Page 87 of Death Wish

“How much longer until you’re finished?”

“Hopefully, about six hours. Depends on what I find when I finish removing the traps and run the program.” She spun around in her chair to look up at him. “So, we never talked about my reward for fixing this mess Beckett left behind. I want his bonus.”

“Naturally.”

“Good. You’ll also deposit the bonus into my account before I hand you the completed program.”

Daley glowered. “Are you crazy? I don’t have that kind of money.”

“Find it. Is this program worth the money to you? If not, well, I’m sure I can sell it on the open market without a problem.”

“It’s my program. You aren’t selling it out from under me.”

Simone laughed. Stall, stall, stall, she reminded herself. “Yours? Get real. If this computer program was yours, you would develop it yourself. But you aren’t, are you? Makes me wonder if this is above your skill level.”

Still cuffed to the chair, Jesse frowned at her.

Yeah, she was pushing Daley hard but her skill was the only leverage she had to keep Jesse and herself safe.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m too busy for grunt work like this.”

And that’s when she had confirmation she was right. Daley wasn’t capable of writing this program. “Remember the bonus money, Daley. I get it first or you don’t get the program.”

“What’s preventing me from killing you after you finish it and sending myself a copy of the program?”

“You could but you won’t.”

“Why not?”

“You’ll never figure out my passwords in time to access the program and send it to the buyer.” She smiled. “They change every time you log into the computer.”

“You think you have me over a barrel, don’t you?” Daley jerked her out of the chair by grabbing the neck of her shirt and hauling her up against him. “I could replace you with dozens of programmers who are several cuts above you.”

“But you won’t. One, you don’t have time. Two, you’ll be hard pressed to find someone with my skill set. Suck it up, Buttercup. Get the money to pay me off and you can have your vicious little program on time.”

“You’ll pay for this,” he vowed.

“Not as much as you will if you don’t deliver the program to the buyer.”

Grant returned with two to-go boxes and two cups in a carrier. “Lunch.”

“Great. I’m starving. Let me go, Daley. You’re delaying me.”

The Special Projects division boss released Simone and shoved her away from him. “Go. Hurry.”

“Cut Jesse loose.”

Boudreax scowled. “Who died and made you queen?”

Simone raised one eyebrow and waited.

Daley caved first. “Do it.” He looked at Jesse. “One move to harm any of us, and Simone will suffer the consequences. Understood?”

He nodded.

“This isn’t a good idea, boss,” Boudreax protested. “He’s dangerous.”

“So are you. Watch him on the monitor. If he acts suspicious or threatening, you know what to do.”

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