“Of course he fucking is,” Jake groans and shifts to the side, putting the tiniest bit of space between us. His arm drops from around my shoulder and I instantly miss the warmth of his body.
Jake picks up my hand, his fingers entwining with mine again, and then he rests our joined palms on his thigh. His thumb strokes absentmindedly back and forth across my knuckles. I don’t ever want him to stop touching me.
The entire church goes silent and the priest begins his service. When it comes time for Jake to stand and speak, he looks at me. I can tell he doesn’t want to go up there.
“You can do this,” I tell him quietly. “I know you can.”
“I don’t think I can,” he says.
“Yes, you can.”
Slowly, Jake stands. But he doesn’t let go of my hand. He looks down, reluctantly lets go, and makes his way up to the altar.
“My parents, they were good people. Really good people. My father taught me everything I know about life, about business and relationships. My mother, she was the light of our home. She loved unconditionally and hard.” Jake stops and stares at me. “She told me once that when you find love, don’t waste it. Don’t let it go, because she thought everyone should experience a love like she had with my father. She wanted to make the worlda better place. And I suppose, through all of her philanthropic work, she did. She helped so many people over the years, just like she helped me to be the man I am today.”
When he finishes his speech, Jake comes right back and sits next to me. He grabs for my hand without me having to offer it this time. His uncle speaks next, and then some other people I don’t know.
When the service is over, I push to my feet. “I’m going to go sit with my dad while you greet everyone,” I tell Jake.
He looks like he wants to say something, but he doesn’t. Instead, he nods and walks towards the doors. I watch him stand next to his uncle, shaking hands with everyone who exits the church, accepting condolences as they go. I can see the pain on his face, and all I want to do is hug him and tell him that everything will be okay.
Chapter Eighteen
Ileft the wake, and all the pretentious assholes pretending to be upset about my parents passing, about an hour into it. I tried to stick it out. I wanted to help my uncle handle everything, everyone. I couldn’t bear it any longer, though.Which is why I find myself back at Westmead Towers, in my office, working on my plan to bring these fuckers down.
There’s only one way to hurt them. There isn’t anything old-money families care more about than that money, except maybe their reputations. They might think they have the upper hand, five against one. But they’ve severely underestimated me and my skill set.
Hacking is the one thing I excel at. Usually it’s a pastime. Or a quick way to find out intel on a business opponent. It’s also how I’ve kept track of Jazzy over the years. Although there was one thing I couldn’t protect her from. The one thing I didn’t see coming. I vetted that fucking dipshit she was dating. He was squeaky clean. I never would have thought he’d become abusive. If I did, I would have passed that information on to her father or one of her uncles.
My fingers tap aggressively at my keyboard. I have three screens lit up, all with script, as I configure a program that will allow me to infiltrate the Levines’ accounts without detection. It’s easy when you know where to look, and thanks to Bradley and his loose lips, there’s not much I don’t know about his family.
He was there today. I didn’t talk to him. He didn’t bother trying to talk to me either. Which is a good thing, because I might have started a fight right there in the church. I did see him approach Jazzy. They had a very brief conversation. Her father never left her side.
Two hours later, I lean back in my chair, staring at the multiple accounts that hold billions of dollars in them, all in the Levines’ name. I’m tempted to hit Bradley’s trust first, wipe it out completely. There’s currently thirty billion dollars sitting in it. I could transfer it all to an offshore account, make it look as if he did it himself. It would be so easy. But I need to think this plan through.
I don’t want them to be able to trace the money. Once it’s gone, I want it gone for good. Of course, emptying their accounts is just the start. The wealth these families have isn’t just cash related. It’s in real estate, businesses that will continue to generate massive profits. I need to work on a plan to completely tarnish their good name as well.
That’s when an idea comes to me. Fucking brilliant. Shutting down the program, I turn off the computer, bringing my arms behind my head and stretching my shoulders out.
I can’t be rash about this. I need to set a few things up first. I need to talk to my uncle. He knows what I did. He knows that The Court is after me, and somehow, he doesn’t blame me. He told me my father would have made the same choice. He never would have agreed to hurt my mother by going after her family.
My mother’s parents died when I was ten. It was said to be a fatal helicopter crash, but is anything in our world ever really an accident? I don’t think so. I have no idea what happened back then. I was too young to understand. I remember Jazzy crying when I told her about it. I wiped her tears away with my finger and then made the cafeteria ladies whip up some pancakes for her. Even at ten, people at that school did anything I wanted them to do. That’s the family name and money for you. It really does get you what you want in life.
Standing, I pick up my keys. I need to go home. To my apartment, not my parents’ house. I’m not ready to go back there. I have a penthouse not far from here. It’s where I’ve been living for the past ten years.
As soon as I walk through my door, everything seems to hit me. The tiredness, the sadness,the hopelessness. That one I pushaway, letting the other two take the reins. I head straight for the bathroom. I need to wash this day off me.
After a long, scalding-hot shower, I wrap a towel around my waist and step out into my bedroom, pausing when I spot a figure sitting on my bed. “What are you doing here? How’d you get in?”
Jazzy. She looks fucking beautiful and nervous. She should be nervous. She just fucking broke into my apartment, and who the fuck knows who saw her come in?
“You’re not the only one who has skills, Jake,” she says.
“You shouldn’t be here.” I walk into my closet.
“Well, you shouldn’t be alone tonight either. Where have you been?” she asks.
“Do you think this is all a joke, Jasmine? That the danger you’re putting yourself into by inserting yourself into my life is a fucking joke?” I yell as I pull on a pair of sweats. Walking back out of the closet, I fold my arms over my chest.