Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 69993 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69993 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“Bid? What bid?” Ace roars.
“And with who’s money?” Shades wants to know.
I should be afraid right now. But my big fat ego won’t let me be. I lift my chin in defiance. “I needed to access the computer associated with that Cayman account, and the quickest way to do it was to bid on a girl they were offering. Don’t worry. She’s eighteen. And I don’t plan to buy any women. I was rushing to copy some backend files, and it probably gave him time to dig through my credentials.”
Wild Man snorts. “Unlikely. My guess is Hector has this guy look into all the bidders for blackmail or extortion later.”
That makes a twisted sort of sense, and I nod. “Either way, it’s no big deal because it’s not you he just called out by name.”
What the fuck did Frank get me into?
Chapter Sixteen
Preacher
“And we’re just supposed to trust you that they don’t know you’re here with us?” Coop smacks the table with both hands, leaning over just inches from Gia’s face.
“I don’t give a shit if you trust me or not because I don’t trust you, either. Any of you.” Gia folds her arms defensively, her leg tapping furiously under the table. “It was my name, wasn’t it? If he knew any of you were here with me, he would have said so. Right?”
“She’s right,” I add to stop this situation from developing into anything more.
“Aren’t IP addresses really easy to nail down?” Coop asks the question angrily.
“Oh my fuck,” Gia growls and does more tapping on her computer. “I’ve changed my location, which changes the IP address, mister expert fucking hacker.” She rolls her eyes, but I can see the anxiety and fear in the way she nibbles her bottom lip and the way her hands never stop moving.
“And if they find out that money is ours?”
“What money? They believe they stole your money, remember? That’s what Frank had me do, so they already know who that money used to belong to.”
Ace’s nostrils flare. “You better be fucking sure, Gia, because if anyone finds out, we could all go to prison. You included.”
“Prison for what? You think local cops have skills at this level?” Gia tosses her head back and laughs. “Get over yourself. He’s angry about the files I copied, not a few fucking dollars they stole from you.”
“Few dollars,” Shades growls and shakes his head. “Try a few hundred fucking thousand, sweetheart.” He leans back and folds his arms. “I’m starting to believe you know more than you’re tellin’ us. Maybe Braden gave you a few thousand to give us the run around if you got caught.”
Gia’s nostrils flare angrily, and in the next second, she pushes away from the table with fire in her eyes.
“Fuck you, Shades. In fact, fuck every last one of you fuckers. I don’t need this shit from any of you. I told you what you wanted to know, and now I’m gone.”
She storms off down the hall toward the room we slept in last night, and my gaze follows her the whole way.
Seconds later, she storms out the back door, and I quickly get to my feet and stare at my brothers.
“Unfounded accusations aren’t going to help here.”
“She lied to us,” Shades shoots back.
“And she told us why.” I turn to Wild Man. “Did you find any evidence she took money from us or them?”
“No,” he admits. “She knows her shit, and that’s why I think Hector has a side hustle going with the assholes who bid on those people he kidnaps.”
“You think,” Ace clarifies. “But you don’t know.”
“Can’t know for sure unless I can find a link between a bidder and an account. But that’s a good enough reason for them to go after Gia. She’s definitely not safe out there.”
That’s all I need to hear to run from the clubhouse and go after Gia.
I call, “Gia, wait up!” as I jog after her, taking my time to catch up to her because she’s clearly upset and ready to explode.
“Just fuck off, Preacher. Please,” she adds almost as an afterthought. “I’m fine. I can take care of myself, and I don’t need you or anyone else to worry about me.”
She’s marching away, growing closer to the fenced-in exit, and I pick up my speed.
“Gia, come on.”
She stops abruptly and turns to me, fire flaring in her eyes.
“What the hell do you care anyway, Preacher? I mean, according to all of you, I’ve just made a mess of everything.”
Her chest heaves, and I can see her pulse pounding in her throat. She’s upset and angry and probably feeling a little defensive.
“Calm down, Gia. Wilder can fix anything, but the guys aren’t entirely sure they can trust you. It’s something you have to earn and blowing up and running away won’t help.”
“Yeah, well, join the goddamn club because I’m not sure I can trust any of you either! And you know what? I don’t care. It’s not like you’ll be around twenty-four-seven anyway, so as far as I’m concerned, I just hope Ro and I get the hell out of here before the Iron Kings catch up with me.”