Chapter 27
TWENTY-SEVEN
Efa
The lobby of Leo’s building looks like a futuristic science lab. Everything is bright white marble and glass—a blank slate. It’s the exact opposite of what I need right now, which is distraction. I’m trying to think of something other than the burner phone in my pocket and whether or not one of Bennett’s best friends is betraying him. I want resolution for Bennett. I just don’t want the resolution I suspect we’re going to get.
“I need my shades,” Bennett says, nudging me as we stand hand in hand, waiting for the woman behind the desk to call up to Leo.
I’m zoned out and he knows it. I turn my face up to him, giving him my full attention, which is what he deserves. I can’t help but smile. “I thought you’d like it. Your meeting rooms look very much like this.”
“Do they?” he asks, his brow furrowed.
My smile widens. “Have you never been?”
“Not for a while. I don’t remember what they look like.” I laugh and feel it in my belly. Bennett’s one of the cleverest men on the planet, but some things don’t even register in that brain of his. It’s adorable.
Then my smile fades. Maybe his best friend’s betrayal isn’t registering with him either. He’s a smart man. Why hasn’t he investigated those closest to him?
Because he trusts them.
It’s like someone’s got their stiletto on my toe. It hurts, because if what Aarvi and I suspect is true, Bennett’s going to be hurting.
“Go ahead, sir, madam,” the woman behind the desk says as she puts down the phone. “It’s the penthouse.”
“Of course it is.” I roll my eyes and we head toward the lifts. “Do you think you’ll ever be friends with someone who doesn’t have money?”
“None of my friends had money before business school. Oh, apart from Worth. And Jack of course. He’s American royalty.” He holds the lift doors open and ushers me inside.
“So you had to make the others rich so they were acceptable to you?”
“Yes, Efa, everyone around me has to have at least ten million in the bank or I can’t even look at them.”
Why do I find such a dry sense of humor so completely sexy?
I laugh. “It’s not fun if you don’t bite.”
He raises his eyebrows and presses a kiss to the top of my head. “Thanks for coming tonight,” he says.
“Wouldn’t miss it.” It’s true on lots of different levels.
Bennett asking me to Monday night sports again is a complete win. When I left the meeting with Aarvi, I wasn’t sure how I was going to engineer an invite—I just knew there was no other way. I’d been musing on ideas, everything from saying I had the urge to make a lamb curry and we should invite his friends to watch Monday night sports at my place, to calling up Nadia and asking her if she was planning on attending, so I could tell Bennett and offer to accompany him again to keep her occupied. Not that it worked last time. I even thought about suggesting I could arrange mani-pedis for us to keep Nadia from licking Leo’s ear for an hour.
In the end, I didn’t have to think of any elaborate schemes, because Bennett just assumed I was coming. Like, where else would I be but by his side?
“Do you normally take it in turns between each other’s places?” I ask.
“Normally we’ll go to a restaurant or a bar. Sometimes a private members club—depending on what’s going on with everyone and how private we need to be. But at the moment, because of what’s happening at Fort, we’re keeping our meetings even more low-key.”
“So Monday night sports isn’t much about sport?”
“We always make sure there’s a screen somewhere around. But as you could probably tell when we were at Worth’s place, it’s not central to our evening.”
“Do you think Nadia’s a permanent member of your Monday Night Club?”
Bennett groans. “I hope not. As long as they don’t announce their engagement.”
“Yes, because we haven’t brought any champagne. Or a gift. Or anything.” I try to look mock panicked, and it has the intended effect. Bennett laughs. “Don’t worry, he’ll still love you if he gets married, Bennett.”
He narrows his eyes at me and takes my hand. The lift doors open on the penthouse floor and we fall silent.
Before we can knock, Leo answers the door. “My favorite people. Come in.”
Leo strikes me as a guy who’s happy for at least three hundred and sixty-three days of the year. But he’s positively effervescent tonight, and a small part of me thinks it might be because he did actually get engaged.
“We’re celebrating!” Leo says.
My stomach slips sideways and I squeeze Bennett’s hand. This seriously can’t be happening, can it?
