Page 87 of Beautifully Ruined

It’s the right thing to say, because he turns his phone to airplane mode and gives me a hard look. Then he motions to his man to bring the case.

Thomas takes out his computer and wakes it, then slides it over to me.

“I work with tech,” I say, as I do my thing.

It takes me five minutes to hack into Thomas’s accounts for the Dungeon. I could have gone with his personal ones, but I decide to let him think it’s covered.

His real baby is the Dungeon, I can tell by just how much money is in the accounts and all the questionable flows of cash.

But I drain half the cash into another account and show Thomas. “See? Just like that, I robbed you blind.”

Thomas stands, moving behind me.

And I just exposed a lot of dodgy money flow, too.” I’ll transfer everything back.”

“I have someone who does IT.” Thomas takes his computer and sits back down, opposite me.

“This isn’t IT. This is high-tech, high-level maintenance,” I don’t want to use the word hacker. “I’m so far above IT I’m a fucking maestro. I can build you a safer system, one no one can touch, and more than that, I can hide services that aren’t above board.”

“I don’t hire?—”

“I’m not a fucking CEO. I created that. Shit, our mutual friend has no idea what I can do. He thinks I’m a CEO, he just knows I bring cashflow to the table. For you, I’m willing to go the extra mile.”

He narrows his eyes. “Are you willing to break the law?”

“I have no problem with that, I do it all the time. And best of all, I can make you even richer and hide the illegal parts of your club.”

He studies me for the longest time. I’m aware his men are moving silently behind me.

I will myself to stay calm and steady, and I pick up my drink and take a sip before just sitting back, the picture of relaxed.

“Want to know what I think?” Thomas asks quietly.

I shrug. “I’m sure you’ll tell me.”

“I think this sounds a little too good to be true. You come in here out of nowhere, Max?—”

“Cade,” I say, because to do this, I have to play this as close to the bone of honestly as I can. “My name is Cade. There’s a fact most don’t know. Just for you. Guess I should have brought a silver platter to serve it to you on.”

“You think your name is going to help?”

“It’s a start.”

“You come in here from nowhere and expect me to accept your offering to help out of the goodness of your heart?”

“No. I expect you to get I’m coming here from nowhere, asking for a job for a selfish reason.”

“Which is?”

“Money. I want a substantial monetary reward to keep you out of trouble, rich and with a clean slate. But let’s be honest. There are a lot of jobs and people I could do that for. And do. You have something else I want.”

“What?”

“Your club. I want full, unlimited access to everything the club offers.”

It buzzes in the air, his acceptance.

I might want a way in, but he wants what I offer. Money, a get out of jail free card, and probably a way to get more girls without fear of getting caught. But the risk is high, especially if he likes to buy girls like Gianna.