1. Prologue

Maty

I’ve always been a fighter. When you grow up like I did, you don’t have a choice. It’s either fight or be crushed under the weight of a world that doesn’t give a shit about you.

I never knew my parents. They dumped me at a fire station when I was just a baby, and I’ve been on my own ever since. The foster system was a fucking joke - I bounced from home to home, never staying in one place long enough to unpack my bags. The only constant in my life was the knowledge that I couldn’t rely on anyone but myself.

But I had one thing going for me: I was smart. Freakishly so. By the time I was ten, I could take apart a computer and put it back together with my eyes closed. By twelve, I was hacking into school records to change my grades, just cause I could.

It wasn’t long before I realized my skills could be put to better use than just messing around. I started hanging out on hacker forums, learning from the best.

It was a rush, a high like nothing I’d ever experienced. The thrill of the hack, the satisfaction of watching the money pour into untraceable offshore accounts. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was part of something bigger, like I had a purpose.

But as the jobs got more important and the stakes got higher, I started to get restless. I wanted more than just a cut of the profits and a pat on the back. I wanted to use my skills for something bigger.

That’s when I came up with the idea to hit the DeLucas. They were the biggest, baddest crime family in the world, with their hands in everything from drug trafficking to money laundering. Taking from them would be the ultimate score.

I spent months planning, studying their systems and exploiting every weakness I could find. And when the big night finally came, I was ready. Or so I thought…

* * *

The salty sea breeze whips through my curls as I make my way down Cannery Row, the sound of seagulls mixing with the distant bark of sea lions. The air is cool and damp, a welcome change from the stuffiness of the group home where I’ve spent the last few years of my life.

I hitch my backpack higher on my shoulder, the weight of my meager possessions a familiar burden. It’s not much, just a few changes of clothes, a toothbrush, and my most prized possession - a battered laptop I’ve managed to keep hidden from my foster parents and social workers.

I turn down a narrow side street, the colorful buildings of the wharf giving way to the more run-down neighborhoods of DelMonte’s underbelly. This is my world. The place where street kids, runaways and forgotten ones carve out a life for themselves in the shadows.

I come to a stop in front of a door, its paint peeling and hinges rusted. It just looks like another abandoned building in a bad neighborhood. But I know better.

I raise my fist and knock, the sound echoing through the empty street. For a moment, there’s nothing but silence. Then, the door cracks open, a sliver of light spilling on the cracked pavement.

This is it. The moment I’ve been waiting for, the chance to finally prove to the world I’m more than just another abandoned kid.

A pair of wary eyes peer at me from inside.

“What do you want?” a gruff voice asks, his words laced with suspicion.

I swallow hard, my throat dry. “I’m here to see Ghost,” I say, my voice wavering slightly.

His eyes narrow, and I can feel the weight of his gaze boring into me. “Ghost doesn’t see just anyone,” the voice says, a hint of a sneer in his tone.

I lift my chin with defiance. “I’m Thunder,” I say, revealing my nickname on the dark web. Everyone in our world knows me and my reputation.

There’s a moment of silence, and I can feel my heart hammering against my ribs. Then, the door swings open, revealing a skinny dude with a shaved head and a tattoo snaking up the side of his neck.

“You better not be wasting our time,” he growls, stepping aside to let me pass.

I nod, a thrill of excitement rushing through me as I step over the threshold and into the dimly lit room. The air is thick with the scent of smoke and the hum of CP units, and I can feel all eyes on me as I make my way to the center of the room.

Ghost is lounging in a battered office chair with his feet propped up on a desk.

“So,” he says, “You’re the kid who thinks she can hack the DeLucas.”

I nod, my heart in my throat. “I know I can,” I reply. “I’ve been inside their systems for months, looking for a way in. And I found one.”

Ghost raises an eyebrow. “That so? What’s in it for us?”

I take a deep breath, mind racing. “Fifty percent of whatever we take,” I say, forcing my voice to come out steady. “Half for me, half for your crew.”

There’s a moment of stunned silence, and I can feel the tension in the room. Ghost leans forward, his eyes narrowing. “Fifty percent,” he repeats, his voice dangerously low. “That’s a hell of a cut for a newbie.”

I meet his gaze head-on, refusing to back down. “I’m not a newbie,” I say, my voice ringing with conviction. “You know that. And if we pull this off, we’re set for life.”

He stares at me for a long moment, expression unreadable. Then, he throws his head back and laughs.

“You got balls, kid,” he says, shaking his head. “I’ll give you that. But hacking the DeLucas… that’s a big fucking risk. If we get caught… we’re all dead.”