“We just got through some really important permits at the New River development.” He slaps Bennett on the back and presses a kiss against my cheek. “Come on, guys. Let’s do some tequila.”
This is good news. It’s not an engagement.
Worth and Bennett exchange a look as we get into Leo’s main living area. It’s a huge space with three separate areas of seating and windows across two walls, framing views of the Manhattan skyline.
Nadia sees me, throws up her hands and rushes toward me like we’re long-lost friends.
Except we’re not. We didn’t even connect particularly well last time we met.
“Have some tequila.” She grabs two shot glasses and presses them into my and Bennett’s hands.
“Congratulations,” I say, trying to smile enough for Bennett and me, because I know Bennett won’t be doing his share.
“More!” Nadia says, picking up the bottle and offering out the tequila. “Let’s party.”
I don’t need to be holding Bennett’s hand to know how awkward he feels. I know he doesn’t like Nadia, but she’s Leo’s choice. He’s going to have to learn to get on with her. It will be better when we can figure out who’s attacking Fort and Monday nights can go back to being public gatherings. Or as public as a gathering in a private club can be. Then maybe Nadia won’t get invited and Bennett can get his friend back once a week at least.
Someone flips on the TV and the guys all settle on couches.
“I’m going to put out some snacks,” Nadia says.
“I’ll help if you like,” I say.
She shoots me a smile. “No worries, I got it. I quite like playing house.” She starts bustling around in a way that tacitly communicates she knows the kitchen well. I settle on a barstool as she pulls out bowls and plates, putting together some dips and crudites as well as crisps and other snacks I can’t identify.
She darts between the kitchen and the living area, ferrying food and drinks. She’s like a fifties housewife in training.
“Okay, so I’m going to freshen up. Are you okay here?” she asks. It’s nice of her to check. And she’s obviously more comfortable having some distance between her and Leo tonight. Maybe because she’s on home territory. She feels a bit more secure. I hope so. Bennett might warm to her if she gives him a bit of room.
“Of course. I need to check my emails.” I pull out my phone.
She groans. “My inbox is out of control,” she says. “I think I need to hire someone. Back in a minute. Or ten.”
She leaves, and I pull out my phone. When Aarvi and I both admitted that we were reluctant to tell Bennett it was his phone acting as a gateway into Fort, Aarvi opened up about some of her other findings. She’s convinced the reason the attacker can’t be pinpointed is because the malware isn’t attaching to Bennett’s phone. It only routes through his phone, which means the attacker needs to act while Bennett’s phone is nearby.
I wander over to the sofas and pretend to be interested in whatever’s on the TV, while checking out who’s sitting where and what phones are on display. Bennett has his phone on the table in front of him, between his legs and a bowl of corn chips. There are two phones nearby. I assume one is Worth’s and one is Leo’s, since they’re sitting either side of Bennett on the couch. But it’s not a sure thing. The malware could be coming from any of the four phones near Bennett’s right now. Aarvi said they’d have to be within a meter radius, and that means all of them are probably in range, but probably isn’t going to cut it. I need certainty. I’m not sure I’ll have an opportunity like this again.
I back off, returning to the kitchen stools. As subtly as I can, I bend to check under the couch for any additional phones hiding underneath the sofas. Maybe one’s been planted.
At that moment, Leo stands and I bolt upright, in case he thinks it’s weird I’m peering under his sofa. “Shit, I’m sorry.”
I glance at the table and realize he’s knocked over a bottle of beer.
“I’ll get a towel.”
I run to the kitchen, pull some paper towel from the counter and race back. Leo takes it from me and mops up the table. Bennett tears off some towel and dries his phone before slipping it into his back pocket.
Perfect. Now there’s no doubt he’s in range if I drop the phone Aarvi gave me down the back of the sofa.
The phone Aarvi gave me is the exact make and model as my own. This additional phone should be able to track any malware being sent to Bennett’s phone.
I’d never make a spy. I’m just not cut out for lying and deceit. My pulse races as I stuff my real phone into my blazer pocket and pull out the second phone from my jeans. It’s either now or never. I have to put this phone near Bennett before Nadia comes back or I might not get another chance to go unnoticed.
