Page 22 of Misunderstood Hacker

10

Jessica

The rideto my and Neal’s building took forever. Tommy was sitting in a chair in the lobby, reading the paper. His face lit up when he saw us.

“Hello, my Jessica. Where is that brute of a man you were with before?”

Not wanting to explain, I said, “He’s probably at work.” I heard Neal mutter under his breath, but I wasn’t in the mood for a long conversation. “Have a good day, Tommy.” I turned and walked toward the elevator.

On the ride up, I was clutching the photos to my chest, worrying someone would take them away. Neal stayed quiet, but the look on his face showed how disappointed he was in me. His phone kept chirping every two seconds. More than likely, it was Brock trying to get information.

I walked into Neal’s apartment and went straight to the liquor bar. The slamming of the door startled me and let me know how pissed Neal was.

Neal was pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to calm his anger before he spoke. “Jessica, you need to tell me what the fuck is going on. Because if you were mad at Brock for withholding information, you would be mad at me as well. And what’s in that envelope you are holding onto for dear life?”

I took a swig of over-priced scotch. The burn felt good. I sat on the black sofa in Neal’s living room, motioning for him to join me. Once he sat down, I was able to talk.

“I care about Brock deeply.”

Neal scoffed next to me. “That showed earlier. You cut him off. He’s defeated and won’t stop texting me.”

The thought that Brock was still worried about me made me feel a tad better. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m still mad at you both for withholding information. Brock lied to me when I asked. And keeping things from Patty is wearing on me.”

Neal leaned back on the couch. “Okay. What’s in the envelope?”

I handed the envelope over to Neal. I had seen the top photo before. It was in the things my father had recovered from the scene. I also knew Neal had seen them. He slowly peeled the envelope open, removed the contents, and flipped through the pictures.

“Fuck. You need to tell Brock about this.”

“No!” I screamed. I didn’t want Brock to see those photos. I had just torn my heart out of my chest so he wouldn’t have to see them. When this was all over, and if I was still alive, I would beg for his forgiveness.

Neal jumped up and paced back and forth. His Italian leather shoes were clicking against the marble floor. “Why not? These men aren’t stopping. I can’t protect you. My skills end at erasing people’s identities. I don’t have the military background that Brock and Sam have.”

“I don’t want him to see those pictures,” I whispered. The only reason I knew Neal heard me was that he dropped to his knees in front of me.

Neal grabbed my chin so I had to look at him. Once again, I had tears running down my face. He used his thumb to wipe them away. “Jessica, my queen, Brock already saw those pictures months ago. He had access to them when we were looking for whoever was after Patty. Those photos were in the file. What worries me is the note inside.”

I scrambled to get away. I hadn’t seen a note. Once I had glimpsed the photos, I put them back in the envelope. What the hell did the note say?

Dear Jessica,

We will meet again and soon. Here are some photos of our time together. Next time, you will not get away. You need to pay for what you have put me through.

See you soon, and remember, I always have eyes on you.

Axmed

By the time I finished the short letter, my body was shaking. All I wanted was Brock. I more than wanted him here. I neededhim.

Neal pulled me onto his lap and rubbed my back. It was soothing, and I closed my eyes for a moment. Before I knew it, I was asleep.

* * *

Brock

After Jessica left her office, I felt lost. I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to grab her and shake sense into her, but I would wait for Neal to call and tell me what the fuck was going on. I needed time to clear my head. I headed back to headquarters to work out.

I was on my fourteenth mile on the treadmill before Mia interrupted my thoughts.

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