Hacker Beloved, page 10
CJ pulled away for a moment before answering breathlessly, “Like sweet candy.”
I watched them both—the man I love pleasuring the woman I was falling for fast.
CJ’s grip tightened on Zayla’s hips as his tongue licked circles around her swollen sex. I felt a warmth overcome my body as my gaze lingered, admiring the beauty and intensity of the moment.
My cock throbbed with anticipation as I rose from the couch and sank to my knees. Lifting my arm, I ran my hand up her thigh until I reached her wetness. CJ’s mouth left her sex and engulfed my finger. When I pulled it from his mouth, I pushed it into Zayla’s folds, and she clamped down around me. Her hips began to move frantically against me, wanting more intensity and pleasure. I smirked at her eagerness before nipping her backside playfully. “I’ll give you what I think you need.”
CJ moved to the side, and I leaned forward, my mouth watering in anticipation. As I tasted her for the first time, a low moan escaped her lips, sending a wave of electricity through my body. Her legs trembled beneath my touch, and I knew she’d need to move soon.
I pulled away reluctantly, her ass now at eye level. A craving rose up inside me, begging to be released, and before I could stop myself, I issued the order. “Hold on to your ankles, Zayla,” I stated. “We had said we’d be mostly vanilla tonight, but...my hand really itches to spank that ass of yours. And if you don’t like it, all you have to do is say red. We will need to discuss a safe word, but for tonight we will stoplight system. If you say red, everything stops and if anything is uncomfortable say yellow, we will talk through your feelings..”
“Okay,” she said, wiggling her butt teasingly.
CJ continued to caress her folds fervently as I brought my hand down firmly on her right cheek, the sharp slapping sound reverberating through the room. She let out a slight gasp of pleasure, yet remained silent, so I delivered another strong slap.
“Each time your hand connects, her sex tightens around my fingers,” CJ confirmed.
Feeling increasingly aroused, I increased the intensity, raining my open palm against her skin until it turned a bright cherry red. Yet even in the heat of the moment, I still took care to take breaks between every five strikes to gently rub and massage her reddened skin. Finally, after the fifth successive smack, Zayla shuddered and quivered as an intense orgasm coursed through her body. She started to fall toward the side, and I caught her in my arms.
Zayla’s eyes were half-lidded, and her lips curved into the most beautiful smile.
“That was hot as fuck,” CJ said.
“I liked it,” Zayla whispered, her tongue snaking out across her lips before she continued. “Do I get to watch you do that to CJ one day?”
CJ and I groaned in anticipation at Zayla’s suggestion. “Yes, but for now, let’s head to the bedroom.”
We made our way to the bedroom, the air thick with yearning. I could feel Zayla trembling in my arms as we approached, and I was desperate for her touch.
When we entered the room, I lowered Zayla’s feet and held onto her until she was stable.
When we entered the room, I lowered Zayla’s feet carefully, not wanting to let her go. “I think CJ needs some attention. Zayla, why don’t you help him strip?” I asked, my voice dripping with desire. Zayla slowly stepped toward him and placed her hands around his waist. I felt a wave of longing as she helped him unbutton his shirt, then unclasp his belt. He stood before us in nothing but his underwear, a look of anticipation written all over his face. Lastly, she slid his boxers down his body.
“Now go down on your knees,” I instructed her. When she was in position, I continued my orders. “Now I want you to take him in your mouth.”
She complied without hesitation. She took him in her mouth, and I watched with longing as she pleasured him.
I sat on the bed and stroked my cock in sync with their passionate embrace. I wanted nothing more than to join them, but for now, I contented myself with watching.
After a few moments, CJ let out a low, guttural moan that signified his nearing climax. “Stop, Zayla,” I said with ragged breath, “we still have a long night ahead of us.”
When she was only a foot away from me, she leaned back on her feet and lightly rested her hands on the mattress. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled in the half-light as she spoke. “Can I help you get undressed?”
