CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“What a cute little dog you have there,” commented an elderly woman passing Crystal on the street. “Boy or girl?”
Oh, how Crystal wanted to answer that the little Pomeranian riding shotgun in her Dior canvas tote was a girl, but knowing Ripley, he’d probably retaliate and pee in her bag.
“Cuddles is a boy. And a manly boy at that. Aren’t you, sweet baby?” she cooed. Ripley yipped and licked at her lips before she could pull away.
The woman laughed. “And so rambunctious. What a darling.”
“Isn’t he?” Crystal replied, barely able to keep from gagging. “You have a good day, ma’am.”
“You, too.”
“I swear to God, I will put a muzzle on you,” she muttered as soon as they were out of earshot.
Based on the goofy expression on his face, if dogs could laugh, Ripley would be bent in two and slapping his knee right at that moment.
There was enough about this mission to be nervous about without adding a puppy-sized practical joker to the list. As it was, it took everything within her to keep from fidgeting with the diamond pendant hanging around her neck. Concealed behind the stone was a camera; on her earrings, a microphone. Every sight and sound monitored back at base by Addison.
And Max.
“You can still back out, Prism.” His voice came through her earpiece as if he sensed she was thinking of him. “We can still get the data another way.”
“No,” she replied as best as she could without moving her lips. “I can do this.”
Now stop coddling me and let me do my damn job.
It was clear she was the best one to extract the information from Dittmar, but Max had argued she wasn’t ready to go alone. Actually, his exact words were, “You’re insane if you think I’ll let my woman be placed in danger.”
Yep. Just like that. In front of the entire team. As if she were a special snowflake and they expendable.
She would have been insulted if she hadn’t seen the twitch near his eye, and the way the tight line of his mouth trembled as the team came to her defense.
Max was afraid for her. He knew she was their best bet, yet he refused to put her in danger. A most surprising development in their relationship. Not a few days prior, Max was jumping on any opportunity, ready to risk anything, for the chance to destroy Madden.
Now he wasn’t willing to risk her.
Did that mean Max was finding purpose beyond the need for revenge? Was he developing feelings for her, beyond teammate and bed partner? Did she want him to?
That was silly. Of course she did. But at what cost? Her place on the team? If she and Max were going to become “her and Max,” then it was imperative she make clear the mission came first. Always.
Which meant on this mission she was going to have to be flawless. At the end of the day, no one, especially Max, would have cause to doubt her abilities.
“You distract me for one second, Maestro,” she said loud enough for the mic to pick up her voice. “I’m shoving my heel up your ass. Radio silence now.”
She fixed a smile on her lips as she approached the front door of the downtown branch of Madden Financial. A young man held the door open for her, and she felt his gaze linger on her ass as she sashayed across the tiled lobby with her three-inch stilettos clicking like gunfire.
The receptionist glanced up and missed restraining a roll of her eyes as she took in Crystal dressed in all her wanna-be socialite glory.
Yes, she was well aware that November in the Pacific Northwest was an odd time to be wearing a short-sleeved silk sundress that hugged her shape like plastic wrap. At any moment she expected the goose bumps on her skin to start quacking, she was so cold.
However, the heavy layer of makeup covering her skin did keep her face warm, and her carefully coiffed helmet of hair was like a wool cap. If there had been a casting call for a remake of Steel Magnolias, she’d be a shoo-in for certain.
“Can I help you?” the receptionist asked when Crystal came to a stop before her desk.
She turned up the wattage on her smile and added a little twang to her accent. “Hi, my name is Crystal Winters. I have an appointment with Mr. Dittmar.”
The receptionist squinted at her over her spectacles. Her gaze traveled over Crystal’s cleavage and purse puppy, then turned away with a dismissive huff. “Mr. Dittmar has an event this evening and cleared his calendar to depart early.”
Crystal picked up the nameplate on the desk and held it at necklace level. “Are you certain—Ms. Samuels, is it? I was told he would be most anxious to see me.”
“Dorthea Samuels,” Addison replied through the earpiece, reading the name off the plate. “Got it.”
“I’m certain,” Ms. Samuels reiterated without looking up from her monitor.
“Check again. Please.”
The older woman sighed and rolled her eyes again. “What did you say your name was?”
“Winters. Crystal Winters.”
That was all the time Addison needed to link into the receptionist’s login and add the appointment to Outlook.
