Page 98 of Mr. Wilde

MAX

Her expression drops toward her lap. It’s apparent I’ve said something wrong. But before I can continue, she looks up at me. Her eyes seem to be drowning in hurt.

Fuck. What the hell did I do?

“So that’s what this is about?”

“Yes.”

Her shoulders slump. She looks defeated.

“I should be asking for your help after the amount of times you’ve come through for me already.”

Her head tilts.

“That last outlier you identified…” I shake my head, the shock of her breaking that code will never cease to amaze me. “Well, let’s say that guy isn’t going to see the light of day for a very long time. At least, not outside the confines of his jail cell.”

Her mouth falls open. “Wow. Really? Are you able to share what I was working on now?”

I fidget with my napkin, unsure how much more I should divulge. “I’d rather you not know too much. In case the scumbag is able to challenge the legalities of the data we were able to source.” I pause, feeling I need to give her a little more for all of her hard work on this. “His ex-wife approached me after locating pictures with underaged girls.” She gasps. “The photos were all in submissive poses. She was certain this wasn’t some child porn he’d downloaded off the net, because she recognized his shoes in several of the pictures. I initially thought this was a ploy to extract more alimony from him. However, the more I spoke with her, it was clear she only wanted justice for these girls.”

Cassidy’s hand flies to her chest.

“Yes. You made that happen.” I point at her and smile. “My favorite digital sleuth helped put him away.” I snicker. She looks both saddened and proud, in equal measure. This is the life of a Robin Hood hacker. Gut-wrenching stories begging for vigilante justice that won’t let you walk away.

I take a sip of my water, trying to swallow down the boulder lodged in my throat. “But my current project is one I have to do on my own.”

Her beautiful blue eyes hold mine. I need to get this difficult conversation back on track. Go all in. I’ve navigated high-stakes boardrooms and dismantled encrypted firewalls without breaking a sweat, but sitting here in a room full of pink roses, facing Cassidy, I feel like an intern.

The candlelight flickers between us. I find myself searching her face, my eyes practically begging her to see the man in front of her. Not my hacker persona. Not my mistakes.

I reach across the white linen, my hand hesitant, until her fingers find mine. The moment our skin touches, that familiar current of electricity surges through me. “I miss the pink,” I murmur, my thumb tracing the back of her hand. “But I missed you more.”

Pink stains her cheeks, but it could be the reflection of all these damn roses. Hell, it looks like a bottle of Pepto Bismol exploded in here.

Cassidy’s expression shifts, the lightheartedness fading into something sharper. She doesn’t pull her hand away, but I can feel the questions building behind those eyes. “Max, I need to know. The inmates? The transfers to ADX Florence and Louisiana State Penitentiary? My lawyer said he couldn’t trace how that happened. Do you know?”

I don’t blink. I don’t lie. It wouldn’t be right to hide this from her. “I couldn’t sit back knowing the men who broke you were breathing easy, continuing to threaten you from a local jail.”

“So you used your leverage?” she whispers.

“I used every resource I had,” I confess, my grip on her hand tightening a fraction. “I wanted them to know that touching you was the biggest mistake they’d ever made.”

The longing in my chest is a physical ache now. I’m leaning forward, my eyes searching hers, desperate for a sign that she understands this wasn’t just about revenge. It was about keeping her safe.

“But I can’t have that in my life, Max. I’m still an officer of the law.”

“I made certain there was no way to trace any of this to you.”

“That’s not the point. I took an oath. I know what you did.” She looks away. “I don’t think I’m designed for morally gray.”

“Well, then I’ll be pink.”

Her head again tilts in confusion. “What?”

God, I want to cup those sweet cheeks and kiss her. Anything to make her see how much she means to me. “I’ll be more like you. Choose cases I can work on legally. I never want you to be in harm’s way again. I was only trying to protect you.”

“I understand. Really. And I appreciate the sentiment. But who fights for all of the other wounded parties out there, Max? I’m one of thousands upon thousands who’ve been subjected to evil. They all have to relearn how to survive. Most of them don’t have access to the legal knowledge I do.” She looks away, blinking back tears. “I worked hard to have a career dedicated to fighting for victims. So it wouldn’t make sense to allow someone to step in and use illegal tactics to right my wrongs.”