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Then she seems to shake herself, start her car, and speed off, tires squealing from the urgency to get away from me.

I fucking love it when she runs.

Chapter 23

The Manipulator

“Y ou’re going where to do what?” Daya barks through the phone. I sigh, closing my eyes in resignation. “And with who? Zade? That’s your stalker’s name?”

“Yeah.” I bite my lip. “I don’t know if I really had a choice…” I trail off. Because that’s not entirely true. Zade was going to say no to Mark. But I made him say yes. Mark has information on Gigi and supposedly has valuable information for Zade as well.

“Look, I don’t know what this man is into, Daya. But whatever it is, it’s really fucking serious. And I can say that he really did try to avoid the situation.”

“How the hell did this even happen, Addie?” Daya asks, frustration evident in her tone.

“I was working on my manuscript at Bailey’s when Zade and a fucking senator approached me, introduced himself and said he wanted to meet Zack’s girlfriend. Zade was staring at him like he wanted to murder him. And he asked me to go along with it until he could get rid of Mark. Long story short, Mark’s father was best friends with my great-grandfather, John. He said he’d tell me more if I agreed to go to the party.”

“So the man manipulated you,” Daya deadpans.

I sigh. “Pretty much,” I say, before rubbing my lips together.

Daya stays silent, and if it weren’t for her angry breathing on the other line, I’d think she hung up. Wouldn’t blame her if she did.

I am going to a party with my stalker.

All for some information that might not even help me.

“Addie, what does this man do for a living?”

I blink. “I’m not entirely sure, to be honest,” I answer truthfully.

“He’s not Z, is he? Because that would be fucking insane, but it would also make sense.”

I frown. “What makes you think he is? Do you know a lot about that organization or something?"

Daya hesitates before she admits, "That's who I work for."

My mouth pops open.

I've heard of Z from social media and news outlets. It's a massive vigilante organization built around destroying the government. A we for the people type of org, and basically the government's public enemy number one.

I knew Daya was a vigilante of sorts, I just didn't know she did it for Z. In that case, it doesn't sound like she is aware of a connection between Mark and the organization.

And if Zade is indeed who she thinks he is, that means I'm now involved in something so much more than I thought it was, if even Daya is ignorant to it.

God, could Zade really be Z? It would explain his inexplicable ability to get past my security cameras. But more than that, it would explain him befriending and hiding his real identity from a goddamn senator. How the hell did I get so unlucky that the ultimate hacker would stalk me?

I never really stood a chance.

“I don’t know, Daya. I honestly don’t. I just… really want to solve this case. Gigi didn’t deserve what happened to her. And I think Mark might be able to give us some insight on the case.”

“Addie, I love you, but you’re crazy. There are other routes to look at, you don’t need to go to a goddamn senator’s party with a fucking stalker to get a bit of information. A stalker that might be a world-renowned hacker and vigilante.”

She’s right.

Totally valid point.

But I'd be a liar if I said going to the party tonight didn't stir something in my chest that feels sublime. The thrill. The adrenaline rush. The danger. It stirs something deep in my core, too.