My lips felt dry, and my throat tightened. “Yes,” I managed to choke out. CJ’s gaze never left us as Zayla pulled my pants off, along with my boxers. Her delicate fingers traced across my skin as she grabbed the bottom edge of my shirt and pulled it off in one swift motion.
I shuffled to the center of the bed and patted the mattress, signaling for Zayla to join me. Her soft bare breasts pressed against my side.
CJ stood at the foot of the bed, his tousled blond hair contrasting with his flushed cheeks. His gaze was fixed on my body as he licked his lips and ran a hand along the length of his erection.
“How about you come over here and wrap your lips around my cock?” I asked.
CJ complied, and the bed dipped as he climbed onto the bed. His warm lips wrapped around my cock. My breath quickened, and so did my heart. I wanted to savor this moment.
“Just seeing him do that is making me so hot,” Zayla purred from beside me.
I reached over. My fingers lightly brushed the side of her breast before I circled her hardened nipple with one finger. “Do you think I can make you come while CJ takes me deeper?” The words barely left my lips before CJ lowered his head and took my hardness deeper into his mouth. His tongue encircled the tip of my cock as a moan escaped my lips.
I slid my hand down Zayla’s body, pressing my thumb against her clit and rubbing it in small circles.
“Reach between your legs and do what I’m doing to your clit,” I said and watched as she eagerly mimicked my movements, her own fingers replacing mine.
“I’m close,” Zayla whispered as I traced an ever-tightening spiral around her nipple.
“CJ, stop,” I said, and he obeyed immediately and leaned back. “Hold me while Zayla slides down my cock,” I said.
Her eyes widened a fraction, “But I’ve never been on top—” She began to protest, but I cut her off with a smile.
“Well, today you will be. Unless you want to stop.”
She rose on her knees, moving one to the other side of my body. CJ grasped my cock. “Wait,” I said. “CJ, grab a condom.”
CJ’s eyes widened in realization as he rose from the bed, grabbed a condom from our bag, and tore it open with his teeth. He slid the rubber down my shaft, and anticipation surged through me as CJ grasped my cock. Zayla lowered herself onto me, her tight sex clamping around me while I cradled her hips in my hands. CJ crawled to the side of the bed and captured one of Zayla’s nipples in his mouth.
Zayla began to move up and down my length, her head thrown back as sweet moans left her lips. I reached up and cupped her breasts as she rode my cock. When I pinched her nipples, her sex clamped down around me, and we both came. Zayla collapsed against my chest and buried her face in my neck.
CJ gently lifted Zayla off me. I pulled off the condom and threw it into the trash can beside the bed. I rolled on my side just in time to see CJ push into Zayla’s pussy. The two of them groaned in unison as he thrust into her. I rested on my side, running my hand down Zayla’s stomach until I reached her sex and felt CJ’s cock push inside her again. I pulled my hand back and cupped her breast.
“Tilt her hips further up,” I said.
CJ slowed down just enough to slide a pillow under Zayla’s ass.
“CJ,” Zayla moaned. “I can’t last much longer.”
CJ pushed his tempo faster. His mouth came down on Zayla’s, and together they came. For a moment, only heavy breathing filled the air as CJ rolled to the side and disappeared into the bathroom.
Zayla lay sprawled in the middle of the bed, her breath coming in shallow gasps. After a few moments, CJ returned carrying two damp washcloths and handed one to me. As I began wiping away the sweat from her skin, she shivered and opened her eyes.
“What are you doing?” she asked, trying to cover herself with her hands.
CJ lightly smacked the side of her leg and chuckled softly. “Shy? You didn’t have any problem when my mouth was on your sweet pussy,” he teased.
Her cheeks turned a deep shade of red at his words.
“It just feels so much more intimate,” she murmured.
“This is nothing compared to what we will do in the future,” CJ replied.
We finished cleaning Zayla’s skin before I went into the bathroom to take care of myself. When I returned to the bedroom, CJ and Zayla were already tucked under the covers, their soft snores filling the room. I climbed into bed with them and rested my arms across Zayla’s stomach.