Ms. Samuels looked back at the monitor and typed in the information. Her eyes widened. “What? I could have sworn the afternoon was blocked out.”
“Well, I was told I’d be the last appointment of the day. Believe me, I am very appreciative.”
“I—I’ll ring him for you, Ms. Winters.” She eyed the monitor with confusion as she reached for the phone.
“Thank you so much.” Crystal smiled and took a step back from the desk.
“Yes, I know, Mr. Dittmar,” Ms. Samuels said in a hushed tone. “I don’t know who took the appointment, but she’s here and said you were very interested in meeting with her. I promise, there are no further appointments on your calendar. All right.” She hung up and turned back to Crystal with a strained smile. “He’ll be right with you, Ms. Winters.”
“Thank you.”
As she waited, Crystal checked out the layout of the lobby, noting exits and hallway entrances. This wasn’t a typical branch of Madden Bank, but rather a division of Madden Financial. An office reserved for financial planning, loans, and for clients with bank accounts big enough to warrant special attention. According to Max, if you wanted your money hidden, these were the people to see.
“Good morning, Mrs. Winters.” A smooth, cultured voice spoke from behind her. “I’m James Dittmar.”
Even in her high heels, she had to tilt her head way back to maintain eye contact with the handsome bank manager. Hair the color of wheat swept off his face and highlighted his high cheekbones and square jaw. A black silk suit was tailored perfectly to his swimmer’s physique, drawing appreciative glances from many women in the lobby. The photo Addison had dredged up did not do him justice.
Dear Lord, she was supposed to flirt with that?
Her confidence took a dive until she noticed the spark of interest in his green eyes as they zeroed in on the swell of her breasts spilling out of her fuchsia sundress.
The pink diamond of her ring sparkled as she reached for his outstretched hand. “It’s Miss Winters, but please, call me Crystal. Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day for me.”
His white teeth flashed brilliantly against his tan cheeks and his gaze took another journey to cleavage-ville. “Believe me, it’s my pleasure.”
He clasped her hand with both of his, giving Crystal the added boost to search through his memory and witness him receiving the package that contained the flash drive. Before she could search for more intel, he broke the contact.
“Shall we continue in my office?” He gestured ahead of them with one hand and placed the other low on her back. Really low.
Cuddles growled softly in his throat, expressing his displeasure of Dittmar’s proximity.
His smile faltered and he eyed the growly pooch with a distasteful curl on his lip. “That’s uh, that’s a tiny dog you have there.”
“Isn’t he precious? And so loyal, too. He gets a little nervous around new people, but he’s very obedient.” She patted Ripley’s head a bit firmer than necessary. “If he knows what’s good for him.”
Ripley licked at her fingers as Dittmar escorted her into his office.
“Muzzle. I swear,” she hissed under her breath, and took a seat in one of the chairs.
Dittmar stood in front of her and leaned back against his desk. His hands rested not so subtly to frame his groin that was right at her eye level. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Crystal?”
She batted her lashes and hunched her shoulders together to deepen the vee of her cleavage. “I would like to open an account, but my circumstances are a little unusual. You see, a few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to hit the winning numbers in the lottery. I opted for the lump-sum payment, and I’m now ready to transfer the funds from a trust into my name.”
“The lottery? Really?” He snorted with surprised laughter. “How much did you win?”
“Seventy-six million dollars.”
His gaze jumped from the leisurely perusal of her body to meet her eyes. “I’m sorry, did you say seventy-six million dollars?”
“Yes.” She smiled sweetly. “Actually, it was more, but that’s what was left after taxes and all of that. Now as you can imagine, I would like to keep this transfer as quiet as possible. That’s why I’m not using my regular bank. I already have people I barely know asking for handouts.”
“Yes, I can see that being troublesome,” he mumbled, suddenly all business, and walked around to sit behind his desk. The prospect of landing a multimillion-dollar client seemed to have cooled his flirtation.
His fingers typed with a spring of excitement. “Have you thought about what type of accounts you wanted to open?”
“Here is a list an accounting friend of mine gave me as a start.” She withdrew a piece of paper from her bag and attempted to smooth the wrinkles from the page before sliding it across the desk. “I know I’ll want to invest the majority of it. But I’m not sure on what just yet. I guess I’ll need to book a financial planner for advice soon.”
He looked away from the computer and stared at her as if she had offered him the key to El Dorado. A smile curled his lips as smoothly as a slick of oil over a placid lake. “I’d be happy to assist you with that, Crystal.”
