[Contributor 02] - Infiltrator (2013) Read Online Free

Letizia’s soft voice startled her, and Dara stopped pacing.
    “What is that supposed to mean?”
    “Are you doing this because you want to help or are you doing this because you want vengeance?”
    “Does it matter?” Dara began pacing again. At this rate, she’d wear a groove in Letizia’s floor.
    “Of course it matters. Use your head for once, instead of letting your emotions get the better of you,” Letizia snapped. “This is precisely why I didn’t think it was a good idea to let you do this.”
    “Might I remind you that I neither need nor want your permission?” Dara snapped back.
    Jumping up, Letizia strode over to Dara and seized her shoulders. “Stop acting like a spoiled little girl. I know you’re pissed about your mom, and you have every right to be, but stop channeling your anger in Andersen’s direction. He’s only a small part of a much larger problem.”
    The fight went out of Dara.“You’re right,” she said grudgingly.
    “Do you have any idea how frustrating you are? Sometimes I feel like talking to you is about as productive as beating my head against concrete. You have to stop doing this. It’s going to make you sloppy. You have to learn to be cold, calculating, if you’re serious about helping us.”
    Jerking out of Letizia’s grasp, Dara took a few steps away and ground the heels of her hands into her burning eyes. “I’m so angry all the time. I thought nothing could rattle me anymore, but then Andersen conveniently neglected to tell me that logistics would be at his meeting yesterday, which meant I wasn’t prepared to see Jonathan. Now Andersen’s busy buddying around with the Head of Accounting just as Javier is trying to change departments to work with Jasmine Shah—”
    “Wait, what?” Letizia interrupted, moving closer and peering down into her face.
    Dara dropped her hands to her sides. “Which one are you asking me about?”
    “Both.” Letizia frowned in concern. “I’d say I can’t believe he put you in that awkward position in the meeting, but, problem is, I can and do believe it. I’m sorry, Dara. That must have been hard.”
    “It was.” Wrapping her arms around herself, Dara considered telling Letizia about Jonathan’s surreptitious caress, but she didn’t want to share that information. Her loyalties were still torn. He had disappointed and hurt her, but she couldn’t accept the thought that he might be working against her, now that he suspected she was engaged in something subversive. She hoped she wouldn’t live to regret her conviction.
    Sighing, Letizia slipped an arm around Dara’s shoulders and gave her a light squeeze. “I wish I knew what to say to make that whole thing better.”
    “There’s nothing you can say. There’s nothing to do but get through it, and it would help if Andersen wouldn’t rub my face in it.”
    “Be prepared. This probably won’t be the last time.”
    “Yeah, I know.” Dara pulled away, flopping down on Letizia’s couch. She planted her elbows on her thighs and buried her face in her hands. The temptation to lie down and pass out on Letizia’s couch was nearly overwhelming.
    The cushions compressed as Letizia sat down next to her. “What did you say about Javier?”
    Rubbing her face one last time, Dara balled her fists against her knees. “My dad told me last night that he’d heard Javier was trying to move to accounting, to work with Jasmine Shah. He said Shah and Andersen pretty much hate each other.”
    “They do,” Letizia confirmed. Her face was troubled.
    “You don’t think it means anything, do you? Andersen’s meeting with Adams today?”
    “It might not. Andersen meets with Adams on a fairly regular basis. Still, I think it’s something worth paying attention to.”
    “Do you think Andersen would be that vindictive?”
    Letizia gave her a look that implied she thought Dara’s brains had oozed out of her ears. “Do you really need to ask me that?”
    “I guess not.” Dara