Page 23 of Hacker Beloved

“Your being over the top,” Kat huffed.

Antonio leaned back in his chair and cocked his head to the side. “We counted six bodyguards around the perimeter, all carrying. There is no way they will allow us to bring in guns. So yes, I think we need every escape route figured out.”

Kat tapped her finger on the set of building plans as her fiery red ponytail swished back and forth. "These plans are decades old. No way they depict what that place is like anymore," she said.

“We need something. But no matter how much we dug, the Russo family dealings were clean. Everyone in this room knows that’s a crock of shit. If things go south, we have no way to negotiate our way out,” Antonio argued.

“The negotiations won't go south," Kat sighed.

"You can't possibly know that," Asher cut in.

Kat bit her lip and looked at the ground.

Antonio leaned back. "Oh, but I think she does. Spill it."

"You're not going to let this go, will you?” Kat asked. Her voice was light and airy. Only a few times over the years had I heard her break out her sweet voice for Antonio. Every time she had though, she dropped a bombshell moments later.

“Kitty, Kat.” Antonio rubbed a hand over his face. “Why do I always have to push and pull to get the full story out of you?”

Kat climbed on Antonio’s lap and placed her head against his chest.Damn, I wished I had some popcorn for the show that was about to play out in front of us.Asher took one step back, before he headed in our direction, and sat in the chair next to us. Immediately, his hand snaked out and rested on Zayla’s arm.

“This feels private. Maybe we should leave the room,” Zayla said.

Asher grunted. “Some might say sex should be private, but at least once a week, I end up catching sight of my brother's ass while he and Kat have sex in the office. Besides, it’s not like Antonio won’t tell us afterward. Us spying saves a few more conversations. If we were really good friends, we would record this and upload it to the group chat.”

Antonio's voice cut through the air. “We don’t have a lot of time. Just tell me what the mob has on you.”

Kat’s head came off Antonio’s chest, and she glared at him. “You think I would allow the mob to hold anything over my head.”

“Well, there’s something.”

“You know how I lived in New York part-time and D.C. the other part while I thought you were dead?”

Kat and Antonio had met on a mission years ago, fell in love within a week, and got married. On the last day of the operation, the restaurant they were at was shot up. Juan, Kat’s corrupt uncle, had led her to believe Antonio died. He’d taken it a step further and made Antonio think Kat died. For years, they’d mourned the loss of each other. Kat dove deeper into her work as an assassin for the CIA, and during this time, she’d lived in New York and D.C.

“Yes.”

"Well, I didn't have many people around to help me back then," Kat continued, her voice tinged with a mix of nostalgia and tension. "I lived in an apartment next to Vincenzo Russo's mother, Giulia Russo. It was my sanctuary, a place where I could escape from Juan. He had no knowledge of this hidden apartment. Giulia took me in as one of her own, making sure I ate properly during my pregnancy. She would lecture me about my long hours of work, caring for me like a concerned mother. We grew close, and she would invite me over for dinner frequently."

Antonio's grip tightened on the chair, his knuckles turning white. His other arm remained wrapped around his wife's waist, a mix of concern and suspicion etched across his face. "Kat, is this story going to lead to you revealing that you pledged your allegiance to the Russo family?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of worry.

"Hell no!" Kat retorted, tilting her head to the side. "Well, at least I don't think it's the same as a pledge. Okay, back to the story. I was about eight months pregnant when Juan had sent me on a mission. Little did I know the operation would expose my identity to Vincenzo. I arrived at the target's location, and took them out. Though as I was leaving the house, I heard a muffled groan. Intrigued, I followed the sound and discovered Vincenzo's younger brother, Davide, tied up."

Anticipation filled the room, and I couldn’t hold back the burning question. "Did you kill him?" I interjected, unable to contain my curiosity.

"Ugh…Stop interrupting story time," Asher grumbled. "We're getting to the good part."

Antonio raised his hand and flipped Asher off.

Kat gently patted her husband's chest. "No, I didn't kill him. Davide was on the verge of death. Being eight months pregnant made it incredibly difficult for me to move bodies, you know. So, I pulled out my phone and called Vincenzo, asking him to come and help his brother. That's when my cover was partially blown, but at the same time, I saved his brother's life."

Antonio's brows furrowed. "That doesn't sound so bad. Why didn't you tell me this from the beginning?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.

"Because that's not the full story," I interjected, leaning forward with a knowing look. Over the years, I’d heard Kat's stories enough to know they always held unexpected twists.

Zayla shifted on my lap. "How would you know?" she inquired.

I smiled faintly, my eyes meeting Zayla's. "Trust me, there's more to it," I responded, my tone hinting at the layers yet to be revealed.

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