Retribution: An Alpha Billionaire Romance (Secrets & Lies Book 3) by Lauren Landish

muscle the foam mats for martial arts practice through the door. Each mat weighs about thirty pounds and they've got eighteen of them to carry. “Hey, need a hand?”
    “Nope, we're good,” Carson replies. “Pick up anything good?”
    “Just a saw, some gas, and some electric blankets. Oh, and a maintenance crew is coming up tomorrow, bringing a new furnace with them,” I say, pulling out the first two cans of gasoline and taking them over to the fuel area. “Hey, you guys seen Katrina?”
    “She's inside checking her online resources. Darcy's freaking out that we left so quickly,” Jackson says. He comes over and leans in close, lowering his voice. “And all the girls aren't exactly happy with you for taking off. Apparently, Melissa was a bit off this morning.”
    “Yeah... Carson's not going to try and shoot me is he?”
    Jackson looks over his shoulder and shakes his head, chuckling. “No, not right this second. I think he knows something's up, but he's used to 'Lissa being off. Either way, 'Lissa and Andrea are off on another walk through the woods, they should be back in a couple hours. 'Lissa said she wanted to look around the property some, get some ideas on art for when she gets settled down.”
    “Okay. I need to talk to Katrina, maybe we can get this worked out.”
    I turn to the main building, when Jackson reaches out and takes my arm. “Nathan. I said Carson isn't going to shoot you. I'd watch it with Katrina though.”
    “Advice taken. Is BA with her? She won't shoot me in front of your daughter.”
    Jackson shakes his head and hooks a thumb over his shoulder. “BA's got Daddy time right now. She's in her little snowsuit and loving her new playroom.”
    The main room is dimly lit, but I can hear the whine of Katrina's laptop as I close the door behind me, giving my eyes a minute to adjust to the darkness. “Katrina?”
    “On the couch,” she says, her voice not quite cold, but not as warm as it normally is. “You get what you need?”
    “And maybe more,” I say, walking by memory until I can see the couch, and the glow of Katrina's laptop. “I think I might need your abilities.”
    “And I should help you... why?” she asks quietly, and I can see her blue eyes glinting coldly. “Besides the fact that you're keeping us safe, I'm of a mind to try to kick your ass.”
    “An ass kicking I probably fully deserve,” I admit, sighing. “I guess 'Lissa told you about last night?”
    “To us girls, yes. That she finally worked up the courage to tell you how she feels about you, and that you said 'thanks, but I can't'? Yeah, real smooth there, Sergeant Black.”
    “I... dammit Katrina, I stand by what I told Melissa last night. I’m honored, and I wish it could be… but I can't let her be ruined by me. Now, are you going to help me or not? I need your fucking computer skills. This might be a security issue.”
    Katrina studies my face for a minute then sighs, pointing to a space on the couch for me to sit down. “Dammit Nathan, you're pissing me off, but I care about you at the same time. Why's this family got to be so fucking complicated? What do you have?”
    “Here,” I say, handing her my phone. “The e-mail on there, it says it's from Isis Bardot. I want you to scan it, make sure it is legit and safe.”
    Katrina jacks my phone into her laptop, shaking her head in slight amusement as she does. “You know, after I hacked your phone so easily last time, I thought you'd get a new one. I don't even need to try to hack this anymore, the hole's already there.”
    “If I thought I couldn't trust you, I would have done just that,” I tell her. “Can you get a signal to get the e-mail?”
    “Hold on, I'm pulling your e-mail into a box here, let me... oooh, Isis, you naughty bitch,” Katrina says, her eyes sparkling. “She tried to get her hooks on us.”
    “What do you mean?” I ask. “And please, plain English.”
    “She tied in a piece of invisible malware,” Katrina says,