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“Answer the question.”
He shrugged. “Honestly, I can’t think of a single reason why you shouldn’t.”
“Glad we agree on that,” Jax growled.
“However,” Telengard added calmly, “I have much better things to do with my day, so…”
He went to stand, but two giant hands on his shoulders forced him back down. Telengard looked up, straight into the face of Adrian. His face registered momentary alarm.
“Relax,” said Adrian. “Stay a while.”
In one smooth motion, Adrian whipped the man’s coat from the back of his chair and tossed it to the person directly behind him. I recognized that person instantly as Adrian’s friend; the one who’d checked us into the hotel. In a flash of movement, he disappeared through the front door.
Telengard grunted, trying to look more annoyed at the situation than alarmed, as Adrian took the seat on the other side of him. When he moved to stand up a second time, he found that Jax had pinned his wrist to the table.
“Let me go.”
“Go where?” asked Adrian, innocently.
Telengard said nothing as his eyes shifted to each of us in turn. He was exploring his options, I knew. Trying to gauge whether he could talk his way out of this situation, or if he needed to call for help.
“He can leave anytime he wants to,” Jax said casually. “But his arm is staying here.”
“You owe this woman an apology,” Adrian nodded in my direction.
“Fuck his apology,” I growled. “And he owes me a lot more than just that.”
Telengard looked away. Moving with the speed of a striking viper, Jax slapped him in the face, forcing him to look at me again.
“Why?” I asked simply, forcing my rage down. “Why the hell would you do this?”
Telengard paused, then relaxed a little as he let out a sigh. “For the same reason you did it. Money. Patent rights. Prestige.” He shrugged. “I could even do without the prestige, if we’re being honest. As long I got paid.”
“I thought you were a friend,” I said. “A fellow programmer.”
“I was,” he said simply. “I am.”
“You’re nothing but a thief!”
“Thief?” he cried loudly, in mock surprise. “I beg your pardon, but I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Telengard leaned back, and the smile returned to his face. I expected Jax to slap it right off, but he didn’t.
“Look,” he said, in a lower tone, “if you’re expecting me to admit to anything, you’re wasting your time.”
I wanted to slap him across the face, the way Jax had. I wanted it so badly I could physically taste it! But here in full view of the public restaurant, I knew there were limits.
“What, you don’t think I know you’re recording every word of this?” Telengard said smugly. “Please.”
“I’m not here for—”
“Where’s the camera?” he challenged, cutting me off. “Is it under the table? In your purse?”
With his free hand, he reached out and tapped Adrian’s phone, which happened to be next to him.
“Is it right here, running a recording app? Or—”
“Reach over here again and I’ll break your fingers,” Adrian growled, flicking his hand away.
