Page 38 of Deadly Hacker

“Yeah, it’s a learning experience, but I’m determined to practice for the rest of my days. If I’m so lucky,” Rad told her emphatically.

“Well, that’s good, because I’m in love with you too,” Emma Jean confessed. “And I can handle whatever craziness comes along with that.”

Rad caressed her cheek and she leaned into it, nuzzling against his fingertips. He traced down to her lips and she pressed a kiss to them gently. “How are you so perfect? How can you be so tolerant and understanding?” he murmured.

“Well, you know me,” she said with a giggle. “I’m pretty flexible.”

CHAPTER 15

RAD/ENSEMBLE

Music and laughterrang out across the beautifully decorated grounds of the Sokolov Estate. The entire property was illuminated with sparkly string lights and streamers, all twinkling along with the stars overhead. The city of Las Vegas was studded with parties from the casinos to the strip clubs to the house parties bumping on nearly every block. It was a Saturday night in July, and the air was hot and downright ringing with excitement, as though the whole city was partying along with the Sokolov crime family.

It had been just over a year now since Mikhail ascended to the throne following the dignified passing of his father, Vasili Sokolov. In that time, Mikhail’s corner of the Bratva had only grown in size and strength. The family was getting bigger, with new members recruited every day. And that was highly necessary, considering the broadening scope of their legacy throughout the state of Nevada. The soiree tonight was just as much a celebration for the whole organization as it was specifically for Mikhail.

The elegant mansion was thrumming with activity. The aromas of decadent traditional Russian foods and elaborate desserts permeated the air. The ground underfoot pulsed with the rollicking beat of the live band performing in the back garden. The grassy lawn had transformed into a natural dance floor, filled with whirling, grinning partygoers. Handsome soldiers for the Sokolov cause spun their beautiful dates around the garden among the topiary and hedges. Every edge and corner was filled with sound, scents, and summertime giddiness. Each attendee knew the gravity of their invitation; only the most trustworthy members of the vast and growing Sokolov crime organization were granted the gift of spending time at the private estate.

In the grand hall of the mansion, long tables with silky white tablecloths were laden with every manner of delicious party food. It was a feast, seemingly never-ending as Polina orchestrated a full team of caterers to keep the drinks flowing and the plates full. She was fully in her element, giving instructions and keeping ahead of the food supply so there was no chance of the party running dry.

Her daughter, Inessa, stayed close by, eager to jump in and lend a hand whenever necessary. Wherever Inessa went, Andrei was sure to follow. The solemn commander looked happier than Rad had ever seen him, his stony face frequently brightened by a loving smile reserved only for the girl of his dreams.

Whenever Polina shooed them away, professing that she had plenty of workers employed beneath her, Andrei and Inessa could be found canoodling in a corner together. Inessa had always been an astute observer, and she still found great joy in watching a big celebration like this. She read people’s expressions and made note of who they danced with, who they spoke to for the longest. She loved to see the sparks of romance kindling between two strangers on the dance floor or lightly eavesdrop on the conversations of young security trainees who excitedly looked on. Andrei stayed by her side, sharing her observations and enjoying the upbeat ambiance.

Rad nodded to them as he passed by with a drink in his hand. They raised their champagne glasses to him, and he gave them a wink. Lately, he and Inessa had been working on a case together. Mikhail employed her as a psychological profiler who gathered observations on rising rivals or potential new business partners. Between Inessa’s psychology background and Rad’s ability to effortlessly hack a target’s entire life, they were getting pretty damn good at figuring out their targets’ next moves.

Andrei provided his quiet intimidation and a gentle guiding hand as commander, helping them fix their sights on the next big project. Rad loved working with them—partly because he enjoyed their team synergy, but also because he liked to see Andrei so blissful. The couple had even been on a double-date with Rad and Emma Jean, which had been surprisingly fun. Inessa and Emma Jean had people-watched while Rad and Andrei had plotted out their next business conquest. With Emma Jean by his side, Rad felt his already healthy confidence skyrocket.

Out in the garden, Rad and Emma Jean strolled past Kira and Luka, who were there to enjoy the live music. Kira was just over a month pregnant and not showing yet at all, but Luka hovered around her as though she could pop at any moment. He constantly offered her his arm for stability, steered away any dancers who spun too close, and sought out places for his love to sit down. He wasn’t the only one, either, as Kira’s parents had also been invited to the party. The middle-aged couple were all oohs and ahhs, peering around the bumping party with awe. They were happy to be included, and Luka made sure the two of them could also rest comfortably among the festivities.

Emma Jean noted to Rad that they looked a little overwhelmed, probably because they had fled Russia explicitly to escape the rising crime rate, only to find themselves surrounded by mafia members at this party. But they were charmed by Luka’s attentive kindness, and within a couple of hours, the couple were at ease. It helped that Annika, Mikhail’s pretty young wife, was making the rounds through the party carrying her adorable four-month-old twins. The little ones were dressed in traditional Russian children’s garb, which enhanced their criminal-level cuteness. The party never got completely out of hand; despite the sheer number of big, buff Sokolov soldiers present, the celebration maintained a somewhat family-friendly atmosphere.

Of course, therewerethose who attended the party in hopes of drinking and dancing the night away. Lily, Kira’s coworker from the Shining Star Casino, was lapping up all the attention she got from the hot bachelors in attendance. She let them spin her around the lawn and top up her champagne glass, which was a fitting break from filling up guests’ glasses herself at the casino.

