Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
An icy wave of horror moves through me so fast I almost sway in the chair.
Jesus.
The blurred images on the screen make my skin crawl.
Shit, I’m going to have to dig through videos and photos of innocents being hurt and killed.
Now I understand why some of the hackers have been vomiting.
“You will find them,” Danil continues. “And you will confirm who they are. Real names. Businesses. Wives. Children. Political ties. Bank accounts. Every filthy secret they’ve hidden in the dark.” He pauses, letting the weight of his order settle like lead in my mind. “Then you will give them a choice. Pay what we demand, or watch you destroy their lives.”
My lips part, but no sound comes out.
God help me, the Bratva is feeding off the most evil people out there, and I’m going to have to wade through the horror and trauma to find the wealthy ones.
It will break me. Mentally and emotionally.
Danil places a hand on the back of my chair, and I jerk. “You will demand thirty percent of everything they own, and if they don’t pay, you will leak their filthy secrets to the press and hack into their accounts to take the money anyway.”
“Why not just do that right from the start?” At least there will be justice.
“Because a ruined man can’t pay again, Miss La Rosa. We have to keep the money train going.”
My stomach rolls, and I force myself to breathe slowly.
Then my gaze flicks across the system, and I see all the access points, internal logs, and messaging windows.
Code buried beneath more code.
This is my weapon, the one thing I know inside out.
Danil’s hand tightens on the chair. “If you don’t make one hundred million by midnight, one of the other hackers will die, and don’t think about getting clever. While you take over bringing in the money, they will all watch every single line of code you enter into the system. If you try to send your father a message, or anyone else for that matter, you will all die.”
Suddenly, Kirill places a metal trashcan beside the desk, and a bottle of water and a toilet roll on the desk.
“Get to work, Miss La Rosa. It’s time you pay me back for the hundreds of thousands it cost to get you.”
I turn my head and scowl at Danil. “I’m not going to get shit done with you talking my ear off.”
He jerks his chin at Kirill. “You’ll be watched every second. Don’t fuck up. I’d hate to lose your kind of talent.”
“Annnddd… you’re still talking. Jesus, you love the sound of your own voice a little too much.”
Danil lets out a chuckle as he finally walks away, but a moment later I hear a guy cry, “No! Please! I have a family.”
When a gunshot rings through the air, I jolt in the chair and quickly glance over my shoulder. Danil blows the barrel of his gun, then smiles. “You were saying, Miss La Rosa?”
Fucking asshole!
The dead hacker is dragged away while tensions run high in the air.
Looking at the screens, I place my hand on the keyboard.
Just bring in enough money to make the bastards relax a little, then you can send out a few subtle signals that won’t attract attention and put the other hackers at risk.
Chapter 16
Enzo
Slamming the laptop shut, I let out a tired sigh.
After spending the entire day going over the finances, I climb to my feet and stalk out into the hallway.
“Are you heading home?” I hear Christiano call out when I pass his office.
“Yes.” I don’t stop and continue through the warehouse toward the exit.
“Enzo! Hold up,” my brother shouts.
I only listen because he’s the Capo dei Capi. Taking a deep breath, I turn to face him. “What?”
His eyes are sharp on my face as he comes to a stop in front of me. “How are you holding up?”
I’m so fucking tired of hearing that question and glare at him. “How would you hold up if Sienna were dead?” When his features tighten, I sigh again. “Sorry. Just stop asking me. Okay? I’m fucked and only going on with life because that's what you all expect of me.”
Turning away from him, I begin to walk, but Christiano grabs hold of my arm and hauls me into a hug. At first, I tense up even more than what has now become my natural state, but then my brother says, “I can’t imagine what I’d do if I lost Sienna. I’m so fucking sorry for the pain you’re in, and I know there’s nothing any of us can do to make it better.” He pulls back and locks eyes with me. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop showing you that I fucking care.”
I nod and take a step backward.
“Come over for dinner tonight,” he says.
I shake my head. “I have other things to do.”