26. Phoenix

26

PHOENIX

I sit back in my chair, taking a deep breath as the realization hits me. It wasn’t the authorities at all. Someone’s been playing a twisted game, leaving breadcrumbs for me to follow.

My fingers fly across the keyboard, digging deeper into the false reports. The more I unravel, the clearer it becomes: a rival hacker messes with me, trying to make me slip up and expose myself.

A low chuckle escapes my lips. They should know better than to underestimate me. I’m the best in the game and won’t be so easily fooled. I trace the digital trail back to its source with a few keystrokes, uncovering the hacker’s identity.

Sickness slams into me when I recognize the signature coding style. Veronica.

The bitch has some nerve. She’s playing games, thinking she can get into my head and mess with me. Well, she’s about to learn a hard lesson. I lean forward, my eyes narrowing as I focus on the screen.

The anger seethes inside me like a burning pit. I can still feel that snake’s hands on me and hear her sickening whispers. She took advantage of my innocence and left me traumatized.

I ran from her, seeking refuge in the carnival, but she didn’t give up. She kept trying to track me down like a hunter pursuing its prey. I had to cover my tracks and live constantly, fearing her finding me again.

But now the tables have turned. The only good thing she ever did for me was teach me how to code, and now I’m no longer that scared kid. I’m a force to be reckoned with. I push back from my desk, the wheels of my chair screeching against the floor.

My heart hammers in my chest as adrenaline courses through my veins. I want to confront the bitch and make her pay for what she did. Make her hurt like she hurt me.

I stare at the screen in disbelief, my blood boiling as the pieces fall into place. How the hell did she get access to my systems? I thought I had covered all my bases, but that conniving bitch managed to slip through my defenses.

I grit my teeth and dive into the code, scouring every line for any trace of her digital fingerprints. It doesn’t take long before I uncover the subtle hacks she’s implemented, granting her access to my webcams and microphones. A wave of nausea washes over me as I realize the implications. She’s been watching me... watching us.

My mind flashes back to the intimate moments Tilly and I shared in this trailer. The way her body arched beneath my touch, the sounds of her pleasure echoing off the walls. Veronica has violated our privacy and tainted those sacred moments with her twisted voyeurism.

I won’t give her the satisfaction of seeing me lose control. Staying calm is a must. After removing all her hacks, I secure my systems again.

I clench my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I breathe slowly and steadily. “You won’t get away with this,” I whisper. “I’ll expose you for the monster you are.”

A cold smile plays on my lips as I imagine the fear that will consume her when she realizes I’ve become the hunter. She stole my innocence, but she won’t take Tilly. I will take her down, piece by piece, and show her the true meaning of power.

Tilly enters the trailer, the irresistible scent of fried corn dogs filling the air. My mouth waters briefly before a familiar hunger stirs within me, one that no food can satisfy.

“Hey,” she says with a warm smile that can instantly erase the darkness of my past, holding up the paper basket. “Thought you might be getting hungry, so I grabbed us a snack.”

A low chuckle rumbles in my chest as I drink in the view, my eyes roaming over the curves of her body. “I’m hungry, alright, but not for food.”

Tilly’s cheeks flush a delicious shade of crimson as she catches the unmistakable heat in my gaze. She knows that look all too well, and I can see the anticipation building within her .

“Actually,” I say, beckoning her closer with a crooked finger, “I’ve got some good news.”

She sets the basket aside and moves toward me, her hips swaying with each step. I reach out, pulling her onto my lap and reveling in the way she melts against me.

“That report I stumbled across earlier? The one about the authorities being onto us?” I stroke a stray hair from her face. “It was all a ruse fabricated by some jealous bitch from my past.”

Tilly’s eyes widen, relief and confusion playing across her delicate features. “But why would someone do that?”

“Doesn’t matter,” I murmur, trailing kisses along the curve of her neck. Veronica had this sick and twisted idea that I wasn’t her kid but her partner at only ten fucking years old when she took me on.

And when I ran, she hated it. I know exactly why. She’s a jealous bitch. “What matters is that I’m onto them, and I’m going to make sure they regret ever messing with us.”

She shivers in my arms, her breath catching in her throat as my lips find that sensitive spot below her ear. “What are you going to do?”

A wicked grin tugs at the corners of my mouth. “Let’s just say they’re about to learn a painful lesson about the consequences of crossing me.”

I capture her lips in a searing kiss, pouring every ounce of my possessive desire into the passionate embrace. She melts against me, her fingers tangling in my hair as she surrenders to the aching need that consumes us both.

For now, the rest of the world can wait. All that matters is this moment, this insatiable hunger that only Tilly can satisfy. And when the time comes to deal with my demons, Veronica will wish she never dared to threaten what is mine.