CJ’s eyes opened, and he whispered, “I love you.” A moment later, he was fast asleep.
No matter how hard I tried to drift off, I just couldn’t. My thoughts kept going through every possible thing that could go wrong when Zayla retrieved the safe deposit box.
13
ZAYLA
My heel clicked against the marble floor as I stepped through the main doors of the New York First Bank. The sharp blast of air conditioning did nothing to help with the beads of sweat dripping down my back. My heart pounded with each step I took further into the bank. I noticed a line of people waiting to see the cashiers, but I needed to find the bank manager.
“Stay calm! You’re doing perfect,” CJ murmured, his voice steady through the hidden comm link in my ear. CJ and I weren’t the only ones with earpieces. Asher, Antonio, Kat, and Paolo could hear every word spoken over our private channel. When CJ had handed me the tiny white device to put in my ear, he rambled on about the private encrypted channel he’d created for us to talk with. The moment the word encryption left his mouth, I’d tuned the rest out.
“A man near the fake tree on his phone,” Antonio clipped over the channel.
Paolo and CJ were in a surveillance van outside the bank. CJ had hacked the camera feed to watch my every step. Paolo was in the van to keep a lookout for any Russo men or Silk Dragon members.
Asher was across the street, and Antonio was inside the bank separately from me. He had on a business suit and sat in the waiting area to see a private banker. I wasn’t sure where Kat was located, but she’d left the hotel with us, dressed head to toe in all black.
“Negative on the man,” CJ replied.
The bank manager stepped out of the door near the cashiers and strode toward his desk. Asher had shown me pictures of him this morning. I wiped my hands on my black suit jacket as I crossed the lobby area. Before he could sit down, I stuck out my hand. “Mr. Kline, I’m Zayla Solace. We spoke on the phone this morning.”
“Have a seat, Miss. Solace,” he gestured to the chair next to his desk. “When we spoke earlier, you mentioned someone here could help me get into my late father’s box?”
Mr. Kline nodded. “Before we get started with that. I’ll need to see your driver’s license and the death certificate for your father.”
CJ had already expected we would need a copy. The health department said it would take seven to ten days to receive a copy. Not sure how CJ had worked his computer magic, but within minutes a copy was sent to the printer in the business section of the hotel.
“Yes, here are the documents I think you would need. I also added the document where my last name was changed.” I handed him a folder with all the documents, and he flipped through each one pausing on the death certificate. Anxiety coursed through my body as I waited for him to say he didn’t need anything else.
“I see everything is here.” He rose from his chair. “I just need a second to make a copy for our records.”
My stomach turned when I watched him walk past a copier and head through the double doors off to the side. I leaned down and touched my shoe to hide the fact I was about to talk. “Something is off with the manager. He just walked by a copier.”
“The van has eyes on every aspect of the bank,” Asher explained. “I need you to stay focused on the task. Let CJ and Paolo worry about the people around you.”
“You’re doing amazing,” CJ said. “The manager walked straight to the printer in the back and made copies. He does keep checking his watch though.”
Mr. Kline strode back out and handed me back the papers. “Now, let’s check to make sure your father gave you access. As I said earlier, I couldn’t confirm if he had a box here until we had your documentation. Give me a second while I pull up the records.”
The bank had given me the run around when I asked for help with my father’s box. They said if it did exist, the only way to check would be to come in. With the secrets my parents had kept, I wasn’t one hundred percent sure the box would have anything inside.
Mr. Kline pushed his glasses up his nose and clicked the mouse a couple of times. When he started to type, I wanted to pull the keyboard out of his hands and tell him I would help. I never understood how people could function only using their index finger alone to type. I’m sure four-year-olds use all their fingers to type.
“Almost to the page, Miss Solace,” he said as he hit the delete button six times. “I have good news. You’re the only beneficiary listed on the account. I know you said you were only interested in the safety deposit box, but your father had a high-yield savings account with us and a checking account. Do you want to move those into your name?”
