AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I respond back that I’m available and tell him to name the place and time. Then I decide better and just call him. His phone goes straight to voicemail, but I don’t leave a message. He knows to call me back.
I head for my office, where I check on the latest damage the hacker has done. They’ve altered all the reservations in the restaurant system by thirty minutes. It’s not a lot and doesn’t hurt too much, but it causes some chaos until it’s sorted out.
My mobile rings, and I look at the display before I answer it.
“Hello, Dmitri,” I greet my friend.
His father is the second in command to Andrei’s father back in Latvia. However, Andrei couldn’t decide between his longest and most loyal friends, so he made both Dmitri and Mikhail his seconds. There was a time when I thought I would be alongside them and heavy in the Bratva, but Gray changed my life.
“Sorry, I was busy with my woman. The hacker who was trying to get through your firewalls is protecting Lennon,” Dmitri says instead of hello.
My heart clenches because I don’t have a woman. I thought I did, but every month when I return to the club, she isn’t there. I’m certain she had something to do with the hacker, but I think she’s afraid I’ll hurt her if she comes forward. I just want her back. I want her to explain the situation to me before I decide how I’m going to react. Pushing her away or hurting her isn’t an option. My body misses her.
“Who’s Lennon?” I ask.
“My woman,” he says and gives me nothing more.
I guess that’s how it’s going to be. He’s more protective than Andrei is with Sparrow. I want to chuckle, but I can’t because I’d be protective too.
“Fuck. Okay, have your hacker contact me with the information.” I huff.
“On it.” He disconnects the call.
My phone pings within minutes with another text message. It’s his soldier’s information.
Five
LYRIC
It’s only been a couple of days since I last saw her, but I need to see Lennon immediately. I look at my laptop screen and can’t believe what I’m seeing. As part of Ainsley’s plan, I’ve been hacking other organized crime groups. I hated doing it, but I didn’t want to leave my sister hanging.
I didn’t do much damage. I rescheduled all of Aldo Barone’s appointments for a week. He’s the head of the Italian family. Then I hacked into their restaurant and did the same thing I did to the Lucky Dice, messed up their reservations system. I canceled all of them for a couple of days. Paddy MacEvoy, leader of the Irish family, I hacked his information and put him on a singles website. I imagine his email is blowing up. I don’t think I really damaged any of their businesses, but the fact I hacked them, thus touching them, is bad enough. I was just poking around the Triad’s system when I found this board that scared the crap out of me. I contacted Lennon to meet me as soon as I found it. But I also need to tell her that Dmitri’s hacker is still digging, trying to figure out who I am.
The door to the cybercafé opens, and I look up in time to see Lennon step inside. She gives me a subtle nod and avoids eye contact. I look out the window and notice a man standing just in the shadows of the building across the street. I return my attention to my laptop, keeping her in my peripheral vision. She orders a drink and then moves toward the seat behind me.
I lift my phone to my ear as she passes. “Hold your phone up like you’re on it,” I say. I give her enough time to get settled before I continue. “You’re being followed.”
She laughs bitterly. “You think. Dmitri.”
Damn, I should have known he’d have a guard on her.
“His hacker is still digging, and I’m doing everything I can to keep him out,” I confess.
“Sorry. How is Ainsley? Do you need money?”
I hate that she’s more concerned about us than herself. It shows how selfless she truly is.
“Stop. We can take care of ourselves. It’s about time she learned to live within her means.” I’m so angry, I nearly spit out the words.
“But if I can help, I want to.”
“Have you talked to your father yet?” Her father could help protect her from this newest information.
“No,” she replies, and I can tell she’s still angry with him.
“Why?”
“Just leave it, Ly.”
