“Successfully,” I add, because they previously stated attacks happen on a regular basis.
“Is it Jonathan or Christopher?” Hunter asks.
Carlson shakes his head. “Different code, different technique. They are also making demands.”
Hunter shuffles his feet. “For what?”
“Five million dollars,” Carlson squeaks, nervous about bringing the truth to his prez and VP.
That’s chump change for Jonathan and Christopher, and Carlson has profiled both of their habits and made an intelligent deduction that neither of those monsters want money. They want me.
William whistles. Hunter frowns, stepping closer to me and wrapping an arm around my waist. It’s adding up to a lone hacker good enough to infiltrate their business and hold its data for ransom to get a decent payday. What isn’t adding up is that they got past Carlson’s substantial and robust security. Not to say he’s infallible; we take great pleasure in picking at and testing each other’s work, but his code is good. It’s strong. It is normally enough for bragging rights. Something isn’t adding up.
I can see the wheels turning in Hunter’s mind. “How can I help?” I ask.
Hunter’s gaze snaps to mine, and I hold my ground against his hard stare.Don’t try to control me. It won’t end well when you’ve just won me over.The problem with holding someone’s heart, is that you have access to break it. Mine’s already in pieces, but he’s so careful with them, and it would destroy me for him to fail now.
“I have my laptop,” Carlson says as he tugs on the lobe of his ear. “If we drive until we have a signal, you could take a look and see if they are in as deep as I believe. And perhaps, trace back and fire a warning shot.”
“That could work. I don’t like bullies, and I think it’s time to teach them a lesson,” I mutter with a nod. And if I happen to check in with my own shit at the same time? No one will know.
“We need some more water and fresh burgers for the grill,” Hunter says. “I can drive you both to the store in the closest town.”
Sure you can.I take a small step away, tremors starting in my fingers. He still doesn’t trust me. After everything, he still doesn’t trust me. There’s a moment of silence before I open my mouth, but William gets there first.
“They can handle a trip to the store, Hunter,” William says with a little nod at me. My shoulders relax, the muscles calming. He gets it. Somehow, he understands and is trying to manage Hunter’s protective urges so they don’t smother me.
Hunter sighs and rolls his head, the bones making a popping sound that makes me grimace. “Fine. But the first sign of danger, the moment something isn’t right, you head straight back here.”
“How much trouble can I get into with a laptop and a shopping list for meat and water?”
William and Carlson talk between themselves before trekking down the hill to the camp. I start to walk past Hunter, but he grabs my elbow and spins me back to face him. He kisses me senseless, his lips urgent as his hips fuse to mine. Carnal promises linger in the slide of our bodies doing a dance as old as time. He pulls away before me, his chest heaving, and leans his forehead against mine, his hands tight around my biceps.
“I have a bad feeling,” he mumbles, like giving voice to it will make the universe manifest it into reality.
“Because you are worried.” I rub my nose along his, refusing to let his fear trigger mine and taint this moment. “It’s our mind’s way of raising warning flags when we have been under threat for a prolonged period of time. Trust me, not fate.”
His steely eyes skate over my face as he pulls away and blows out a long breath. “Okay.” He runs his hand through his hair as Charlie’s bark pulls him back towards camp.
The problem with fate is that it doesn’t give a fuck whether you agree with its plan or not. Nothing will alter its course, and no matter how much we beg and plead, the end is already written in the stars.
Chapter Forty-Six
Eleanor
Be careful what you sow.
“Anything yet?” I ask, drumming my fingers against the steering wheel as I keep the truck all but flying down the road, following Hunter’s written instructions on how to get to the store. It’s only thirty minutes away, but I’m anxious to pull over as soon as Carlson gets a signal so we can take care of this hacker problem.
He huffs as his fingers fly over his keyboard. “Not yet. Bitch-rimming government can’t even sort mobile signals in this country.”
Bitch-rimming? The poor boy needs a lesson in insults. They need to at least make sense. “We’ve clocked fifteen miles,” I grumble. “Can’t be that long.”
He keeps refreshing and searching for the desperately needed signal, his keystrokes becoming harder and faster as the seconds tick by.
“Who do you think they are?” I wonder. I didn’t ask back at the campsite as he wouldn’t be willing to share and get it wrongin front of William. It’s clear to me he idolizes him as a father figure and is seeking his praise. Poor kid is missing the fact he has been entrusted with the Reapers’ cyber security. That should tell him everything.
“We have it!” he shouts as a loud ringtone echoes through the truck speakers. Where have I heard that before?
