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“And therein lies the danger,” I agreed.
“How did they gain access to this software?”
Conor cast Custanzu a glance. “They had it in their hands for a very short while. I locked them out the moment I knew they were using it.”
“That’s a relief,” Aurora mocked.
Conor’s brothers suddenly appeared grouchy. Ah, so he’d told them. He cleared his throat. “I had an arrangement with the NSA.”
As outrage moved around the factions like a tidal wave, I called out, “It wasn’t by choice, and it was from when he wasn’t as experienced.”
“Meaning?” Custanzu demanded.
“I’d lessen the sass, Custanzu, considering your actions when you were a teenager.”
His cheeks blanched. “I beg your pardon?”
“I think we both know what happened—”
“Enough,” Luciu barked, studying his brother concernedly. “We are friends, Star. Do not let us part from this meeting as enemies.”
I pursed my lips as Conor placed a calming hand on my shoulder. “I was caught hacking into a government database when I was a kid. They knew I’d serve them better out in the open rather than in a jail cell.”
Luciu frowned but, to Aurora, asked, “Does the NSA frequently make deals like this?”
“You’d be surprised how prisoners can be mobilized,” I muttered, “for their government’s gain.”
“If anyone would know,” Aurora said simply, “it would be you, Sullivan.”
We shared a look and nodded at one another.
“As I’ve grown older, I’ve become better—”
“One of the best hackers in the world,” I interrupted, elbowing him in the side. “This isn’t the time for being humble, Conor.”
“If you’d stop interrupting him, Star,” Brennan snapped, “maybe we could get this part of the meeting over with.”
I scowled at him but zipped up.
Conor admitted, “Star is one of the best too. For her to compliment me tells you everything. As I improved, my worth to them did as well. It meant I had as much bartering power with them as they did with me.”
“You negotiated your family’s safety with the NSA?” Maxim questioned, sounding impressed.
“I did. The deal is no longer in place. The NSA were recently in need of my skills and at the same time, members of the CIA tried to dispose of me—”
I glanced at his brothers and saw from their stoniness that he hadn't shared that piece of news.
Making a mental note to get Eagle Eyes to frazzle Temper Black’s ass for betraying me—but also to send her a fruit basket for saving Conor’s behind while I wasn’t around to do it—I tuned back into the conversation.
“—it was on this occasion that my software was taken. As I said, it wasn’t used for long and I have access to what they uncovered.” He reached into his pockets and pulled out microchips. That seemed to be a signal because he turned to the guards lining the walls. “I’ll hand them to one of your men.”
A guard from each faction drifted forward after receiving nods from their leaders, but before Conor could pass them out, I barely hid my gasp as I recognized one of the men.
Chadwick.
Wait, he was with the Sicilians?
I frowned at him but he cut his eyes to the right as if telling me to keep our connection quiet.
