Page 37 of Hacker Beloved

I retraced the person’s steps through New York before entering the bank. All camera footage had the same issue. Not once did the individual appear like they had tried to hide their location. Three hours into the footage, the person disappeared into a side door of a building. I took note of the address. But it was like the place didn’t exist.

Paolo’s contact had stated that the Russo family and Silk Dragon family had five children disappear overnight. They were all on a manhunt for the kids. Kat reached out to Vincenzo, and he confirmed the information. She, Antonio, and Paolo went to help look since we all had a feeling that it was connected to the person who hurt Zayla.

“You need to take a break,” Asher said.

I scrubbed a hand over my face and grabbed the cup of coffee passed to me. “Did you ask for an update?”

“Yeah, but it’s been a while.”

The exit doors opened, and the Renolds brothers strode inside. Quinton’s head swiveled and turned toward us. He had on blue scrubs and probably came straight from the free clinic he ran. Kaeden wore jeans and a t-shirt, and Paxton, a designer suit.

Quinton held out his hand and pulled Asher into a hug before doing the same with me. All three of them belonged to Sanctorum, a club Asher frequented.

“What is her status?” he asked.

Asher crossed his arms. “We haven’t gotten any updates.”

“I’ll take care of it.” Quinton turned and headed to the counter.

Finally we might get some answers, relief washed over me. “Would they give him any issues since he doesn’t work here?”

A wide grin spread across Paxton’s face. “Right out of med school, Quinton and a woman he cared about started a small concierge clinic called Luxe. His partner, Dr. Lynn, had big dreams about building an empire, but Quinton wanted to keep taking all the profits and pumping them into free clinics. This tore their partnership apart, along with their relationship. Quinton became a silent partner, and all the funds he received went back into his clinic. Technically, he owns half of this hospital and all the other Luxe subsidiaries.”

“Holy shit,” Asher said.

Quinton waved us over, and the doors to the back area opened. “She’s in room one sixty-four.”

Asher and I followed, and Quinton turned to his brothers. “I got this.”

“I’m not here to help,” Kaeden grinned. “I’m here for the fireworks show about to go down. How long has it been?”

Quinton flipped him off. “Not long enough. This is the room. Give me a moment to make sure it’s okay to go in.”

He slipped into the room.

“She’s going to be okay,” Asher whispered. I wasn’t sure if he was reassuring himself or me.

“Looks like she is still asleep. Why don’t you come in and sit with her? I’ll read over the chart to see what was ordered.”

The steady sound of a beep greeted us as we entered the sterile room. Zayla’s small frame was lying in the center of the bed. Her chest rose and fell. All I wanted was for her to open her pretty eyes. Asher and I took a seat on either side of her bed. I grasped her hand; she was cold to the touch.

Quinton stood at the foot of the bed. He flipped through a few pages and then flipped back. His eyes shifted from the chart to the medical device behind me.

“They drew her blood,” Quinton explained, his voice clinical. “The report came back with traces of Propofol. That is why she’s still unconscious. From the level in her blood, I would expect her to wake up very soon.”

Before I could ask a question about Propofol, the door to the room swung open and banged against the wall. Dr. Lynn charged into the room. Paxton and Kaeden hovered right outside the door.

My gaze drifted to the doctor as she ripped Zayla’s chart from Quinton’s hands. “You don’t work here, Quinton,” she spat. “And Zayla is not your patient, so get the hell out of my center!”

Quinton’s lips twitched. “I’m shocked you work on the floor. I figured you spent your time swimming in the money you’ve sucked out of the rich over the years.”

“Sorry, I like to be paid for my work,” Dr. Lynn took a deep breath. “No amount of money you throw into those clinics will bring him back.”

Paxton stepped into the room and stood between the two. “Your guys’ past needs to stay the fuck in the past. I know it’s filled with land mines, but that is not a subject to discuss today.”

Dr. Lynn’s shoulders slumped. “You’re right, Pax. Quinton, you showing up here…it threw me, and I took my personal issues out on you.”

Zayla’s leg kicked and her eyes fluttered open. “The files,” she whispered.

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