“Is there anything in the accounts?” I asked.
“The checking account has dwindled over the years. Your father had automatic payments set up with this account. Currently, you only have one hundred and seventy thousand two hundred and three dollars.”
“Damn,” Paolo chuckled in my ear. “The guy made me think he would say fifty bucks.”
“And how much is in the savings account?”
He tapped the enter key three times with his index finger. “From what I see, he had it in one of our old high-yield accounts. The balance is lower than it would have been if the money were in one of our new investment accounts. As for how much you have now, it is at eighty-three million seven hundred and sixty dollars.”
“Zayla, he’s not lying. I just zoomed in on the computer, and the number is correct,” CJ confirmed.
“Don’t do anything with the accounts yet,” Antonio’s deep voice rang through my ear. “This amount would take a while for him to move, plus we need to make sure they don’t screw you over. For now get access to the box. Then Asher and CJ can put you in touch with a lawyer and an accountant.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, “I wasn’t prepared to do that today, Mr. Kline. Can I see my father’s box first? Then I’ll make an appointment to change the account over.”
“Whatever is easiest for you, Miss. Solace. When you make the appointment to come back, make sure to let them know you are a member of our private banking program. For the box you mentioned, do you have a key?”
“No.”
“Let me see what the number is on his,” he paused. His brow furrowed as his index finger hit and poked at the keyboard a few more times. “Your father doesn’t have a safety deposit box.”
My stomach dropped.
“Please can you double-check?” I asked, hoping he’d missed the entry.
“I don’t need to look anything else up,” Mr. Kline’s finger swiped the mouse center button. “Since he was a member of the private bank program, he has a safe within our vault, not a safety deposit box. To access it, you will need the code. Normally this number was given to the lawyer who handles the family's estate.”
But Vincenzo had told us he had the key.
“In a document I found, a key was mentioned and it would be needed to open the safe.”
Mr. Kline’s head bobbed. “Years ago, you needed a key to open the door to access the safe. We’ve updated the vault door and other security, so that key is no longer needed.”
“What happens if I can’t find the number? Can I hire someone to get into it?”
“No, they are built into our vault. We allowed our clients to put a hint in the system, but I think your father’s code was written over.”
“Maybe it’s not. What is written?”
He grabbed his pen and wrote ‘yipweb’ on a piece of scrap paper and handed it to me.
“We will need a detailed description of the safe to get into it,” Asher stated.
I ignored the voice in my ear. “Mr. Kline, could you please take me to the vault?”
We didn’t need a safecracker, because I knew the number. My father and I had developed our own code-writing system after watching old war movies. We had then used it to write each other notes.
“The vault is located in the basement, if you’ll follow me,” he said as he rose from his chair.
I was on the edge of my seat, ready to rise, when CJ’s voice crackled through the comm. “Stahl. I wasn’t prepared for the basement. Looks like they have no cameras down there.”
“Before we go, may I use the bathroom?” I asked.
Mr. Kline nodded and motioned toward the door across the lobby. I leaped from my chair and rushed to the door. Once inside, I flipped the deadbolt lock. My reflection stared back at me in the mirror—a woman who just a few days ago had spent her time in yoga pants, now wore a designer suit. A stylist had shown up at the hotel during the meeting for this mission.
"Alright, CJ," I whispered. "What's the plan?"
"If I had to guess, the system in the basement is a closed network. The only way I can access it is from inside the building, and it wouldn’t be a quick hack," he said. "I think we should stop and regroup. Tell the bank manager you had an urgent call and you will be back later."
The text from the serial killer had provided a hard deadline and I couldn't walk away. We wouldn’t make it. “You will still have me through the earpiece. I’m going to see if I can get in.”
“No,” Asher growled. “CJ is right. We can figure out another solution, and if that means I have to buy a safe in this bank, I will. You are not going anywhere we don’t have eyes. Vincenzo claimed he didn’t have any influence on the bank, but we don’t know that for sure. Besides, you don’t know the combo?”
