A Matter of Trust (29 page)

Nicholas looked bored. Sloan just smiled.

Leaning back against Michael’s desk, her arms folded loosely over her chest, she continued smoothly, “Usually a malicious user will disguise his or her identity—create a false user ID. If they gain root access—programming capability—they can erase files, and in a company like this, where data is product, they could cripple the company. Or immobilize just one department. Or just one individual. Depending on the target.”

“That’s all very interesting, but—”

“It is,” Sloan agreed, her smile predatory now. “Because once you identify the user ID of someone who has injected a malicious virus or deleted files—even someone with a false ID—you can backtrack through the firewall logs to the IP address, and then eventually to the e-mail address. Now, a clever hacker will reroute through several different servers and direct e-mail tools to more than one account address, but a good cyber-forensics person can sort it out.”

Nicholas sighed and looked at Michael. “Really, I can’t see where this concerns me.”

Her voice steady, Michael answered, “It does if it’s you.”

“What!”

“It’s all right here, Mr. Burke,” Sloan said, extracting a thick file from her briefcase. “All the logs, all the traces. Right back to your private e-mail address. The time logs from your office computer match perfectly the periods of the malicious activity.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Nicholas barked defensively. “There’s no way you could have legally accessed any of that information. This is nothing but technological blackmail.”

“On the contrary,” Michael informed him calmly. “All of this involved the corporate network, and as such, the security company I hired has a legitimate right to it. You forget, Nicholas,” she added, “this is
my
company.”

He took one swift step forward, a sound very close to a growl resonating in his throat. Michael didn’t flinch, not even when he began to raise a tightly clenched fist.

“Don’t,” Sloan warned. She still looked relaxed, but was poised for the move.
Please, just give me the reason.

“Calm down, Nicholas.” Michael spoke before he could move farther, angling her body between him and Sloan. She didn’t doubt Sloan could handle him, but she had no intention of letting him anywhere near her lover. “I’m not interested in putting you in jail.”

“It isn’t true,” he insisted, but his voice had lost its earlier ring of conviction. “Besides, you’d never be able to prove any of it.”

“On the basis of what I have,” Sloan interjected, “I could have the FBI here with a warrant to seize your computer, all of your personal records—everything—by this afternoon. Who knows what else we’ll find in your e-mail?” She already knew what they’d find. Burke hadn’t been very circumspect with his messages to Mayfield. He obviously had never anticipated anyone checking.

“God damn it, it wasn’t me,” he seethed. “It was
Mayfield.”

“If
it was,” Sloan said, and she believed it had been, “he was clever enough to leave the breadcrumbs at the door of the person giving the orders. The trail leads undeniably to you, Mr. Burke.”

“What do you want?” he asked Michael. Casting an angry glance at Sloan, he added quickly, “Assuming any of this is true.”

“I have no interest in dragging this mess into court.” Michael reached for another document and regarded him with a mixture of anger and private sadness. “On the other hand, you tried to destroy not only my work, but also my position within the company. I don’t feel that Innova has any obligation at this point to continue a financial association with you in the future. I have instructed my attorneys to withdraw all monetary incentives and compensation to you once the partnership is dissolved. Given the information I have regarding your activities, I consider that more than fair.”

Nicholas’s jaw muscles tightened and bunched as he struggled to contain his wrath, staring at the documents she held out to him. He looked from one woman to the other and knew with certainty that he had no bargaining power. It was a simple decision to make. He could not afford the adverse publicity that an investigation into his and Mayfield’s tampering would entail, even if he could somehow prove he didn’t actually
do
it. He’d ordered it done, and that was all it would take to destroy any future he might have in the corporate world. Now was the time to accept this small defeat in order to preserve his future opportunities. He nodded once.

“All right.”

“I’ll expect the signed agreement returned by the end of the day, Nicholas.”

“You’ll have it,” he grated, turning to leave.

“And—”

“What else could you possibly want?” he snarled, looking over his shoulder.

“I’ve convened the board.” She glanced at her watch. “They’re waiting for us now. It’s time to end this.”

“You’re so sure that they’ll accept your plans to dissolve our partnership and institute
your
new team?”

Michael knew she was ready. “Yes.”

“We’ll find out,” he barked as he flung open the office door. “I’ll see you in the boardroom.”

She watched him leave, feeling a chapter of her past closing as the door shut resoundingly behind him. She turned to look at the woman who would forever occupy the heart of her future, smiling softly.

“I should get in there.”

“Yes,” Sloan said. “I’ll wait.”

“It could be a while.”

“I’ll be here.”

“Thank you.”

Sloan shook her head, stepping close and resting her hands gently on Michael’s waist. “There’s no need to thank me. I love you.”

“I still appreciate all you did. I don’t intend to bring any of this up at the board meeting. I can win this one on merit. But at least now I know that he won’t contest their decision and tie me up in court for years.”

“I didn’t do all that much, but we both owe Jason and Sarah a night on the town. He missed another date while we put all this together.”

“Absolutely.” Michael raised her arms to Sloan’s shoulders and pressed against her. She kissed her neck and leaned back so that their eyes met. “We’ll take them out—anywhere they want—but not right away. As soon as this is over, I intend to keep you busy with personal matters for quite some time.”

Sloan chuckled and kissed Michael hard enough to make her gasp with sudden pleasure. When she drew back, Sloan asked teasingly, “Personal matters, huh? Is that right?”

“That’s very right,” Michael said emphatically. “You can trust me on that.”

“I can trust you in everything,” Sloan whispered, “and that’s all I’ll ever need.”