“But won’t you be busy managing the bank?”
He placed his hand on his chest. “I would be honored to assist you during this time of transition. Here at Madden Financial, we treat our customers like family. It would be like helping one of our own.”
She shuddered to think what kind of activities went on at a Dittmar family reunion if he considered her family.
“Are you sure I wouldn’t be putting you out? I’ve been told it can take me forever to reach a decision.”
“I insist.”
“You are too sweet.” She clapped her hands with delight and bounced in her seat to add a little jiggle to her top half. “Thank you, Mr. Dittmar.”
“Please, call me James.”
“All right. James,” she said with a coquettish bat of her lashes.
Step one: become friendly with the target. Check. Now for the next step of the plan.
According to Addison, they had timed her visit at the bank to coincide with the conclusion of the downloading of the files. Unless Dittmar had a computer that was as fast as Chase, the flash drive still had to be in his office.
She reached into her bag to pull a card from her purse before setting the bag on the floor. Ripley jumped out and immediately began to sniff around the room with his little pudgy nose.
“Here’s the information on how to transfer the money.” She extended her hand with the card.
His fingers brushed hers, but the contact wasn’t long enough to obtain a vision of where he placed the flash drive. Damn it, she needed to get her hands on the man.
While Dittmar called the phony lottery service Addison had created to make it appear as if her story was legit, Crystal kept an eye on Ripley. Every now and again he’d shake his head and continue to another part of the room. After sticking his head underneath the desk, he pulled back and gave an enthusiastic yip.
Dittmar held out the receiver. “They would like to speak with you to confirm your identity.”
“Certainly.” She crossed to his side and took the phone, making sure to stay within his personal space. “This is Crystal.”
It was quite comical to see him try to divide his attention between her cleavage and his computer as he set up her accounts.
“And how are we doing today, Ms. Winters?” Addison asked.
“Fine, thank you. Excited to get this process over with.”
“ETA on locating the drive?”
“That would be one, five, zero, zero, M.”
“Fifteen minutes is too long,” Max’s voice could be heard in the background. “Tell her to get out of there now.”
“Is there anything else you need?” Crystal asked.
“If you can aim the camera at the monitor, I’d be greatly appreciative.”
“No problem.”
“Awesome. Now put the hunk back on the phone.”
Crystal held the receiver out to Dittmar and leaned over, brushing her breasts against his arm and aiming the pendant to capture a glimpse of the computer monitor. “She wants to talk to you again.”
A flush tinged his cheeks as he continued the call. His keystrokes weren’t quite as smooth as he finalized the transaction and hit enter. A box appeared on the screen and slowly started to fill with a green bar until it pinged and flashed “Transaction Complete.”
He stood and held out his hand again, this time with an anticipatory light in his eyes. “Welcome to Madden Financial, Crystal.”
“Thank you.” She clasped his hand and held on, desperate to read more information. “Um, there is one more thing. I bought a few baubles for myself to celebrate, but I’m afraid to leave them at my house. I haven’t installed any type of security system yet, so I’d like a safe deposit box as well.”
“Of course.” He dropped her hand. Damn it. “Let’s get one for you immediately.”
“Excellent.” She reached into her purse and withdrew several flat, Tiffany blue boxes. “Is it all right if Cuddles stays here?”
Dittmar’s smile widened. “That’s probably for the best.”
“And we won’t be gone long, right?”
“Ten minutes tops.”
“Okay. Cuddles, Mommy will be gone for a few minutes. Be a good puppy.” Ripley yipped in reply then lifted his leg at the ficus in the corner. “Stop. Don’t even think about it,” she snapped, dropping the sugar in her tone. She turned back to Dittmar with her sunny smile back in place. “Shall we?”
He closed the door behind them and placed his hand along her back again as he ushered her down the hall. “I bet your family was excited to hear about your good fortune.”
“I’m not close to my family. My daddy died when I was little. He got caught in the combine on the farm we lived on. My momma lost herself in booze and men. I’ve been on my own since I was a teenager.” She tilted her head and leveled her most vulnerable, heartbreaking expression at him. “You can see why I’m trying to keep a low profile. I don’t want her, or her current scuzzy boyfriend, to find me.”
“I completely understand.” He lowered his eyelids and puckered his full lips in what she could only guess was his compassionate face. “I hope you’re not totally alone and have someone you can rely on. A friend or husband…”
“I’m not married. No boyfriend either.”
