Bared by the Billionaire Read Online Free Page B

Harmon was much too handsome to fit the image of the geeky tech genius described in all the articles she’d read about him.
    “I think Harmon is behind all of this,” Patterson was saying. “He’s lost a couple million, but to him that’s like losing a handful of pocket change in the couch. He can claim he’s a victim of fraud, like all the others. But behind the scenes, I believe he’s the one who’s been pulling the strings. He has the know-how to make all that money disappear into thin air. He’ll give Alejandro his cut and walk away with the lion’s share of the money.”
    “Why would someone as rich as Jake Harmon need to steal from his friends?”
    “That’s where you come in, Kyra. I think Harmon is having cash flow problems. His company is worth billions on paper, but none of that is money he can get his hands on unless he goes public with his stock. He’s gone out on a limb recently, holed himself up in his penthouse for months, spending money like water. Word on the street is that he’s creating some hot new tech device that will change our lives forever, blah, blah, blah. The usual hype. So far, all I have are theories. I need someone with a mind like yours on the inside of Harmon’s operation, someone who can look at his confidential financial records and immediately see the holes in them. Harmon’s company is privately held, so he doesn’t have to file documents with the SEC. We’ve gone over his tax returns, but the man has an army of accountants and attorneys working for him. He’s got so many layers of protection that it’s impossible to penetrate them. We can’t find proof of any wrongdoing.”
    “And what exactly do you think I can do?” Her tone was cool. So far, Patterson’s theory was logical. Harmon had the reputation of keeping things secret. In the past, he’d spend a big chunk of his fortune on each new idea he was developing while allowing the rumor mill to drive up interest. Then he’d unveil his newest tech device with a fanfare to hordes of people already desperate to own the latest Harmon creation without having any idea of what it was or what it could do. Like everyone else in the small club that made up the top of the tech industry, she’d been hearing rumors lately that he had something new in the works, something huge.
    “I want you to go undercover, get inside Harmon’s organization, find out the truth. Word is, the man is looking for someone with your qualifications right now. We have a contact, another investor who lost big bucks thanks to following Harmon’s lead. He can get you in to see Harmon for a personal interview. Let’s face it, as of yesterday, you’re unemployed. This company is bankrupt. The few assets left will be tied up in legal battles for years… and so will you, unless you join us.”
    Patterson pulled his chair closer to the desk and reached for Kyra’s hand. “This is your chance—a chance to clear your name and help all the other innocent victims these two have scammed. You need a job and I need someone I can trust inside Harmon’s company. What do you say, Kyra—can I count on you?”
    She met his earnest gaze steadily. Maybe the old Kyra would have been swept away by the combination of his good looks and the chance to get out of this horrible mess with her freedom and her reputation intact. But her instincts told her there was more to his offer, something he wasn’t telling her. And this time she wasn’t going to ignore those instincts the way she had with Alejandro.
    “My father had a saying, Agent Patterson. ‘Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.’ I’ll admit I was fooled by Alejandro. That’s what got me into this situation. But I’m not walking into another illegal operation without knowing exactly what’s in store for me there. If you want me to work with the FBI, you’re going to have to tell me whatever it is you’re not telling me.”
    Patterson stared her down for a moment, then laughed.