I watched them both—the man I love pleasuring the woman I was falling for fast.
CJ’s grip tightened on Zayla’s hips as his tongue licked circles around her swollen sex. I felt a warmth overcome my body as my gaze lingered, admiring the beauty and intensity of the moment.
My cock throbbed with anticipation as I rose from the couch and sank to my knees. Lifting my arm, I ran my hand up her thigh until I reached her wetness. CJ’s mouth left her sex and engulfed my finger. When I pulled it from his mouth, I pushed it into Zayla’s folds, and she clamped down around me. Her hips began to move frantically against me, wanting more intensity and pleasure. I smirked at her eagerness before nipping her backside playfully. “I’ll give you what I think you need.”
CJ moved to the side, and I leaned forward, my mouth watering in anticipation. As I tasted her for the first time, a low moan escaped her lips, sending a wave of electricity through my body. Her legs trembled beneath my touch, and I knew she’d need to move soon.
I pulled away reluctantly, her ass now at eye level. A craving rose up inside me, begging to be released, and before I could stop myself, I issued the order. “Hold on to your ankles, Zayla,” I stated. “We had said we’d be mostly vanilla tonight, but...my hand really itches to spank that ass of yours. And if you don’t like it, all you have to do is say red. We will need to discuss a safe word, but for tonight we will stoplight system. If you say red, everything stops and if anything is uncomfortable say yellow, we will talk through your feelings..”
“Okay,” she said, wiggling her butt teasingly.
CJ continued to caress her folds fervently as I brought my hand down firmly on her right cheek, the sharp slapping sound reverberating through the room. She let out a slight gasp of pleasure, yet remained silent, so I delivered another strong slap.
“Each time your hand connects, her sex tightens around my fingers,” CJ confirmed.
Feeling increasingly aroused, I increased the intensity, raining my open palm against her skin until it turned a bright cherry red. Yet even in the heat of the moment, I still took care to take breaks between every five strikes to gently rub and massage her reddened skin. Finally, after the fifth successive smack, Zayla shuddered and quivered as an intense orgasm coursed through her body. She started to fall toward the side, and I caught her in my arms.
Zayla’s eyes were half-lidded, and her lips curved into the most beautiful smile.
“That was hot as fuck,” CJ said.
“I liked it,” Zayla whispered, her tongue snaking out across her lips before she continued. “Do I get to watch you do that to CJ one day?”
CJ and I groaned in anticipation at Zayla’s suggestion. “Yes, but for now, let’s head to the bedroom.”
We made our way to the bedroom, the air thick with yearning. I could feel Zayla trembling in my arms as we approached, and I was desperate for her touch.
When we entered the room, I lowered Zayla’s feet and held onto her until she was stable.
When we entered the room, I lowered Zayla’s feet carefully, not wanting to let her go. “I think CJ needs some attention. Zayla, why don’t you help him strip?” I asked, my voice dripping with desire. Zayla slowly stepped toward him and placed her hands around his waist. I felt a wave of longing as she helped him unbutton his shirt, then unclasp his belt. He stood before us in nothing but his underwear, a look of anticipation written all over his face. Lastly, she slid his boxers down his body.
“Now go down on your knees,” I instructed her. When she was in position, I continued my orders. “Now I want you to take him in your mouth.”
She complied without hesitation. She took him in her mouth, and I watched with longing as she pleasured him.
I sat on the bed and stroked my cock in sync with their passionate embrace. I wanted nothing more than to join them, but for now, I contented myself with watching.
After a few moments, CJ let out a low, guttural moan that signified his nearing climax. “Stop, Zayla,” I said with ragged breath, “we still have a long night ahead of us.”
When she was only a foot away from me, she leaned back on her feet and lightly rested her hands on the mattress. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled in the half-light as she spoke. “Can I help you get undressed?”
