Synergy: New Adult Romantic Suspense (U-District, #1) by Jodi Ashland Page A

voice, one he recognized, came from behind him.
    Joshua stood. “Mr. Radisson, it’s good to see you.” He held his hand out to Synergy’s COO.
    Bryce didn’t remove his hands from his pockets. “It’s time for you to leave.”
    “If you would let me explain.”
    “I’ve heard enough.”
    Heat flashed in Joshua’s gut. So Bryce thought he could just dismiss him? “Well, I’ll see myself out. If either of you change your mind, you do know how to reach me.” Joshua inclined his head to Jade and left the room. Roz wasn’t at her desk, so he stopped to listen.
    “He knows we’re having financial trouble.” Jade said.
    “He must have an inside source. You planning on selling?” Bryce actually sounded concerned.
    “No… you?”
    “No.”
    We’ll see about that. Joshua peeked around the doorway.
    “You okay?” Bryce walked to Jade and put one hand on her waist and a finger under her chin. “You look pale. Feeling lightheaded again?”
    “No, Greenberg just creeps me out. I thought he was a stalker the first time I met him. He followed me to all of my classes just so he could make me an offer before anyone else could.”
    “He’s a slimeball. Just ignore him.” Bryce tucked a piece of loose hair behind her ear.
    Jade didn’t pull away. “It’s hard to ignore him when he just shows up like that.”
    “Next time he does—”
    “Need somethin’?” Roz stood behind Joshua with one hand on her hip and the fingers of the other drumming against her leg.
    “I was just waiting for you.” Joshua flashed an innocent smile. “I fly out tomorrow. Why don’t you have dinner with me tonight?”
    Roz smacked her gum. “I don’t think that would be such a good idea.”
    “You have my number if you change your mind.” He finished the conversation with one of his disarming smiles, then headed to the elevator.
    Roz had picked a damn bad time to show up. He’d like to know what Bryce had been about to say to Jade. Bryce had played the part he’d expected, but there seemed to be something going on between the two of them. That could derail everything he’d been working on. Bryce couldn’t sell his shares without giving Jade right of first refusal. What better way for Bryce to gain control of the company than to develop a relationship with Jade, and then convince her to step down so he could take controlling interest?
    Perhaps it was time to play hardball.

 
     
     
CHAPTER 10
     
     
    JADE WAITED ANXIOUSLY for the laptop she’d be dropping off with her old finance professor in the morning. Finally, she was going to get some answers.
    The hot-pink sticky note at the top of her monitor reminded her not to be late for her pickup. Roz had stuck it on with extra tape to make sure it didn’t fall off. Jade looked up just as her buddy Zach from IT walked in with the laptop.
    “Sorry it took so long. The software just finished encrypting the hard drive.”
    “Good timing, I’m just about to leave.” She fished her purse out of the bottom drawer of her desk.
    Zach handed Jade the laptop bag. “I set up a local account to give Professor Murti read access to the entire financial database. Here’s the password.” He handed Jade the sealed envelope. “Keep it in your purse until you deliver it to him. For security, you don’t want the password with the laptop. You know, in case it’s lost or stolen. It will prompt him to change the password after the first time he logs in.”
    “Thanks. I hope he can analyze our finances and make recommendations for improvement.”
    “Yeah, Stan wasn’t very happy about it.”
    Tough.
    She’d always thought of Stan as a sort of secondary grandfather. Now he was starting to remind her of Gran, never allowing her to make her own decisions or learn from her mistakes. She got that he was just trying to protect her in his own way, but there were better ways to do it than constantly putting up roadblocks and undermining her authority.
    Roz poked her head in the door. “You