Josie is a sales associate by day and a lollipop-sucking hacker by night. She likes to stay in and feel the keys underneath her fingertips. When she decides to grace her friends at a club, she stumbles across a man who seems to send every part of he...
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The blue glow of my computer screen flickers and then dies. Shit. I tap the keyboard and jiggle the mouse. Nothing.
"What the hell?" I mutter, reaching for my phone. Mike, our head of IT, 's familiar voice crackles through the speaker.
"Boss, we've got a situation," he says, tension evident in his voice. "The entire company's systems are down. Looks like a virus or... someone's hacking us."
My jaw clenches. "How long to fix it?"
"Hard to say. This is sophisticated stuff. Could be hours, maybe days."
I hang up, my mind already racing. There's only one person I know with the skills to pull this off. Josie. That infuriating, brilliant girl who's been a thorn in my side since the moment we met.
I dial another number, my fingers tapping an impatient rhythm on the desk. "Where is she?" I demand as soon as the line connects.
"Who, boss?" The voice on the other end sounds confused.
"Josie St. James. The girl you've been tailing. Where is she right now?"
There's a pause, and I can practically hear the gears turning in his head. "She's been at work all morning, boss. Hasn't left the store once."
I frown, leaning back in my chair. If Josie's been at work, then who the hell is messing with my systems? The thought that someone else might have gotten past our defenses makes my blood boil.
"Keep eyes on her," I order, hanging up before he can respond.
I stand, pacing the length of my office. The view of the city skyline does nothing to calm my nerves. I'm used to being in control, to having all the pieces on the board exactly where I want them. But now? Now I feel like I'm fumbling in the dark.
A part of me wants to storm down to that mall to confront Josie myself. To see those sharp eyes widen in surprise, to watch her twirl one of those damn lollipops as she tries to outsmart me. But no. I can't show weakness. Can't let her see how much this has rattled me.
I turn back to my desk, staring at the blank screen. Whoever's behind this, they're going to pay. And if it turns out Josie's involved after all? Well, let's just say I'll enjoy teaching her a lesson she won't soon forget.
The hours drag on, my frustration growing with each passing minute. My team is working frantically to fix the system, but we keep hitting roadblocks. It's like whoever did this knew exactly how to bypass our security measures.
I check my watch for what feels like the hundredth time. It's almost noon, and I'm starting to feel a familiar gnawing in my stomach.
Fuck it. I need answers, and I need them now.
As I head for the elevator, I storm out of my office, barking orders at my security team. The ride down to the parking garage feels endless, my fingers drumming an impatient rhythm against my thigh.
