Page 90 of Dangerous Devotion

“We’ve got a leak,” I said, my voice low. “Maybe more than one.”

“You think someone’s feeding him information?”

“I think we need to be damn careful,” I replied. “Listen, I want you to call La Dimora. Tell them to do a sweep for bugs. Every room, every nook and cranny. If there’s so much as a suspicious speck of dust, I want to know about it.”

“You got it,” Hero said, “I’m on my way there anyway. Peaches told me to pick up one of the guys from IT and bring them.”

I narrowed my eyes. “One of the IT guys?”

“Yes, don’t know why, but the guy looks a little nervous.”

“Did you cuff him?”

I could almost hear the seconds ticking by in the silence that followed for Hero’s brain to connect the dots.

If Peaches wanted someone brought to them, how likely was it that they were the one who executed the hack from the inside?

The sudden missing background noise from the call made me look at my screen. No, still connected. I listened, and then suddenly, Hero was back.

“Okay,” he said.

I suppressed my chuckle.

“What about you? How’s Jemma?”

I glanced back at her room, my chest tightening. “She’s resting. They’re running tests. Her X-rays and CT scan came back clear, but we’re not leaving here until I know she’s okay.”

“Understood. I’ll keep you posted on the sweep.”

I ended the call, my mind churning with possibilities. Zotov was playing a game, and I was tired of feeling like a sucker, always five steps behind. It was time to change the rules.

I paced back and entered the room again.

One look at Jemma in that bed and my mind raced with thoughts of how close I’d come to losing her, of Bella and Mira still in his hands. Though, somehow, the knowledge of how much care Zotov took in an effort to keep everyone unharmed made me feel slightly better.

Silver linings.

And yet. I would never forget the noise of Jemma’s impact on the floor when she tumbled down those stairs. I had been just outside that room when it happened, and it took me a while to get to her.

The image of her unconscious body at the bottom of those stairs would haunt me for a long time. My hands clenched into fists, anger and fear warring inside me.

I was almost to the bed when the door burst open, startling me from my dark reverie.

I turned and blocked the doorway in one swift movement, shielding her from any potential harm.

Craig Donnelly looked in, his face a storm of emotions.

He gave me a death stare, then sidestepped me and stared at Jemma. “You okay, Button?”

Jemma sat up. “Yes, Dad. I’m perfectly fine—just a little dinged up.”

“Then you’re coming home with me. Right now,” he said, the fury clearly noticeable in his voice.

Without hesitation, I positioned myself between Jemma’s bed and her father. My body tensed, ready for whatever came next.

I felt Jemma shift behind me, but I kept my eyes locked on Donnelly. “No,” I said, my voice low and firm. “She’s staying right here.”

Craig’s face reddened, but before he could explode, Jemma’s voice rang out clear and strong.

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