Page 26 of Hacker Beloved

Zayla sniffled next to me and tears pooled in her eyes. When the first one fell, I reached over and gently wiped it away.

Her voice quivered as she spoke. "So, everyone kept her from me all this time. You made me believe I was going crazy. For years you paid people off to cover up the truth," she said. "What I don't understand is how you found the therapists I went to as an adult."

Vincenzo's brow furrowed. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, Zayla," he responded. "We stopped the payments a year after you were in California unless it was your adoptive parents who did that. As for Jasmin, she knew the truth. We told her years ago that she could reach out to you. I'm not sure why she didn't."

The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of loss and deception lingering in the air.

Kat leaned back in her chair; her frustration evident. "I'm glad Zayla finally got the truth, but this whole conversation could have happened over a video call," she remarked, her tone laced with annoyance and disappointment. "Both of your families messed with Zayla's life, and now you need something from her."

Liu and Vincenzo exchanged a knowing glance, acknowledging the weight of their actions and the impact they had on Zayla's life.

Vincenzo nodded a serious expression on his face. "You asked earlier about someone raising flags in regard to your parents' murders," he began, his voice steady. "Well, those questions prompted us to start digging. And our investigation led us to a safety deposit box, one that your father acquired from a bank that neither Lui nor I can influence."

A wave of unease washed over me as the realization sank in. "Let me guess, First Bank New York," I uttered.

Liu nodded in confirmation. "Yes, that's correct. And inside that box is something we desperately need back. The problem is only Zayla has the authority to access it. We have the keys, but she’s the only one the bank will let into the vault," he explained.

Asher's eyes narrowed as he processed the information. "Whatever is in that box is needed to take down a serial killer. Her life, and potentially the lives of others, depend on her handing over the contents.”

The gravity of the situation hung in the air, the truth of the matter becoming clearer. Zayla's role in these unfolding events had taken a dangerous turn. The contents of the safety deposit box held the key to a deeper mystery—one that had the power to jeopardize lives.

Vincenzo's gaze turned intense as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "What is inside that box can pose a significant threat to my family and potentially cause irreparable damage to Liu's as well." His attention shifted to Zayla and locked onto her with an unwavering intensity. "Unless you fancy finding yourself on the wrong end of our wrath, I strongly advise you to retrieve that box, refrain from prying eyes, and promptly surrender its contents," Vincenzo declared. The intensity of his words hung in the air, a clear threat.

Tension crackled in the room. Kat rose from her chair, leaned forward, and pressed her hands to the table. “Vincenzo, you can try and intimidate Zayla, but I have her back along with everyone else here with me today. When I jumped on the plane this morning, I didn't anticipate that I would have to go to war with two syndicates, but I'm always ready for a fun time.”

Antonio groaned, but Kat continued. “My husband frowns upon it when I kill people, and over the past few years, I've reformed…well, kind of. Before you say anything to sever our friendship, I think it's time we left, or I'll end up spending the rest of the day dumping bodies in the river. And I really don’t want to have to tell Ant that his godfather is no longer in his life.”

"Katherine, you haven't seen the extent of my reach." Vincenzo's motioned for his bodyguards, and they blocked the exit. Antonio shot from his chair, and it flung backward, clattering against the wall.

I rose from my seat, pulling Zayla up with me. The severity of the situation bore down upon us, and Asher instinctively positioned himself on Zayla's other side, ready to defend and protect.

With the exit blocked by two imposing guards, Kat glanced back at Vincenzo, her eyes steely. "Is this how you want to play this?" she questioned..

Vincenzo hesitated for a moment, his expression wavering between conflicting emotions. "I need what is in that box," he admitted, his tone more measured but still determined. "I don't want to lose our friendship…but if you force me to choose, I won't choose you." A sinister grin curled upon his lips. "And remember, you'll need me to gain access to the box."

I rolled my eyes at his manipulative tactics; fully aware we could bypass the obstacle Vincenzo presented. "This isn’t the eighties. The bank will have a spare key," I retorted.

The room teetered on the edge of a standoff; the tension palpable. The balance of power teetered delicately, and the weight of the decision before us loomed heavy. With firm resolve and determination etched on our faces, we stood united.

Kat reached for the doorknob, and chaos erupted. Kat's swift and skillful actions surprised the guard who had dared to restrain her. Despite her petite frame, she was a force to be reckoned with, effortlessly using her hand-to-hand combat skills to overpower the guard. With a twist of her wrist, she immobilized him, causing the sickening sound of bone breaking to fill the air.

In that moment, the second guard lunged toward Kat, but Antonio swiftly intercepted him, incapacitating the threat with his own display of combat prowess. Asher, too, was quick to react, subduing the third guard before he could pose a danger to anyone.

As the commotion unfolded, I stood my ground—shielding Zayla from harm and ensuring her safety in the midst of the escalating violence.

Kat, undeterred and fueled by adrenaline, took control of the situation. With the guard at her mercy, she seized the opportunity to swiftly retrieved the gun from his holster, training it on him with unwavering resolve.

Blood trickled from the man's mouth. “I’ll find you bitch, and kill you,” he uttered a threat.

The room fell into stunned silence as the sound of a gunshot reverberated through the air. Eyes turned toward Antonio, who had unexpectedly taken the opportunity and fired the gun he had taken from the subdued guard. The bullet found its mark, striking the offending guard in the leg. Determination and satisfaction flickered across Antonio's face, "That is not the proper way to speak to a woman," he stated firmly, his voice carrying a tone of authority.

Kat, ever the unapologetic and unpredictable one, seized the moment to inject. "Is this the wrong time to mention that you shooting him was sexy as hell, and I can't wait to fuck you later?" she announced to the room, her words causing a mix of amusement and awkwardness to ripple through the standoff.

I rolled my eyes at Kat's audacity, "Yes, Kat, nobody needs to know about your plans for intimacy at a time like this."

Amidst the charged atmosphere, Antonio exchanged a playful wink with Kat before turning his attention back to Vincenzo, his expression serious. "Do you really want more bloodshed?" he asked.

Vincenzo, Liu, and their men, who still held their weapons at the ready, considered their options. The room wavered on the brink of a potential gunfight, with our outnumbered group prepared to face the consequences head-on.

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