Page 19 of Stitched Up in You
From personal experience, I know loyalty like that can’t be bought, and I was back on my way to admiring him, no matter about the kidnapping because he’s still hot and I did inadvertently fuck his company, but now?
I must have lost my mind somewhere in the middle of being taken off the street, knocked out, and forced to perform illegal activities, because I am so mad right now, I can’t see straight. And Iam notgoing to sit back and take this shit from him. I’ve been continuously manipulated by men who overstep boundaries all my life, it's time for one of them to get what’s coming to them.
I don’t care how rich he is, nobody messes with my friend.
I press the button on the elevator, and get inside, ignoring how wild I look in the mirror, a wedge of anger mixing with the tears in my throat and burning my eyes.
Am I really about to do this?
An image of him scowling at me comes to mind, so different to how he is presented to the public. It’s so obviously a façade. He’s on the face of every male cover magazine in the world, but I’ll be damned if that is going to stop me.
I press the top button, sending us up to Frank Stein’s private office, gripping him tightly. No way am I leaving Edgar anywhere to get used as a bargaining chip again.
I thought this was all of my fault and worked my ass off to get back the information on that shipment, but I know Aubrey and she wouldn’t lie. If she says Frank Stein took her… no wonder she was so scared. That whole week was horrendous trying to calm her down and figure out what happened.
As soon as I get out of here, she and I are going to have a long talk.
I’d already bought stakes and holy water, ready to stab the vampire for hurting my friend, but to find out Frank had something to do with it is like a full betrayal. My nostrils flare and Edgar tenses in my arms. I loosen my hold a bit and scratch at him idly, swaying my weight to each hip as I hurry the elevator along.
When the doors open, my pulse is hammering like a hummingbird in my veins as I step out of the elevator. I glance around and up into the camera situated above the door. My pulse races as I set Edgar on his feet, who seems unconcerned entirely with how I feel, and grab for my necklace, taking the keylogger to access Frank’s computer once I gain access to his office.
Each second feels like an eternity, my gaze trained on the open elevator as I wait on it to be called to a different floor, or for Frank’s goons to pop out and grab me. If I can get inside, I can lock the doors to where no one can get in, and he will have no choice but to let me go. And if he doesn’t, I’ll have access to every bit of his baby until he does.Let’s see how you like being toyed with like a mouse, Mr. Stein.
I try Mikael’s login code, tsking to myself when it unlocks Frank’s office, and I make a note to tell them how shit their security is the first chance I get. I step inside and hold the dooras Edgar follows, my heart pounding in my chest so loud my ears thump with the bass.
I kick at the doorstop with my foot, pushing so that anyone trying to open the door will find immediate resistance. I need only a few minutes to gain access to his security system, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
I let my eyes adjust to the darkness, noticing the large brown leather furniture in the room, and how gigantic his desk is, coming up almost to my belly button. “Gotta be custom made,” I mumble, and enter the devil’s lair.
Ignoring the way the city lights look a lot like code shining in the dark night sky, I make my way to the desk Frank lords from on high and have a seat in his chair. The massive thing envelopes around my body like a cloud, and I do a little happy wiggle before sliding my right leg under me to get comfortable.
Everything else looks boring and mundane, an office phone, pad of paper and pen. I open and close the desk’s many drawers, but they’re all empty. My brows come together. Maybe he keeps his things in a separate office.
I tap on the keyboard and sit up long enough to insert the keylogger into his drive and lean back, grabbing for the expensive looking remote on his desk as I wonder what goodies the richest man in the world wants at his fingertips.
My brows crease into a deep frown. There aren’t any labels on the buttons. I push one at random and my forehead relaxes as music begins to pour into the room, soft and subtle. Another push and one of the glass walls turn into a TV screen. Wow.
It pays to be Frank Stein.
I turn off the TV and fire up the computer, easily getting into the Talbot system since I had the credentials memorized from earlier today, and lock the top floor.
I blow out a breath that sends my red hair moving and prop myself on the desk, tapping my tongue ring against my teeth.How hard do I want to hurt this man? And what’s enough to piss him off, but not so much I’m testing his potential murderer limits?
Edgar growls, and I turn to face him and see him attempting to get the cone off.
“Try all you want; it’s not going to come off, silly butt. You have four more days and then it can come off,” I say, as if Edgar understands perfect English. He turns his head to glare, and I smirk. Half the time I could almost believe he knows exactly what I’m saying. I set him gently on the carpeted floor again and tap my fingers softly against the desk, deciding whether I’m really about to do this or not.
Edgar meows loudly, and I take it as a sign.
“Right, fuck him,” I reply.
Elation fills me when I press the space bar, and I’m instantly bathed in blue light, the computer tossing sharp shadows behind me. My fingers dance across the unfamiliar keyboard, and I manage to get into Talbot’s system pretty quickly. I guess I shouldn’t be that surprised, since I memorized Mikael’s credentials yesterday when he wasn’t looking.
I might actually feel bad, except I’m almost positive everyone I’ve come across on the three floors I’ve been allowed to roam are aware I’m not here under usual circumstances.
I’m not sure they know I’ve been kidnapped, but it’s not exactly a good conversation starter either. Like “hey, how’s it going, do you work here, or were you kidnapped like me?” I’ll pass. I doubt Frank Stein would want that going to press, and I definitely don’t want to go to jail for computer fraud on my bingo card.
Plus, I’m also positive anyone who found out it’s my fault their boss’s goods went missing would be devastated. These people have been working around the clock like machines, only stopping to load up on coffee for the last three days. I’ve neverseen a group of people so dedicated, or so elated about a cyber break-in either. It’s inspiring to see an efficient team at work. Too bad he’s a whole dick and a half that deserves every bit of pettiness I can conjure for him.
