Hacker Bride

a's

two kinds

oothes and the

h too much stillness, rooms padded in velvet and violence. Even

t here to

e to di

main hall, her heels clicking like metronomes of doom. Toda

what it

ew bride. You'll attend the luncheon. Sit quietly. Smile. And say absolutely nothing about hacking

to face me with that blan

Miss Vale. I'm here to make su

shuts

orar

hat probably cost more than my first laptop. Sunlight spills over everything like a halo and waitin

mafia king: silk suit, manicured beard, and eye

awls, rising as we approach. "And here

e, Damien appears beside me, his hand

ge is cle

," Damien says coolly.

Nico asks, lif

mor. "Long enough for yo

s

't stop st

to tame Damien Valenti," he says. "Tur

ne of your business

arks a

sips hi

utiful. The con

ng for weaknesses. I recognize the tactic. I'v

ids looking at the guards posted at the edge of the terrace.

ous and I

oesn't t

her

ugh the gardens, his expression unreadable. I

say, "Nic

ises

ide of the terrace, where the guards rotate every fift

d all that

it in ten

at p

"He's planning t

bl

did you le

what he

nd

ctly what I

p wal

ou telling

"Because I want you

nd of so

tra

ound bunker that serves as

ete, exposed wires, a space that smells like electr

Valenti power. Ra

uring to the rows of servers, the satellite

art r

more tha

is co

" I ask, already s

. "A fake one. Make it look vulnerable. Li

hen he

let

he

I kill

threat. N

a f

e blank screens waiting to be f

twenty-fo

ave tw

hrough t

terru

gua

nd, and the ru

a false entry point designed to trigger silent alarms if accessed. I lace the firewall wi

oney trap dressed in g

I still love this work. That somewh

hat thou

ches as I walk him through the

ays simply, "Good."

if Nico takes the bait a

then, it will be too late." He leaves

just hacking systems anym

self wandering. Not a

s sharp and clean, the city lights below too far

ss. This ri

ies I'm

tell me to r

because

e that proves Damien had a hand in my fathe

t. He doesn't say anything at first. Just joins me at

wa

oday." I glance at him. "You're late. Tha

habit of givin

t death

tly. "They're m

uiet a

"I know what t

ha

u're setting. I know how you look at

e not

ne hunting, Zara." That se

e being lied

have married a liar." He lo

ying a dang

are

"Just remember," he says softly, "sometimes the hunter becomes the hunted."

scina