Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
Frankie
It’s been a week since I arrived at the Kings’ clubhouse. Well, maybe arrived isn’t the right word. Technically I was dragged here against my will, though that feels like a lifetime ago now. My days are spent here in the tech room, searching for Heather alongside Cyber, and my nights...
I bite my lip, a blush warming my cheeks. My nights are spent wrapped up in Bane’s arms, his hands on my body, his mouth exploring every inch like he’s trying to commit every curve to memory.
The man’s insatiable.
Since learning I’m on birth control, he’s made it his mission to have me every chance he gets. In the shower, on the kitchen counter, bent over his bike in the middle of the night. Anywhere and everywhere—nowhere is off-limits.
And I love every minute of it.
I never imagined myself in this place, with a man almost twice my age. A man who is an outlaw, the very same man who broke into my home and took me like a thief in the night. And yet, here I am. Happier than I’ve ever been.
Which is precisely why I need to talk to Trinity.
Nibbling on my lip, I glance at Cyber from the corner of my eye. He’s got his earbuds in, head bobbing slightly to whatever he’s listening to, completely in the zone.
My eyes shift to my computer screen.
Fuck it.
I open the secure back channel on the dark web that Trinity and I use to communicate. Immediately I see several messages from her, each one sounding more panicked than the last.
WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU????
Frankie, it’s been DAYS.
Answer me!
If you don’t check in soon, I’m going to the cops.
I’m not playing, damnit!
Shit. I didn’t even think about how worried she’d be. Some best friend I am.
I quickly type back.
I’m at the Kings’ clubhouse.
Her reply comes seconds later.
WHAT THE HELL???
It’s a LONG story
I type, thinking that doesn’t even begin to cover it. In fact, I’m not even sure where the hell I’d even start, trying to explain.
Are you safe???
Her reply comes immediately and my heart warms. God, I love my bestie. Despite everything, her first concern is my safety.
I am. I’m helping the Kings with a… problem.
Since when do we HELP the KINGS?????
I snort, picturing her sitting on the edge of her seat, wondering if I’ve lost my damn mind.
My fingers fly across the keyboard.
Since they have information about my dad.
Another message pops up.
Interesting…
I bite my lip, debating whether to tell her about Bane, about how everything has changed. About how I’ve changed.
Screw it.
She’s my best friend. If I can’t tell her, who the hell can I tell?
I spill my guts quickly before I lose my nerve.
I slept with him.
Trinity’s reply pops up a half a second later with big-eyed emojis.
YOU SLEPT WITH WHO???
Cooper!!!!
I admit, covering my face with my hands and peeking through my fingers. Did I really just tell her I slept with Bane. I read the one word confession. Yep. I sure as shit did. AHHHHH…..
OMG, you stole his money AND gave him your V-card? Bitch, you are wild!
I can practically hear her laughing through the screen, and I can’t help but smile. There’s a reason she’s my ride or die.
Wait! What kind of problem?
Biting my lip, my fingers hover over the keyboard. Shit. I want to tell her everything, but I can’t. I can’t betray the Kings. Not when they’ve trusted me with something so important.
Nothing I can talk about.
Sorry.
Secrets don’t make friends, bitch.
I’m sorry. :: sad face ::
:: Heavy sigh :: It’s a good thing I love you.
I breathe a sigh of relief.
Just check in more often so I know you’re alive, kk?
Promise!
Gotta go. Talk soon!
Be safe.
She writes back before I close the channel.
Sliding my headphones back on, I hit play on my playlist. Imagine Dragons blasts in my ears as I dive back into my work. I’ve spent the last few hours trying to break through a firewall that seems impenetrable. The Valenciaga network is no joke—whoever set this up knows what they’re doing.
Hitting another brick wall, I’m about to throw my keyboard across the room in frustration when I spot it—a random piece of code that seems out of place. It’s subtle, easy to miss if you’re not looking for it, but it’s there.
Hope springs in my chest.
Finally.
A fucking back door!
My fingers dance across the keyboard as I exploit the vulnerability. I bypass their security protocols and thread my way through loops of digital hoops.
Oh you’re good, buddy. But I’m fucking better.
I weave through another maze of code and BAM!
I’m in.
“Holy shit,” I whisper, staring at the screen as data starts flooding in. GPS coordinates, transaction records, communication logs.
Every-fucking-thing we need.
I rip my headphones off, my heart threatening to jump out of my damn chest. I pat Cyber on his shoulder frantically. “Cyber! Cyber! I found it.”
He pulls his earbuds out and rolls his chair closer to mine. I point at the screen, and his jaw drops.
“Fuckin’ A,” he breathes. “You did it.”
He pulls out his phone and makes a call, his eyes never leaving the screen. “We got something,” he says to whoever’s on the other end. “An address.” He nods at whatever they’re saying, then reads off the coordinates I found. “Yeah. Looks like it.” Another nod, glancing at me. “Got it.” He hangs up.
“Who was that?” I ask. “What did they say?”
Cyber rubs the back of his neck, suddenly looking uncomfortable. “Club business,” he mumbles, not meeting my eyes.
Are you fucking kidding me?
Heat rushes to my face. Without me, they wouldn’t know shit. I’m the one who broke through the firewall. I’m the one who found the address, and now I’m being shut out?
Fuck that noise.
“Frankie, wait—” Cyber calls out as I storm toward the vault door.
“Save it,” I snap over my shoulder. Whatever half-assed apology he’s about to offer, he can shove right up his ass.
I stomp across the compound and into the clubhouse, my blood still boiling. The common room is mostly empty this time of day, with only a few prospects cleaning up and Roxy behind the bar.
Probably a good thing considering how pissed I am.
Assholes!
Aggravated as hell, I slide onto a stool and cross my arms over my chest, trying to rein in my temper before I bite someone’s head off.
“You look like you could use this,” Roxy says, sliding a cherry Sprite across the bar to me.
Despite how furious I feel, I can’t help but smile. “Thanks.” She remembered that it’s my favorite.
“No problem, sweetheart.” She pats my shoulder. “I’ve gotta run and pick Saylor up from school, but I’ll be back in a bit. Help yourself to anything you need.”
I nod and take a sip of my drink as she grabs her purse and heads for the door.
That’s when I notice she took off and left her phone on the bar.
I glance around, but nobody’s paying a lick of attention to what I’m doing. Then again, why the hell would they? I’m just a little ol’ helpless woman.
Before I can talk myself out of it, I grab the phone and slip off the stool, heading down the hallway. When I spot an open door, I duck inside.
My heart pounds as I dial Trinity’s number from memory. It rings several times before going to her voicemail.
“Damn it,” I mutter, ending the call. I need to talk to someone who isn’t a King, someone who can give me an outside perspective on all of this club business bullshit.
Sighing, I pocket the phone and turn to leave, but stop in my tracks when I spot a laptop sitting on the corner of the desk. It’s closed, but there’s a power light glowing.
I bite my lip, glancing over my shoulder at the empty hallway.
Nobody will know if I take a quick peek inside. It’s not like they didn’t give me complete access in the vault. Although I’m not sure who they think they’re kidding. I know their version of ‘complete access’ is limited to what they’re allowing me to access.
Hurrying over, I slide into the chair and open the laptop. The screen comes to life, displaying a login page.
Password protected.
Of course, that’s never stopped me before.
I flex my fingers, a small smile playing on my lips.
I’ll just take a quick peek.