Flawless Desire

JULIET

Without Caleb in the office,the week seems to go on forever.

I keep wrestling with what I’m going to do. Look at the hard drive? Snoop in Caleb’s things?

Or ignore my suspicions—and Olivia’s assignment.

Even though I decided to trust him out in the Hamptons, my time apart from him is making me reconsider. Without the haze of lust clouding my judgment, my doubts are coming to the surface again.

What if he’s hiding something from me, something big? What if it all really is an act?

“…for the interviews and press rollout. Juliet?”

I snap back to reality, and find myself in the conference room, with a dozen faces looking at me. We’re in the middle of another meeting about the upcoming anniversary gala, and I’m supposed to be taking notes.

“Right.” I blurt. “Press passes and schedule. Got it.”

“Great.” David, who’s leading the meeting, smiles. “That should just about do it. I won’t keep you,” he adds to the room with a smile. “I know it’s rare to get a chance to work uninterrupted.”

There are chuckles. Everyone seems more relaxed without Caleb around barking orders, not just me.

Even if his orders are my favorite part…

I quickly check over the notes, and I’m relieved to find I managed to get most things on autopilot. I scold myself, adding a few extra details about catering and preview invitations. Caleb isn’t even in the building to distract me. I should be able to do my job while he’s gone.

The meeting ends, and I head back to my desk to type everything up. But despite the stack of work on my desk, I find my thoughts returning to one thing:

The little silver globe flash drive.

It’s still burning a hole in my purse. If I’m going to slip it back in Caleb’s office, it should be soon. But when I take it out, something makes me pause.

What if I’m letting desire blind me to the truth?

I was on board with investigating him before he seduced me. Olivia’s concerns made sense. It was only once I met the man—and kissed him—that my resolve faltered. Just because he rocked my world in bed, that doesn’t change the fact that something has been going on with the Sterling Cross financials.

Am I refusing to see what’s right in front of me?

Maybe it’s nothing, I tell myself hopefully. Maybe if I check the flash drive, I’ll find nothing but porn and online shopping receipts. After all, Olivia could be wrong. About everything.

But I have to know.

I glance around, checking that nobody’s watching, then click it into my laptop, and pull up the drive. There’s a password prompt, and I stare at it for a moment before getting a flash of inspiration.

“It was something my father used to say… ‘Nothing but green lights ahead’.”

I type in the words with my heart in my throat.

Nothingbutgreenlights

It works!

The flash drive opens, revealing several folders. My pulse races. Schedule. Contracts. Accounts…

I click ‘accounts’ and bring up a number of spreadsheets. I open them and scan over the financial information. It looks familiar: I’ve seen them before. Victoria had me make endless copies just last week, to compile for the accounts report.

I exhale a sigh of relief. Nothing shady to see here. Everything’s normal.

Except…