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As we pass through the warmly lit hall, I glance down at Loren. Given her caliber as a hacker, I would be surprised if she didn't know about my family and its connection to The Golden Flame. She definitely knows, just like she knew who I was that night.
But I wonder if she knows how dangerous it truly is for someone like her among members of my family—mobsters who take cheating and hacking the same as they would murder or blackmail.
Big Luck, I trust more than the others, so long as he keeps his mouth shut. I'll have a word with him about it when I get him alone later. In the meantime, I stop just outside the security room, turning to face the hacker, who is wringing her hands and trembling a little.
I don't enjoy seeing her so frightened, but her reaction tells me that she's at least taking this seriously.
"Is your name actually Loren? Don't lie."
"Yes," she admits, barely audible and not meeting my eyes.
"Tell me your full name."
"Loren…Rally." She obviously tenses at her surname, gaze flickering to me like she's worried I might recognize it.
I don't. Instead, I lead her into the security room, where several of my people stand, wondering why I'm there. One of the more recent hires, Tristan, eyes the way her dark dress clings to her far too much for my liking. When he notices my glare lingering on him, he sits quickly back down and clears his throat.
"Loren, this is part of my digital security detail. They always have eyes on the casino floor and communicate directly with all other teams at the Golden Flame, including Big Luck."
Loren rubs her arm. Clearly, she's unsure where I'm going with this. "Um…okay?"
One of the girls on the security detail frowns. "This is the one you guys were just trying to stop. What was that about, Big Luck?"
To my friend's credit, he just glances at me. "Well…"
"This is Loren Rally," I introduce casually. "She's a well-versed specialist in the world of casino hacking, and as of now, I am hiring her to join this team."
Chapter 5
Loren
Wait. Domenic is hiring…me?
I thought for sure that when we walked into this room, it would be one of thosespecialback rooms that other hackers have passed on rumors about over the years—a place with no cameras and soundproofed walls so the casino's muscle could go to town on a hacker and get answers before deciding whether to let them off the hook, charge the hell out of them, or leave them in a gutter somewhere.
But this room is filled with high-def screens, cushioned seats, and even a little coffee bar at the end of one room. There are six people in here, along with another security guy, all of them looking at me curiously after what Domenic said.
I just put a smile on my face ASAP and pretended I knew all about this. "Right. Nice to meet you all." I guess.
"Didn't Big Luck tag her as a threat?" the girl who spoke before asks, brow furrowed as she examines me. She has dark hair and eyes, and I'd be shocked if she wasn't somehow related to Domenic.
Actually, come to think of it, everyone here is probably connected to the Caputo crime family in some way or other—by blood relation or loyalty. That thought has me even more nervous. I want to just bolt through the doors, flee, and never come back because there's no way Domenic Caputo is telling the truth abouthiringme when he knows who I am and what I do now.
"It was a small test. A sting operation, if you will," Domenic shrugs. "I approached Miss Rally recently for help fine-tuning our security measures since she specializes in helping casinos mitigate against hacking. She wanted to challenge our current methods, the old-fashioned way to determine the best ways of improving things. I was in the know but gave no forewarning to Big Luck or anyone else to preserve the integrity of her experiment."
Damn. Domenic thinks fast, and every word he says is said with such surety and authority that everyone in the room nods as if this explains everything—except for Big Luck, who stays silent becausehewas right there to see how surprised Domenic looked when he saw me. He must realize Domenic is pulling all of this out of thin air.
I wish I could say I'm just as quick on my feet. But I'm still a little shaken by being caught in the first place, so when everyone looks at me again, I just stare back.
"Care to share what you've found, Miss Rally?" the gorgeous mafioso beside me murmurs.
I glance at him and swallow. There's a clear ultimatum in his sinfully dark eyes. Either I accept this totally unexpected job and help him spot holes in his security for hackers like me, or I get dealt with like any other hacker.
Haven't I been looking for a job, anyway? I want to ask questions. For example, how much would I be paid for this?AmI getting paid for this, or is this just how he expects me to repay the casino I once stole from? How much would I need to be here at the casino? I don't like to leave Evie alone with my mother all the time.
Oh, my God. Evie.
For a second, it hits me that I'm standing next to the father of my precious little girl, and he has no idea about it.
