Page 2 of Jezebel’s Liberation (Hellfire Hackers #1)

“ W e miss you.”

Keeping my eyes on my monitors, I wince at the sadness in my mom’s voice. I try to recall the last time I visited my parents and realize it’s been a while. We used to have dinner together every Sunday, but that was before I moved sixty miles away.

“I miss you guys, too.”

“Then come over next weekend,” she urges. “I’ll make something special.”

Her idea of ‘something special’ is a four-course meal that keeps her on her feet all day. I definitely don’t want her doing that.

“I’ll come over if you promise to keep it simple,” I say. “How about spaghetti and meatballs?”

“I can do that.”

“Then I’ll b—” The red warning light that hangs above my monitors starts to flash, and I flatten my lips when I see numerous people descending on my home. “I gotta go, Mom. I love you.”

I disconnect the call before she has a chance to respond. I know she’ll give me shit for it later, but it can’t be helped.

Clicking my mouse around on the center monitor, I zoom in on the man now standing at my front door.

Well, well, well…

“Preston Graham,” Agent Betts shouts, and I stab the volume button to lower it. “This is the FBI, open up!”

A mischievous grin forms, and I rise from my chair to move toward the stairs.

I climb out of my hacker lair—yes, that’s what I call it—and lower the door to seal it shut.

The hidden space can only be accessed by this hatch in my kitchen floor, and the contractor who built and installed it did such a good job that it’s impossible to see because of the grout lines in the tile.

“Open up or I’ll break the door down!”

“Jesus, impatient little fucker.”

Striding through my living room, I take a deep breath and force down the glee at being so close to one of our targets. Throwing open the door, I allow my grin to disappear because I need Agent Betts to think that I don’t know who he is.

“What can I do for you, Agent…” My eyes slide down to take in the name stitched into his blue jacket. “Betts?”

The man is of average height, and I’m sure at some point in his life he was fit, but now he has extra weight around his middle and a receding hairline.

“Preston Graham?” he asks.

“That’s me. What does the FBI want with me?”

Agent Betts lifts his hand and snaps his fingers over his shoulder. Several other agents push past him, and me for that matter, entering my home.

“We have a search warrant to collect any and all electronic devices that belong to you or your online persona, Phantom.”

I take the document he’s handing to me and skim its contents. It’s clear that I don’t have a leg to stand on here, but it doesn’t matter. They won’t find a damn thing.

“I don’t know who this Phantom person is, but—” Stepping aside, I sweep my hand to indicate my home. “Have at it.”

“Got a laptop,” one of the other agents yells from what I assume is my ‘office’ down the hall.

While the agents do their thing, I settle on my couch as if I don’t have a care in the world. And honestly, as far as this little display of power, I don’t. Agent Betts is just pissed because his less than legal activities have been brought out into the light for the world to see.

As a member of Hellfire Hackers, I take great pride in bringing down sick fucks and monsters like him. I live and breathe for the satisfaction of seeing them suffer.

“I wouldn’t get too comfortable,” Agent Betts snaps from his position at the door. He can’t even be bothered to help his team. “You’ll be sitting in a jail cell soon enough.”

“What exactly is it that you think I’ve done?” I ask calmly.

He walks to the couch as he glances around nervously. “You know exactly what you did,” he seethes.

Okay, so I guess this is the part where I admit that, yes, I’m responsible for his life beginning to implode.

And yes, I got a little carried away and left digital breadcrumbs that would lead him straight to me.

But no, there isn’t a fucking thing that they’ll find that will implicate me or Hellfire Hackers because any and all evidence is tucked safely away beneath my kitchen.

Fifteen minutes later, the agents are leaving, and Betts is so full of rage at having only seized a laptop and cell phone. As soon as they’re gone, I make my way back to my lair, grinning like a fool.

I grab the cell I keep down here, the one that’s for business only, and call my boss.

“Please tell me they didn’t find anything,” Jezebel says by way of greeting.

“Ye of little faith,” I taunt with a chuckle. “Of course, they didn’t find anything.” My eyes narrow when a thought occurs to me. “Wait… How’d you know they were here?”

Jez laughs, and the sound goes straight to my cock. I know she’s technically my boss, but that doesn’t seem to matter.

“I’m the best hacker in the US, Phantom,” she says. “Do you really think that I’m not gonna keep tabs on my team?”

“You hacked my computer’s camera?” I ask, not as bothered by that as I thought I would be.

She watches me.

“Yes, I did. But don’t get your panties in a wad because I’ve also hacked Jinx, Diabla, Loki, and Bela,” she says, naming the rest of the team.

“I guess that shouldn’t surprise me.”

“No, it shouldn’t. And I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that Agent Betts showed up at your house,” she snaps. “You and your damn breadcrumbs.”

I scoff. “You know they won’t find anything. Not only did I follow your blueprints exactly for the lair, but I took it a step further and added a Faraday Cage around it. The copper I had infused into the concrete ensures that no signals can be picked up to alert anyone to the lair’s presence.”

Jez whistles. “Damn, Phantom. You’re good.”

“Which is exactly why you hired me,” I remind her. “And for the record, I’m better than good.”

“So fucking modest too.”

“Just stating facts.”

Jez sighs. “Uh-huh. Listen, I’ve got another job for you. I’ll send you the details by end of day.”

“Sounds good. I’ll watch for them.”

With that, she disconnects the call. Instantly, I miss the sound of her voice. I’ve been working for her for several years now, and while we’ve never met in person, I find that I have a crush on her. She’s wicked smart, and her voice wraps around my cock like a vise.

One of these days, I’ll have to take a trip to Nevada and meet her. Not that she’ll let me. Part of the reason Hellfire Hackers is successful is that there isn’t anything to link any of us to each other.

But that doesn’t stop my brain and dick from wanting her.