Page 25 of The Secrets We Share

KEIRA

Part Goddess Part Gangster - Madalen Duke

Ishould have known better. It was delusional of me to think reaching out to my ex would be worth the information we might gain. But I figured two hackers would be better than one. Well, one and a half with my budding skills. Maybe it would have been if Harkin hadn’t leaned into his old tendencies and hunted me down.

Nik pushing his buttons whenever she saw an opening didn’t help his hesitation about the situation. Nik’s always been flirty, and it’s a huge reason our relationship didn’t last. But she clocked his reaction to it the moment she saw him in the hall—their ping-pong bickering since has cut the usefulness of this little adventure short of what I was expecting. I’m done.

My fingers clasp around the knob on the front door when I hear her footsteps slowly approaching.

“Keira, wait.”

My shoulders lift with a frustrated sigh before I swing around to stare her down. “What, Nik?”

“I’m sorry. Come back in and let me help. I’m willing to call a truce if your man is.” She offers with her hands up in surrender.

“Why are you so eager to help us? You don’t even know the full story.” Harkin steps in, asking about the thing that’s been floating around in my head, too.

I wasn’t sure if she’d help me when I showed up here. Nik’s work life was always so hush-hush when we were together. The computer stuff was blatantly obvious. I mean, her setup wasn’t quite as elaborate back then, but that damn laptop had been attached to her hip. The only reason I know what I do is thanks to how chatty she gets after one too many Jäger Bombs.

“Well, I don’t know what Keira’s told you about us?—”

“Nothing,” Harkin says, cutting her off.

I shake my head, realizing we’re almost back to square one, but Nik ignores him and continues.

“—but we didn’t end things on a bad note.”

“And that’s it? You’re just doing this for an old friend?”

“Girlfriend.”

They’re fucking children.

Then I remind myself I wanted to dismember my twin when I saw her flirting with Harkin. Maybe they just need to work through it on their own.

“And no. I’ll admit, it’s not selfless on my end.”

“See, sweetness, I knew this was a bad idea. Let’s go.” He grips my arm and pulls me back toward the front door.

“It could connect to some of my work,” Nikita spits out in the commotion of Harkin trying to manhandle me.

“Personal or the agency?”

“Both,” she answers, but doesn’t expand on it.

“Okay. But you two need to squash the bullshit. No more flirting, Nik. As hard as that might be for you.” I laugh and swing in Harkin’s direction and poke his chest. “And you.”

But his firm hold grabs my finger. He leans down, lips skating against my cheek before resting against my ear. “And you, little one, already have enough to answer for when we get home. So, I’d stop adding to the list if I were you.” His gruff tone sends shivers down my spine. But the quick nip to my ear he leaves me with has my libido springing into overdrive.

He doesn’t acknowledge the threat. The one that has me wishing I would have let him pull me from the apartment so we could be heading back to the house. Instead, he’s leading me back into the living room. This time, he grabs a chair and pulls my body down on top of his. His strong arm bands around my stomach, holding me tightly against his chest.

“Where did we leave things?” Nik asks, facing her computer screens.

“Uhm, my mom. Where she went to school, I think? Which is where my information ends. I just know it was Catholic and in the city. She was fifteen when she had us.”

“Us?”

“Yeah. So, I’m kind of a twin.”

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