Stephanie spoke through the intercom. “Lauren.”

“What?” I snapped, shoving my laptop into my bag. I had to get out of there. I had to warn Gabe. I wasn’t sure of exactly what, but the sick feeling I still had in my stomach was evidence enough that it was bad.

“I’m sorry to interrupt. But Leo needs to see you.”

“No, I’m sorry for being rude, Stephanie.” I buried my face in my hands and took a deep breath. “Please tell Leo I’ll be right down.”

I grabbed my things. Once I talked to Leo, I planned to go straight to Dynamica to see Gabe. I hustled down the hall, barely nodding at Stephanie, and barreled into Leo’s office. He was spread out at his computer, and Dave was on the couch with his laptop propped up on his legs. The office was littered with empty food containers, as if the coders hadn’t eaten anywhere else in weeks, which they probably hadn’t.

“What’s going on?” I didn’t bother with formalities.

Leo looked up at me, his eyes bleary from staring at the computer. “Something disturbing.”

I dropped my bag into a nearby chair. “What?” My palms began to sweat.

“All of the files related to Paragon were just deleted from Warren Technologies,” Leo said.

“Who did it?” I asked.

“I don’t know. It was done from a remote server.”

“Well, trace it,” I said firmly.

“We are,” Dave said, his voice soothing. “We just wanted you to know right away.”

I nodded at them and tried to keep my emotions under control. “Thank you. The FBI wouldn’t have done that. It was probably Jiàn. Maybe they didn’t want the information available to the FBI or the people at Warren Technologies anymore.” I took a deep breath. “It doesn’t matter. Just keep an eye on it.”

“Are you okay?” asked Leo. He was staring at me, his brow furrowed in a deep V.

“Not really, but that’s not like it’s anything new, is it?” I grabbed my bag and rushed out, desperate to talk to Gabe.

* * *

Relief flooded me when I got to his office. I went through the door and saw him dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, his biceps on display.

But then, I remembered what was happening, and all hopes of relief fled.

I had to tell him about what Clive had said. And I had to tell him what I thought we should do about it—which he wasn’t going to like. Not one bit.

Gabe pulled me in for a quick hug and kissed the top of my head. “I thought we were meeting at home, but this is a welcome surprise.”

I pulled back shakily and sat down. I wanted nothing more than to be close to him, but I was too anxious to be held right now. “I had to see you right away.”

The softness that had been in his eyes when he saw me evaporated, replaced with wary concern. “What’s wrong?”

“I spoke to Clive today.”

“What? Why?”

“Something’s been…bothering me.” I fidgeted, picking imaginary lint from my skirt. “I don’t understand why he helped you.”

Gabe’s eyes pierced mine. “We already talked about this, Lauren. It doesn’t matter.”

“But it does. He…told me.” I felt the pinpricks of tears in my eyes. “He said that he wanted you out of jail because he wants you vulnerable. And that Jiàn is coming for us, and that I’m going to be last.”

“Babe.” He pulled me up and held me against him. “I might need to get arrested again just so I can break Clive’s stupid fucking face. I have had it with him messing with your head.”

“I’m being serious. He wasn’t messing with my head, Gabe. He said that I was going to be last but that I was going to wish I was first.” The tears were really threatening, and they weren’t for me.

They were for what I might lose.

“I don’t want you to get hurt. I just found you. I can’t let them take you from me.”

“No one’s taking me anywhere.” Gabe brushed the hair back from my face. “Clive’s crazy. You know that. And no one’s going to hurt me. No one’s even going to come close. I have an army of security living at my house. Most of my brother’s staff has relocated to the Valley in recent weeks.”

“Clive’s crazy, but he’s right about Jiàn. They want my technology, and if they can’t figure it out for themselves, that’s only going to be a speed bump for them, not an actual deterrent.”

The muscle in Gabe’s jaw twitched. “Lauren, I don’t give a fuck about Jiàn and what they classify as a deterrent. I’m not letting anyone near you—or me either. I want you to calm down. Give me a minute. I’ll pack up, and we can go home.”

I shook my head. “I can’t. I have to go back to work.”

“You aren’t going anywhere but home with me—”

“Gabe,” I cut him off. “My board wants me to launch the patch as soon as we get our final FDA approval. I’m going back to Paragon to try to make that happen. And I’m probably not leaving until it does.”

Gabe shrugged. “Then I’ll come with you. I can work from your office.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

The muscle in his jaw twitched again. “Why’s that?”

“Because I think it’s safer for you if you stay away from me.”

Gabe’s eyes flashed. “You know that’s not possible. It’s also ridiculous.”

“It’s not impossible, and it’s not ridiculous. I have to work. You have to stay safe. If I’m at my office, and you’re away from me, at work and home with your security, maybe…”

“Maybe what? Maybe Jiàn Innovations will forget about me?”

“I don’t know.” I could feel the blood drain from my face, and I swallowed hard. The idea that I’d put Gabe in mortal danger crushed me. “I just know that I couldn’t live with myself if something ever happened to you. Do you understand that?”

“Of course I do. I feel the same way about you.” He raked a hand through his hair. “But for the record, I can take care of myself. I like to fight. I’m actually quite good at it. And I have a loyal security team that will do whatever it takes to protect me and what’s mine.”

“I know all that, but you can’t bully your way past a bullet.”

Anger rolled off him in waves. “Jesus Lauren. Stop—your genius is showing.”

I’d known he wouldn’t be thrilled with this idea, but I had to make him understand. “Gabe.” I took his hands, pleading. “I love you. I don’t want to be away from you, but this isn’t forever. It’s just for right now.”

“Explain to me how us being apart solves anything.” He sounded completely unconvinced.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm down so I could explain my position to him clearly. “Clive told me that they want me alive—at least until they have what they want from me. If you’re near me when—if—they come, you’ll fight for me. They’ll hurt you. If you lay low and stay away, you’re not an obstacle. I’m the one they want.”

“And I need to be the one to protect you,” he said hotly.

“You can’t protect me if you’re dead. I’m keeping security with me twenty-four- seven. Let Timmy and the others do their jobs, and you and I can both do ours: run our companies and stay alive long enough to get through all this.” I hoped my logic would work on him.

There was a flicker of recognition in his eyes, but his expression remained stubborn. “I told you—I don’t like it.”

“I think this is the best way to deal with this situation right now.”

“What if disagree? What if I don’t want to wait?” he asked with fire in his eyes.

His words cut me. “That’s your choice. I can’t ask you to wait for me.” As soon as said it, I cringed. Of course I wanted him to wait for me.

He squeezed my hands, and I could tell he was struggling to calm down. “I know you have to go back to work. And I understand that you want me to be safe. But I don’t agree with this course of action and I don’t like it. At all. I don’t want to be separated from you.”

Misery engulfed me. “I don’t want to be separated from you, either.”

“Then babe…why are we doing this?”

“Because I love you. I love you so much, I don’t want you to get killed just because you’re my boyfriend.”

“I don’t think you’re being rational right now.” His voice had a dangerous, angry edge.

“And I don’t think you’re really listening to me.”

We stared at each other, at an impasse.

“I have to get back to work,” I said finally. “I love you.”

Gabe turned away, dismissing me. “Sometimes you have a funny way of showing it, babe.”