Page 18 of Unbearable Player
“Well,” she muttered to herself, applying a final swipe of metallic blue lipstick, “if this doesn’t scream ‘I hack computers for fun,’ I don’t know what does.”
She thought about the kiss with Reid. God. She’d had so many dirty dreams, she had to take a cold shower. He’d invaded her sleep and refused to leave. His big, hard body and that mouth.
Her phone buzzed with a text from Reid: I’m outside. Ready?
Brianne took a deep breath, steeling herself for the night ahead. She needed to stop thinking of getting Reid naked and focus on the plan. This wasn’t just another night out at a gaming convention. They were about to infiltrate an underground hacker den, all in the hopes of finding a lead on her stolen game prototype. The gravity of the situation hit her, sending a shiver of excitement and fear down her spine.
“Game on,” she whispered, grabbing her bag and heading out the door.
Reid Parker’s sleek black car idled at the curb, its tinted windows reflecting the neon signs of the Brooklyn night. As Brianne approached, the passenger door swung open, revealing a transformed Reid.
Gone was the impeccably tailored suit and tie. Instead, Reid wore dark jeans, a fitted black T-shirt, and a leather jacket that accentuated his broad shoulders. His usually neatly styled hair was artfully tousled, giving him a roguish look that made Brianne’s heart skip a beat. Aw, hell. There went not thinking of getting him naked. If Suit Reid was hot, Relaxed Reid was sinful. The wolfish grin he gave her made her knees shake.
“Wow, you look hot,” Brianne blurted out before she could stop herself. “I mean…You clean up nice, Mr. Security Expert. Or should I say, you dirty down nice?”
Reid’s lips quirked in an I’m gonna eat you alive smile she wanted to put to the test. “Hot?”
She blushed. “You know what I mean.”
His eyes roamed over her face and settled on her mouth. She licked her lips and his gaze shot up to her eyes. “I’ll take that as a compliment. You look... different.”
“Different good or different ‘did you lose a fight with a neon sign’?” Brianne asked, sliding into the passenger seat.
“Definitely good,” Reid replied, his eyes lingering on her for a moment longer than strictly necessary. “You’ll fit right in with the crowd we’re about to meet.”
As they drove through the streets of Brooklyn, tension built in her stomach. “So, run me through the plan one more time,” she asked, fiddling with the zipper of her leather jacket.
Reid’s eyes remained fixed on the road, but his voice was steady and reassuring. “We’re going to The Neon Nexus, an underground club known for its... eclectic clientele. It’s a hotspot for hackers, gamers, and anyone involved in the less-than-legal side of the tech world.”
“Sounds charming,” Brianne replied. “And how exactly did you find out about this delightful establishment?”
“I have my sources,” Reid answered. “The important thing is if anyone knows anything about your stolen prototype or The Glitchers, they’ll be here.”
Brianne nodded, her mind already racing with possibilities. “And our cover story?”
“We’re a couple of freelance coders looking to make some connections,” Reid explained. “You’re the tech genius, I’m the muscle. If anyone asks, we’ve worked on some... morally ambiguous projects in the past.”
“Morally ambiguous, huh?” Brianne grinned. “I can work with that. Though I have to say, you make a pretty convincing tech genius yourself in that getup.”
Reid chuckled, a rare sound that sent warmth through Brianne’s chest. “I’ll leave the tech talk to you. Just try not to go too deep into the gaming jargon. We want to blend in, not stand out.”
“Please,” Brianne scoffed. “I can talk circles around these script kiddies without breaking a sweat. You just worry about looking pretty and intimidating.”
As they approached their destination, the streets grew darker, the neon signs more frequent. They pulled up to an unassuming brick building, its windows blacked out. The only indication that it wasn’t abandoned was a small, pulsing blue light above a heavy metal door.
“This is it,” Reid said, killing the engine. He turned to Brianne, his expression serious. “Remember, we’re here for information only. If things go south, we get out. No heroics, no risks. Understood?”
Brianne nodded, suddenly very aware of how close they were in the confines of the car. “Got it. In and out like stealing a rare item in a stealth mission.”
Reid’s eyebrows furrowed. “I’m not sure I followed that reference, but I’ll trust you know what you’re doing.”
“That’s the spirit.” Brianne grinned, trying to mask her nerves with humor. “Now, let’s go mingle with the digital underworld, shall we?”
They exited the car and approached the door. Reid rapped on it in a specific pattern, and after a moment, it swung open. A burly man with more piercings than Brianne could count eyed them suspiciously.
“Password?” he grunted.
Brianne stepped forward, channeling all her confidence. “The firewall burns at midnight,” she said, reciting the phrase Reid had given her earlier.