Page 54 of Heartbreak Kings
I scooted to the edge of my bed and peered over his shoulder. “Wait. Who and how?”
“Basically, I’m hacking his attack programs and altering them as they go out. He’ll see your bank account, your email account, and your blog, but he’ll be attacking someone else’s. Complete with draining accounts, doing password lockouts, and—” he peered at some code streaming past “—posting more photoshopped porn.”
“Who is he doing it to? Himself?” I saw another email full of threats fill the screen for a few seconds. This time, he was threatening rape and mutilation.What a classy guy.
Jude smirked. “Nope. His mother.”
I let out an incredulous laugh. “Oh my God. Well, I can’t say she doesn’t deserve it after coddling him and refusing to listen to what he’s been doing.”
“That’s it exactly.” He smirked. “And she can’t discount what he’s doing if she thinks he’s now doing it to her. Including draining her money.”
I watched mutely as he waged a war based in code and deception, typing faster than I had ever seen, occasionally showing flashes of the garbage Carmody was unwittingly unloading on his own mother. “I’d give it another fifteen, twenty minutes before he has to log off thanks to the Wrath of Mom. Especially since he just zeroed out her bank account.”
“He hasn’t even noticed something weird about a college student’s bank account being stuffed full of cash?” I didn’t know how much Mrs. Carmody had left in her account after paying the little shit’s bail, but it had to be a lot more than any broke scholarship student.
“Apparently, he’s too worked up. That’s the thing. The more pissed off he gets, the more mistakes he makes. That arson thing? That’s a felony, and the parking lot security cameras caught him and the others at it. He’s been trying to hurt you, but he’s only damned himself. And he’ll keep doing it until the moment it all comes crashing down on him.” He smirked without looking up from his work.
“I just wish I could be there to see it,” I sighed, vengeful glee replacing my outrage entirely. “I really appreciate this.”
“Yeah, well, I appreciate the chance to make that dinner-party shit up to you. I haven’t lived with myself very well since it happened.” The amusement had left his voice. When he stared up at me, his eyes were full of regret. “I’m not Carmody. I grew out of that shit when I entered high school. Even pretending made me feel like shit. And I’m really fucking sorry.”
I thought back to that night and how I had seethed as I had walked back home—mostly because of him. Ultimately, they had all deceived me about who they were—and I would not forget it. Forgive, but not forget.
“This goes a long way toward making it up,” I told him gently but firmly. “Ever start acting that way toward me again, though, and you’ll regret it.”
He cracked a grin. “Going to kick my ass?”
The corner of my mouth tugged up. “No, I’ll just never let you touch me.” Since I already knew he badly wanted to.
His smile faded a little. “Shit. Okay, that really is punishment. I’ll mind my manners.”
I laughed—and then blinked as one window on his screen went blank. “What happened?”
“He logged off.” Jude scooted back in his chair. “Last thing he did was transfer the cash back into Mommy’s account. My guess is, she’s roasting his ass as we speak.”
“Holy shit, you’re a miracle worker.” I kissed him impulsively—and he made a cheerful noise and grabbed the back of my neck to hold me and prolong the kiss.
“Wow,” he muttered when we came up for air. He stood up, sending a quick text to someone—probably Blake—then shoved his phone back into the pocket of his leather jacket. “Any chance I can get another of those?”
I slipped into his arms, enjoying the scent of a different cologne, a different male musk under it. The bulge in his jeans pressed firmly against my belly, making all kinds of promises.I think I’m about to miss my morning classes, I thought feverishly as he lifted me half off my feet in his eagerness.
Jude’s kiss was almost clumsy with sheer enthusiasm. He may not have been the oversexed idiot I expected from guys my same age, but only because the “idiot” part was missing. His mouth moved against mine so hungrily that I wondered if he had touched anyone in months. Or maybe he was just this shocked and gratified to have me in his arms after his one gigantic mistake.
“They’re on their way over for a restaurant celebration. Blake’s idea,” he gasped against my mouth between kisses.
That barely gave us ten minutes. “We should probably—” I started, but he cut off the sentence with a rougher kiss that stole both my breath and my attention. His hand was already sliding up inside my shirt to cup my breast.
Before meeting the Gentlemen and having sex with each of them, I had never felt genuine sexual pleasure or desire in my life. Now, it was all I could feel. I ran my hands over him greedily, exploring a new body, while he grunted and jerked with pleasure, even more when I started using my nails.
I lost track of time. I didn’t think ten minutes had passed yet, but suddenly, something heavy slammed hard against the door. It shook in its frame, and a photo of Mama’s cabin next to it fell from the wall.
It happened again.Bam.
I broke the kiss, frowning in confusion. “The fuck are they doing? That isn’t funny!” I raised my voice. “Hey, knock it off!”
Bam.
Jude grabbed my shoulder before I could go for the door. “It’s not them.”
