Chapter 2
Chapter Two
CADE
“Did you get it wet?”
I ignore Enzo. He’s just talking shit right now to pass the time. But of course, he doesn’t take the hint.
“Like was it big time, down and dirty wet?”
I look up from my computer, pick up my energy drink, and take a swallow of the vile liquid.
Fuck me, give me coffee any day.
Enzo’s got a fridge of these, and we ran out of coffee around six a.m.
I’d have made a run for some, but we’re eyeballs deep in work.
It’s just the two of us in his building’s basement, where we have a room with multiple computers, and they’re all running. Right now, the big screen on the projector wall isn’t on. We don’t need it.
“While I don’t know what the fuck you mean by ‘down and dirty wet,’ I’m guessing you’re talking sex, so I’ll save my answer for when your voice breaks.”
“You think you’re funny, Cade. But you’re not.”
I hide my grin. “I just don’t get how you can suck the joy out of a good time between two consenting adults.”
“Skill. Real skill.”
I laugh and shake my head, getting up and going to one of the other computers to check the program we’re running there.
It should be fine. It’s our program, but bugs from complacent programmers and coders are the kind of downfall I’m looking to avoid.
The thing with bugs is they pop up no matter how careful you are. And fixing them as soon as you find them is best.
Best yet is not having them, but though I might be considered a genius, I am not a god.
“It didn’t get, as you so gracefully put it, wet.”
“Too hot?”
“Too vanilla.”
He snorts. But I don’t think Enzo has any idea just how deeply I mean that.
I’m not a playboy. I yearn to have someone to come home to, someone who is the motherboard to my processor. But my cravings make that almost impossible.
I barely date, and not because my time is eaten by work and passion side projects.
The things I like, that I’m into, don’t tend to lend themselves to the greater dating pool.
Encounters and mutual arrangements burn out, but they help scratch the itch for a while, so maybe it’s best that way.
I know I’m a sick fuck, but vanilla just doesn’t do it for me. My brand of sick is very specific and very hard to match.
Not willing to dwell on this, I turn to him. “Is this your way of wanting to tell me about your latest bae?”
His eyes widen. “Bae? What year is this?”
“Shorty? Foxy lady?”
“Who are you?” Then he hits a button on the keyboard in the computer next to him. “Yes! Another one bites the dust.”
I hum the song, earning a chuckle.
We’re working to complete a series of small jobs for one of our biggest clients, the Belov Bratva. And in this line of work, for these kinds of clients, small never means inconsequential.
Small is always time-consuming because it means extra time to make sure no one notices any disturbances to the simple framework of their systems.
We can do it because we’re the best around. And I don’t ever say that lightly.
We are, it’s why people claw to get our services, and why we earn a shit ton of money.
As part of The Syndicate, a mostly anonymous group of hackers, we do a lot of dirty work. But we hang out dirty laundry, too. Punish the scum of society, the vilest of the vile, the rich and the untouchables, by outing their crimes in the most humiliating ways possible.
“Man, Cade…” Enzo sighs. “I wish you’d seen this chick. Solid nine. Blonde, tits out to here.” He lifts a hand and places it an improbable distance from his chest. “And her pussy was so tight. Like, put a finger in there and it got strangled.”
“Did you try turning her on?”
“Turn her on, then off, then on again?” He laughs at his IT joke. “She was dripping. Had a heart tattooed right above her clit, man. Anyway, I got balls deep in, and the door bangs open. It’s like a fucking movie.”
“Enzo…” I try not to laugh. “Don’t tell me—”
“Her husband came home unexpectedly. Thank fuck when she stripped naked, she was so eager to have me in her after her eight-point-five blow job, my clothes were mostly on. So, I was like, hey, dude, sorry and then zipping up and out that door so fucking fast.”
“Gentlemanly.”
Enzo shakes his head. “Had no idea she was married. And I’m not staying to see if he’s got a gun or a black belt.”