“That is a shame.” His fingers tightened on her hip, caressing her through the silk.
What was it with men and butts? Why couldn’t he place his hand on her arm or shoulder where they could be skin to skin? Nope, let’s just go right for the booty.
They passed by a series of gates to the area that held the safe deposit boxes. The room was dimly lit and so cold, she got closer to Dittmar just for warmth. A lone chair and a table stood in the middle, topped with a metal lamp that cast a white circle on the wood surface. Definitely not the most hospitable place to linger with your valuable possessions. An awareness of the danger she walked into by stepping in the enclosed space sent another bout of chills down her arms, and for the first time she questioned this part of the mission.
Dittmar handed her a clipboard and pen and instructed her on how to fill out the deposit form while he laid an empty safe box on the table and sorted through keys. There was only so much stalling she could do by fumbling around with the jewelry boxes, and before she was ready, Dittmar slid the safe deposit box into its designated home and locked it in place.
“Your key.” He held it close to his chest.
It made her stomach churn to know she was going to have to do more to encourage his flirting, but she needed to make sure Ripley had enough time to find the flash drive and replace it with their dummy version.
Taking the bait, she stepped closer. “Thank you.” Brushing his fingers with hers, she took the key and slipped it into the bodice of her dress. She met his gaze through the veil of her lowered lashes.
Hunger and lust tightened his features, narrowing his stare. He ran his fingers across the goose bumps on her arms before gripping her around the bicep. “You’re cold. We’ll have to do something to warm you up.”
Finally, contact. Seizing the moment, she dove into his past, pulling images of him installing the flash drive and downloading the program. There was a letter in the package from The Second. By Dittmar’s delighted grin, the news was good. Had he worked with Madden’s man before?
“You’re a saucy little minx.” Dittmar broke her concentration, seizing her around the waist before claiming her lips in a bruising kiss with a technique that was all teeth and tongue.
Too late she realized she should have kept her focus divided between the past and what was going on in the present as he lifted her onto the table and pressed his hips between her thighs.
Focus, focus, focus, she ordered her racing heart. Do not panic.
She softened her lips and melted against him, in the hopes that if she slowed, he would follow. The object all along had been contact, not sex. But she should have been prepared for someone who worked with Madden to go from zero to sixty in a nanosecond. Somehow, she was going to have to slow this bullet train down.
Think. What would Scarlett O’Hara do?
She clung to his shoulders as she ripped her lips away and heaved a dramatic sigh. “Oh, James, this is too fast. I can’t think when you kiss me this way.”
“Then don’t think. Just feel. Feel me.” He ground his suit-clad erection against her cleft.
She bit back a whimper. “But I can’t be with a man who only wants me for my money.”
He paused and pulled back. Not as far as she would have liked, but enough for her to breathe a little easier. “Why would you think that?”
“Well, look at you. You’re gorgeous and successful. You can have any woman you want. There is no way a man like you could be attracted to me, unless it was for my money.” She batted her lashes.
He lapped up her compliments with a snake charmer grin. “I don’t want you for your money. I have plenty of my own.” He resumed the grinding of his hips as his head lowered to scrape his teeth along the skin of her neck. “I want you. Just as you are. Except naked and panting for me, like you are now. You’re so sexy and taste so good. I want to taste you all over. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? I bet your panties are wet right now, wetter than you’ve been for any man before,” he moaned in her ear. The one that held the earring with the microphone that was broadcasting right into the communications center and everyone listening.
Including Max.
Max was going to kill her! Flat out tie her up and never allow her to leave the mountain again.
Her heart threatened to burst out of her chest. “James, I do want you, but I want your respect more.”
“I do, I do respect you,” he murmured into her skin. “I’m sorry. I can’t think straight when I’m faced with these gorgeous tits.” He pressed his face between her mounds and wiggled his head back and forth. Charming.
Yep, she was so dead. She needed to escape, now.
“Come back here, you little mutt!”
A dog’s high-pitched yelp and rapid footfalls of whomever was chasing him made Dittmar jump back as effectively as a jolt of electricity.
The little Pomeranian rounded the corner, his tiny feet slipping on the smooth floor as he raced into the room. A security guard was hot his heels and skidded to a stop when he spotted them.
“Sorry, Mr. Dittmar,” he wheezed as he caught his breath. “I spotted him in the hall. That little pooch is fast.”