I nod, my heart pounding. “I know. I got a plan. If we do it right, they’ll never even know we were there.”

Ghost leans back in his chair, eyes glinting with something that might be respect. “All right, kiddo,” he finally replies, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Let’s hear this plan of yours. And it better be fucking good.”

I grin, fucking giddy with excitement. “Oh, it is,” I respond. “Trust me. This is gonna be a huge score.”

And with that, I launch into my pitch, my words tumbling out in a rush as I lay out every detail of my plan. The vulnerabilities in the DeLucas’ systems, the backdoors and loopholes I’ve spent months uncovering. The way we can steal millions without anyone realizing it, a little bit from each of their secret off-shore accounts until we’ve amassed a fortune.

As I talk, I can feel the energy in the room shift, skepticism turning to growing excitement. The other hackers lean in closer, their eyes glinting. Even Ghost seems impressed, his gaze narrowing as he listens to my every word.

When I finally finish, there’s a moment of silence. Then, Ghost leans forward, his elbows resting on the desk. “If this works… if we actually pull this off…” He shakes his head.

I nod, my heart pounding with pride. “I know,” I say, voice trembling. “And we’re gonna do it.”

Ghost grins wickedly. “Well,” he says, eyes glinting with anticipation. “Let’s get to work.”

And with that, we dive in, our fingers flying over keyboards and our minds racing. We work through the night and into the next day, fueled by caffeine and adrenaline . And some other shit the team offers me but I have no interest in.

It’s not easy. The DeLucas’ systems are a fucking fortress, wrapped in layers of encryption and security protocols that would make a lesser hacker weep. But not me. I’m fucking Thunder!

I lose myself in the code, in the thrill of the hunt. The entire world falls away, and there’s nothing but me and the screen, the dance of numbers and symbols that hold the key to our fortune.

And then, just when I think I can’t take anymore, just when my eyes are burning and my fingers are numb from typing… We’re in. We’re fucking in!!

A cheer goes up from the other hackers as the DeLucas’ accounts light up on the screen, the numbers ticking up and up and up as we take our cut. It’s a fucking thing of beauty.

But even as the rush of the hack fades into a warm, satisfied glow… I can’t shake the feeling that something’s not right.

And then, just as I’m about to voice my concerns… all hell breaks fucking loose.

The door to the hideout bursts open, the sound of splintering wood and shattering glass filling the air. I whirl around, my heart in my throat, as a group of men in dark suits pour into the room, their guns drawn and their faces grim.

“Fuck!” Ghost shouts, leaping to his feet.

Panic surges through me, hot and sharp. This can’t be happening. We were so careful, so fucking precise. How did they find us?

Everything after that is a blur.

I remember running, my heart pounding in my ears as I tried to lose myself in the labyrinth of alleyways and side streets. But they were too fast, too strong. They caught me before I even made it three blocks. The goons on us in seconds, their hands rough as they grab us and haul us to our feet. I struggle against their grip, my heart pounding and my breath coming in short, sharp gasps.

“On your feet, little girl,” a voice snarls, the cold metal of a gun biting into my skin. “We’re gonna fucking teach you about boundaries and fucking respect.”

I swallow hard, my mouth dry. I’m hauled to my feet, dragged kicking and screaming to a waiting car…

* * *

Alessio

I turn to my right-hand man, my eyes never leaving the car in front of us where a young woman was pushed through, as it peels away from the curb. “This is the girl who fucking started it? Bring her to me,” I say, voice low and hard.

He nods, eyes glinting. “Yes, boss. And the others?”

I wave a hand, dismissing them with a flick of my wrist. “Deal with them. Send a message that the DeLucas are not to be fucked with.”

He nods again, a cruel smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Yes, boss.”

* * *

I lean back in my chair, studying the girl in front of me with a mix of curiosity and rage. She’s so fucking young, barely out of her teens by the looks of it, with a defiant tilt to her chin and a spark of intelligence in her dark eyes. Her hair is a wild tangle of curls, her clothes threadbare and ill-fitting, but there’s something about her that commands my attention. Fuck me. This fucking kid just tried stealing millions from me and I’m fucking intrigued?

Maybe it’s the way she meets my eyes head-on, without showing a trace of fear or submission. Or maybe it’s the fact that she managed to breach our iron-clad security, something that should have been impossible. Yeah, our I.T. guy is a fucking dead man walking.

Either way, she’s piqued my interest.

I study the girl more closely, taking in the hollows of her cheeks and the dark circles under her eyes. She’s thin, too thin, like she hasn’t had a decent meal in weeks. And there’s a wariness to her, a guarded edge that speaks of a hard life and harder lessons learned.

