“According to the very sad loser, there are cameras all through this house and they have footage of our kiss. They want me to resign from White & White and retire from law. Apparently, I’m just a bit too good at making it unfair for the other side.”
“What? That’s insane. If you’re good, you’re good, they need to step up their game if they don’t like it.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
“What are we going to do?”
It just popped out. Something had happened over the last couple of days to entwine our lives, and apparently our fates, and I was all-too-rapidly getting used to the idea.
“That’s what I’ve been considering. Basically, there are two options. Either I resign and hope we can trust him to delete the files, or we go with plan B.”
“What’s plan B?”
“Salted earth.”
Data streamed across the blackened screen in green letters that might as well have been in Martian for all I understood them.
“Dare I ask?”
“How are you with programming?” Niles asked.
“Terrible.”
“Right, basically I’m logging into his account where the data is stored and wiping the entire thing. Most devices don’t actually come with built-in hard drives anymore, making things a lot easier.”
“You’re a hacker too?”
“I prefer the term information liberator, but yes.”
“Is that a minor in law school now?”
The machine-gun typing halted, just for a moment, Niles turning to me with what could only be taken as amusement.
“More of a hobby. I was just so ticked off with what happened in the whole Napster debacle, I decided to do something about it. Then again it only took one time nearly getting arrested to make me rethink things. I was less likely to get arrested as a copyright lawyer, while doing similar work.”
“That’s really smart actually.”
“Thanks.”
“How are you going to keep from getting arrested this time?”
“Mostly faith.”
Epilogue - Emilie
I stared at him in disbelief. “Faith? That uh, seems a bit risky.”
“Call me crazy, but it doesn’t seem likely that a blackmail is going to report an attack on an account he was using to blackmail.”
“Well, now you put it that way.”
I’d never seen such determination, Niles almost leaning into the screen as he finished his work, wiping our slate clean. Putting his freedom on the line to protect us.
I wasn’t nearly as confident that our blackmailer wouldn’t go to the cops, but that only made me love him more. Everyone basically knew what he was like, but there had never actually been video evidence of it before.
“What are you doing now?” I asked, the code screen turning to an email composition box as Niles kept typing.
“Insurance.”
“I would love to know what that means.”
“Well, just to be absolutely sure, I’m sending an email to anyone who might be concerted, an email announcing our forthcoming engagement.”
“Our what now?” I asked, not quite processing the words.
“What do you say?”
“About what?”
The relentless typing coming to halt, Niles Veek turned toward me and dropped to one knee, a small, black velvet covered clamshell box appearing from his pocket.
“Emilie Boucher, I’ve never met anyone like you, and you have helped me feel things I’d thought long gone. Will you marry me?”
“Okay.”
Not the most emphatic acceptance in the history of matrimony, but I honestly couldn’t think of a reason not to. He was great with Gen, our kids got along, and bloody hell if I wasn’t attracted to him. Money certainly wouldn’t be an issue, particularly if he stayed on at White & White.
It felt insane, too fast…and somehow just right.
Sliding the ring onto my finger, Niles pulled me to him, his scent filling my head, making me dizzy. I did not resist, instead leaning in closer as he spoiled me with kisses on my cheek, and down my neck, his strong hands enjoying my ass all the while.
Moved by instinct as much as reason, I started to lightly grind myself against him. His rapidly hardening cock rubbing up against my pussy through the cloth of our pants. Yearning for more direct contact.
It was one move. A single, swift motion and he was standing. His hands still firmly on my ass as my arms and legs wrapped around his waist and neck. I buried my face int the crook of his neck as he carried me over to the bed.
Placing me on the edge of the mattress, he tenderly lifted off my shirt up over my head, my bra not far behind. Kissing his way down my neck to my chest, he took a moment to give my tits some tender, loving care. Making sure to alternate between them, giving each an equal amount of attention.
I ran my fingers through his hair, moaning my appreciation as he pleasured me, getting close to making me orgasm.
Leaving his hands working my tits, at least for the time being, Niles kissed his way down my belly to the waist of my pants, Undoing the button, he eased the zipper down at a near tortuous pace. My already aching pussy starting to throb with anticipation.