Page 83 of F*ck Steal Kill

Joy nodded, a contemplative look on her face. “That makes sense. I’d just gotten Viper to follow me, Lacey behind him, when he got an alert on his phone. His head had snapped up, and he told the guards to lock everything down and to grab me. Arms had wrapped around me from behind before I could do anything. Lacey had almost stepped in, but I shook my head for her not to. She needed to get out. One of us had to. That was when all hell broke loose and everyone scattered. I saw her slip out the door just as they carried me out of view.”

“If they’re not here too, then maybe that means they got away,” I whispered, not wanting to mention that they could’ve been shot and were already dead. I wouldn’t let myself go there yet. “Do you still have your dot camera?” I asked, my head snapping up when I remembered.

“No, they stripped me.” She motioned down her body, only a tiny thong on. Gulping, I nodded as I ran scenarios through my head.

“Are you cold? Do you want my shirt?” I asked, noticing the goosebumps on her skin.

“I thought about it but didn’t know if the guards would notice.” She shrugged.

“Might be worth the risk. It’s cold down here.”

“You really are too sweet, Max-a-million. How did you get into this line of work?” she asked, standing and walking over to me. I kept my eyes down as she worked my button-down shirt off my body, only my nerdy t-shirt left.

“Oh, you know. A bullied nerd uses his smarts to get payback, gets caught, and then is offered a different type of job. Add in that my uncle, the man who raised me, was killed by the Savages, and you have my whole story.” I shrugged, my cheeks red as she sat back down, her body covered more now.

“Somehow, I highly doubt that’s the whole story. But I’ll leave you with your secrets.”

“And you got into this for Holland?” I asked, curious.

“Yes, and no. It started that way, but it was fun thinking of ways to create the tech and go unnoticed. Punishing people is a high that’s not harmful to my health. Add in the sex, and yeah, it wasn’t a bad gig. I enjoyed each day, got to spend it with my besties, and helped women in the process.” She shrugged, dismissing what she did, but I could see the pure joy radiating off her. I then snorted at my pun.

“What?” she asked, lifting her brow, a soft smile on her face.

“I thought about how you radiate pure joy, and then yeah, realized your name. I did the same thing the other day with mine. Something I guess we have in common.” I smiled as she chuckled with me.

“See, too cute.” I blushed for an entirely different reason this time. Joy noticed and continued back into her spiel.

“I’d love to be able to create more things. I also like doing undercover things. Do you think there’s a spot in the Shadows to do that?” she asked, her voice soft.

I swallowed, realizing how serious she was. “You’d really want to? I don’t think Holland knows that.”

“Yeah, I know. She thinks she’s the only one who enjoys the darkness, and as usual, she sacrifices herself to save someone she loves,” Joy sighed, rolling her eyes. “So, is there?”

I nodded. “Definitely. The Shadows would love to have someone like you on board. Honestly, you could probably have your own lab to create all the tech you wanted.”

“Really?” she asked, sitting up in excitement, her eyes shining.

“Honest.”

“Well, alrighty then. We definitely have to make it out of here alive, Max-a-million.”

Before I could respond, the door opened, and the man I’d wanted revenge on for years strolled through without a care in the world. His eyes were hard and evil, nothing kind in them at all. He stared at me, no ounce of recognition for the man he took from me.

But what did I expect? My uncle was just one of many he’d killed to prove his dominance and take over the Savages. I spotted his tattoo, the Viper with an S prominent on his hand and wrapping around his arm. Everything about him screamed ‘evil villain’ from his outfit to his hair, and I wanted to laugh. Thankfully, I had enough self-preservation left in me, despite the possible concussion, to not do it.

“Where’s my daughter? Who do you work for?” he asked, staring only at me.

Joy rattled off something in a language I didn’t know, gesturing frantically between her and me. I might not understand her words, but I could grasp her message.

She insisted she had no idea who I was, all the while informing me to play dumb as well. I instantly realized how freely we’d been talking and hoped there hadn’t been listening devices in here.

Shit. The concussion had made me lax.

I’d trust Joy’s judgment, though, and her experience in these types of situations. Plus, Viper didn’t seem like the type to want any footage available, even if it was only local. No evidence meant it was easier to deny.

“That true? You don’t know her?” he asked, making me jump out of my thoughts as his steely gaze assessed me.

“Me? I’m nobody.”

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