“Uh huh.”
“I swear I didn’t know.”
“I said ‘uh huh’.” I know Enzo well enough to hazard a guess that, unlike me, a ring wouldn’t stop him.
“You have a death wish, Enzo.” But I guess it’s not his problem, it’s hers. Roles reversed, I’d say the same. Cheating onus is on the one with the fucking ring.
“I said I didn’t know. Not my fault.” But he sounds smug.
“Look, I agree, but while she’s the one with the ring, you should also try to avoid those situations.”
“Sure thing, Mother T.”
I finish hacking into the last account and transfer an obscenely large amount of cash to an offshore account.
Then I sigh and stretch out. “Done and done. You should’ve seen all those fucking zeroes.”
Enzo laughs. “You should’ve put a little of that cash into your own account. They’d never notice.”
I snort. “Yeah, right.”
“From the one you’re taking it from.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “You know he’d know. Even when it is not his money, he knows. And in this case, it is.”
“All those zeroes. A few from the front of the line would be fine. We could upgrade…”
“Yeah, because Belov’s someone I want to piss off.”
Enzo looks at me, smirking. “Come on, it’s a front. Belov’s nothing but a big pussycat.”
“Pussycats have claws.”
“They also purr.”
I just shake my head. “He’s a pussycat who sliced his own brother’s balls off because he drank his vodka.”
It’s not even what he did, though that’s horrific, it’s how he did it, and why. According to those in the know—as in those in the room—he did it without much of a thought and, worse, hasn’t regretted it.
Enzo shrugs. “To be fair, it was a three grand bottle of vodka.”
I give him a look, eyebrows raised. “And that makes it okay?”
He shrugs.
I shake my head. “Remind me to never steal your drink.”
He laughs. “I don’t drink anything over the price of fifty bucks.”
“A glass? Or bottle?”
“Why? Want to try and find out?”
“No, thanks. I like my balls just where they are, thank you very much.”
He offers a grin. “Don’t worry, your balls are more than safe from my hands.”
“Uh huh.”
“Oh, shit…” He frowns, eyes back on his computer, and I go over to watch as he furiously types. “Got it. Disaster averted.”
“Narrowly. We should shore that up…” I go back to my computer.
The transfers are done, and I check to make sure my path can’t be traced. Then I check the one that’s running a constant check on one of Belov’s systems.
Satisfied, I leave that one running and close up everything else.
Enzo helps me.
When we are done, I get my stuff. “What are your plans tonight?”
Enzo scratches his head. “Are you asking me on a date, Cade?”
“Maybe, but I’m not married.”
“Not cool, man.”
I hit the elevator button that takes us straight up to his top-floor penthouse apartment. There are six other apartments in the building, but no one else has access to the basement or this elevator, which goes straight to his place only.
When we get there, he goes into the living room and pours himself a whiskey and holds the bottle up to me.
I take it. “Just one before I head home.”
“I’m thinking of hitting up that new club on Ludlow Street later, if you want to join.”
“Another time. I’ve got things to do at home. Working on a program.”
“For The Syndicate?”
“Nah, just some fun and games.” I take a sip of the drink.
My phone rings, and I fish it out of my pocket, hitting answer.
“Yo, wassup?” My idiot little brother’s voice fills the room.
I’m not sure if he’s stoned or so into the game he’s playing he’s half checked out.
I roll my eyes and take a big swallow of my drink, leaning against the arm of the sofa, my computer bag on the floor. “You called me.”
“Oh, yeah. Hang on.” Gunshots and screams fill the air for a moment before it goes quiet. “Yeah, Vi’s coming over.”
“Who’s Vi?” I know damn well who his pretty girlfriend is. What I can’t seem to figure out is what she sees in him.
“My girl, man. It’d be nice if, for once, you could give us some space.”
“Space?”
The entitlement grates on my nerves.
Does he even remember that it is my place he is bunking at, not his?
