Hard Love

Book 5: Hacker

by Meredith Wild

Genres: Sagas; Women's Fiction; Contemporary Romance; New Adult Romance; Romantic Suspense; Workplace Romance

Synopsis

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Meredith Wild comes the highly anticipated final book in the Hacker series?Ķ Days after their wedding, Blake and Erica Landon embark on their honeymoon-a journey that deepens their bond and promises to fade the scars of their past. Just when their troubles seem safely behind them, scandal surrounding would-be Governor Daniel Fitzgerald's election threatens their newfound peace. Back home, Blake finds himself at the center of the controversy, haunted by the transgressions of his hacker past that he has no wish to relive. With Blake's freedom at stake and their future in peril, Erica will stop at nothing to clear his name. But when Blake defies the authorities and refuses to seek the truth, their world gradually begins to crumble. Will he let his past win? Or can Erica convince him that their life together is worth fighting for-now more than ever...

Release date: September 15, 2015

Publisher: Forever

Print pages: 296

Sample

Dublin, Ireland

We stepped through the black painted doors of The Widow and into the energy of the pub. Laughter rose above the steady murmur of its patrons crowded together in small booths that lined the walls. With Blake’s hand in mine, I led us farther into the room that wrapped around the old square bar, the centerpiece of this place made for spirits and revelry.

Around the corner, a face lit up with recognition, a smile mirroring my own.

“Professor!”

I broke contact with Blake and made my way toward the man I’d known all my years at Harvard as Professor Brendan Quinlan. He rose and greeted me with a tight embrace. The texture of his green sweater was rough under my hands, his salt-and-pepper hair a tickle against my cheek.

“Erica! Wonderful to see you. How have you been?” His Irish brogue had become more pronounced in the months since I’d seen him.

How could I possibly sum up everything life had thrown at me since graduation months ago? Still, in this very moment, I was…

“I’m great.” I smiled broadly and felt Blake’s warmth behind me, then his hand gently at the small of my back.

I glanced up at the man who’d completely stolen my heart since the last time I’d seen Brendan. Blake’s dark brown hair was trimmed neatly for our recent wedding. His lean, muscular torso was hidden under a light sweater, but his jeans strained in all the right ways over the contours of his thighs. Maybe I was a smitten newlywed, but I wasn’t alone in my admiration. Blake turned heads, even in the few minutes since we’d walked into the pub. And because he was mine in all the ways that mattered, I no longer cared who looked.

The professor extended his hand to Blake. “You must be the lucky lad.”

Blake shook his hand, his deep hazel eyes crinkling at the edges with a smile. “I certainly am. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Erica speaks very highly of you.”

“And she of you. You two are quite the pair now.” He darted his gaze between the two of us. “The maven and the mogul.”

I laughed and leaned into Blake. “Maven? I’m not sure if I’m quite there yet.”

The professor motioned toward the worn wooden table where we took our seats. “Don’t doubt it! Might be a good title for a book in any case. I may have to steal it.”

He winked, and the gesture tugged at my heart. I’d missed his friendship and guidance. Once so steady, and then suddenly gone after he’d left for sabbatical and I ventured out into the working world for the first time. I smiled inwardly, remembering how we’d spent hours going over my business plan and turning over ideas, all the while figuring out how I was going to satisfy my major between business-building efforts. I’d never forget what his support meant to me then and how it had set me on a journey that would challenge me beyond my wildest imagination.

He’d left for Ireland nearly as soon as Blake had come into my life. He’d had his reasons, of course. Despite his focus on business studies at the university, he’d left to pursue a different kind of dream and one I was eager to hear more about.

“How is the novel going?”

“It’s going grand. Plenty of characters around here to inspire me. Isn’t that right, Mary?”

The waitress, a woman with thick black curly hair pulled back into a clip, arrived at the table. She’d brought with her a dark pint filled to the frothy brim. She set it down and straightened, resting her hands on her hips over the strings of her small black apron.

“Is he pestering ye? I can toss him out. Wouldn’t be the first time, would it, Bren?” She winked.

He shook his head with a smile. “No need, love. I’ll be on my best behavior.”

We ordered a couple more pints, and hours later I was warm from the beer and laughing, listening to Brendan’s stories about his local friends and adventures. We talked about Harvard too, reliving the best of my college memories. I was careful to skirt past the others. Brendan would never know about those shadows, and I truly hoped he’d never know how close Max had come to repeating history. Perhaps when Brendan was back in Boston he would get wind of the assault charges that had been brought against his former student, but at least for now, he was far enough away that he likely wouldn’t find out.

