Free Adore Me by Darcy Lundeen Page A

with Vlad.
    “You.” She glared at him.
    “That’s right. Me ,” he said, glaring right back as he stormed into the apartment, dragging Randy with him.
    “And him. ” He pointed at Randy, who looked like he had eaten some year-old unrefrigerated fish and was going to be sick.
    Vlad held up a heart-shaped box of candy, then smacked it onto the foyer table. “Here, before I forget. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
    “Thanks a lot,” she snarled. “Now why are you manhandling Randy?”
    Vlad elbowed Randy in the ribs. “Tell her.”
    She watched in confusion as Randy hemmed, hawed, shifted from one foot to the other, and kept clearing his throat nervously as he looked everywhere but at her.
    “Um,” he finally said. “You see, it’s like this. I’m the one.”
    Meredith shook her head. “You’re what one?”
    “Will you just get it out, for God’s sake.” Vlad gave Randy another poke, and Randy stumbled sideways before catching himself and letting out another hesitant “uh.”
    Then he seemed to suck up his courage. Clearing his throat, he looked Meredith straight in the eye and said, “The viruses on your computer…I put them there. I did it remotely. Right at the office, and no one ever suspected until Vlad figured it out. I mean, I didn’t want to hurt you, but I needed the money she gave, and I didn’t use dangerous viruses, the way she wanted. I just installed sort of mild ones.”
    He went silent, and Vlad snapped his fingers in Randy’s face. “Tell her the rest,” he ordered.
    “Uh, I also hacked your company website and turned it into Devilish Delights, because by then she was really on my case and forced me to do it.”
    “Who is this she ?” Meredith asked, but she already had the unnerving feeling that she knew.
    Randy shuffled his feet nervously. “Tippi Turnbull.”
    Meredith sighed. Bingo! “I guess I don’t have to ask why she did it.”
    Randy shrugged. “Why else? Competition.”
    She nodded. “And you needed the money.”
    He lifted his hands in a helpless gesture. “Sick kid.” His weary tone echoed the futility of his gesture. “I mean, the job pays pretty well, but not good enough for me to afford really hi-tech long-term medical treatment. Not even with health insurance.”
    “He’s right,” Vlad said. “Pay’s good, but nobody working there is close to becoming a multimillionaire.” He threw a drop-dead look at Randy. “Not that that excuses what he did. Nobody forced him to do it. So what do you want to do with him?”
    “Do?” Meredith realized she was still clutching the scissors and held them up.
    Randy moved away, trying unsuccessfully to wedge his body behind Vlad for protection.
    She watched his terrified retreat and silently considered her options.
    What should she do with him?
    Have him tied to a block of cement and tossed in the nearest river? That was the first suitable punishment that came to mind. But he looked so repentant, and so panic-stricken, that she couldn’t help it, her heart went out to him and his sick child.
    With a sigh, she put the scissors on the foyer table. “Go home to your child, Randy.”
    His gaze skittered from the scissors to her face, eyes wide with surprise. “Seriously?”
    “Seriously.”
    “So I can go now?” he asked in a small, hopeful voice.
    “Yes.”
    “And all’s forgiven?”
    Meredith narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t press your luck, Randy.”
    He nodded and stepped cautiously away from her, backing rapidly toward the door. “Right. I’m outta here.”
    As he pulled the door open to make his escape, he paused and the edges of his mouth lifted in a small, tentative smile. “If you ever need anything, just call. I owe you. I mean, big-time.”
    “Hug your child for me,” Meredith said.
    “Will do, Meredith. Thanks.”
    Then he bolted from the apartment, yanking the door closed behind him.
    “That’s it? He gets off scot-free?” Vlad said.
    He moved closer to her and folded his arms across his