But I can’t really be surprised.
Enzo meets my gaze, and I bite down on the annoyance as Jack’s voice comes over the line again.
“Yeah. Privacy. God, Cade, you’re slow.”
Enzo wanders over and refills my glass. He mouths ‘idiot,’ and he’s not wrong.
“I might be slow, but I’m also the one who owns that place. So, if you want privacy, you can go elsewhere.”
“I don’t have anywhere else. You’re the one with money. And Vi doesn’t like going out.” The whine in his voice makes the urge to punch his face stronger. I’m glad I’m at Enzo’s right now…
Besides, I’m pretty fucking sure that’s not true. Violet is not some recluse. She’s a young, gorgeous girl, who my brother somehow inexplicably landed.
I sip the drink, looking down at my phone. “Not my problem. I’ve got my own date tonight.”
“Take her—”
“With my hand. I’m streaming in some first-rate porn. So, it’ll be me in front of my projector TV. But, hey, I’m more than happy for an audience, though. Maybe Violet will like it.”
Jack mutters something at me, and I catch the words sick, cock sucker, and fucker before he hangs up.
Enzo starts laughing. “Never took you for an exhibitionist.”
“Trust me, I’m not.” I mean, at least, not like that. “You know I said that to annoy Jack.”
“You really need to kick him out.”
I sigh. “I know. But Jack’s got this amazing ability to suck at everything he does. He fucks up interviews. I’m not even sure he’s good at being a functioning person.”
“That’s not fair. He gets quality weed and can play a decent game of—”
“Really?”
Enzo holds up a hand. “I can tell from the smell his bud’s good. But jokes aside, Cade, I thought he was only staying with you temporarily until he got settled.”
“Remember the part about sucking at things?”
Enzo presses his lips together for a moment. “You’re brothers, I get it, but temporary has a use-by date, and to me, it sounds like he’s passed that. Isn’t there a saying about guests and fish?”
“I know.”
If it is up to my brother, his ‘temporary’ stay will remain as is for as long as he can push it. He was meant to be with me for a couple of weeks. It’s now three months and counting. And Jack’s settling in more and more.
There are zero signs of him intending on leaving. Not even a slight hint.
“Just pick a date and stick to it.”
“I wish it were that simple. And if I hadn’t promised Mom before she died I’d keep an eye on him, I’d have kicked him out by now.”
Enzo blows out a breath. “Your mom died five years ago. I’m sure she meant then, not now. He’s a grown ass adult. He can drink, vote, and go to prison as an adult.”
“Yeah, trust me, I know.” But it really is not that simple, not in my heart of hearts.
That promise meant something.
I couldn’t stop her dying, but I can do what she asked.
“He’s taking advantage.”
“But I get to annoy him with shit like that.”
“What about the girlfriend? Is she as bad?”
I just laugh. “Violet? Christ. Vi’s the antithesis of him. I think she’s twenty-one and is already doing her Master’s. She wants a PhD, too.”
“Holy fucking fuck. So, what? Is she ugly?”
“Real beauty. Actually, I can’t believe she’s still with him. Honestly, it’s a wonder of the world. She’s gorgeous, smart, and a go-getter. She could do so much better than my deadbeat brother.”
“How the hell did he land her?”
I finish my drink and push off the sofa’s arm. “College.”
“We all make mistakes at college.” Then Enzo suddenly grins slowly, eyes gleaming. “You could show her just how much better she could do.”
I roll my eyes. “Steal my brother’s girlfriend? That’s low.”
“She’ll probably thank you for it. Besides, we could get him another. Chances are, he’d not even notice.”
I think he’d notice Vi being replaced.
But I roll my eyes at my friend. “Never gonna happen.”
“Why? She’s only into deadbeats?”
“No. But she’s way too sweet and innocent for me. Also, twenty-one, remember? I’d end up ruining her.”
Enzo smirks. “Deep down… Isn’t that what every woman wants?”