Page 80 of Seduce & Destroy

When I looked up at who it was, they just stared back blankly. “Hmm?”

“I said, can you log us into the security server?”

“Hmmm,” I nodded. I poked the fire with a stick. Couldn’t I get a moment alone?

“You shouldn’t be standing.” My older brother dragged me into a seat next to where he sat, too close to the fire. His knees were almost in the flames at his proximity to the flames, so it must feel like his kneecaps were melting, but then again, Terrence did always throw himself headfirst into taking interest in the interests of others. His melting knees were the closest I’d get to an ‘I love you.’ It was the Karstein way. The same way that I hadn’t not noticed the rupture of my wound seeping blood into my shirt until now.

“Did she really leave?” He finally said.

I sighed. “Yeah.”

“That’s tough.”

Real insightful and inspiring words. Thanks, brother. I wanted to quip, but he didn’t deserve that. I made my bed.

Instead of saying anything, my eyes drifted from the firepit to the seats around it. The night that Neenan and Laney were sitting here painting each other's nails felt more distant than the mere weeks it was. Things were so different. It was hard to believe only a day had passed.

“She seemed nice,” he offered, but I knew his true feelings. Her name alone had him believing good riddance, he was just too kind to me to say it. For that, I was grateful. There were no victors in conflict, both sides always lose something. Or everything.

I grimaced for her. I couldn’t stand to think of her much longer. “What did you want again?”

He cleared his throat. “The previous security head officer installed a kill safe that erased all data from the common server so we can only access the one in the security office, but it’s encrypted.” It was the Cove. Laney. I wanted to throw my head into the fire. “Do you know how to access it?”

“I have a log in, but I can’t guarantee it’ll work.” I attempted to sound more enthused, but it just came out plain. Prodding the fire aimlessly with a stick, it dawned on me. The security office. Our security office. Wait. No. “Can we pull the computer from the office?”

He looked at me perplexed and hesitated a response. “I don’t think that’s necessary, we should leave it like the former head of sec–”

“Please.”

“Kilina, we can’t unplug things.” Our eyes met, an orange hue coating our skin. “Why don’t you want to go in there?”

“Just don’t like dark spaces.” I muttered.

“Huh?”

“Nothing. I got it.” I threw the stick into the fire and walked away. “Let’s go.”

When I got to the office it wasn’t empty. A figure sat in the shadows of the dark room, only the glare of the screen silhouetted his head giving him a halo that he definitely didn’t deserve.

“Well, I’m here.” I announced with a sigh.

“Cheerful too.”

Irvine Karstein swung the chair around to face me, stood and let me replace where he’d been seated before leaning over so close we shared breath.

I forced out a cough. “Space.”

Dad inched back and punched at the keyboard. “Show me how to get onto this godforsaken computer, Kilina.”

“You couldn’t ask the other informants you sent after me.”

“They’re not you.” He stroked my hair. “You might not think so, but I care for my daughter.”

I pursed my lips with a raised eyebrow. “The others didn’t get past initiation?”

“Well, the rest weren’t cosying up to the boss’ daughter.”

Can’t argue there. Even if the thought pushed me further toward the edge of something tall. Turning my gaze to the screen, I saw the angry red text that had rejected my dad’s attempts at surpassing the interface.