Page 58 of A Cursed Heart
There was little for me to do after I’d ensured all the files I’d copied from Salvatore Holdings were clear of anything damaging to me, aside from proof I had hacked them plus the other companies Salvatore had asked me to. I’d planted a fake reason for his extortion, which wasn’t all that fake. Jasmine had amassed a lot of debt, and my services were my method of payment without the added blackmail over my involvement in her death.
My plan was to completely torch their systems from the inside, making it look like a counterattack from the people I’d hacked. Sure, they were innocent of this, but I had no qualms about taking them down at the same time as the bastard who’d blackmailed me and controlled the city.
After Mal loaded the virus, it would be set on a timer, going off in the middle of the night. My email to Conrad was written and ready to be sent just before, leaving no time for them to get access to their data centers before they imploded. Another part of the plan was to overwrite Salvatore’s files with my copies, ensuring that if the FBI’s talented techs could recover data, it would be mine they would find.
Was it perfect? Far from it, but I hoped they wouldn’t question it too closely. It helped that Conrad knew shit was getting dicey there. He might just assume someone got lax in their rush.
Everyone was on watch, just waiting for me to deliver. I just had to send that email, and it would be done. Finally, we could put this chapter to bed and live our lives.
Except even once Salvatore was behind bars, we had another prison to worry about: Mal’s. I couldn’t stand the thought of his having to return to the gem, or his being forced into a bond with me. The thought of me growing old while he stayed frozen and waiting for his next owner scared me. If there were a way to make me and Freya demons, I’d take it.
I knew then that Malacoda was endgame for me. He was my happily ever after, like in the stories. Okay, it looked different from what I’d imagined. In my head, a pretty woman came along who loved Freya as much as I did. Instead, I got a demon with some questionable morals, with magic, and a tragic past.
Yet he loved Freya like she were his own. He made me feel like I was the best person in the world. Me, the one who had accidentally killed my ex, which made me a shitty person. He didn’t see me like that, though. To Mal, I was a defender. I’d done what I’d needed to do to protect my kid, to give her a better life. To him, the end justified the means.
Mal was the defender in our relationship. His world was me and Freya. It was impossible not to feel loved. Not a single moment of it was fake or out of duty.
Work done, I pushed away from the computer. “Want to order in dinner?”
“That sounds good. I am reluctant to leave the apartment in case another attempt is made.”
“Yeah, me too. Freya will be home in an hour or so anyway.”
We picked out what we wanted to eat, and I put the order in. Then I found a blanket, some candles and set up a picnic in the living room by pushing the coffee table to the side.
“What are you doing?” Mal asked from the sofa. His hair was splayed over the arm while his bare feet were on the other side. He was back to just wearing those damn shorts. At least they were clean once more. He’d cleaned the floor with his magic.
“We’re having another date, just an inside one.”
His smile was bright. “Two dates in one day. What have I done to deserve this?”
I went onto my knees to kiss him, just a quick peck. “Just being you. I need to make up for lost time.”
Mal pulled me against him. “There’s nothing to make up for.”
We were red faced, lips swollen, when the doorbell rang with our food delivery.
The food wasn’t as good as the restaurant, but maybe that was the vibe. I’d liked showing Mal off. He didn’t seem to notice people looking at him while we were out. The server had flirted with him and he’d ignored it, totally focused on me. I didn’t get what he saw in me when he could have anyone. Totally wasn’t about to question my luck.
Halfway through our food, Freya and Lydia joined us. After she had kissed me, Freya settled into Mal’s lap to tell him all about her adventures with Lydia.
“Hope you don’t mind that I got her nails and hair done,” Lydia said, taking a seat on the floor next to me. She stole a spring roll off my plate.
“As long as she’s happy, I don’t mind. Her hair needed to be cut anyway.”
“The stylist didn’t take much off the length. Apparently she wants to grow hers as long as Mal’s.”
My laugh startled Freya, who stopped mid-sentence to stare at me. Happy I was okay, she started telling him something again. His gaze was fixed on me, though. The look was enough to make me blush, especially when I remembered what I offered to do before we got home.
“Of course she did.”
“Was everything okay when we were gone?”
There was no way I was telling her someone tried to get into my apartment. “Yeah, we went out for lunch.”
We sat listening to Freya for a bit until it was clear she was beyond exhausted. “Let me put the princess to bed,” Mal said, rising with Freya in his arms. She was so tired, she didn’t even fight him over it.
He was gone for a good ten minutes. Lydia sat with me in silence, waiting for him to return. What I liked about my sister was her ability just to be without pushing.