My lips felt dry, and my throat tightened. “Yes,” I managed to choke out. CJ’s gaze never left us as Zayla pulled my pants off, along with my boxers. Her delicate fingers traced across my skin as she grabbed the bottom edge of my shirt and pulled it off in one swift motion.
I shuffled to the center of the bed and patted the mattress, signaling for Zayla to join me. Her soft bare breasts pressed against my side.
CJ stood at the foot of the bed, his tousled blond hair contrasting with his flushed cheeks. His gaze was fixed on my body as he licked his lips and ran a hand along the length of his erection.
“How about you come over here and wrap your lips around my cock?” I asked.
CJ complied, and the bed dipped as he climbed onto the bed. His warm lips wrapped around my cock. My breath quickened, and so did my heart. I wanted to savor this moment.
“Just seeing him do that is making me so hot,” Zayla purred from beside me.
I reached over. My fingers lightly brushed the side of her breast before I circled her hardened nipple with one finger. “Do you think I can make you come while CJ takes me deeper?” The words barely left my lips before CJ lowered his head and took my hardness deeper into his mouth. His tongue encircled the tip of my cock as a moan escaped my lips.
I slid my hand down Zayla’s body, pressing my thumb against her clit and rubbing it in small circles.
“Reach between your legs and do what I’m doing to your clit,” I said and watched as she eagerly mimicked my movements, her own fingers replacing mine.
“I’m close,” Zayla whispered as I traced an ever-tightening spiral around her nipple.
“CJ, stop,” I said, and he obeyed immediately and leaned back. “Hold me while Zayla slides down my cock,” I said.
Her eyes widened a fraction, “But I’ve never been on top—” She began to protest, but I cut her off with a smile.
“Well, today you will be. Unless you want to stop.”
She rose on her knees, moving one to the other side of my body. CJ grasped my cock. “Wait,” I said. “CJ, grab a condom.”
CJ’s eyes widened in realization as he rose from the bed, grabbed a condom from our bag, and tore it open with his teeth. He slid the rubber down my shaft, and anticipation surged through me as CJ grasped my cock. Zayla lowered herself onto me, her tight sex clamping around me while I cradled her hips in my hands. CJ crawled to the side of the bed and captured one of Zayla’s nipples in his mouth.
Zayla began to move up and down my length, her head thrown back as sweet moans left her lips. I reached up and cupped her breasts as she rode my cock. When I pinched her nipples, her sex clamped down around me, and we both came. Zayla collapsed against my chest and buried her face in my neck.
CJ gently lifted Zayla off me. I pulled off the condom and threw it into the trash can beside the bed. I rolled on my side just in time to see CJ push into Zayla’s pussy. The two of them groaned in unison as he thrust into her. I rested on my side, running my hand down Zayla’s stomach until I reached her sex and felt CJ’s cock push inside her again. I pulled my hand back and cupped her breast.
“Tilt her hips further up,” I said.
CJ slowed down just enough to slide a pillow under Zayla’s ass.
“CJ,” Zayla moaned. “I can’t last much longer.”
CJ pushed his tempo faster. His mouth came down on Zayla’s, and together they came. For a moment, only heavy breathing filled the air as CJ rolled to the side and disappeared into the bathroom.
Zayla lay sprawled in the middle of the bed, her breath coming in shallow gasps. After a few moments, CJ returned carrying two damp washcloths and handed one to me. As I began wiping away the sweat from her skin, she shivered and opened her eyes.
“What are you doing?” she asked, trying to cover herself with her hands.
CJ lightly smacked the side of her leg and chuckled softly. “Shy? You didn’t have any problem when my mouth was on your sweet pussy,” he teased.
Her cheeks turned a deep shade of red at his words.
“It just feels so much more intimate,” she murmured.
“This is nothing compared to what we will do in the future,” CJ replied.
We finished cleaning Zayla’s skin before I went into the bathroom to take care of myself. When I returned to the bedroom, CJ and Zayla were already tucked under the covers, their soft snores filling the room. I climbed into bed with them and rested my arms across Zayla’s stomach.
