The Genius Heiress They Tried To Break

n the freezing rain for two hours, wa

t laundered forty million dollars for the family. I was the adop

al" daughter, returned, I bec

ye, swirling his scotch

to Sofia. She needs the prestige

-a complex laundering algorithm-so h

ed, the humi

d my adoptive father kicked me into

rly d

told me to find Sofia's lost ring at the bottom of

reputation at the university. The

as a stray dog w

were

ed, I dialed a number I

" I whispered. "I'm

e Russo empire b

Vs arrived to collect me, Luc

ther wasn'

tti, the King o

e to burn thei

pte

l barrier between me and the only man I had ever loved, while the fr

anding here f

Luca was inside. Knowing he saw me on the security monitors. And knowi

n waiting in the rai

e Underboss, and the brilliant forensic accountant who had just laundered forty

, I was jus

ly sounded-a har

my heels clicking on the wet pavement, shivering vio

before my fist could

o reveal the tanned skin of his throat, his dark hair perfectly styled. He held a glass of sc

ffer

ng his back on me and walking

I couldn't form words immediately. I needed a towel. I needed warmth. I needed him to look

sper. "It was the storm.

't offer me a drink. He sat on the

d. "The forensic accounting for the merger with the Triads. I nee

ly felt insignificant compa

apped at birth and returned six months ago. The Golden Child who d

six months to build the algorithm. Sofia doesn't know how to read

were dark, devoid of the warmth they

prestige to be accepted by the Commission

of rainwater on his expensive rug. "If she messes up the encryption,

said, taking a sip of his drink. "You are strong, Elena. You are a surviv

ily that treated me like a calculator with a heartbeat. I

e to give her my

he Family," he corrected, his tone harden

word struck m

r by the second. I realized then that Luca didn't love me. He loved my utility.

" I wh

e cologne mixing with the smell of rain on my skin. "Go clean yourself up.

ped a beat. A

s shoulder. "Sofia has never seen

airs, leaving me sh

nder the spray, not caring as the scalding water turned my frozen skin bright red. I scrubbed at my arms unt

ody burning with fever. My head pounded. I col

my phone buzz

attack. I'm going to he

a fever he had caused. And yet, he was leaving to c

e roar to life and fa

thoughts. I reached for my phone, my fingers trembling.

file I had uncovered years ago. A number that belong

retti

one ra

ine," a deep voice

sped, my throat on fire.

the voice asked,

sing my eyes as a tear leaked