Exposed (Let Me Love You #3)

Chapter 19

19

PEPPER

I take a deep breath as Matt stares at me, waiting for an explanation. If this makes him kick me out of his home, maybe that’s for the best.

“I had a job as an accountant with a security firm, a super successful one, in New York City. At the time, I was over the moon that this prestigious firm wanted me. My job was great. The pay was fantastic. I did awesome work and got a glowing six month review.”

“Then what?” He presses.

“Every morning, I was there at 7am on the dot. About two months ago, I was helping calculate a big report, but when I went into the document, all of the numbers were off. I didn’t think much of it and corrected the numbers. The next morning when I went to work and opened my laptop, my email account had been hacked. In the sent folder and the inbox, message after message incriminated me for selling insider information and skimming money from the company.”

“How much money?”

“There were emails confirming overseas accounts where I sent payment. From what I could tell, around a million dollars worth of money was stolen from the company over the past year, and they had everything but my actual fingerprints for spearheading it.”

My hands tremble as I think back to that day.

“I was so freaked out, I grabbed my laptop and phone, then hid in a supply closet nearby. I was sifting through these wild emails trying to find a name or anything I could use to identify who framed me, but then I heard a manager and police officers go to my desk. They had a warrant for my arrest.”

“How did you get out of there?”

“I waited until they walked off to search the building for me. I left my laptop and phone behind in case they had tracking devices on it, then pulled a fire alarm.”

“After I rode the subway to my apartment building and saw police cruisers outside of it, I found the nearest ATM and withdrew the $3,000 dollars I had saved up. I bought a one-way bus ticket to Miami, then bought the cheapest car I could find in the Classifieds when I got here.”

“Fuck, Pepper,” Matt curses and rakes a hand through his sandy colored hair.

He’s livid, and he’s got every reason to be. I’m putting him and his son in danger. Cowering and pulling my shoulders in, I lean away from him.

I swallow back the shame rising in my chest. “I’ll leave right away. I’m sorry, I don’t want to put you or your son in danger.”

The constant fear from the past couple of months has seeped into my bones at this point, and I’m tired of being scared.

“Pepper, I won’t hurt you, and I don’t want you to leave. Let me help you.” His voice is softer this time.

Wait. What? I look at him dumbfounded.

“I don’t like the situation you’re in. But, if whoever did it knew where you were, you’d be arrested by now. What are you saving up money for?”

“An expert hacker to get into Titan Securities server and see where those fake emails originated from. Hackers cost tens of thousands of dollars, and that’s on the cheap end.”

He nods his head. “Done. I don’t know how to research hackers on the black market, but we’ll figure it out and hire one. Do you have any idea who framed you?”

I’ve wracked my brain and lost countless hours of sleep going through every interaction I had with employees for the six months I was there.

“Not really. I kept to myself most of the time. Since the spreadsheets were messed with the day before I was accused, I’m guessing it’s a supervisor in finance with the clearance to steal money without being noticed.”

“Well, you noticed the discrepancies. That’s why you were targeted,” Matt points out.

“True.”

“First thing we’re doing today is ditching your car. I’m buying you one in my name.”

“You are not buying a car for me,” I say emphatically. That’s exorbitant, and it’ll take me a decade to pay him back. In NYC, I use public transportation and never saved up for a car.

“You’re right. I’m not. I’m buying a safe vehicle for my son to ride in while I’m at work, and one that has zero connections to a fugitive,” he smirks.

“Fine. That’s fair,” I huff.

“Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

“Thanks for trusting me enough to tell me, Pep.” He wraps me in a bear hug for a few seconds until Simon whines on the floor next to us. Maybe he can help me out of this mess after all, then I’ll have to find a way to pay him back.