Page 128 of Shattered Veil
“With dirty money. His brothers are murderers,” he whispers sharply because we’re not alone. “What is it you think I do all day for them? The things I cover up!”
Waving my hands, I say, “I don’t want to know. Balor has never hurt anyone.”
“This is true. Or he has managed to cover it up. Even from me.”
“How well did you know Balor before you agreed to work for him?”
Dad scoffs, “Enough.”
“And that he used escorts?” The ache in my chest grows.
Dad’s gaze drifts to me. “Yes. It surprises me he’d change his ways.”
“For me,” I snap. “For ordinary me? Is that what you’re saying?”
“I am. But not for the reason you think. Mafia marriages are out of duty.”
Several of the wives were forced.
“Trophy wives with plastic surgery and blackeyes under caked-on makeup.” Dad’s words shatter me. “I thought you’d had enough of that.”
Nothing about Jillian’s shower last weekend hinted at anything my father is describing. Certainly not theblackeye part. Every wife was well dressed, of course, since they are wealthy. But no one looked plastic. I watched every single wife with her husband. I saw love. I saw respect. I saw worship in those men’s eyes.
I know all those signs.
Because that’s how Balor looks at me.
And I just left him on the sidewalk. What’s wrong with me?
“Dad, I’m going to a doctor tomorrow. Any doctor. I just want to confirm this pregnancy is real and to make sure everything is all right. Then I’m bringing the rest of my things to Balor’s house on Sunday.” I smile for the first time, relieved that it’s all so clear to me. “I expect you to level with me this weekend about what your plans are. Where are you going to work? That apartment is expensive. Balorwillbe my husband, that means you—”
“I will not take charity from him or anyone.” My father sits back and takes out his phone. “I will have new job by Monday.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
Balor
Ireceive a download link from Corvin Snow late Friday night.
Fuck, he’s going to disappear again. He has to know I’m Maverick and that I know he’s Iceman. This erratic behavior can’t be because of Ella.
In an emergency meeting I called at my command center, Shane and I confirm Snow did what we asked in Tokyo.
Hacking into the network he corrupted, I analyze the code he used with Shane looking over my shoulder.
“Fuck, he’s sophisticated,” my second-in-command says.
“It’s old-school Russian cyber warfare,” I mutter, but smile. “Here. Right fucking here.”
Like a bombmaker, cyber terrorists leave a signature in their destruction. Asking Snow to fuck with an adversary, I tricked him into revealing his secret ingredients. Which he did to show off.
“That’s it,” Shane says after receiving it from me. “But holy fucking shit, Balor. It wiped out my test network.”
“What?” I jump from my seat. “It got past your firewall?”
“This one did.” Shane sounds rattled.
“That means he’s made his code more powerful.” I pace back and forth. “I want everyone looking at that code. How does it compare to his December ransom hack? How did he fuel it to make it worse?”