Page 43 of Merciless Obsession
I smirked, not bothering to respond. “Be ready Friday evening at eight.” I finished putting my shoes on and stood.
“Why?”
“Because we have a date.”
Ziora frowned. “I never agreed to a date.”
“Good thing I didn’t ask for permission.” I winked then walked to the loveseat to grab my peacoat.
Picking my phone up, I turned and faced Ziora again and sighed. “I’m gonna be busy these next couple days. It’s a shame, but Friday I’ll make up for it.”
This time when she opened her eyes, they peered into me and her lips tucked into her mouth.
“I’m not going out with you,” she finally replied.
Laughing under my breath, I placed one hand on the arm of the couch and leaned in. “We’ll see about that.” I pecked her lips.
If I had a change of clothes with me I would just stay here. I wasn’t ready to leave Ziora, especially now since I tasted her. There was so much more I wanted to do, but I was trying to practice patience. I made a mental note to keep extra clothes in the house across the street for times like this.
Reluctantly I stood and turned for the door. “Lock up and set the alarm, Bumblebee,” I called out after me. I gave her one last look; she was staring at me. Tossing one last smile her way, I opened the door and stepped out into the cool air. I inhaled the fall air and looked around. Ziora’s neighbors were preparing for Halloween that was two weeks away. A few of them had skeletons, pumpkins, tombstones, lights, and other décor in their yards.
I always enjoyed Halloween. It was the one day you could be whoever you wanted and no one could say a thing. I glanced behind me at Ziora’s door, wondering if she enjoyed Halloween. There was still so much for me to learn about her and I planned on having fun doing it.
CHAPTER 12
ZIORA
“You might think you’re smart, Gregory, but I bet you didn’t expect me to dive into your life,” I mumbled. My eyes shifted to my second monitor where Gregory’s hidden bank accounts were displayed.
“This is why I don’t do relationships or feelings.” I shook my head.
Gregory’s soon to be ex-wife, Marissa, had hired me to investigate her husband. He was partner at his very profitable real estate company but apparently couldn’t keep it in his pants. His wife was promised child support and alimony but Gregory was trying to downplay his net worth. Marissa was right to be suspicious. From what I could tell her husband had a mistress put up that he spent money on. From hacking his phone it looks like he also had a secret kid with said mistress and was paying her to stay quiet, at least till after the divorce was finalized.
“Douchebag.” I rolled my eyes, adding the info to the file. With a good lawyer Marissa wouldn’t have to work once she got all this information. A good thing about coming to me was I didn’t have to follow the same rules lawyers’ researchers did. She was smart to outsource.
Ten minuteslater I was emailing her an encrypted link so she could access everything I found. I had already received payment so my job was done and I was eight grand richer. My next job was more costly because it was riskier. My client wanted me to hack into some medical records. Apparently he believed his wife was being dishonest about some diagnoses. I didn’t ask questions, as long as the check cleared I was game.
A lot of the jobs I took were from spouses or parents needing dirt on the other party involved in their relationship. Sometimes I got CEOs or businesspeople wanting to check the competition out and get into their files. Other times it was police reports, medical records, bank accounts, phones, or other trivial things. I made good money on my blog from sponsors, but my main source of income was from hacking. Some may have thought it was unethical but that wasn’t my problem.
Hacking also helped me clear my mind. Getting lost in cyberspace in my own bubble was all I knew to help me cope with my trauma. It helped me make money to stay afloat and eat when my parents were so lost in their demons that there was no food in the house.
Pausing from my next job, I went to my file for the Tavarezes. Opening one of my drawers I pulled out a sucker, unwrapped it, and stuck it in my mouth. After entering the password, I scanned the screen looking over everything I knew. Yesterday, after Ezra left, I spent over an hour updating it, adding in everything I learned about them. Their cause seemed good, but I knew there was more Ezra didn’t tell me. I did a deep dive into their family’s past. I wanted to know more about their family. He said his grandfather started The Bloodline as a way to get justice for his wife when the police refused and I found no proof of an attack. I did, however, find that his great grandfather was suspected to have connections to the Larks family, a well-known organized crime organization back in the fifties. They had given him thenickname, ‘The Reaper’, but they were never able to find proof he was a paid for hire killer for the organization.
Pulling my sucker out of my mouth, my lips twisted to the side and I tapped my pointer finger against my mouse. I had more questions than when I first started looking into this family. Everything about them was a show. They had built this reputable persona to the world but in reality they were stone cold killers.
I was pulled from my thoughts when my doorbell went off. I wasn’t expecting anyone and wasn’t in the mood for company either. Pulling my camera app up on my phone, I opened it and was surprised to see Lucas on my doorstep. He seemed to be alone, but I wasn’t sure why he was here.
I closed out the files on his family then pushed away from my desk and headed out of my office. Lucas impatiently knocked on the door.
When I got to the bottom of the steps to the front door I yanked it open. “You don’t have to knock so hard,” I spat, narrowing my eyes at him.
Dressed in a maroon turtleneck with a black peacoat and black jeans stood Lucas Tavarez. He had a blue folder in his hand and black square frames resting on the bridge of his medium sized nose. One of the top trauma surgeons in the city, and also the second oldest brother in the family, but I couldn’t get a read on him though. He seemed to be a mix between the three. Quiet and observative, but not in a wary way like Emmet. His eyes held life. Even when we were at that barn, he didn’t seem that interested in the torture and killing. It was like he was there physically but mentally his mind was elsewhere.
“I need to talk to you,” Lucas said, gaining my attention again. His demeanor was cool and nonthreatening.
I peeked behind him and looked around.
“Ezra isn’t with me if that’s who you’re looking for.” He smirked.
