Dark Rage (Sweet Atonement #3)

Chapter 1 Not Nervous

Not Nervous

Max

Why did I let Hope talk me into this? She could have had an internship anywhere in the world. I could have bought her any coffee shop chain or bookstore she wanted in the world.

Why did she have to pick an internship here?

Willow Street…The cobblestone road doesn’t resemble the place I visited more than a decade ago at all. There aren’t any rats wandering around, but there certainly are well-appointed gardens tucked in the alleyways instead.

“Dad?”

“Yeah, Hope?” I’ll take any question that might distract me from our destination, that’s getting closer by the second.

“Do you think I look alright? Maybe I should have worn something a bit more casual? Coffee shops are relaxed. They aren’t all stuffy and preppy.”

My little girl isn’t five anymore.

Don’t think about that. “You look like a person who’s taking this opportunity seriously. If—” I can’t even allow myself to think her name. “—the person that interviews you is worth their salt, they’ll recognize the respect you’re showing their business.”

“Dad, you’re so old-fashioned.”

Me old-fashioned? My company focuses on cutting-edge technology. We set the standards, and the world follows.

“It’s so pretty.”

The cream-and-black striping with touches of pink isn’t my taste, but I can see why Hope loves it.

Hope stops a few feet from the door. “Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“What if they don’t give me the internship?”

I’ll crush them, almost slips out of my mouth. Though that’s my first impulse, it isn’t the right one. “Their loss. You’re smart, a hard worker—” Especially when you’re trying to con me into something. “—and a wonderful person.”

“Dad.”

The little girl whine in her voice makes me smile. “You could have made your life easier, but you wanted to forge your own path, and for that, I’m proud of you, Hope Vincenti. Now, go in there and get that internship.”

It’s so wrong that a little part of my brain wants her not to get it, so I never have to come back here again. Instead of going inside, I take a seat on one of the benches across the street.

“Slumming?” Maddox strides over.

“This is hardly a slum now. You did an amazing job.” This place could be one of the nicest in Urbium outside of our neighborhood.

“To what do we owe the visit?”

“Hope. She’s inside applying for an internship at the bakery.” Why couldn’t Dahlia have a friend somewhere else? Anywhere else. I would have happily bought Hope a plane of her own to go to work every day.

“Oh really? I’m sure Fea will give her the job.”

Her name hits me hard.

“Talking about internships.”

I’ve heard that tone before. “We already have an internship program set up for kids on Willow Street.”

“Those aren’t right for this kid. He’s special.”

“We have all levels of—”

“Everett Jaymes hacked into several of our bank accounts with an outdated cell phone he found on the street.”

That’s impressive. “Found on the street?”

“It’s fifty-fifty he didn’t steal it, but most of these kids have stolen at one time or another in their lives.”

“You want me to teach some punk kid how to be a higher-level hacker so that he can steal more things?” That’s a scary thought.

Maddox laughs. “Something like that. I planned on training him myself. He might have made a good replacement for me one day.”

“We aren’t that old yet.”

“This place isn’t exactly a simple job.”

Wrangling hundreds of street kids while running half a dozen legal businesses, as well as a few that probably aren’t quite that legal, definitely isn’t something you could train in a few months or even a few years. “The kid is that good?”

“Yeah.”

“And he’s probably going to try stealing from me a few times?”

“Oh yeah.” Maddox grins. “Also, he’s just a few years younger than Hope.”

What? “Tell me he’s a troll who hates people and never sees anything but a computer screen.”

Maddox laughs. “A dozen girls around here have thrown themselves at him.”

That could be helpful. “And have any of them caught him?”

“Not for any length of time.”

Can I develop an aneurysm this fast? My head feels like it’s going to explode. “If he flirts with Hope, I’ll kill him.” Maddox’s laugh doesn’t make it any better. “Then I’ll come and kill you.”

“You’re welcome to try.”

“Ethan isn’t the end-all be-all. I’ve been trained by some of the best fighters in the world.” Though I don’t spend as much time training as I should.

“There’s Everett Jaymes now.” Maddox nods towards a kid walking down the other side of the street.

“No, absolutely not. That kid isn’t coming within a mile of my daughter. Find someone else.” Everett Jaymes is a player, and he’s not playing any games with Hope.

Maddox laughs. “Should I send him to your house or the office next Monday?”

“I’ll open a branch in Antarctica for him to train at.” That might be far enough away from my daughter. Probably not. “We need to talk about security.”

“Willow Street is covered. You know that.”

Mentally, I do. There hasn’t been a single instance of violence in this neighborhood in over a decade. “I want to install some cameras.”

“No.”

I could just hack into his.

“Don’t even think about it.”

“How do you know what I’m thinking?”

“Because your daughter is inside a territory not controlled by your family.”

Anxiety swirls within my belly. “She’s my whole world.”

“Nothing will happen to her here. I promise you that. Well, nothing bad.”

“You’re not helping.” There are way too many teenage boys wandering around the street. “Shouldn’t these kids be in school?”

Maddox smirks. “It’s a Saturday.”

“Don’t these kids have jobs?” Of course they don’t. They’re kids.

“One more of them will on Monday.” Maddox nods to where Everett is chatting with a girl.

“Don’t remind me. Send him to my house.” Maybe I can scare some sense into the kid. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll invite my dad and uncles.

Everett pulls the door open as Hope steps out.

“I’m going to kill him.”

Maddox laughs.

“Just wait until you have a little girl.”

“Not happening. I have enough kids that I’m already responsible for.”

That’s not the same. And now I’m sounding like my meddling nonna. “You might have one less.” I stand up, glaring at the boy who’s smiling down at my baby girl.

“You know we don’t allow violence on Willow Street.”

Pesky rule. “Unless you’re the one doling it out.”

“Exactly.”

As Hope steps away, Everett gives her a smarmy grin. “That kid is a menace.”

“Yup. And now he’s your problem too.”

Maddox strolls away like he didn’t just drop a bomb on me. And now I have to pretend to be happy for my exuberant daughter. Who clearly got the internship that I desperately wanted her not to get.

“Dad, guess what?” She bounces over to me.

I’ve loved that smile ever since the first time I saw it on her little baby face. Hope’s smile could light up the world. “What?”

“I got it!!! I got the internship!” She wraps her arms around my waist for a brief moment. “I’ll be working five days a week.”

Five days a week!

“Starting next week. And it’s a paid internship.”

Like money matters.

“But I was thinking I could donate the money I earn to their community improvement fund. What do you think?”

Five days a week! “That’s wonderful. We should celebrate!” And I need to make plans…to avoid a woman and thwart all the teenage boys wandering around this street.