Page 74 of Embrace Me Forever

“And you’re only telling me this now?”

“I didn’t know how else to contact you!”

I scoff. “They found me in Denver, so my boyfriend took me to California. But I haven’t noticed anything suspicious here so far.”

“It’s only a matter of time. Your code, the one you sold to Hartley Marine?—”

“How the fuck did you find out about that?”

He gives me a look that suggests I should’ve expected this. “There’s a flaw in your code. Or rather, in the code Sebastian used.”

“I didn’t use Sebastian’s code!”

“Think again. That code in its raw form was something Sebastian and I worked on together. It contained some legacy calls that should have been purged. It’s spiraling out of control. Last night, I received pings from a location in California. And God forbid, it might have compromised Sebastian’s program in London—which Bertram would undoubtedly have noticed.”

Cold realization dawns on me. I must have inadvertently incorporated Sebastian’s preliminary code during those frantic hours spent designing the QEOPA system. Memories of that time are now just a hazy blur. “No…no, this can’t be happening. And you’re sure you received those pings last night? Never before?”

“Just last night,” he affirms.

My shoulders slump. Thomas must’ve put the program online, perhaps moving it to the next stage after their initial testing.

Cristo says, “Look, I don’t care about Hartley Marine. They’re more than equipped to handle this, provided you’re upfront with them and lend your assistance. But I don’t know what else you put in your code. I only want to make sure you’re safe.”

“I need to go. I’ve got to warn the Hartleys.” My insides churn erratically, a sharp ache twisting in my chest.

Cristo stops me from leaving. “And I’m here for another reason, Georgia-May.” His tone shifts as he utters my current name, making the air feel denser. “Sebastian was more than justa friend. We grew up together. He was like my big brother—until life pulled me into the underworld.”

I realize he’s alluding to his ‘specialized skills’ in crafting new identities.

He continues. “I vanished from the scene, kept in touch with him only through gaming. And when things got too heated, I moved here.”

“You live in Cali now?”

“Yes,” he replies, a note of triumph in his voice. “They called the USA the promised land back then, and it’s lived up to that promise for me,” he says, suggesting he’s made some significant gains here.

Suddenly, we hear footsteps. Cristo quickly pulls me deeper behind the boxes. A salesperson hurries past, grabbing something, then vanishing as quickly as they appeared.

Once alone again, Cristo leans in closer. “Look, Sebastian was planning to propose well before that night,” he murmurs. “He even asked me to help sort out the ring. Specially crafted for you.”

He offers me a small jewelry box, which undoubtedly holds the ring.Adriano Laurent,a name synonymous with San Francisco’s most exclusive designs. I had always admired his work, and though I once mentioned him to Sebastian, I never seriously imagined this moment.

“I’ve been holding onto this far too long,” he says, thrusting the velvet box into my hand.

Overcome, I clutch it, tears clouding my vision. Cristo’s hand brushes mine as I open it with shaky fingers. The ring inside is breathtaking. I can imagine Sebastian’s attention to detail, ensuring every element was just right.

But this isn’t the moment for nostalgia or to ponder future implications. Resolute, I announce, “I must leave. I have to tell Blake!”

“Tell Blake what?” Blake appears beside us, a darkness in his eyes that I’ve never witnessed before, fierce and foreboding.

25

BLAKE

In the confines of the stock room, my hand clasps the intruder’s neck in one swift motion.

“Blake! Let him go!” Georgia-May’s voice cracks. “I’ll explain.”

I barely hear her over the rush in my ears, my focus narrowing on the man before me. “What are you doing following my girlfriend to her changing room, Mr. Cartwright?”

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