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Page 1 of Midnight’s Captive (Stroke of Midnight #2)

Ash touched his nose to the cold, white linoleum, then straightened his arms. A bead of sweat rolled off his forehead, spattering on the floor beneath him. He barely noticed it, dropping into another push-up, his mind focused on the summons he’d received earlier.

Portia Tremaine required his presence in her office at eight a.m .

His breath caught, just as it had when he’d opened the message this morning. Was this it? Was this when his role in the death of her husband would be revealed?

The explosion at the New Amsterdam Hotel had changed the Seattle landscape more than physically. It had completely upended the Tremaine Corporation, exposing the family’s dark secrets and leading to the disappearance of the CEO, Phillip Tremaine.

Portia had stepped into her father’s position and had, by all accounts, spent the past six weeks settling into the role. Ash had spent the same time trying to solve the same problem he’d spent the last five years on: how to free himself and his sister from the Tremaine Corporation. He’d spent the days since the explosion frantically seeking a way out for him and Hope, while waiting for his role to be discovered.

Body on autopilot, he completed his workout—one hundred each of sit-ups, dips, and push-ups, no more, no less—and dropped to his knees. Hands on his waist, he waited for a rush from endorphins or the buzz of accomplishment, but neither came.

He didn’t work out for any of those things. It didn’t clear his head or help him think. It didn’t do anything but keep his body strong so it could support his mind when it was otherwise occupied.

Too worried to eat, he skipped breakfast and quickly showered then donned the boring black pants and white shirt that served as his uniform. He tried not to let the summons throw him. Instead, he rubbed his hand over the back of his left shoulder, tracing the tattoo there. The raised design centered him. Reminded him of who he was and why he had to escape.

A female security guard waited for him at the executive elevators. Ever since the bombing and Phillip Tremaine’s disappearance, there’d been heightened security on the main floors of Tremaine headquarters. Even the staff living quarters and common areas like the cafeteria, located at the base of the building, had a slight increase in security. Nothing like this, though. Everyone wanting to see Portia required special clearance and an escort.

Ash approached the guard carefully. Knowing about the extra security was one thing. Being called in to see the acting CEO put it in a new, worrying light. Until he knew more, he had to believe that the guard was there to escort him to Portia’s office, not take him into custody.

Smile casual and his movements calm, he approached the elevator.

“I have an appointment with Ms. Tremaine,” he said.

“Palm, please.” The guard held out a scanner, her expression flat.

He pressed his palm to it and let the computer work its identification magic.

“Ash Cutter. Computer security specialist. Tremaine Corporation.”

When the ID wasn’t followed with directions to “Arrest immediately” or “Shoot on sight,” the tension in his shoulders eased slightly.

“I’ll escort you to the top floor.” Her voice gave nothing away. They must teach that in security guard school.

“Okay.” The less he said, the more unconcerned he could pretend he was.

The elevator doors slid open and the guard gestured for him to precede her. Ash stepped in and moved to one side. She followed, taking up a position on the opposite side of the car, her back to the wall. Her hand wasn’t actually on her weapon, but it hovered too close for comfort.

They stared at each other for the entire ride. Willing himself not to fidget, he studied his escort. She wore her dark hair pulled back in a severe bun at the back of her neck and a bland expression on her face. He didn’t know her, but he’d seen her around. Tremaine Security was hard to miss these days.

The elevator stopped with a happy ding! and the door slid open. Ash stayed where he was. Any sudden moves might make her jumpy.

“After you.” She gestured at the open door.

He stepped into a mix of luxury and security. Half a dozen guards circled the room. The reception desk sat several feet in front of the elevator door. Sleek metal and opaque glass, it gleamed like new and stood out against the white marble floor. The woman behind the desk looked young and efficient.

She acknowledged him with a faraway gaze that instantly conveyed that she was plugged into the network. Jealousy flooded his system. He tamped it down with a struggle.

Ash hadn’t been allowed to jack into a system in five years.

Five. Years.

There was nothing like streaming with the data. Becoming one with the pixels and packets. No barriers, no walls. It was better than any high he’d ever experienced and he missed it every damn day.

Tremaine Security had sealed up his port when they’d made him the offer he couldn’t refuse. One that let him live and provided his sister with the medical care she needed. And there were still days that he’d throw it all away for a chance to surf a network again.

Watching the receptionist, he could almost imagine the rush she was experiencing. “Ms. Tremaine wanted to see me.” He modulated his tone, keeping the jealousy out of it.

