I shrug a shoulder. “Everyone has a price.”
She lifts a single brow. “You can’t buy me.”
“Don’t be so sure about that, Heartbreaker.” The corner of my mouth curls into a half smile.
A light rouge spreads over her cheeks as she gapes at me, and a self-satisfied warmth settles in my chest, knowing that I affect her.
Annoyed hackers, likely the ones I repudiated, grumble behind me, not liking how loud I’m talking, but I don’t care.
She clears her throat. “You seem awfully cocky.”
“I like to think of myself as assertive,” I quip. “What’s your name?”
“What’s yours?” She returns.
“I’d like to know who I’m talking to.”
She gives me a tight smile. “That’s nice.” Her attitude makes me want to challenge her more, see how far I can push before she gives in.
I glance over my shoulder to find that Jian has left. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
Turning back to my sassy woman, I watch her head move side to side as she stares at me. She caves first, and it feels good. “Abaddon.”
I’d like her real name, but I’ll settle for this.
“Ghostline.”
A twinge of something that I swear looks like recognition glimmers in her eye.
She raises and lowers her shoulders with an exhale. “Well, like I said, I don’t freelance. Have a nice day.”
Abaddon swivels to face her monitor again, but I place my hand on the back of the chair, stopping her. “Why not? Is it because you don’t have what it takes?”
I’m baiting her. I know it. And I don’t feel the least bit guilty.
Her nostrils flare. “I’m good at what I do. That’s not it.”
Leaning down, I bring us face to face. “Then prove it.”
“I’m not twelve.” She rolls her eyes.
“Come work for me and I’ll make it worth your while,” I tempt her.
She scoffs and looks me up and down. “You have nothing I want.”
The fire in her sends all the blood in my body shooting straight for my cock. Usually, I don’t go for a woman with a mouth like this, but something makes me want to rile her up.
“Don’t be so sure about that, Heartbreaker.”
She narrows her eyes at the smirk I’m sporting. “You don’t even know if I can do it.”
“I’m sure there’s lots you can do for me,” I return with a wink. Her deadpan glare is humorous, but I allow some business to come back into the conversation. Pulling the little jump drive out of my pocket, I show it to her. “One task. If you can do it, I’ll pay you ten large.”
Her brows shoot up. “One hundred grand for a stupid little test? Hand it over.” Before I can give it to her, she snatches it away from me, plugging it into her computer. “What do you need?”
“It’s encrypted with a hardware fence and layered keys,” I explain. “Break in and decrypt the file. You have an hour.”
She doesn’t look at me as I direct her. Instead, she dives in, pulling some techniques I wouldn’t have applied to the situation, but she attacks the task with a fierceness that can only be described as sexy.