Blake and Brendan were chatting about one of Blake’s business ventures when Mary returned to clear our empty glasses.

“There she is. My bride to be,” Brendan muttered, his accent somehow thicker than it had been when we arrived.

“Oh, you.” She smacked his arm, barely concealing a smile.

He beamed with a grin and turned his focus back to us. “Will you have another?”

I glanced at Mary’s tray of empties. We could go a lot longer and regret it. I shook my head. “I’m good. You two can go ahead, if you want.”

Blake leaned back and slid his arm over my shoulders. “No, we should head back. It’s getting late.”

Brendan nodded. “Of course. Let me see you out, then.”

“I’ll take care of the tab and meet you two outside,” Blake said.

Brendan protested, but Mary ignored his pleas to pay. When he’d finally given up, he and I left the noise of the pub together for the much quieter clatter of the street outside. People walked in small groups past us, in and out of the surrounding establishments. A half-moon cast a sheen on the street. The cobblestones were misted with evidence of a brief rain shower we’d missed while inside.

I stuffed my hands into my pockets and took in all the details of this new place.

“Beautiful night, isn’t it?” Brendan took a deep breath of the evening air.

“It is. I’m so glad we could catch up, Professor.”

He chuckled. “Brendan! I beg you, call me Brendan. At least until you get to graduate school, and then we can work it out.”

I laughed. “Not likely, but fair enough.”

“I suppose what you’ve been through has been your education.” His smile faded a little and his gaze wandered past me. “I’m sorry about yer man Max. I had no idea that he’d be such a disappointment for the cause, Erica. I’d seen a glimmer of hope in the boy… Thought for sure he’d straightened up from his younger days.”

I looked down, not wanting to let on what a grave disappointment he’d ultimately been.

“It’s okay. Ancient history,” I said quietly, thinking back to the email update I’d sent the professor days after learning that Max and my ex-employee, Risa, had stolen company information and used it to launch their competing business. I hadn’t wanted the professor to feel guilty, only to save him from sending any other unwitting students Max’s way for help or support.

Max had proven far more dangerous than I’d given him credit for initially. Perhaps if I hadn’t become so involved with Blake, he wouldn’t have taken such an interest in ruining me in every way he could. But I wasn’t about to make excuses for him, and I didn’t want anyone else to have to go through what I had.

“Perhaps it worked out in a way, with you meeting Blake. Silver lining, as they say.”

“Very true. The past few months have been hard, but I couldn’t have gotten through them without him.”

I’d always prided myself on my independence. I’d been left, hurt, and abandoned. I’d been underestimated and brushed off. Never had I thought I’d become so committed to another human being. I couldn’t imagine having come through the past few months the same without Blake by my side, though. And I couldn’t imagine today or any of my tomorrows without his love and support. Saying yes, sharing vows, and giving him my trust had come easier after everything we’d been through.

“Ready?” Blake had stepped through the doorway of the pub and come to my side, effectively sidelining my thoughts and our conversation.

I couldn’t say I minded one bit. I’d loved meeting with my old friend, but I was ready to be back in Blake’s arms, in a quiet place with just the two of us. We were on our honeymoon, after all.

I bit my lip, smiling. My honeymoon, with my husband.

I turned to the professor for a last hug, and we said our goodbyes before parting ways.

Blake and I began to walk the now familiar path back to our hotel, through the dark uneven streets out of Dublin’s city center. A hint of rain and the lingering scent of the fresh flowers that had been sold on the streets hours earlier filled the air.

I held Blake’s hand, admiring the details of the building architecture framing the old streets, greeting the bright-eyed faces that met us on the sidewalk. It was almost midnight, but our schedule was a mess, and I was in no rush to be anywhere as long as we were together.

Seeing my old professor again had been a flashback to a simpler time in my life. So much had happened since that first meeting in the Angelcom boardroom that Professor Quinlan arranged with Max’s initial support. I never could have known then that I’d fall head over heels for the cocky investor sitting across from me… that I’d become his wife. But here we were, bound together as closely as two people could be.

Blake caught me closer to his side and brushed a soft kiss over my cheek. “I like Brendan. I can see why he’s become a friend.”

I smiled. “It seems odd to call him a friend when he’s been so much more, but it’s true. He encouraged me to build the business when I had so many doubts. He’s the reason I took the path I did.”

