Read Online Playing His Dangerous Game by Tina Duncan - Free Book Online Page B

until she’d pushed her cup aside and leant across the table before saying softly, ‘I hacked into their computer system.’
    Shara almost choked on her own tongue. ‘You didn’t!’
    Royce nodded. ‘I most certainly did. I left a message in the inbox of every employee of the company telling them that if they didn’t hire me they’d regret it.’
    Shara stared at Royce open-mouthed, then threw her head back and laughed. Not a delicate little giggle but a full-on belly laugh. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed like that.
    Finally she sobered. ‘I shouldn’t be laughing. That really was very naughty of you.’
    ‘I know. But do you blame me?’
    Shara thought about that. ‘I suppose not. Although with your sense of right and wrong I’m surprised you didn’t think you were crossing the line.’
    ‘Considering there was no malicious intent involved and that I signed my name to the e-mail, I figured I wasn’t doing any harm other than proving that I was determined.’
    ‘Oh, I think you managed to prove that,’ she said dryly.
    ‘The company obviously thought so too.’
    Shara frowned. ‘Don’t tell me they threatened you with the police?’
    Royce shook his head. ‘No. In fact just the opposite. They were on the phone the next day with all kinds of offers.’
    Again it was an answer she hadn’t been expecting. ‘Are you sure you’re not making this up?’
    ‘Scouts’ honour,’ Royce said, giving her the three-fingered salute that usually accompanied the saying. ‘It takes quite some skill to bypass the security of a security company, you know.’
    ‘I hadn’t thought of it that way, but I suppose it does.’ Not only was he determined, he was clever right along with it. ‘Did you accept?’
    ‘Of course. I worked with them through the rest of high school, learning the ropes and the various aspects of the business. Then, while I was at university, I started my own business.’
    ‘And now you’re the largest and most well-known security firm on the globe?’
    ‘The biggest and the best,’ Royce said proudly.
    Shara frowned. ‘I was less than gracious the last time we discussed this. I apologise. Obviously your success is well deserved.’
    ‘Thanks, but your apology isn’t necessary.’ He pushed his mug away. ‘Now, enough about me. Let’s discuss our strategy moving forward.’
    ‘Do we have to?’ Shara demanded. ‘I’m sick to the back teeth of talking about Steve. I don’t even want to
think
about him.’
    ‘I’m sure you don’t. But we need to go over a couple of things. After that we won’t mention Brady again unless we absolutely have to. Deal?’
    ‘All right,’ she agreed reluctantly.
    Royce stared at her for a long moment. There was something about the lack of expression on his face that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.
    ‘I want you to take out an Apprehended Violence Order against Brady,’ he said quietly.
    Shara frowned. ‘I’ve heard of them, but I’m not sure how they work.’
    ‘An AVO is used to protect a person against both acts of violence and the threat of violence. It covers everything from physical assault to non-physical abuse, such as harassment or intimidation. The order itself doesn’t give a person a criminal record, but the clincher for us is that a breach of the order
is
a criminal offence.’ He leaned forward. ‘If Brady crosses the line once the AVO is in place we can have him arrested.’
    Shara shook her head even before he’d finished speaking, her hands clenched tightly together in her lap. ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’
    Royce frowned. ‘Why?’
    ‘Because it’s too confrontational, that’s why.’
    Royce stared at her—hard. ‘I thought we’d already had this conversation. Don’t tell me you’re back-pedalling already?’
    Shara bit down on her lower lip. ‘I’m not back pedalling. I’m just …’
    He raised a brow. ‘Just what?’
    ‘Exercising caution.’
    Royce