CJ’s eyes opened, and he whispered, “I love you.” A moment later, he was fast asleep.
No matter how hard I tried to drift off, I just couldn’t. My thoughts kept going through every possible thing that could go wrong when Zayla retrieved the safe deposit box.
13
ZAYLA
My heel clicked against the marble floor as I stepped through the main doors of the New York First Bank. The sharp blast of air conditioning did nothing to help with the beads of sweat dripping down my back. My heart pounded with each step I took further into the bank. I noticed a line of people waiting to see the cashiers, but I needed to find the bank manager.
“Stay calm! You’re doing perfect,” CJ murmured, his voice steady through the hidden comm link in my ear. CJ and I weren’t the only ones with earpieces. Asher, Antonio, Kat, and Paolo could hear every word spoken over our private channel. When CJ had handed me the tiny white device to put in my ear, he rambled on about the private encrypted channel he’d created for us to talk with. The moment the word encryption left his mouth, I’d tuned the rest out.
“A man near the fake tree on his phone,” Antonio clipped over the channel.
Paolo and CJ were in a surveillance van outside the bank. CJ had hacked the camera feed to watch my every step. Paolo was in the van to keep a lookout for any Russo men or Silk Dragon members.
Asher was across the street, and Antonio was inside the bank separately from me. He had on a business suit and sat in the waiting area to see a private banker. I wasn’t sure where Kat was located, but she’d left the hotel with us, dressed head to toe in all black.
“Negative on the man,” CJ replied.
The bank manager stepped out of the door near the cashiers and strode toward his desk. Asher had shown me pictures of him this morning. I wiped my hands on my black suit jacket as I crossed the lobby area. Before he could sit down, I stuck out my hand. “Mr. Kline, I’m Zayla Solace. We spoke on the phone this morning.”
“Have a seat, Miss. Solace,” he gestured to the chair next to his desk. “When we spoke earlier, you mentioned someone here could help me get into my late father’s box?”
Mr. Kline nodded. “Before we get started with that. I’ll need to see your driver’s license and the death certificate for your father.”
CJ had already expected we would need a copy. The health department said it would take seven to ten days to receive a copy. Not sure how CJ had worked his computer magic, but within minutes a copy was sent to the printer in the business section of the hotel.
“Yes, here are the documents I think you would need. I also added the document where my last name was changed.” I handed him a folder with all the documents, and he flipped through each one pausing on the death certificate. Anxiety coursed through my body as I waited for him to say he didn’t need anything else.
“I see everything is here.” He rose from his chair. “I just need a second to make a copy for our records.”
My stomach turned when I watched him walk past a copier and head through the double doors off to the side. I leaned down and touched my shoe to hide the fact I was about to talk. “Something is off with the manager. He just walked by a copier.”
“The van has eyes on every aspect of the bank,” Asher explained. “I need you to stay focused on the task. Let CJ and Paolo worry about the people around you.”
“You’re doing amazing,” CJ said. “The manager walked straight to the printer in the back and made copies. He does keep checking his watch though.”
Mr. Kline strode back out and handed me back the papers. “Now, let’s check to make sure your father gave you access. As I said earlier, I couldn’t confirm if he had a box here until we had your documentation. Give me a second while I pull up the records.”
The bank had given me the run around when I asked for help with my father’s box. They said if it did exist, the only way to check would be to come in. With the secrets my parents had kept, I wasn’t one hundred percent sure the box would have anything inside.
Mr. Kline pushed his glasses up his nose and clicked the mouse a couple of times. When he started to type, I wanted to pull the keyboard out of his hands and tell him I would help. I never understood how people could function only using their index finger alone to type. I’m sure four-year-olds use all their fingers to type.
“Almost to the page, Miss Solace,” he said as he hit the delete button six times. “I have good news. You’re the only beneficiary listed on the account. I know you said you were only interested in the safety deposit box, but your father had a high-yield savings account with us and a checking account. Do you want to move those into your name?”