“Cuddles,” Crystal exclaimed and picked him up, clutching him to her chest. “Did you miss Mommy? I’m sorry I left you for so long.”
“I swear I shut the door when we left,” Dittmar said, eyeing Ripley with a frown.
She reached out and smoothed her hand down his tie. “Perhaps you were a little distracted.”
“Hmm.” He grabbed her hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles, sneaking his tongue out to lick at her flesh. “Perhaps.”
She giggled and pulled her hand away. “You’re so bad.”
If they gave out medals for keeping one’s lunch in their stomach when they really wanted to wretch, she’d win gold. Hands down.
“Will you be needing any assistance, Mr. Dittmar?” the guard asked.
“No. We’re finished here. Thank you, Stewart. Well, my dear. I guess we should get you back to my office.”
“That’s right. I should probably check to make sure Cuddles didn’t leave you any surprises to find later.”
Even in the dim light, she could see the color leach out his tan cheeks at the possibility of puppy poop anywhere on his expensive carpet. He practically ripped her arm out of the socket as he rushed her back to his office.
While he searched for “treasures,” she retrieved her bag from the floor and set Ripley inside. “I think your office is safe. If he’d done his business, you would know. For a little guy, he sure creates quite a stink.”
“I can imagine,” he drolly replied.
“I guess I should be going. I know you had other plans for this afternoon. Thank you for all of your hospitality, James.”
“Wait up there.” He slipped his arm around her waist. “What are you doing tonight?”
A million-dollar question if she ever heard one. “Nothing. Why?”
“I’m attending an event at Matthew Madden’s mansion. Come with me.”
A way in to Madden’s private residence? This could be the break they needed.
Cool, girlfriend. You have to play this cool.
“Me? You want to take little ole me to meet Matthew Madden? I’m sure there are much more sophisticated women you’d rather go with.”
Judging by his conceited smile, she could tell he agreed with her. “I want you. Besides, this could be a golden opportunity for you. There will be lots of major players in the business world. A great way to network and see who you might want to invest your money in.”
She couldn’t argue with that. Maybe he was sharper than he appeared. “I wouldn’t know what to ask, or say.”
“Don’t worry, baby. I’ll be there with you the entire time. Say yes.”
In her mind’s eye, she imagined Max shouting at the monitor, demanding that she turn down the offer.
But this was the best way to get in to Madden’s stronghold without exposing their powers. When would a lucky break like this come again?
“I accept. Pick me up at my hotel at eight? I’m at the Marymount.”
“Absolutely.” He leaned in for another kiss.
Ripley barked, causing them to both jump back. She smiled sheepishly. “I should take him outside. I’ll see you tonight.”
She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and beat a hasty retreat. With every step toward the exit, her pulse pounded and her cheeks grew hot. She was jumping from one danger straight into another.
A bitter laugh stuck in her throat. What was she more afraid of, entering the lion’s den at Madden’s, or facing Max when she returned to the mountain?
“You’re all clear, Prism,” Addison said. “Security cameras in the area show no one is following you.”
To continue with her country bumpkin appearance, she had driven Ripley’s battered truck into town. The instant she jumped behind the wheel, she turned on the ignition and cranked up the heat. Between stress from the mission and Dittmar’s advances, a cold had seeped so deeply into her bones, she didn’t think she’d ever be warm again.
To ensure that she wasn’t followed, she meandered through the city, doubling back on occasion, before merging onto the highway.
“We’re clear,” she announced when they were officially on the mountain pass.
Ripley scooted under the blanket on the seat and shifted. Once in human form, he leaned close and inhaled. “Davidoff or White Water?”
“Don’t,” she whispered and pointed a finger in at him in warning. She tugged off her earrings and stashed them deep into her purse.
“He’s not going to let you go,” Ripley said in a low voice, mindful of the ears that might still be listening.
“Which is why you need to remind him of the importance of why I must.”
He sighed and looked out his window. “I’ll try, but you have to know that when it comes to you, all his rules get shot to hell.”
Her grip tightened on the wheel. That was what she was afraid of.
“No.” She tried to rationalize. “He’ll be mad at first, but he wants his father to go down, bad. All we need is a foolproof plan, and he’ll see reason.”
Ripley snorted. “That might have been true before, but don’t fool yourself, darling. Once he sees those hickeys on your neck, he’ll be out for blood.”