She eyed him curiously, the continuous movement of her eyelids the only sign that her attention wasn’t fully focused on him. The fluttering paused for a few seconds. She must have found what she was looking for. “Ms. Tremaine is waiting for you. Go on in.”

“Do you know what this is about?” he asked before he could stop himself. Some warning before facing the new head of a multinational corporation would be nice.

No answer. He’d already lost her attention.

Ash exhaled slowly. This was it. If Portia Tremaine had learned that he was involved in the bombing that had killed her husband, he’d need all his wits about him. And it still probably wouldn’t be enough.

She’d never believe that he hadn’t known the bombing was going to happen.

Frosted glass doors whooshed open as soon as he approached, providing his first glimpse of the inner sanctum. The Seattle skyline was visible from every window. The view was breathtaking.

Portia Tremaine sat in the center of the room, dressed in black as she had been since her husband’s death. The stark color washed out her already pale skin and blond hair. When she looked up from her desk, the dark circles under her eyes reflected her deep grief.

Guilt hit like a freight train, a familiar feeling because he blamed himself for his sister’s predicament.

She pinned him with an expression that said he was already wasting her time.

His gaze slid over the room as he stepped fully into her office. The doors shut automatically behind him, closing him in with Portia Tremaine—and no security.

What did that mean?

Her gaze—or was it the guilt?—pressed on him like a weight as he crossed the short distance to the chair in front of her desk.

When she waved him to it, he lounged carelessly in the chair, an intentional reminder that he dressed like a corporate drone, but he wasn’t one.

Her fingers danced over the screen on her desk and he assumed she was flicking through his file. The silence was unnerving.

“Ash Cutter. Fēnix. One of the greatest hackers of all time. Until you got caught.”

Derision coated her voice. It rankled, but he didn’t let it show. His time at the company had taught him painful lessons about reacting to taunts.

“How long have you been working for Tremaine Corporation, Mr. Cutter?”

Ha. Working. That was one way to put it. “Five years.” It was an effort to keep his tone polite.

“Five years of constant surveillance. And, according to your record, only one infraction.” Every word in that damn superior tone.

One infraction. An ill-conceived escape attempt right after he and Hope had been captured by Tremaine Security.

Silence stretched between them and he realized that she was waiting for a response. Okay. He’d play. “That’s correct.”

Portia looked up from the file then, her gaze hard and steady as it met his. “Just one. That’s quite remarkable for someone of your talents.”

He tensed, but she didn’t say anything else on that subject. That was good. Right?

“How much do you know about what happened last month?”

More than she probably wanted him to. Was she expecting a confession? “Some,” he said slowly. “What the newsies reported. The little that the corporation’s told us. Hallway chatter.”

“Yes, we can’t disregard the hallway chatter.” She sighed and sat back. “As you may have heard, my father’s assistant came into possession of some Tremaine Corporation secrets that should have stayed hidden. For all his business savvy, my father’s assistant was an idiot when it came to computers and technology.” After the cold recitation of facts, emotion colored her next words. “I know he had help.”

His pulse jumped. He didn’t like where this was going. At all. “Okay, why am I here?” He injected enough I-don’t-care into his voice, like any good captive hacker would.

“Come now, Mr. Cutter. I know you’re smarter than you look.” She paused, looked at his file again. “I need your special skills.”

Tamping down his confusion, Ash contemplated his next move. Was she asking for his help? That wasn’t how this usually worked. But she wasn’t accusing him of helping Leopold Brunswick either. Yet. “What’s in it for me?”

Her laugh echoed around the room. He wasn’t sure which of them was more surprised.

“Your file said you were arrogant. That’s an understatement.” Her smile didn’t carry a trace of humor. “It also says we have your sister.”

Her words struck like a blow, as she’d obviously intended. He clenched the arm rests, anchoring his body, instead of lunging at her. Fear for Hope’s safety was the only thing that kept him from attacking her.

Portia didn’t have the grace to look ashamed for using his sister against him. No surprise. She’d hit her own sister with a car. The world called her the Ice Queen for a reason.

“Yes.” His words were clipped. “And I’m sure my record also shows that I’ve always done as asked and your father’s people have upheld your side of the bargain.” Only the bare minimum, though.

Ash was allowed to visit his sister twice a month. Seeing her in the coma, getting frailer and frailer, broke his heart every time, but he wouldn’t abandon her. As painful as they were, the visits also allowed him to make sure they were providing her with the care she needed.

“The deal didn’t change just because management did, Mr. Cutter.”

Ash looked around the room while he reined in his temper. He breathed slowly, deliberately, and studied Portia’s office. Her empty office.