“Is there anything in the accounts?” I asked.
“The checking account has dwindled over the years. Your father had automatic payments set up with this account. Currently, you only have one hundred and seventy thousand two hundred and three dollars.”
“Damn,” Paolo chuckled in my ear. “The guy made me think he would say fifty bucks.”
“And how much is in the savings account?”
He tapped the enter key three times with his index finger. “From what I see, he had it in one of our old high-yield accounts. The balance is lower than it would have been if the money were in one of our new investment accounts. As for how much you have now, it is at eighty-three million seven hundred and sixty dollars.”
“Zayla, he’s not lying. I just zoomed in on the computer, and the number is correct,” CJ confirmed.
“Don’t do anything with the accounts yet,” Antonio’s deep voice rang through my ear. “This amount would take a while for him to move, plus we need to make sure they don’t screw you over. For now get access to the box. Then Asher and CJ can put you in touch with a lawyer and an accountant.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, “I wasn’t prepared to do that today, Mr. Kline. Can I see my father’s box first? Then I’ll make an appointment to change the account over.”
“Whatever is easiest for you, Miss. Solace. When you make the appointment to come back, make sure to let them know you are a member of our private banking program. For the box you mentioned, do you have a key?”
“No.”
“Let me see what the number is on his,” he paused. His brow furrowed as his index finger hit and poked at the keyboard a few more times. “Your father doesn’t have a safety deposit box.”
My stomach dropped.
“Please can you double-check?” I asked, hoping he’d missed the entry.
“I don’t need to look anything else up,” Mr. Kline’s finger swiped the mouse center button. “Since he was a member of the private bank program, he has a safe within our vault, not a safety deposit box. To access it, you will need the code. Normally this number was given to the lawyer who handles the family's estate.”
But Vincenzo had told us he had the key.
“In a document I found, a key was mentioned and it would be needed to open the safe.”
Mr. Kline’s head bobbed. “Years ago, you needed a key to open the door to access the safe. We’ve updated the vault door and other security, so that key is no longer needed.”
“What happens if I can’t find the number? Can I hire someone to get into it?”
“No, they are built into our vault. We allowed our clients to put a hint in the system, but I think your father’s code was written over.”
“Maybe it’s not. What is written?”
He grabbed his pen and wrote ‘yipweb’ on a piece of scrap paper and handed it to me.
“We will need a detailed description of the safe to get into it,” Asher stated.
I ignored the voice in my ear. “Mr. Kline, could you please take me to the vault?”
We didn’t need a safecracker, because I knew the number. My father and I had developed our own code-writing system after watching old war movies. We had then used it to write each other notes.
“The vault is located in the basement, if you’ll follow me,” he said as he rose from his chair.
I was on the edge of my seat, ready to rise, when CJ’s voice crackled through the comm. “Stahl. I wasn’t prepared for the basement. Looks like they have no cameras down there.”
“Before we go, may I use the bathroom?” I asked.
Mr. Kline nodded and motioned toward the door across the lobby. I leaped from my chair and rushed to the door. Once inside, I flipped the deadbolt lock. My reflection stared back at me in the mirror—a woman who just a few days ago had spent her time in yoga pants, now wore a designer suit. A stylist had shown up at the hotel during the meeting for this mission.
"Alright, CJ," I whispered. "What's the plan?"
"If I had to guess, the system in the basement is a closed network. The only way I can access it is from inside the building, and it wouldn’t be a quick hack," he said. "I think we should stop and regroup. Tell the bank manager you had an urgent call and you will be back later."
The text from the serial killer had provided a hard deadline and I couldn't walk away. We wouldn’t make it. “You will still have me through the earpiece. I’m going to see if I can get in.”
“No,” Asher growled. “CJ is right. We can figure out another solution, and if that means I have to buy a safe in this bank, I will. You are not going anywhere we don’t have eyes. Vincenzo claimed he didn’t have any influence on the bank, but we don’t know that for sure. Besides, you don’t know the combo?”
