I thought at first before I saw the other searches.”
    “No, of course not. Well, on the flight down here. But she didn’t know…”
    “Chase?”
    Chase stared down at the shell-patterned comforter on the bed trying to remember. He’d mentioned it in passing. They were in the safety of the jet, not in the office where Keton was not for discussion, even by email. And she’d asked him about it, he recalled. What had he told her?
    “Chase, are you still there?”
    “Yeah, man. I’m just thinking. Trying to figure this out.”
    “There’s nothing to figure out. Except damage control.”
    “What? Don’t be ridiculous. I mean, we tried to be discreet but it’s not like it’s a state secret or something.”
    “Why would your new assistant show such an interest in our discreet project though? Huh?”
    “That’s what I’m trying to work out. She asked me about it, like she’d never heard of it before.”
    “Bring her in, Chase. Let me interview her.”
    “What are you, Mike? An enforcer? You’ll do nothing without my say so. And what are BEK and Naylor?”
    Mike paused. “I don’t want to say on the phone. Similar to Keton. You get me?”
    “Yeah.”
    “So you see what I mean? There is no way in hell she should know about those names yet. No one does. Just me and the analyst they came through. We need to act fast Chase.”
    “We’ll talk about this in the morning. First thing,” Chase warned.
    “Fine,” Mike said. He paused. “And do yourself a favor. Let me handle this.”
    Chase set his mouth. “No. This is my problem. I’ll sort it.”

Chapter 18
    “Anything urgent?” Maria murmured. She was lying on her stomach with her face buried in the plump pillow.
    “Nothing that can’t wait,” he said. He stood in the open doorway and watched her. Could she really be capable of… of what? He wasn’t sure. Mike didn’t even know himself. But it seemed like there was undeniable proof that she’d been