Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
“You’re going to log in to my accounts,” he says. “And help me get my money.”
“The money you stole,” I spit back, venom sharp on my tongue. “Lev trusted you! How could you do this to him?”
He gives me a cold, dead smile. “I knew you were smart. That’s why I told Lev to hire you. But I didn’t think you’d be such a bleeding heart. I definitely didn’t expect Lev to start fucking you all over the city.”
My stomach turns. It’s not morning sickness though, it’s disgust.
“You vouched for me?” I can’t help asking, grasping at anything to buy time.
“It made sense,” he says. “You were green and naïve. You were hungry for work, but you were also good. I figured you’d do your job and find the discrepancies, then I could use a buddy of mine to scare you off. I thought Lev would be so freaked out about the Feds sniffing around, he’d put the embezzlement to rest.”
“You sent the fake fed?” I say, catching up with his words. “You wanted me to quit.”
“I did,” he answers. “I didn’t count on you confronting Lev and telling him off. That’s when I knew I’d hired the wrong person.”
“So you threatened me,” I whisper. “You sent that picture to Lev. What did you think would happen?”
“I thought he’d be chasing his tail long enough for me to get away with the money. But you just wouldn’t stop digging. I knew I had to get rid of you, too, but he’s had you locked down for weeks.”
“You’re going to kill me?” I ask.
“Probably.” He shrugs as casually as if I’d asked him the time. “But not yet. I still need you.”
“Need me for what?” I ask, my stomach turning with fear.
“It seems our little disappearing act raised some red flags,” he says, and he gestures at the laptop. “The accounts are locked. Lev must have panicked and froze the system. He thinks he’s clever. He blocked my tokens and my backup device. But he didn’t freeze your account.”
My wrists twitch against the plastic as I test the give. It bites deeper. I stop before I rub my skin raw.
“I’m not helping you,” I tell him through clenched teeth. “You’re going to kill me anyway. What incentive do I have?”
“I am going to kill you.” He smiles, eyes gone cruel. “But I thought maybe I’d let you live long enough to pop out that little bastard. It’s the most leverage I have against Lev. You’re inconsequential to him, really. He’ll get over you. But as long as I have a bargaining chip, I can negotiate my freedom.”
My fingertips go numb. I keep my face still. It costs me not to flinch. He laughs softly.
“You’re good in a crisis,” he says. “You’ve got a lot more spunk than I expected. But ask yourself, Mari. Are you really willing to let your baby die with you?”
“I don’t know how to get into the accounts,” I lie. “All my passwords were saved on my computer. The one you threw away when you forced me into your car.”
“Quit stalling, Mari,” he growls. “You can’t buy any more time. I’ve seen how that mind works. You know how to get in. Do it, or I’ll kill the baby first.”
“I can’t access anything off-network,” I lie again. “And not from an unfamiliar device. You need a hardware token Lev controls. You need the intranet. We’re not in the office.”
He tilts his head. “We can be,” he says.
“He’ll notice,” I say. “He’ll see my badge, my IP, the access attempt.”
“He’ll be busy in the wrong places,” he answers. “If I know him, he’s running the garage and the townhome and screaming at his men. He’s hotheaded when the target is personal. He’ll burn time on noise.”
“He’ll find us,” I say.
“He might,” Marcus says. “But he’ll be too late. And by the time he gets smart, the money will be gone, and so will you.”
I flex my fingers and breathe. My wrists are swelling under the plastic. I test the chair. It’s cheap. The back is screwed into the seat with four bolts that aren’t flush. The metal bites my skin when I curl my hands. If I work the tie against the bolt head, I can saw through it. It will take time. Time is a resource.
“I don’t accept your terms,” I bluff. “I’m not just going to do this for you on the off chance you’ll let me live until after my baby is born. Let me go. I’ll convince Lev to forget about you. What’s a few million dollars to him? I’ll get you your money only if you give me my freedom.”
“Why would he listen to you?” Marcus laughs. “Do you think he actually cares about you?”
I don’t answer, but my face must give something away because he starts laughing harder.