Radcly
f
fe
is a retired surgeon and full-time award-winning author-publisher with over thirty lesbian and anthologies in print. Seven of her works have been Lambda Literary finalists, including the Lambda Literary winners
Erotic Interludes 2: Stolen Moments
edited with Stacia Seaman;
In Deep Waters 2; Distant Shores, Silent Thunder
. She is the editor of
Best Lesbian Romance
2009 and 2010 (Cleis Press),
Erotic Interludes
2 through 5 and
Romantic Interludes
1 and 2 with Stacia Seaman (BSB), and has selections in multiple anthologies including
Best Lesbian Erotica 2006-2010; After Midnight; Caught Looking: Erotic Tales of Voyeurs and Exhibitionists; First-Timers; Ultimate Undies: Erotic Stories About Lingerie and Underwear; Hide and Seek; A is for Amour; H is for Hardcore; L is for Leather; Rubber Sex, Tasting Him,
and
Cowboy Erotica
. She is the recipient of the 2003 and 2004 Alice B. Readers’ awards for her body of work and is also the president of Bold Strokes Books, one of the world’s largest independent LGBTQ publishing companies.

Her latest release is an all-Radclyffe erotica anthology,
Radical Encounters
(Feb 2009) and the romantic intrigue novel
Justice for All
(April 2009), and the romance
Secrets in the Stone
(July 2009). Her forthcoming works include
The Midnight Hunt
(writing as L.L. Raand, March 2010) and the first in the First Responder Series,
Trauma Alert
(July 2010).

Witch Wolf
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Do Not Disturb
by Carsen Taite. Ainsley Faraday, a high-powered executive, and rock music celebrity Greer Davis couldn’t be less well suited for one another, and yet they soon discover passion has a way of designing its own future. (978-1-60282-153-8

From This Moment On
by PJ Trebelhorn. Devon Conway and Katherine Hunter both lost love and neither believes they will ever find it again—until the moment they meet and everything changes. (978-1- 60282-154-5)

Vapor
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Wind and Bones
by Kristin Marra. Jill O’Hara, award-winning journalist, just wants to settle her deceased father’s affairs and leave Prairie View, Montana, far, far behind—but an old girlfriend, a sexy sheriff, and a dangerous secret keep her down on the ranch. (978-1- 60282-150-7)

Nightshade
by Shea Godfrey. The story of a princess, betrothed as a political pawn, who falls for her intended husband’s soldier sister, is a modern-day fairy tale to capture the heart. (978-1-60282-151-4)

Vieux Carré Voodoo
by Greg Herren. Popular New Orleans detective Scotty Bradley just can’t stay out of trouble—especially

The Pleasure Set
by Lisa Girolami. Laney DeGraff, a successful president of a family-owned bank on Rodeo Drive, finds her comfortable life taking a turn toward danger when Theresa Aguilar, a sleek, sexy lawyer, invites her to join an exclusive, secret group of powerful, alluring women. (978-1-60282-144-6)

A Perfect Match
by Erin Dutton. The exciting world of pro golf forms the backdrop for a fast-paced, sexy romance. (978-1-60282-145-3)

Truths
by Rebecca S. Buck. Two women separated by two hundred years are connected by fate and love. (978-1-60282-146-0)

Father Knows Best
by Lynda Sandoval. High school juniors and best friends Lila Moreno, Meryl Morganstern, and Caressa Thibodoux plan to make the most of the summer before senior year. What they discover that amazing summer about girl power, growing up, and trusting friends and family more than prepares them to tackle that all-important senior year! (978-1-60282-147-7)

In Pursuit of Justice
by Radclyffe. In the dynamic double sequel to Shield of Justice and A Matter of Trust, Det. Sgt. Rebecca Frye joins forces with enigmatic computer consultant J.T. Sloan to crack an Internet child pornography ring. (978-1-60282-147-4)

The Midnight Hunt
by L.L. Raand. Medic Drake McKennan takes a chance and loses, and her life will never be the same—because when she wakes up after surviving a life-threatening illness, she is no longer human. (978-1-60282-140-8)

Long Shot
by D. Jackson Leigh. Love isn’t safe, which is exactly why equine veterinarian Tory Greyson wants no part of it—until Leah Montgomery and a horse that won’t give up convince her otherwise. (978-1-60282-141-5)

In Medias Res
by Yolanda Wallace. Sydney has forgotten her entire life, and the one woman who holds the key to her memory, and her heart, doesn’t want to be found. (978-1-60282-142-2)

Awakening to Sunlight
by Lindsey Stone. Neither Judith or Lizzy is looking for companionship, and certainly not love—but when their lives become entangled, they discover both. (978-1-60282-143-9)

Fever
by VK Powell. Hired gun Zakaria Chambers is hired to provide a simple escort service to philanthropist Sara Ambrosini, but nothing is as simple as it seems, especially love. (978-1-60282-135-4)

High Risk
by JLee Meyer. Can actress Kate Hoffman really risk all she’s worked for to take a chance on love? Or is it already too late? (978-1-60282-136-1)

Missing Lynx
by Kim Baldwin and Xenia Alexiou. On the trail of a notorious serial killer, Elite Operative Lynx’s growing attraction to a mysterious mercenary could be her path to love—or to death. (978-1- 60282-137-8)

Spanking New
by Clifford Henderson. A poignant, hilarious, unforgettable look at life, love, gender, and the essence of what makes us who we are. (978-1-60282-138-5)

Magic of the Heart
by C.J. Harte. CEO Susan Hettinger and wild, impulsive rock star M.J. Carson couldn’t be more different if they tried—but opposites attract in ways neither woman can resist. (978-1- 60282-131-6)

Ambereye
by Gill McKnight. Jolie Garoul is falling in love with her assistant. The big problem is, Jolie is a werewolf. (978-1-60282-132-3)