Page 28 of Ruin My Life
But it’snotme.
Sowho the hellis it?
“Maybe Lee can look into it,” Connor offers. “If someone’s picking off Songbirds, there’s bound to be some camera footage. Or chatter on the dark web.Something.”
I nod, already planning the call in my head.
But before I can even raise my phone, it buzzes again. A new message flashes across the screen.
And suddenly, my blood goes cold.
You’ve got to befucking kidding me.
I stare at the message.
Reread it.
Hope I misread the first time.
I didn’t.
“God damn it,” I grit, slamming my fist against the armrest.
“Carajo!”Monroe jerks the wheel slightly, startled by my outburst. “What the fuck happened?”
I don’t answer right away.
I’m still staring at the message, rage crawling up my spine like a live wire.
“My network,” I finally say. “Someone just hacked into myprivate fucking network.”
Chapter Five
Brie
DAMONKING—THE KING OFKINGS.
Subtletyclearly wasn’t a priority when he crowned himself.
On the surface, he’s your typical flashy entrepreneur. Owns a private security company that caters to the overly rich and easily impressed. Their flagship product? A sleek, high-resolution, 360-degree camera brandedThe King’s Eye.
It’s not revolutionary—just cleverly marketed to people who confuse exclusivity with effectiveness.
He also owns a bar downtown called The Speakeasy that hemorrhages more cash than it makes, and a penthouse apartment across the street to match.
He donates to women’s shelters. Funds children’s programs. Shakes hands with politicians. Poses at charity galas.Blah, blah…
From the outside, Damon King looks like a hero.
The king of a city that worships him.
But no one’sthatperfect.
Damon has a history with the Songbirds. A long one.
He joined them at fifteen, back when their biggest crimes involved stolen cars and bodega stickups—not the organized loan-sharking empire they’ve built today.
His juvenile records were sealed, but not well enough. It took me less than thirty minutes to peel them open.
