“Did he teach you enough that you can take his place and rebuild this system for me?”
She was incredibly quiet. Her fingers moved slowly over the keys. “I'm good enough for you to put me on the payroll, and I hate your enemies enough that you should trust me not to fuck you over. I can make this system safer than it is now, but don't ask stupid questions, Mr. Sharp. No one can take his place, and there's no such thing as truly unhackable.”
I thought over her words for a moment. I knew for a fact she hated my enemies, perhaps more than I did, but that didn’t preclude her from fucking me over. “Welcome to the team, Mila. We have a lot of work to do.” I smiled naturally.
“I can work on this tonight if you pay me overtime.”
“Do you need to work in my office?”
“No, I can work from the apartment.” She closed out the window and stood.
“Done,” I had lots of money, and this was a good way to let her prove herself, or out herself. If she meant to harm us, she was already in, and we might as well find out once and for all.
“Okay, I'll do what I can tonight, and tomorrow I have a few places to take you.” She played with the ends of her hair, encouraging my suspicions.
“What kind of places?”
She walked toward the door as she spoke. “Places I visited or stayed while I was being bought, sold, and moved. There are a lot of bits and pieces that have been coming together lately. With the help of google maps, I've narrowed down two locations that may help.”
I arched my brow. “What locations are those?”
She turned to face me with her hand on the knob. “I don't think I'll know for certain until I see them myself. So, I'll keep my secrets for now,” she attempted a smile, but the expression sat wrong.
“Fair enough,” I lied. If Mila was attempting to lead us into a trap, she would regret it.
“Good night, Mr. Sharp.” She left my office without waiting for my reply. Thoughts of trust and security rolled around in my head, not finding much purchase. Instead, they battered away my self-confidence. At this point, I was sure Dan had betrayed me. While part of me suspected he might, I didn't truly see it coming. I hadn't wanted to. Now, Mila… I wasn't sure what to think of her.
She loved Casey, and it wasn't a stretch to call his death my fault. But as much as she seemed to fucking hate us all, I didn't get the feeling that she blamed me. She was full of anger but maintained she was working toward the greater good. I wasn't sure what to believe anymore. My instincts were scrambled. If I had more sense, I would have returned to Claire and bared my soul. But I didn't.
I sat there mulling over the issue, getting my thoughts increasingly knotted as I tried to order them and found no clean answers. Whether or not I trusted Mila was problematic enough, without the added wonder if I should forcibly send her away. I had tried the nice way once already and been met with her ire. I owned country homes and estates all over. If she wanted, I could put her up in Paris or Milan. She vehemently refused with an obvious sense of insult that made no sense when weighed against the generous offer.
Her attempt at kicking me in the balls went poorly. She missed, and Victor had to hold her back while she scrambled to try again. I don't let many people attempt a nut shot without consequences, but her red cheeks and the veritable steam that shot out of her ears seemed like punishment enough. I dropped my head into my hands, deciding that even if I didn't wake Claire to talk about things, I at least needed her nearness.
I locked my office behind me, using my thumbprint and a code that would seal me out for the rest of the night. The house was dark but easy to move through on memory. Entering our room quietly, I quickly changed, then pulled the comforter back and slid in, enjoying the pre-warmed bed. Claire woke only enough to snuggle into me before her breathing settled.
I held her to my chest, trying to think of any line I wouldn't cross for her. Was there anything that went too far to keep her safe and by my side? Nothing I could imagine. I felt wrong to my fucking core for allowing her close to danger, but I wanted her to thrive. I didn't want to pin her beneath glass like she was some pretty butterfly.
Well, I didn'twantto want that. I wouldn't mind if Claire let me treat her that way. I would love to spoil and dote on her, make myself the irrevocable center of her world. But that wasn’t Claire. Her mind was too lovely for her to be limited to one of my possessions. Someone as intelligent, funny, and resilient as her deserved more. What my possessive nature and my cock wanted needed to be secondary.
Taking my father's place and leading this city toward a less cruel brand of crime was essential. James was right about that. Also, about the fact that once I was in power, he would have all the options he wanted, butInever would. I needed Claire at my side, and I wasn't in a position to demand how I got both of those things. Happiness required some sacrifice, and not realizing that sooner nearly cost meher.
I held her in my arms all night, never letting go of her to flip onto my stomach—the way I preferred to sleep. My mind ran over all the ways I failed us both and how I could make things right for as many people as possible going forward.
Chapter 11
Mason
Inthemorning,Iwas quieter than usual, still turning over the events of the night before. So naturally, Claire picked up on it, gently trying to pry into whatever bothered me. Her soft hands snaked around my waist as I brushed my teeth. Her trailing fingers felt comforting and curious rather than flirtatious.
I wanted to confide in her, much like I wanted to the night before, but I couldn't put the feelings into words. Her curiosity quickly turned into frustration at my silence. She pulled up the hood of her thick winter coat as we walked outside, emphasizing her anger with me. Still, she looked adorable, surrounded by fluffy fur.
She ignored me as she, Vick, and I climbed inside one of the two black SUVs. James was staying home with Emma, something I tried to discourage. I decided to mind my own business when she slapped him in the face and locked herself in the guest room, showing me that she was more than capable of handling James.
The morning was unseasonably warm, a few degrees above freezing, allowing a slight mist to cover the road. I watched the houses pass for a minute before I had enough of the bullshit. I grabbed Claire's hand, forcefully weaving my fingers through hers.
“Uh,” she tried to rip her hand out of mine, glaring at me. Then, when she realized I wasn't letting go and she wasn't strong enough to get away, she slumped back, giving up and letting me hold her hand like a dead fish. I ground my teeth, wanting nothing more than to smack her ass for forcing me to deal with this shit.
She didn't understand how hard it was to turn feelings into words when your life centered around hiding them at all costs. I leaned into her, letting my presence crowd her, and spoke against her ear, “I'll tell you how I feel when I understand it myself. Now, stop pouting before I put your pretty lips to better use.”