Chapter 57
Lydia
Daniel was too on edge to listen to reason. I put my hand on his thigh beside me as an idea slowly started to form.
“Since Condukt is a public company, can we get him fired?”
Daniel shrugged. “Technically, yes. But it depends who’s voting. I know Langford doesn’t have majority voting rights, though. He’d still have his shares and be just as powerful. Getting fired won’t change that.”
I shook my head. “Doesn’t matter. We need him fired, and it needs to be loud.”
Cole leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees. “So a scandal? We can fake photos and videos—something embarrassing.”
I shook my head again. “We can’t fake it. It needs to be something real or he’ll—”
I vaguely heard Daniel and Cole asking if I was okay.
It was far away, somewhere in the background where reality usually happens.
I was too busy to answer them because my thoughts were running wild, and one shoved its way to the front, wrapped in a pretty little bow with a card that said sweet revenge.
Hands on my shoulders brought me back to Daniel’s frowning face in front of me.
“Where did you go?”
“Somewhere good,” Cole answered for me. “If she ever smiles at me like that, take me out before she can, brother.”
I stood up, needing to feel my body move to keep from zoning out. “I have an idea,” I said, slowly, “but it will only work if you guys have people who can actually do this.”
Daniel’s eyes focused on mine. He nodded, urging me on.
“Drugs,” I continued. “We drug him. Slowly at first, enough to make him confused, maybe a little angry. After a few days, increase the dosage or add other substances so he acts crazier. Once he starts losing control, getting videos of him at a party or something should be easy. Leak it, and repeat. Kernel and Terry can help spread it everywhere until the shareholders can’t ignore it anymore. ”
I stopped pacing when Daniel grabbed me, holding me in place. His eyes practically gleamed with malice, probably mirroring mine. “And if after a month or two, he dies of an overdose, no surprise to anyone,” he added with so much darkness in his voice, it sent a beautiful tingle down my spine.
Cole’s phone pinged loudly. “That was Mike Bennet,” he said, slapping his thighs as he got up. “The intel you sent me was confirmed. I need to report in eight days.”
I watched him walk by us to the door, wondering what that strange new feeling was.
Worry.
“Cole.” My voice was too soft for my liking. “You’re going to get the device?”
Daniel wrapped his arms around me from behind. “Stay safe, brother.” His voice rumbled from his chest into my back, and for a moment, I swore I could feel it in my heart.
Cole nodded to both of us. His eyes lingered on mine for a moment. “I have a few days before I leave, so let me know what you need. I got a guy who can take care of the dosing. You and Jake need to plan the rest.”
Without another word, he walked out.
“Not much for goodbyes, huh?” I said with a smile once we were alone.
Daniel pulled me to the couch to sit beside him. “You’re worried about him.”
“Yes. This is new to me. All of this. Too much is new. Aren’t you worried?”
Daniel exhaled slowly. “We always worry, but you get used to it. It feels like no one can ever bring Cole down, or Jake or Terry… until it happens. I thought that about Natalia.”
“So just hope for the best. Great.”
Daniel pulled me to sit on his lap, facing him. His hands stroked the bottom of my back as he said his next words with a wince.
“We need to talk about protection. This plan is going to take a few months. Until then, you and Becca are still in danger.”
Ugh, this again.
It annoyed me that I was even a concern, but he had a point. We weren’t hiding our relationship, so there was always a chance someone would find out and it got to Langford.
“What are you suggesting?” I asked, hoping it wasn’t bodyguards.
“Bodyguards.”
“Uh… no. No, I’m not having people I don’t know follow me around everywhere. You know me enough by now to know why that can’t happen.”
“Fine. Then until this is all over, Becca’s protection extends to you when you’re at Vale. When you leave the office, one of us will be with you.”
“One of you…” I repeated.
“Me, Jake, or Cole.”
“Cole is going to be away for… I don’t know how long ops take, which leaves you and Jake. You guys are just going to live according to my schedule?”
His hands tightened around me, forcing me closer to him. “First of all, I’m going to be with you every night, all night, and every waking moment I can. Jake will just fill in the blanks.”
No. No. NO.
“I need to be alone. I need time without you or Jake. This can’t be the solution or I’ll lose my mind before Langford does.”
His lips grazed mine. “I’m open to ideas.”
Here goes.
“Kernel,” I said, leaning back to get a better look at his face.
Unsurprisingly, he looked angry.
“No. Why the fuck would you—”
“Because he can watch me without being there. From my phone or something.”
We stared each other down for what felt like at least two minutes before he conceded. “Compromise. I put spyware on your phone. No Kernel. I get alerts, not him.”
“You can’t just sit around watching me on your phone.”
His lips twitched. “Sure I can.”
I put my arms around his neck and leaned in, our lips almost touching. “We want Langford fired, not you.”
Daniel’s tongue shot out, licking my bottom lip and taking me by surprise. I gasped, and he laughed. “It’s a trigger app. We use it to track assets for the Agency. Another thing Kernel stole, by the way.”
“Fine, no Kernel. How does it work?”
“It’s installed on both our phones and sends me an alert and your location if it’s triggered by certain words or sounds.”
“I can live with that,” I said, pushing off him. “Now, you’ve got calls to make.”