Chapter 25 Passcodes #3
He glanced up at her, teeth flashing in his quick, reassuring smile. “Yes, a large deal we’re trying to close has come across a couple…snags, but we’re nothing if not persistent.”
She tapped the stem of her glass. “I have no doubt you’ll get your way.” A double meaning was encased within the words, but he didn’t catch it. His focus on his screen instead.
He hesitated, eyes reading over a message Anika couldn’t see. “Exactly,” he locked his phone and turned it over before placing it on the counter, out of reach for both of them, “besides, tonight is about us.”
“Of course, no worries.” Dropping the subject, they both fell into silence as they finished up the last scraps of their food.
As Anika was about to suggest either another glass of wine or a taxi home, Levi stood. “Do you need anything? I’m going to run to the restroom.”
“No, I’m okay, thank you.” Her words were all he needed before he disappeared through one of the open doorways. It must be his bedroom, but her gaze wasn’t focused on that anymore. Instead, it latched onto his abandoned phone, still laying face down on the counter.
Does he really think I‘m so naive? So trusting?
It didn’t matter; she was going to snoop regardless of what he thought of her.
Everything he’d told her mirrored information she’d divulged on her own.
Which wouldn’t be a problem to most, but it made Anika’s mind uneasy.
She had things to hide, therefore, couldn’t disclose all of her secrets.
Who was to say Levi wasn’t doing the same thing to her.
Reaching out, she plucked his phone off the counter, swiping up and entering the passcode she’d seen him type out earlier. It worked, her blood thrumming with excitement. She kept her ears perked, ready to set his phone back where she’d gotten it from within seconds.
Unlocked phone in her hand, she recalled how he said he’d been expecting a call…
Anika tapped on the phone icon, searching through his call history and a name jumped out at her.
Mikko.
Her jaw clenched. Of course. It was from earlier in the day and lasted a couple minutes.
Pulling out her own phone, Anika compared the number to the unknown one in her phone, and it was a match. Again, when was she ever wrong. Triumph swelled in her gut.
Exiting out of Levi’s phone call history, she went to his messages. There, at the top, was Mikko again. For not liking one another they sure texted like grade school girls.
Glancing up, she listened for Levi’s return, but all she heard was the faint hum of his furnace and the cars on the street below.
Without wasting any more time, she clicked on their thread.
She scrolled up a bit, curious to see the subjects they talked about and found herself hardly surprised it was about her.
Enjoy the view? :Levi
Anika looked at the time stamp and saw it was from two nights ago when he came over to her house. The same night they made out on her couch.
Mikko: Fuck off
Did you think you could sneak off? That I wouldn’t notice you? :Levi
Mikko: I thought I told you to stop sleeping with clients
And I thought I told you to keep your nose out of my business :Levi
Mikko: It’s a bit hard when you work for me
Her brain quickly put the pieces together, the prickling sensation from that night not just from Levi and his annoying presence, but instead Mikko. He had been watching her, watching them, through her open windows.
What a naughty little thing to do…
Mikko was too predictable.
She scrolled a bit more and found messages from today.
Mikko: Is she there?
Yes, you told me to take her out to dinner :Levi
Mikko: To a restaurant
Mikko: Not your apartment
Mikko: Where I can’t see you
Maybe specify that next time. I can’t read your mind :Levi
Thankfully :Levi
Mikko: Did you at least buy the things I told you to? She’s vegetarian
Yes, I got stuff for veggie gnocchi soup, and I remember you telling me she likes bitter red wine :Levi
You owe me for the wine :Levi
Mikko: The money is already in your account
No, not monetarily. Dry wines are gross :Levi
Mikko: Said by someone who has a child’s taste palette
Rude :Levi
Mikko: I’m serious, stay focused and update me on everything
I’m starting to think you’re into some freaky voyeur shit :Levi
Mikko: Have you been talking to Cristiano?
No, why? :Levi
Mikko had blatantly ignored Levi, never bothering to respond.
So that was how Levi knew her food and wine preference; he’d had an inside source. And it was Mikko Romanov no less. Did he always dedicate this much time to learning his clients? If so, she could see why he was bitchy and had dark circles under his eyes most days. That shit was exhausting.
While the discovery made Anika feel violated, she had to go along with it, pretending everything slipped past her sight, her brain unable to keep up.
Lies.
Confronting Levi about this was a bad idea, a way to erase all of her hard work. No, she needed to stay quiet, to do what she did best.
Observe.
Investigate.
Collect.
Until she had every piece of the puzzle where she wanted it.
Her wine stained lips curved into a smile was what greeted Levi when he returned, his phone back in its original place, and her fingerprints wiped away.