Chapter 18

Marcus

Finally, I got a lead on who Katy really is.

She’s been hiding her hacker life, and last night she revealed just enough to give me some of the information I need.

She’s a part of some online hacking world. So it’s not just her working alone. There are others.

For a second I feel bad about betraying her, but it has to be done. She’s betraying me too, after all. An eye for an eye, right?

I’ve been so wrapped up in Katy lately that I haven’t been able to focus on work. Today’s the day to get back in the office and to accomplish some things.

I might be into Katy sexually, but don’t get me wrong, my mission is clear. I’m going to uncover her secret plan to take me down. I can’t let someone get in the way of my business, no matter who she is.

I didn’t expect to fall for her so hard. She’s fucking gorgeous...and smart. But I can keep business and pleasure separate.

The problem is when Katy finds out who I really am, she’ll despise me. But that’s a fate I’m willing to deal with later. As for today, I have business to do.

I drive to work in my Mercedes. I’ve been forgoing the limousine lately because I enjoy driving, and also because I don’t want to tip Katy off as to who I really am.

I drive hard and fast around the streets of New York City, and it feels good to be behind the wheel.

When I get to the building, however, I see a small group of people forming outside to protest. I’m pissed. Not these animals again.

Can’t people just move on when things don’t go their way? Why do they have to keep harboring on the fact that they were fired? This irritates me. And I take that aggravation to work with me.

“Why are they here?” I practically scream at Jeremy.

“I don’t know, sir, they’ve been forming since very early this morning. What should I do?”

“Well,” I say. “You should’ve called me, to begin with. I have to get the security team on this. Next time they do this, let me know immediately. We can’t let the press get a hold of this.”

He’s mumbling his apologies when I slam the door to my office. I don’t want to hear it from him or anybody else. Those assholes downstairs are starting to put me in a bad mood. Anything that could jeopardize my business puts me in a bad mood.

It’s a wonder I’ve been able to sleep with Katy and to put our differences aside, considering she’s planning to burglarize my entire firm. She’s lucky she’s gorgeous.

I call my head of my security and tell him to get the entire weight of his team behind this. I don’t need more protests happening in front of the building. I don’t need the scene exploding into a media frenzy―which it definitely will be, if anybody finds out.

It’s probably exactly what those protesters want. They want to drag my name through the mud, to delegitimize my business, and to tell lies. It’s not gonna happen.

I give the security guy a piece of my mind and tell him that he should on top of things like this without my telling him so. He’s supposed to be the best, after all.

I’m able to at least focus on work for most of the day. I have so much stuff that I need to catch up on.

My whole mind and heart have been wrapped up in Katy and it’s so unlike me. Normally a woman doesn’t get between me and work, but she’s the exception.

It’s nice to be back in my penthouse office. I don’t mind going to the dummy apartment with Katy but I’m so used to having the best. My constant staff and fine furnishings calm me and make me feel powerful.

I’ve built a goddamn empire, and it’s my time to enjoy it. Having the best is how I operate. I’m a billionaire, and I enjoy acting like it.

Being in the dummy apartment with Katy should make me uncomfortable, but something about her puts me at ease, even in the midst of a modest living space.

I spend the afternoon immersing myself in work and thinking about Katy. She’s always on my mind. We have this connection that never seems to go away. I’ve never felt it before with anybody else. I try to ignore it, but I also try to get some work done.

Eventually, as evening descends on the city, I decide it’s time to get out of here. I go back to the apartment I use with Katy to pick up a few things.

Once I walk in the door, I see that she left me a note. It’s nice that she said thank you. She’s thoughtful.

I pocket the note and give her a call. “Hi, Katy, it’s me. Thanks for the note.”

“Well, thank you for breakfast. It was nice to wake up that way.”

“Miss me yet?” I ask.

“I haven’t had time to miss you, Marcus. I just saw you this morning.”

She certainly says it like it is, doesn’t she?

“I’ve missed you. I want to see you again, Katy. When can it happen?” I say, anxious to see her again.

“Remember that outreach program I was telling you about last night? I’m gonna be going there, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?” she says.

Damn. She caught me in my lie. I agreed to go because I didn’t think it would really happen.

I don’t want to go volunteer my time. I never should’ve said yes to that. But now I have to go for the sake of getting Katy to trust me more.

“Of course I remember. And I would love to go with you.”

“That’s great, Marcus. I wasn’t sure if you really meant about being there with me. It should be fun. I’ll text you the address,” she says.

“That sounds fine, Katy. Bye.”

We hang up, and I think about what I’ve just gotten myself into. I hope it’s worth it. I hope it makes Katy trust me more, so that she might tell me some more information in the process.

I need to know about her life and, most of all, about her online community that plans to take down my business. Things are getting real between us. I have to start finding out more information or this whole relationship will have been for nothing.

I leave the apartment and go to my real house, the penthouse.

I’m glad to be back in my true environment for the rest of the night. I don’t mind living like a pauper for just a little while, but at this point, I’ve had enough. I’m ready to be back in my own environment.

I don’t know how Katy does it. She obviously has access to a lot of money, which she doesn’t take for herself. She’s happy living in some old apartment building. I just don’t get that. How can money not matter to her at all?

She kinda reminds me of myself when I was a young and idealistic person. I built my business from scratch. I definitely know what it’s like to have nothing, but Katy seems to thrive in it.

She’s so into her hacking that she doesn’t seem to realize what her environment looks like or something. I just can’t figure this girl out. And yet I want to so bad.

Back at the penthouse, I play some music on the loudspeakers and pour myself a stiff drink while the chef prepares a healthy dinner.

I plan on taking the night off, just to be alone and to reset. But instead, all I can think about is...her. She continues to permeate my thoughts.

For one night, I wanted to get away from it all, but her allure continues to unravel me, and I can’t set even the thought of her aside.

What does this mean?

I have my drink and go to bed early. I think about her, tossing and turning all night. I doubt this will be the last night, either.