She wasn’t the only eligible bachelorette, though. Mama Katja had rolled up to the party with a full entourage of gorgeous, dolled-up young women from the brothels she ran. They were dripping in fancy perfume, jewels, and designer dresses, many of which had been bought for them by adoring clients.

Katja was in a spectacular mood, flirting with men decades younger than her and mingling with the Sokolov upper-crust. Her booming, contagious laugh could be heard across the estate grounds as she regaled other guests with colorful stories from her time as a brothel mother. Her influence only grew by the day, as the Sokolov enterprise expanded up and down the state of Nevada. By now, she was a queen of her castle, running the sexy, borderline-illicit side of the business with panache.

Back inside the grand hall, Annika sidled up next to Emma Jean to talk about the children. The pair of them had a lot in common; they shared a love for physical exercise and teaching children how to move their bodies. Annika’s ballet practice, On Pointe Studio, was really taking off. Every month, more young children of mafia associates joined the group to learn the basics of ballet. Annika often brought the twins to class with her, dressed in tiny ballet outfits. They sat in their baby swings and watched the kids do their pliés and pirouettes, often letting out peals of delighted laughter. Emma Jean planned to attend a few of the classes herself so that she could take inspiration from ballet poses for her yoga practice. Annika was excited to employ Emma Jean as a personal trainer, as well, to help her fully recover from carrying and birthing the twins. She looked as trim and beautiful as ever, but she was ready to get back in dancing condition again. She even planned to bring her twins to the yoga classes to start them out early.

Emma Jean’s yoga classes were becoming so popular that she was planning to hire another yoga teacher to extend the gym’s hours to accommodate more students. Her boss, Stacy, had recently left for a sabbatical in Bali. After a unanimous vote, Emma Jean had been thrust into the leadership position while Stacy was away. Although she had been reluctant to take on the responsibility, she was quickly finding it more enjoyable than she’d expected. She loved her coworkers, and she had plenty of ideas on how to better the gym’s operations. Rad had helped with some of these upgrades, including a brand-new team of security guys trained under Luka’s lethal tutelage. The owners of Saguaro Bank were all too happy to embrace this new tier of security, as were the other businesses in the Sunset complex.

Even the third-floor food court was getting an upgrade. With Mikhail’s backing, Polina had just opened a new cafe serving Russian food and drink. They were taking over a lease from when a cafe owner had gotten cold feet following the gunman crisis and pulled their business. Polina was ready to pounce on the perfect real estate. There were plenty of young men and women freshly recruited by Mikhail and ready to serve at the cafe, plus Inessa had promised her mother that she would take a shift now and then to help out. Really, it was just an excuse to spend more time with her mother, now that she was splitting her time between the cafe and the Sokolov residence.

Emma Jean and Rad were planning their own visit out to Georgia so that Rad could meet her beloved parents. Their relationship was flying along at top speed, despite how busy their lives were.

Rad was constantly brokering new deals with business owners across Las Vegas and, of course, putting his sharpshooter skills to the test with regular missions. He worked closely with the rest of the team, using his unique hacking skills to bolster every endeavor. He could work his way into any program, any account, any time. Every day, he improved even more upon his hacking strategy, and he was more certain than ever that this was the right path for him.

Of course, that meant he could never go back to the life he’d left behind. He had cut off his family when Mikhail had recruited him, but he’d left them with a thousand unanswered questions. It was just easier to ignore his past and run from it. But with some gentle encouragement from Emma Jean, Rad had recently come clean to his family about his lifestyle. He’d explained to them in no uncertain terms that he would not be returning to the world of wealth and privilege he had been born into. He would not right his crooked path and become the doctor or lawyer his parents had expected him to be. He was much happier here, surrounded by his favorite crime family, strolling hand-in-hand with the girl of his dreams.

Naturally, they were disappointed in his choices, but Rad was lucky to have Emma Jean by his side. He had tentatively introduced her to his parents on a video call, and despite their suspicions, she had won them over. Emma Jean’s sweet, innocent, compassionate demeanor had quieted their worst fear—that Rad would end up alone or forever living the bachelor lifestyle. Instead, he was ecstatic about his future with Emma Jean. He had won the greatest prize on Earth, and he intended to spend every day of his life making the most of that win.

He told Emma Jean every morning and every night that he loved her, and it never ceased to make his heart jump when she said it back.

He had yet to share the truth with his best friend from college, Max, but he hoped that one day he could open up. In the meantime, Max was far too caught up in his career and trying to win back his ex-wife to pay much attention. Grace was still an enthusiastic student in Emma Jean’s studio on Little Tykes’ Day, and she was making great strides in her physical mobility and confidence. She remained Emma Jean’s favorite student, and Rad greatly enjoyed his drives to and from yoga with the sassy little girl. Grace found it endlessly fascinating that her yoga teacher and her ‘uncle’ were a romantic item now, and she loved peppering Rad with questions about their relationship during their car time.

Between his love for Grace and Emma Jean, Rad sometimes thought about the distant possibility of starting a family of his own. He had always assumed it was out of the question for a mysterious mafia ladies’ man like himself, but Emma Jean had turned his entire world upside down. When he looked at her in bed beside him, softly snoring in the morning light, he thought about how wonderful a mother she would be. He daydreamed about what their children would look like, who they would take after more. He knew Emma Jean was just as excited to take that journey with him someday.

But for now, they were overjoyed with their lives. They were totally fulfilled in their careers, their friends who were swiftly becoming family, and the all-consuming romance blossoming between them. Rad could see a future clearly for the first time in his life, and it was more beautiful than he’d ever imagined.

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