I grab the tequila bottle from the counter and stalk over to the sofas. “You want this?” I ask, holding the bottle over the back of the sofa.
Bennett grabs it. “Thanks.” He slides it onto the table in front of me and I push my fingers into the short hair above his neck. Then I place a kiss on his head while slipping the phone behind the cushion he’s leaning on.
No one seems to notice and I back away, mentally high-fiving myself. I grab my phone and tap out a text to Aarvi, telling her the phone’s in place. She’s on standby, ready to do whatever she needs to do to trace the malware back to the attacker’s phone. As much as it will devastate Bennett if we discover the source of the hacks is one of his most trusted friends, the alternative is worse. I want to protect him from people who are going to hurt him, and that means, tonight, we need answers.
Monday night seems to last at least three and a half days, and I’m hoping that means Aarvi has the time she needs to do her job.
On the upside, Nadia has been more than charming. She’s sat in her own chair for almost the whole evening, and has even refrained from licking Leo’s ear. I’m sure Bennett will be more inclined to like her given we’ve been chatting for the last three hours in between Nadia’s frequent trips to the bathroom. She’s either got a drug problem or a UTI.
“These games go on forever, don’t they?” I say to her.
“Why can’t they stick to proper football like the rest of the world?” she asks.
I laugh, even though I’m not sure she’s joking. “I was thinking the same thing.”
Bennett looks over his shoulder and our eyes lock. The game is over from what I can tell. The score looks like one side beat the other side to death. “We need to go,” he says, his eyes not leaving mine.
Since I messaged Aarvi, I haven’t dared pull out my phone again to see if she’s messaged back with news. I didn’t want there to be any chance that Nadia saw me with two phones. Although the boys have been distracted, there’s always a chance one of them is paying closer attention than I realize.
I haven’t wanted to take any unnecessary risks. I can only hope I’ve done enough and Aarvi has been able to figure out the attacker.
As everyone stands, still continuing their conversations, I slide off the barstool. I just want to get out of here as soon as possible. At the same time, I want to pause time. If Aarvi has found the source of the attacks, I’m going to have to have a very difficult conversation with Bennett.
Casually, I pat my jeans pockets and glance around. “Have you seen my phone?” I ask Nadia.
She shakes her head. I deliberately didn’t bring a bag with me today. I didn’t want to draw any attention to myself.
“Bennett, do you have my phone?”
He frowns at me and shakes his head. He’s probably wondering why I’m asking him. There’s no reason why he’d have my phone.
I clap my hands on my jeans pockets and head to the sofa. I glance around the area like I don’t know exactly where I’ve left the phone. I pull at the cushions, checking behind and then, like magic, find what I’m looking for. “Phew,” I say to myself, loud enough that I hope it sounds convincing to anyone who’s listening.
I turn to find Bennett staring right at me, his expression thunderous.
We say our goodbyes. Worth leaves at the same time and Bennett doesn’t say a word to either of us as we ride the lift down to the lobby. He doesn’t even hold my hand. He grips me by my elbow, like he thinks I’m about to run somewhere.
“Catch you later,” I say to Worth. I don’t get a chance to give him a kiss goodbye before Bennett leads me forcefully out of the building and onto the street.
“Hey,” I say, pulling away from him. “What are you doing?”
“What am I doing?” he spits. “What are you doing?”
“What?” I ask, but he doesn’t answer and we get into his car in silence.
“Why are you so angry?” I ask again as he starts the engine.
“Why did you drop your phone behind the cushion where I was sitting?”
I sigh. I really hope we don’t go to war and assign me to the intelligence division. I’m a terrible spy. How did he possibly catch that?
“I’m waiting for an explanation,” he says, and I can hear real venom in his words. It’s not a tone I’ve ever heard from him. He’s usually so calm and collected.
I fix my stare straight ahead through the windscreen. I can’t bear to see him so angry. “It was a phone Aarvi gave me.”
“Aarvi?” he asks. “What? Why?”
There’s no getting out of the corner I’ve painted myself into. There’s nothing I can do other than tell him the truth.
