Page 5 of Hacker Revelation

Most people in my position didn’t leave the CIA. They worked the job until they died or were eliminated. CIA agents were bred to protect the country, but Juan had forced meinto it. I loved doing the work to protect the nation and our freedom, but it was so lonely, and I missed the family I had lost. While I was working for the CIA, I didn’t know they were still alive or I would have left earlier.

Zane, Sophie’s boyfriend, was President Zack Tucker’s brother. It wasn’t Zane that called him, though. My husband did it. Antonio called the president of the United States and demanded he let me retire from the CIA. I was a little mad at Antonio for demanding I leave the only job I knew, but I understood where his demand came from. He had lost me once to the corruption in the government, and he wouldn’t let it happen again.

Zack had asked to speak to me before giving Antonio his answer. Over the years, I had met the president a few times when I was briefed on cases.

“POTUS allowed me to retire. I decided to take him up on the offer. I wanted to give back and help people in need.”

“POTUS?”

“President Zack Tucker.”

“You’ve met the president of the United States?”

Zack and Zane were two of the nicest men I knew. It had taken Zane a little while to get off his ass and go after my sister. He was pigheaded. Zack ordered Zane to clean up the CIA. Last I had heard, POTUS wanted Zane to take over the director position.

“Sure. My sister is engaged to his brother Zane.”

A loud scream interrupted our conversation, and we both looked toward the children’s play area. One of the kids had tripped on a toy fire truck and fell. Tommy and his friend played on the other side with a couple trucks.

Seeing that Tommy was all right, Lily looked back at me with wonder in her eyes. “I want your life. You are the most fascinating person I’ve ever met.”

On the outside, the life of an assassin sounded cool, but it was extremely lonely. But I hadn’t had a choice. Juan had threatened the only thing I cared about. Antonio Jr. was my life, and if keeping him safe meant I had to keep doing what Juan asked, I did. In the end, I got my husband and sister back, so maybe the years of loneliness had been worth what I had now.

In two months, it would be Antonio Jr.’s birthday. It was the first we’d get to spend with my family. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I had a perfect life, and I wouldn’t go back to change anything.

“You have an amazing boy, and you’re working on your GED. I’ve no doubt you are going places. We all need help from time to time.”

“When was the last time you leaned on someone?”

I grabbed the piece of paper in front of me and tore it into pieces. Thinking about the call we got from Ant’s school yesterday reminded me how I leaned on Antonio. “Our son went missing yesterday. Someone is after my sister and me and would use my son to get to us. I leaned on my husband, Antonio, for help.”

If it hadn’t been for Antonio, I might have lost my mind. At the school, he maintained a calm demeanor and ordered people to do what he needed. When I learned he had put a tracking device in our son’s sneakers, I was angry that he had hidden something so important from mebut happy, too, because we had found our son so easily.

Antonio admitted he put a tracker in my shoes, too, so when we arrived home, I checked the inside of my shoes and found the device. I had agreed to keep it in place until we found Juan. Once Juan Sanchez was six feet underground or in the tummy of the alligator I kept fed, I’d be ditching the tracker.

Lily grabbed the pencil from the table and pulled out her study materials. “That is one thing I will never do—lean on a man for help.”

“Well, you are going to lean today. One of Antonio’s men will pick you up. You need time to heal. Not all men are like Greg. Let’s get you back on your feet, and then we can find someone for you.”

“Nope. Never going to date again. Tommy is the only man I need.”

After I thought Antonio had been shot and killed in the cafe, I closed my heart to love. I knew what true love was and thought I couldn’t feel for anyone else what I felt for Antonio. Lily, on the other hand, had dealt with anevil bastard. She didn’t understand true love and how to put all your trust in one person’s hands.

Antonio’s face flashed in my mind. “Closing your heart to love won’t help. In time, you’ll find a man you can trust.”

“I’m worried I won’t get to that place in my life. Greg is never going away.” She shrugged her shoulders. “If I move on, he could hurt anyone I date. Why would I do that to someone?”

“Oh, honey. Don’t worry about Greg. I will have Antonio and his team look into him. We will make sure nothing happens to you.”

“I don’t have money to pay for his services.”

“We aren’t going to charge you.” Lily didn’t need to know that I would pay for the services. I had decided it was time I used my trust fund to help people. Juan had used it for years to destroy people’s lives. It was time the money was used for good.

“I can’t expect you to do that for free. When I find a job, I will pay him to help me.”

“How many ways do I need to say this, Lily? We will not take your money. Have you ever heard of the Ross family?”

“Yes. Those people are rich. I believe they fund this outreach center. What does that have to do with anything?”

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