Eleven Ella #2
“Yes,” Aura says, her eyes gleaming. “It’s one party with a definite signature hacking into the four other systems. I’m running a list of up-and-coming social media companies and trying to cross-reference those with the hacking signature and any large purchases of some type of crystal. Haven’t found anything yet.”
Anticipation lights through me. “I was so busy tracing them from Aquarius to TimeGem that I didn’t check the others. So they’ve hacked all four of us? Fascinating. We have to find this party. Maybe align with them in taking down Sylveria.” Or take them out. Who knows?
Jos nods. “While you two run down that rabbit hole, we need to get serious right now. There was a gunfight in the middle of Silicon Valley last night. Most of the CCTV was scrubbed, but one camera slipped through. You were on it.”
My stomach drops. “Please tell me you erased it.”
“Of course I erased it.” Her voice goes sharp, and she leans back like I just insulted her.
Aura reaches blindly for a pair of glasses and slips them on. She doesn’t need them for the screen, only for distance. “What were you doing in a firefight?”
“Somehow, I walked straight into somebody else’s war with Justice Beathach.” I shake my head. “He was just giving me a ride home after the hospital.”
Mags’s jaw drops. “Are you kidding us right now?”
“I’m not.” Heat rises up my neck. I see no reason to give them the full truth about my night.
Mags turns to Jos, her voice tight. “A gunfight is unexpected. Bad timing? Should we get Ella out of town?”
Jos nods, calm as ever. “We can. Private plane, whenever we need it.”
“No.” I lift a hand. “I’ve got this. You three need to trust me. We’ve got more important things to worry about. Like a child trafficking ring. And that poor dog—what’s his name?”
Jos exhales. “We zoomed in on his collar. It says Killer.”
I roll my eyes. “Okay. Send in animal control.”
“No,” Mags says. “The owner has papers. We need you to get him. Unless you want us to get you out of here?”
It’s a threat. Seriously. Yeah, they could have me kidnapped. I’d get free but I don’t have time to waste. “I don’t have time to save a dog.”
Jos gasps and holds her chest.
I exhale. Now I’ve done it. “All right. Sorry. I’ll make the time. Think of another name for him. We’ll give it to him before I drop him off at one of the shelters.”
“Be careful,” Jos says, narrowing her faded blue eyes at me. Somehow, even with age clouding them, she still looks right through me.
Each of them has talismans—Mags with her smoky crystal pendant, Jos with a topaz locket that never leaves her neck, and Aura with her citrine stones tucked under the rhinestones and glitter.
“I will,” I promise. “I know what I’m doing.” I mentally go over the cars I’ve stashed in the area, running through which one will serve best.
Mags tilts her head, studying me. “You really blushed when you talked about Justice.”
I arch a brow. “He’s very sexy.”
Her voice flattens. “He really is.” Then her chin drops. “A good man is a challenging one.”
I fold my arms. “I’m not getting involved with a mobster. He’s just the brother-in-law of my best friend.” That’s all I give them. I push up from the sofa. “All right. I’ll go get the dog.” Which I really do not have time to do.
“Do you need money?” Mags asks.
Frankly, I always need money. “No. I’m good.” The lie rolls out easy enough.
The three of them exchange a look and then turn back to their computers. Keys clatter in fast rhythm until Jos hits a button with a flourish. “Your accounts are fully funded now.”
I feel like an ass. “I don’t need your money.”
Jos waves a jeweled hand like she’s brushing the idea away. “We have so much of it. We play the stock market for fun.”
She swivels back to her monitor while Mags digs into her candy bowl. “She’s right,” she says, unwrapping a caramel with sharp fingers. “I made a killing yesterday. Tech stocks are insane.”
“Got to know when to sell,” Jos adds without looking up.
“Got to know when to buy,” Mags finishes, her mouth full.
I slide my phone into my pocket. “What I really need is to stay out of Justice Beathach’s line of sight.”
Aura chews on her lip, glances at the others, then fixes her gaze on me. “All right. The question has to be asked. Do you want us to have Justice Beathach taken out?”
I drop back onto the loveseat. “No. I don’t want him taken out.”
“We might have to,” Mags says, voice calm but pointed. “You did try to kill his brother. His brother’s now out of town. If Justice wants you removed, now’s the time.”
“I’m aware of that,” I say. “I don’t think he actually wants to hurt me.” Well, not really. Maybe a little. I lift a shoulder. “Okay, it’s possible. But if he wanted me gone, I’d probably already be gone.” Maybe. Thorn just left town, and Justice was probably waiting for that.
Aura tilts her head, her smile softening. “Maybe Justice is looking for a mate. He is very handsome.” Of the three, she’s the romantic.
“Yes, he is,” I admit, remembering that orgasm. Justice is dangerous to me in too many ways. A girl has to protect herself. “But one of us might have to kill the other.”
Mags coughs. “No, no, no. We’ll take care of him if you want.”
“I don’t,” I say firmly. “I really don’t.”
The last thing I need is these women anywhere near Justice’s crosshairs.
They’re in a good place in life, and they’ve spent their lives giving—to animals, to strangers, to me.
They sent me love even when I was locked away in boarding schools, sending it from a distance when they couldn’t be near. It’s my turn to protect them.
I stand, forcing a smile as I cross the room. “All right. I’ll take care of the dog. Keep the cameras off, and blank anything between me and that animal. I know you can’t get everything, but do your best.”
At the closet, I tug out a wide cowboy hat and a green bedazzled jacket, light enough to move in but lacking actual glitter, so I’m safe from an allergy attack. I pull them on, catching my reflection in the mirror. Best disguise I’ve got for now.
“How much danger are you in?” Aura asks quietly.
I pause, the words pressing at my throat.
Three groups have already tried to grab me, right out of what was supposed to be a hidden safe house.
The truth is, it doesn’t look good. Instead, I turn back to her and lie with a smile.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry.” I definitely need to give them a task.
“While I go rescue this dog, will you do another deep dive on Sylveria and her daughters? We haven’t checked in a while, and I want everything. ”
Mags pushes her glasses onto her head, eyes bright. “Really? It’s time?”
“Oh, it’s time,” I say. “I want to take everything.”
Their squeals of delight fill the suite. It should sound dangerous. It doesn’t. But I’ll work with what I’ve got. Now all I have to do is rescue a dog named Killer, figure out who all wants me dead, and avoid Justice Beathach, who is most certainly on the hunt for me right now.
Yeah, he’s the biggest threat.
I shiver before kissing the cheerful women goodbye, hoping it’s not for the last time.