Ash dropped his voice. “Hope used to say it was like swimming through the stars.”
Taryn gasped. “That’s so beautiful.”
“The data flows look like bits of light. The more data, the bigger they are.” He hesitated. When he spoke again, his voice was thick with loss. “I always wonder if she’s lost in there, swimming among the stars.”
“Oh, Ash. I’m so sorry.” She wiped away a tear, then leaned closer and peered at his neck. She swallowed hard but didn’t back away this time. “Are you sure you can do this? It looks like it will hurt.”
“I don’t have a choice.” He already knew it would hurt. The constant throbbing in his neck was evidence of that.
She blew out a breath. “How can I help?”
“You’ve done everything you can. Now it’s my turn. I’ll contact Caspar and hopefully I’ll be able to lead him into a Tremaine trap.”
“You want me to leave you here alone?” She sounded horrified.
“Is the room secure?”
“Yes.”
“Then there’s really nothing you can do here.” Ash hoped he was good enough to beat Caspar. He wasn’t sure if he could. He plugged his phone into the system to activate Caspar’s code and prayed he had the skill and the stamina to best him.
Chapter51
“Put me to work, Dani.”Taryn entered the bar area, needing a distraction. Otherwise, she’d worry about what was happening downstairs.
Leaving Ash alone in the hacker room had been hard. Harder even than cutting his neck open. It was good he hadn’t been able to see her while she worked. Her hands had been shaking the entire time and she’d worried constantly about cutting too deep. What if she’d hit a nerve and done permanent damage?
Now he was preparing to shove a metal spike into a socket in his neck that hadn’t been used in years. What if the technology had changed? What if she’d screwed up?
Dani stopped unloading glasses and studied her. “You okay?”
“Fine. I promise. I just really need a distraction right now.”
“Well, I’m not going to turn down free help,” she said, winking at Taryn, “so why don’t you finish unloading this. Then, there’s a bunch of liquor and wine that needs to be restocked. It was a busy weekend.”
Taryn grinned and felt a little bit lighter. Watching Dani take charge, watching her bloom, always made her happy. Unofficially, the other woman managed the bar and was the Jack’s second-in-command. Maybe it was time to make that official. What would she even call her—the Jill?
She laughed out loud.
“If putting glasses on the shelves makes you that happy, maybe you should do it every day.”
“Maybe I will,” Taryn sassed back.
She missed this. The banter, the time with her friend. “We need to do this more often.”
“Prep the bar?” Dani asked.
“No, hang out. I’ve forgotten how much fun we have.”
“Me, too.” Dani smiled. “I know it’s hard when we’re busy?—”
“But that shouldn’t be an excuse. Don’t get me wrong. I love the bar. Love being a business owner, but I don’t want to spend my whole life working. There’s got to be more to it than that.”
“Count me in,” Dani said.
She could do this, Taryn thought. No, shewoulddo this. She could have a life. All work and no play made for a very sad Jack. Hadn’t she taken over with the intent of changing how business was done here? Maybe she wouldn’t have Ash in her life, but she could have a fulfilling life if she wanted to.
Taryn had just opened the first box of booze when her phone dinged, notifying her she had a message. She pulled it out of her pocket.