No security guards. Not even one standing by the door. Unusual. Did Portia Tremaine have something to hide?

The Tremaine family maintained power by keeping control. They controlled everything. All the knowledge. All the secrets. Given what had happened with her father’s assistant, he would have expected her to double down.

He met her cold blue eyes and held her gaze, while he took a wild stab at what she wanted. “You requested me specifically. And we’re here alone.” He gestured to the big bulky doors. “Tremaine Security is out there, not in here. Whatever you have going on is something that you don’t want anyone to know about.”

“Are you threatening me?” She tilted her head to the side, a tiny smile on her lips as she studied him like a flaw in otherwise perfect code.

He shook his head. “Stating facts. Whatever the job is, you need me. I want to renegotiate.”

Would she call his bluff? He’d just taken a huge risk with Hope’s safety, but he’d do anything for his sister. He had to free her before Portia discovered his recent crimes against the Tremaine family and made them both pay.

“You’re right. This is important. And I do need you.” Her fingers swiped over the screen again. “I searched within the company for someone else who could work on this project for me. Unfortunately, I don’t know who I can trust.”

She didn’t break eye contact with him so much as look through him. “You have the best skills in the cybersecurity department and I have your sister. The way I see it, you have almost as much to lose as I do. That makes you perfect for my needs.”

A pit formed in his stomach. He’d taken a big swing—and missed. There was no way that Portia would be willing to free Hope, not when she was using his sister as leverage the way her father had. “At least increase the visits to my sister.”

Portia blinked in surprise. “What do you mean?”

Was she serious? She’d seen his file. “For the last five years, I’ve only been able to visit her twice a month. Please.”

It killed him to ask a Tremaine for anything. But for Hope, he’d beg.

She didn’t say anything for a long minute. “Fine, Mr. Cutter. I’ll inform security and the hospital that you have permission to visit your sister.” She paused. Considered. “Twice a week.”

Ash’s jaw dropped and his heart skipped a beat. Had he heard her correctly? “Twice a week?” he echoed.

“Yes.” She nodded. “But understand me, Mr. Cutter. If you speak a word about this project, if you have any ideas about abusing my kindness and sharing anything you learn in this room, access to your sister won’t be the only thing I cut off.”

There she was. The Ice Queen didn’t do anything without a reason.

“Fair enough.” The threat was actually good news. If Portia knew about his role in the New Amsterdam Hotel incident, she wouldn’t let him anywhere near Hope. “What’s this big project?”

If he didn’t know better, he’d swear she rolled her eyes. “Hacking, of course.”

He started to smile, then caught himself. “Real hacking or the poor imitation you’ve had me doing the last five years?”

Computers were his first love and—besides Hope—his only love. Being cut off from them, only allowed to skim the surface through keyboards and voice commands, was like seeing the world without colors.

“Mr. Cutter, the ‘imitation hacking’ you’ve been doing with cybersecurity has been very important to the Tremaine Corporation. Why, I believe we can credit you with stopping several attempted hacks.”

“Just doing my job.” He managed to shrug. The last thing he wanted was credit for those captures. He, Fēnix, hacker extraordinaire, had burned other hackers to protect the Tremaine Corporation.

None of his opponents had been friends, but he’d known them. With every battle for control of the Tremaine system, Ash had hoped that they never learned who had been behind their capture. If anyone found out, he and his sister would be in danger from more than just Portia Tremaine.

“Will I be getting my access back?” He yearned to run his fingers over the back of his neck. Right after his capture, they’d sealed the port with a skin graft, leaving a bump of scar tissue where there used to be a jack. It didn’t hurt anymore, although it haunted him like a phantom limb.

“No. You’ve been working perfectly fine without it.”

“If you’re going to hamstring me, find another hacker.” Fuck, that was a stupid thing to say. She’d already threatened Hope; she held all the cards. He didn’t have anything to negotiate with.

“Oh, Mr. Cutter. You amuse me. Making demands when you don’t have anything to back it up.” Her voice was pure condescension. “Be here tomorrow morning. I’ll inform cybersecurity that you’ll be reporting to me.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Ash choked on the venom he couldn’t put into words. He’d already challenged her once today and lost. He needed to regroup, consider his options. There had to be something.

She glared at him. “You may go.”

Ash didn’t turn his back on her, backing up until the doors opened. He didn’t take his eyes off her until he was through and the doors had closed again.

In the relative safety of the reception room—Portia Tremaine scared him more than the half-dozen security guards—he sucked in a shuddering breath.

Portia Tremaine had money. Leverage. Resources.

Ash may lack resources, but surely Fēnix still had some on the outside.