Page 1 of Hacker Beloved

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CJ

My heart pounded with anticipation,the same feeling I got every time I worked in the field with Asher. He wasn't only my fiancée; he was the love of my life. With how much AA Security had grown over the past few years, we didn’t work many cases in the field together. I spent most of my time overseeing the tech side of the business, and Asher managed many of the operations from the office.

Asher and his brother Antonio own AA Security. A few weeks ago, we’d gone to Antonio's house for dinner, and his wife Kat brought up how she couldn’t stop listening to a podcast called Serial Killers Unfound. Antonio claimed he didn’t trust the host, Zayla Solace. Then that’s when the biggest smile stretched across Kat’s face.

Kat is a spitfire who would manipulate a situation to get what she wants. Half the time, people don’t even realize she had conned them into her scheme until it’s too late. Mainly because, to the outside world, she is a stay-at-home mom who is married to a billionaire. What the media doesn’t know is she was an assassin for the CIA and still very active in helping with cases at AA Security. From the years I worked with her, I could pick out her plans a mile away. Most of the time, they were exciting and why I talked Asher into going along with her idea to help Zayla. It didn’t take long for him to agree to take the case.

We’d driven straight from the private airport to downtown Raleigh. The sun had started to set and cast a soft orange hue as Asher pulled into a narrow driveway. His hand reached across the center console and squeezed my leg. Zayla forwarded us two emails she received and they were threatening. Asher and I decided while we were in Raleigh, she would stay with us for protection. “Are you ready to tell her she's going to be moved to a safe house?"

Zayla’s small yellow cottage stood out among the other homes on the street. The driveway was empty and confirmed what I had found earlier—Zayla didn't have a driver's license. I studied the house, my eyes scanning every inch as though they could uncover more of her secrets. Its windows were shrouded in white lace curtains, and the paint was barely visible under the layers of ivy crawling up its walls.

“I think we should find out a few more details about her past before we take her to the safe house.”

Asher turned the SUV’s engine off. “You said her background check came back clean. We found her contact at the police department, and the team investigated those other cases. The team thinks she is right about the serial killer. You don’t think she is?”

Before I met Asher, I’d worked for White Hat Security as a Cyber Security Engineer. We mostly assisted companies when they got hacked and helped rebuild their networks. I’d seen some shitty things in the world, but nothing like the cases AA Security gets. I learned to spot a hidden identity quickly. Zayla's background had enough to make it seem legit, but my gut told me differently.

“Something feels off.”

Asher nodded before he opened his door. “Well, let's get you those answers.”

I leaped out of the SUV and snatched my backpack off the back seat. I jogged down the brick path to catch up to Asher. My stomach dropped as Asher drew his gun with a steady hand and motioned for me to move away from the house. This wasn't the first time, and I knew it wouldn't be the last time we headed into a dangerous situation. Despite having gone through more classes than newcomers at AA Security, weekly practice at the gun range, or taking self-defense classes, here I was, being told to stay outside.

I grew impatient as I waited for Asher to emerge from the small house. With each passing minute, my anxiety grew. Five minutes later, I pulled my gun from the holster and stepped inside the home. I quickly spotted a cell phone and purse resting on the countertop in the kitchen. For a moment, I paused and wondered if we had jumped to conclusions and Zayla had gone for a walk. I’d noticed the Ring doorbell. I grabbed her phone and tapped the screen, but it needed her face. The easiest way to view the front door footage was from the Ring App on her phone. I’d created an app were I could take a photo and use it to unlock the phone.

Above the fireplace was a row of pictures. I holstered my gun and made my way through the living room. Only one of the photos on the mantel would work with the software I’d created. In the wrong hands, the application could be used to steal data from people by allowing someone to unlock their phone with a picture and then cloning the phone’s information.

A possessive arm suddenly looped around my waist, forcing me to look up from the photo I needed to scan. Asher's warm breath tickled my neck as he spoke, his voice low and stern. "I thought I told you to stay outside? Is it safe to assume you don’t follow instructions on purpose?"

I rolled my eyes as Asher spoke about how I don’t listen. We’d come to an agreement early on in our relationship. He might be my Dom, but that didn’t bleed into our work life. He narrowed his eyes. "I think we'll talk more about that later. But for now, we need to figure out what happened to Zayla. Her bedroom is a mess, and she’s not here. I'm worried the killer took her."

Asher analyzed many situations in a worst-case scenario. I needed more information before I would agree. Asher hovered over me as I manipulated the picture on my screen.

“You know she looks a lot like...” He didn’t have to finish the sentence; we both knew who he was talking about.

Tessa, our former lover, who had left us without so much as a goodbye two years prior. I looked over at Zayla, her long blonde hair falling in loose curls around her shoulders and her soft green eyes looking toward us with concern. It was true there were some similarities between Zayla and Tessa. But also one glaring difference, Tessa's green eyes were filled with deceit. My heart sank at the thought of how hard we'd tried to make her stay and how quickly she left us when it became clear that she wanted Asher for herself.

Asher noticed my downturned gaze and gently placed his hand on my forearm. “Hey, I know you don't like talking about it. I'm sorry.”

“It’s not that.” I wondered if Asher missed having a third and if I would be good enough for him.

“This conversation isn’t over. Something flashed through your mind, and I want to know what caused that concerned gaze.”

Half the time, I wondered if the man could read my thoughts.

I couldn't bring myself to look away from my phone as I tapped the last button on the app. When I finally glanced up, Asher stood there with a comforting expression that somehow made everything feel bearable. He seemed to sense my inner turmoil and drew me close against his broad chest.

"It’s not that I don't like talking about Tessa," I murmured, "but it's hard to think back on how things were so perfect, and then her true colors came out. She never loved me. She only put up with me to get close to you. What if it happens again?"

His embrace tightened around my waist. "I can promise you one thing, CJ…no matter what happens, I'm never going to let you go." His words washed over me like a soothing balm, ensuring that no matter what lay ahead, we would always be together.

"You can't say never. A lot of things can change over time."

Asher didn't loosen his grip. “If you question my love for you again, I’ll spank your ass until it’s red hot. How many times have I asked for us to set a date? But you're the one that keeps dragging your feet."

"Life keeps getting in the way."

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