“A path that led you straight to me.” He squeezed my hand. “Lucky me.”

I glanced up and kissed his cheek as we walked. I was lucky too. I couldn’t deny it.

But for all my early dreams, imagining where entrepreneurship would take me, I could have never imagined traveling the road I had. With Sid’s and Alli’s help, I’d built a business that had grown and had attracted outside partners that promised to take it to the next level. Days after signing over my stake in the company, I’d learned that Isaac Perry and Blake’s ex would control the reins. The devastating development had sent me into an emotional tailspin—one I hadn’t fully recovered from yet.

I thought back to the last day I set foot in the Clozpin office, none the wiser for what I’d done, what I’d signed away. I reminded myself that no matter what happened now, if the business flourished or crashed and burned, I’d never be able to go back.

“You’re quiet. What are you thinking about?” Blake asked.

I blew out a breath and shook my head. “The business, I guess. Sometimes I still can’t believe I’m not a part of it anymore.”

“You can’t let that eat away at you,” he said quietly. “It’s in the past, and you have a bright future ahead of you.”

“Most of the time, I try not to think about it.”

He was silent a moment before he spoke. “I know it still hurts. And I hate that you had to leave something you poured so much of yourself into. But you’re free now. You have the world at your fingertips. Despite everything that happened, that’s not a bad thing.”

Maybe he was right, but so much was still unknown when it came to my professional future. “Clozpin gave me purpose. I can only hope Geoff’s new projects will make me feel the same way. At least most of the team is still there, so it won’t feel completely foreign.”

Thanks to Blake appointing me to the board at Angelcom, I’d had the opportunity to invest in new projects that could fill the void. Geoff Wells was a programmer and had the same entrepreneurial spark that I recognized in myself. Enough that when things fell through with Clozpin, Sid, Alli, and I saw enough promise to rally around his concept as our next venture.

“I’ve been investing long enough to recognize passion when I see it. I see it in Geoff, and I’ve always seen it in you. You’re going to give everything you have to make this venture successful. It’s your nature. Believe me. One opportunity that didn’t go according to plan isn’t going to change that.”

The memory of disappointment, of a soul-crushing failure, echoed through me. The more time passed, the more I could emotionally distance myself from what Isaac and Sophia had done. The more I could see the experience for what it was—a chapter… a learning experience that I’d not soon forget. While being ripped from the business that had meant so much to me wasn’t as excruciating as it had been at first, the wound was still tender.

“Maybe. I can’t help but feel like I… failed somehow.” The guilt niggled at me like a bad dream I couldn’t shake.

He glanced down at me. “You didn’t fail. You learned.”

I scuffed the sole of my boots against the stones as we walked, avoiding his stare.

“I’ve been around the block a few times, you know. You should trust me.”

I smirked. “That’s why I married you, of course. For your business acumen and wealth of knowledge.”

He lifted an eyebrow.

“And your mountains of money,” I added quickly.

“You’re trying to tell me you didn’t marry me for my dashing good looks? I might be insulted.”

I pursed my lips, trying to look serious. “If I had to pick one thing that tipped the scales, I’d say it was your exceptional skills in bed. I think that’s where you really excel.”

“Well then”—he laughed, his eyes twinkling—“at least my purpose is clear.”

He gave my ass a firm squeeze. Laughing, I pushed him away as we approached a street performer who was crooning for the barest of audiences. A small group of French-speaking tourists stood nearby, and an older man, dirty from the streets, sat on the opposite side of the street with a sloppy grin.

We slowed to listen as the tourists dispersed. The song was sad, but rich with love—raw and emotional the way he delivered each verse. Blake turned me to him, bringing us chest to chest. Our fingers laced, his breath warm against my hair, he led us into a simple nameless dance. I swayed toward him and closed my eyes, clinging to his frame the way I clung to every magical moment between us.

Straining for the lyrics through the singer’s thick accent, I caught the verses.

When misfortune falls sure no man can shun it.

I was blindfolded I’ll ne’er deny.

Now at nights when I go to my bed of slumber,

the thoughts of my true love run in my mind.

Another moment passed as the young man’s voice faded into the night. The song was a somber one, made light only by his passionate delivery. Like so much of life, the pain was what you made of it. He’d made something sad beautiful.