“You know Tristan, my not-brother-in-law?”
“The guy in your apartment.”
“I’ll state again for the record that he’s very happily married. But I didn’t tell you the entire truth about him.”
He pulls out into the street and he heads in the direction of my place.
“I’m waiting,” he says.
“He’s in tech. I didn’t lie about that. And it’s kinda true that he’s been helping me think about my career. But that’s not why I met up with him. I wanted his help in tracking down the person or organization responsible for the Fort security breaches.”
“You told him?”
I let out a breath. “I did.” I turn to him in my seat, hoping he’ll see that I’m telling the truth. “But he’s, like, the best in the business. And a family friend. He’s not going to do anything that’s?—”
“And?” His jaw is so tight, it might shatter at any moment.
“And he helped me with a theory I had about where the attacks are coming from.”
“What theory?”
“Well… then I met Aarvi.”
“What theory, Efa?”
I ignore his question, because I’m getting to it and I don’t want to be rushed. “Turns out, Aarvi had a similar theory. So we worked together to test it out.”
“Tonight?” he asks.
“Yes,” I say.
We pull up in front of my building and I go to get out, but before I do, he locks the car doors. “I want to hear your theory.”
I’m irritated that he’s locked us in, but this is Bennett Fordham. He’s used to getting what he wants.
“Aarvi and I both think—and in fact, Aarvi has proof, and Tristan also discovered—that it was your phone that gave the attacker a gateway into the Fort systems.”
His eyes narrow slightly but he faces forward, not looking at me as I speak.
“But to be able to do that,” I continue, “Aarvi explained that someone would have to be close by to you, because the malware isn’t sitting on your device. The attacker is smart and doesn’t want to give away how they’re getting in. So the malware only routes through your phone. I’ve never even heard of that. Aarvi said they’d have to put a mobile device within a meter of your phone to gain access.”
He lets out a hardened half-laugh. “So you slipped a phone down the back of a cushion so you could route malware through my phone, then had the backup of five other people in the room as a cover. Did you do this on your own or are you and Tristan working together?”
“What?” I snap. “Stop being an asshole for a second. I’m trying everything I can to help you. You can’t think I’m responsible for the attacks.”
“I don’t know about entirely responsible. But it sounds like maybe you’re part of it. Why else would you put on a show—a bad show, I might add—about your phone being lost in the couch?”
“Because, dickwad, Aarvi has control over that device and she’s trying to pick up the attack in real time.” I try the door handle again and it’s still locked. “Let me out of here. I’m trying to help you and you accuse me? You’re a real distrusting piece of shit. I’ve never given you the slightest reason not to trust me.”
“And neither have the five men up there who you’re accusing of sabotaging me.”
“Yeah, you’re right. That’s who I think is attacking Fort. One of them. One of your best friends. And it’s horrible and it makes me feel sick that someone could do that to you, but it’s definitely not me doing it.”
“There’s no way.”
Of course he doesn’t believe me. “If you don’t want to hear it from me, then maybe you’ll listen to Aarvi.”
I pull out my phone to see if she’s sent me any news, but there’s nothing. She said she’d message as soon as she knew anything.
“Let me out,” I say.
“I’m going to call her,” he says, not opening the door.
“Call her. But let me out. I’ll be waiting for your apology.”
He unlocks the car doors, his phone already pressed to his ear.
I’d really like to know what Aarvi says. But at the same time, I’m done. I don’t want to be the person Bennett immediately looks to if something goes wrong. I slam the car door shut and head into my building.
I’m exhausted.
I want to be at home.
I want my sister.
I want a KitKat and an episode of Love Island .
I understand Bennett has trust issues, but I’m not sure I can handle being the prime suspect the moment something goes wrong. I’ve worked my arse off trying to get some kind of resolution for him. Then for him to turn around and suspect me? After all the time we’ve spent together? I understand people used his mother. But he’s not her, and I’m not them.
The lift doors are closing and I’m half waiting to see if Bennett appears before they do, his expression full of apology. Again.
But he doesn’t.
And after an hour of waiting for him to pound on my door, I turn off the light and try to sleep.