Something stirs in my chest, an unfamiliar feeling that I quickly suppress. I can’t afford to feel sorry for this girl, no matter how sad her story might be. She’s was a fucking threat, dammit! And threats must be dealt.

But as I look at her, I can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to her. She’s insanely smart, and she’s got guts. What kid would try to take on someone like me? Maybe with the right training, the right motivation…

She stares at me. I can see the wheels turning in her head.

She swallows hard, her fingers clenching into fists at her sides. I can see the battle raging behind her eyes, fight or flight.

I find myself studying her more closely. The way she holds herself, the fire in her eyes… there’s a strength to her, a resilience I can’t help but admire.

She’s a fucking survivor. And survivors are exactly the kind of people I need in my organization.

But there’s something else, too. A flicker of attraction, a spark of heat I can’t completely ignore. What the fuck, DeLuca?! She’s beautiful, in a wild, untamed sort of way. And the thought of breaking her, of bending her to my will… it sends a thrill of excitement through my veins. Fucking get yourself together, Alessio!

I push the thought away, my jaw clenching. I can’t afford to let myself be distracted by a pretty face with a big brain and a sharp tongue. She’s a potential asset, nothing more. A tool that could be used and discarded when we’re done with her.

But I can’t shake the feeling that Maty Soto is going to be more trouble than I bargained for.

* * *

Maty

He’s a legend in the underworld, a man whispered about in dark corners and seedy back rooms. They say he’s ruthless, that he stops at nothing to get what he wants. That he’s got a heart as cold as the steel of a gun.

But as I’m shoved into his office, I realize the rumors don’t do him justice. Alessio DeLuca sitting behind a massive mahogany desk, his suit impeccably tailored to his broad shoulders and trim waist. His dark blond hair slicked back, chiseled features set in a mask of cold fury. But it’s his eyes that catch me, piercing blue and filled with a calculating intelligence that sends a shiver down my spine.

“So,” he says, voice low and gravelly. “You’re the little hacker who thought she could steal from me.”

I lift my chin, trying to project a confidence I don’t feel. “Guess you shouldn’t have made it so easy.”

His lips twitch into a cruel smirk. “Cute. But I don’t appreciate having my time wasted by kids.”

Anger flares in my chest, hot and bright. “I’m not a kid!”

He raises an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. “That so? Then how did you end up here, little girl?”

I clench my jaw, hating the way my cheeks flush. “Even the best can make mistakes.”

“Mmm.” He stands, the movement fluid and graceful despite his bulk. “Well, lucky for you, I’m a believer in second chances. I’m willing to overlook this little… transgression. On one condition.”

My heart hammers against my ribs. “And what’s that?”

“You work for me.” He steps out from behind the desk, circling me like a shark scenting blood in the water. “Put those skills of yours to use for the DeLuca family. And in return, I’ll let you live. I’ll even pay you for your trouble.”

My breath catches in my throat as he draws closer, the heat of his body warming my back. He smells like expensive cologne and danger, a heady combination that makes my head spin.

“And if I refuse?” I manage to ask, my voice sounding strangled to my own ears.

DeLuca leans in, his breath hot against my ear. “Then you’ll regret the day you were born, little girl. I’ll make sure of it.”

Fear trickles down my spine like ice water, but there’s also something else… a traitorous curl of heat in my lower belly. I’ve never been this close to a man like him before, never felt the raw power emanating from every pore. It’s terrifying… and exciting.

“I want a setup like no one’s ever seen,” I blurt out, the words tumbling from my lips before I can stop them. “Top of the line everything. And I want autonomy. No babysitting.”

He chuckles darkly, the sound sending shivers across my skin. “Autonomy, hmm? You got big balls for a little girl.” He steps back, giving me room to breathe. “Fine. You’ll have your fancy setup and your precious autonomy. But you fucking to me, kid.”

I lower my chin in acquiescence.

He nods, something flashing through his eyes. “Good. Then let’s get started. Time to put that smart mind of yours to good use.”

As he turns away, barking orders at his men, I take a shaky breath and try to calm my racing heart. I know I’ve just made a deal with the devil, that I’m risking everything by agreeing to work for Alessio DeLuca. But I’m alive! He didn’t just shoot a bullet in my head.

And as I watch him move, all coiled power and lethal grace, I can’t help but wonder what it would be like to be consumed by a man like that.

It’s a dangerous thought, one that could get me killed if I’m not careful. But as I’m led out of the room, my mind already racing with the possibilities of what I could do with the DeLuca’s resources, I can’t bring myself to care.