I sighed and settled against Blake’s chest. His body emanated warmth. His heartbeat was a steady reminder of his support, his love—a force that had saved me, changed me, and healed me in ways I’d never thought possible. He tipped my chin up, the glint in his eyes matching the passion in my heart. He parted his full lips, but hesitated, a wordless moment passing between us.

“I’m going to show you the whole world, Erica.”

“I can’t imagine enjoying a minute of it without you,” I whispered.

He stilled our slow dance, tracing a fingertip over my lips, his countenance now serious in a way that threatened my next breath.

“And I’m going to make you fall in love with me all over again. Every morning and every night. In every city and at the edge of every ocean. I’ll remind you why you’re mine and why I’ve always been yours.”

I drew an unsteady breath, feeling his promise all the way to my soul. Swallowing hard, I found my voice. “I think you’re on the right track.”

I arched toward him until our lips met. Soft and slow at first, the kiss went deeper, stealing every thought that didn’t revolve around his taste and touch.

We broke apart slightly when a gravelly voice interrupted us.

“Go make love to her, lad, before she changes her mind entirely.”

Behind us, the man who’d made his home for the night in the entryway of a high-end store offered an imperfect grin, pairing his words of wisdom with a friendly tip of his small bottle of liquor.

I smiled, and Blake, by the dark look in his eyes, seemed to immediately accept the stranger’s challenge.

“I plan to,” he murmured, his tone all velvet and delicious threat.

My skin tingled and he took my mouth again with a kiss that promised so much more.

I sat alone in the darkness, unable to quiet my thoughts. Outside the water lapped against the pillars that held our luxury bungalow safely above the crystal-clear ocean. The moon lit up the horizon and the waves rolled in uneven strips toward us. Then the inevitable crash of the salty sea meeting the shore. I could no more stop the motion than I could stop time.

The meditative rhythm of the sound should have soothed me, but I was far from soothed, far from sleep. Hours had turned to days, and somehow the days had melted into weeks. We hadn’t wasted a moment, but I couldn’t fight the unsettling feeling that hit my gut every time I thought about the honeymoon ending. In our busy lives, a month was an eternity. But somehow a month wasn’t enough, and now I resented that life in Boston would be calling us back in a matter of days.

We’d touched down in Malé a week ago, and almost instantly I’d sensed the shift. Maybe because we’d both seen it coming. Maybe because there was nothing but peace on the island. No bustling cities, no friends to meet. No sights to take in, nothing excessive to buy. Just our bodies and an easy silence between us set against the backdrop of this beautiful place. The silence was natural, comfortable, but also weighted by the reality back home that neither of us was ready to face.

I released a tired sigh and reached for my laptop, unable to shake an uneasy feeling. My screen lit up the nearly black night around me. As our honeymoon days dwindled, my thoughts had wandered further from the simple life we’d enjoyed here. More and more they circled around the life we were going back to.

In the bedroom, Erica slept and I hoped it was soundly. She’d been restless most of the night. I wasn’t sure if my restlessness was having the same effect on her, or if the same brand of anxiety riddled us both.

We’d promised to unplug, yet here I was, unable to ignore the reality that we both had enemies, and the most important responsibility I had as Erica’s husband was to protect her. Keeping her safe as we navigated halfway across the world was one thing. Keeping her safe back home was another.

I wanted to be the one to fight for her. For her safety and her happiness. Erica was young, but she’d survived more than anyone should ever have to. I may have tried to keep the upper hand between us, but I never doubted her strength for a moment. Still, I’d made a promise to protect her.

I skimmed my email, ignoring the instinct to start clearing out the list of things to do that had amassed over the past few weeks. The list was too long to consider at this late hour. No, work would have to wait.

I pulled up another tab for the news. We’d caught snippets of world news at the various places we’d been, from Paris to Cape Town, but nothing about Boston had made its way to those channels. Now, front and center, was the familiar home page of The Globe, the headline proclaiming that Daniel Fitzgerald had won the Massachusetts governor’s seat. A landslide victory.

“Prick,” I muttered before clicking the link to read more.

I hated the man. I hated that in a very real way he was the only family Erica had, and still he’d brought nothing but terror to her life. If she needed protecting from anyone, it was from him. I tried like hell to keep my opinions to myself, not wanting to see the pain in her eyes whenever the topic of Daniel came up. But I believed it was the years of his neglect and all the ways he’d failed her over time, more than my words, that cut her deep in those moments.

No matter what she said, or didn’t say, I wasn’t going to let him come between us again, and I was going to make sure he stayed far away f. . .