Page 157 of Shattered Veil

I glance around. Dad left me nothing but debt. Debt Balor is paying off for me. I could sell this code and have one billion-freaking dollars?

That means I can pay Balor back. Pay his family back. Earn my respect back. Be Balor’s equal.

“Is this Japanese guy agoodguy like you?”

“No,” he scoffs. “Not at all. He’s linked to the destruction at the Fukushima Power Plant in 2011. When the tsunami hit, he struck the power plant, hoping the chaos would cover it up.”

“Then no freaking way am I giving him the code, selling it, whatever. I’m not giving it to anyone.” I’ve seen what that code can do.

“Not for one billion dollars?” He gently leans forward, resting his elbows on the desk. “You need to think about this very carefully. You’ll be independent and won’t need anyone. Not even me.”

It’s an easy decision. My pride isn’t for sale.

Is Balor testing me? Living in a mafia family requires loyalty. I get it.

“There’s nothing to think about, Balor.” I stand tall. “Where is that code? Delete it.”

“I’m not deleting it. It’s not mine. It’s yours.” He clicks something and sheets of paper spit out of my father’sprinter.

I grab one of the many sheets. Garbled letters, numbers, and symbols I don’t understand make up my father’s ransomware code.

Myransomware code.

“Balor, I don’t want this. I want you. I want us.”

He stands, eyes lowered. “You’d rather havemethan one billion dollars?”

I move closer and throw my arms around him. “I’d rather get one billion dollars the old-fashioned way.”

“The oldest profession in the world?” He grinds against me.

“Been there. Done that. If we’re getting married—”

“Ifwe’re getting married?”

I flash the obscene engagement ring that I’ve been wearing since Balor brought me home. I refuse to take it off. “This means you and Iaregetting married.”

“I won’t force you to marry me, butterfly.” He pulls out of my arms and scoops up the printouts. “Especially not in light of this.”

“I’m confused,” I whisper.

His hands shake, curling the pages back, one at a time. “I had planned to steal the code from your father. That’s why I hired him. Not to use it the way he did. Not to hurt strangers.” Balor hurts his enemies.

His brotherskilltheir enemies.

“Now you have it.” I don’t bother asking why he doesn’t sell it. “What’s mine is yours.”

His jaw tightens. He’s already rich and knows that with this code in the hands of someone truly evil and not just mischievous like my father—trying to bankrupt the O’Rourkes excluded—the world will never be safe.

“Then you know that what belongsto me, belongsto you.” He sits down again and pulls me onto his lap. “My money is your money. I can also spend any amount ofmoney on you I want.”

He already bought me a plane. I can’t imagine how he tops that.

“Last chance, butterfly.”

“Notachance, Maverick. This butterfly has happily tangled her wings inside your web. Forever.”

EPILOGUE ONE