HACKING THE BILLIONAIRE: Part 3 Read Online Free PDF

fluttered in his chest.
    Riley had been in this car. She would have died. All because of his case. Guilt sliced through him. He never should have asked her to continue with the investigation. She was in danger. He didn’t want that. He wanted Riley whole and safe.
    Not injured.
    “What?” Riley said.
    She was looking at him over the car that looked like a crushed soda can. He leaned on the roof. “You have to stop, Riley. You could have died.”
    She eyed him. “But I’m okay and I said I’d stop.”
    “I mean it. Don’t just tell me you are and keep going. You’re in danger. I’m afraid for you. Especially since I’m not there to protect you.”
    She put up her hands. “No bodyguard, Dirk. Stay out of it. I won’t do anything anymore. I don’t have much time anyway.”
    Probably because of her new boyfriend. He didn’t want to think about that. He’d let her go. He never should have done that. Now he had a long road to get her back, but he was determined.
    Riley would be his.
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter Five
    Riley remained quiet during the drive home. She wanted to stop investigating. She wasn’t going to tell Dirk that she might keep an eye on things, even more unofficially. No visits to family members.
    Nothing like that.
    She wanted to get into her pajamas and call Justin. She had his number, but they hadn’t been spending much time together. She did want to see him.
    Sort of.
    Being with Dirk was calming enough. Sort of. He had a presence about him that suggested strength and power. She wished he used it for good. Not to control her. Didn’t matter. He was gone now.
    She had to wash him out of her life. Being with him was dangerous physically and emotionally.
    “You hungry?”
    She blinked at him. Those were the first words he’d said since they left the garage. He seemed to be bothered by the whole event. Seeing the car had made him more introspective. She saw fear in his eyes. She’d never seen that.
    Odd for Dirk.
    “Uh, yes, but I want to go home.”
    “How about we stop and get some takeout?”
    Did she really want to spend more time with Dirk? Did she want to risk it? She was still attracted to him. In his presence, she’d only thought about Justin once. Not good. Justin was a normal guy. Easy to be with.
    Dirk presented all sorts of challenges. Her life would be simple with Justin. Her life would be anything but that with Dirk. Did she really want to play with fire? Or did she want to live an easy life?
    Justin didn’t challenge her. Maybe that was the problem. She’d never had anyone challenge her like Dirk. Sometimes he made her tired. He also made her feel alive. What he talked about. What he knew about. How he made love to her.
    That sucked. She wanted easy. No problems. But what did she really need? What would make her life full and worth living? A man who never questioned what she did, or a man who questioned everything she did?
    She was too tired to make this decision now, so she agreed to takeout. Then he’d be gone.
    But he wasn’t gone. They ate. Dirk cleaned up as Riley watched him from the doorway of her kitchen. He looked at home doing dishes. Why was that so sexy?
    “Why don’t you go sit down?” he said.
    “I’m fine. Just bruised.”
    “It was a horrible crash. You must have been scared.”
    Of course he would bring that up. She had been scared, but she wanted to deal with it on her own. He emptied the sink, then dried his hands. He stood in her galley kitchen as if deciding what to do.
    He strode over to her, standing within inches of her. “It’s okay to let go, Riley. It’s okay to depend on me.”
    The earnestness in his eyes melted her. He put his arms around her. “I don’t need to be anywhere else right now.”
    The fear she’d felt when she saw that tree coming rushed back to her. She’d been holding it all in, and now Dirk was offering her a shoulder to cry on. And she needed this right now. Sadly, she had to admit that to herself.
    He made