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The Salvatores.
I typed, my fingers flying across the keyboard before I hit the command and expanded into new networks, cleaning even more money and driving it all back into Salvatore accounts. With a few strokes, I turned two hundred million dollars of blood money into something untouchable by any kind of federal enforcement agency, foreign and domestic.
They were rich beyond anyone else on the planet. “Take that, Musk,” I whispered, fighting that knife-edge of power play between pride and disgust.
I looked up, searching for the guard peering through the door and into the room, but he was gone. I scowled, looked at the clock…gone from like an hour ago.
Footsteps resounded, two of them…my pulse stuttered, narrowing in on that heavy, purposeful gait. I knew that gait…heard it in my dreams…felt it in my body.
My breaths deepened as a surge of adrenaline tore through me. Shadows spilled across the door, too many for one person. The tiny beep of the electronic lock sounded before two men invaded my world. One hung back. I didn’t look at him. Instead, I leaned forward, activated the keystrokes of the triple-encrypted locking system I’d set up for my own foolproof program.
They couldn’t access it, not even if they tried. They might control every aspect of my life…but I’d be damned if they got their hands on my father’s. The guard’s focus dropped to my fingers flying across the keyboard, activating the encryption before I turned, meeting his gaze.
He was smart, this one. Cold, calculating blue eyes that reminded me a little of Lazarus Rossi. But he wasn’t a Rossi. Lazarus wouldn’t spy on me. Not for all the money or power in the world. Instead, he’d tell Dominic Salvatore to go fuck himself. But not this guy parading as security. He was a computer science major from Berkeley, graduated top of his field. As if they could send someone my way and not expect I’d pick apart every aspect of his life.
If they did, then they were dumber than I expected.
“Ms. Shaw.” He moved closer, scanning my desk before waiting for me to stand.
I didn’t smile or acknowledge. We were far beyond niceties.
I knew he was sent to gain information about my program. After all, that was what we traded, wasn’t it? Lies and lives as currency. I laundered their filthy money, and they let my father live. I rose from my seat and turned my attention to the other male in the room. The one who made my pulse race and my body a traitor.
Finely stood at the doorway, dressed immaculately as always. There wasn’t a crease in his white-collared shirt, not a hair out of place, either. He’d became bigger, more muscled, spending countless hours in the gym we had at home in the months we escaped the Island off Mauritius. The one controlled by the Commission which had come under attack.
We'd barely made it out alive…some of us didn’t.
I lifted my arms as the ‘guard’ passed behind me, waving a wand over my body. His hands were next, sliding along my arms. I held Finley’s gaze as those hands rounded my stomach, searching a little too hard.
There was a twitch in Finley’s stare as the man behind me knelt, holding on to my hips, his hands running along the backs of my thighs.
“Sorry, Ms. Shaw.” He moved down the inside of my thighs and my pants, his fingers dangerously close to my crease.
Finley’s jaw clenched. Muscles flaring. He hated it. Hated them putting their hands on me, and yet every fucking day they did, knowing there was no reason to. This was just another game his father played, another flex of his power over me…
Over us.
“You’re all clear.” The guard rose to his feet.
My body shuddered with the violation which made me sick. Hard breaths moved though me. Finley said nothing, but he didn’t have to. Rage sparked in his gaze as he turned to the asshole who he knew was untouchable…for now.
“Mr. Salvatore.” The guard nodded as he rounded my desk and strode out of the room, closing the door behind him.
But there wasn’t the click of the lock this time. Seemed like they were letting me out…for now. I grabbed my purse and my jacket from the back of the chair and strode around the desk.
“Anna…” Fin called.
But I couldn’t look at him. Couldn’t want him…couldn’t listen to his goddamn excuses. Instead, I twisted the handle and shoved open the door, striding out into the stark white hallway.
My heels resounded until they were smothered by the heavy thud of boots. Fin said nothing as he followed behind me. The chill from his silence at my back said it all as I clutched my card, pressed it to the scanner, ignoring the five cameras swiveling my way as I waited for the doors to open.
They always waited a second longer than necessary before letting me leave. As though they wanted to get the point across one last goddamn time.
We own you.
It couldn’t be any more obvious. The door opened with a rush, and fresh air hit me. I stepped out into darkness. It felt a lot like my life. Darkness surrounded me. Darkness claimed me…darkness became me.
Headlights flashed from the Maserati parked at the entrance. Finley strode ahead to the passenger’s door and opened, waiting for me to climb in. For a second, I didn’t want to. I lifted my gaze to the empty parking lot. Freedom waited out there beyond the towering, razor-wire-tipped fence line and the reach of Dominic Salvatore. Far beyond the murky gloom and the trees, and the road that led to the Facility.
