Read The Ghost and The Hacker (Dark Fire Book 3) for Free Online Page B

nod, and then Cy shakes his head as if to say I can't even .
    I probably would have cracked then, but we went right back to work and my mind wasn't given the chance.  I do crack, but not until Thursday.
    That morning, Cy finds me in the living room.
    "You wanna come with?" he asks, twirling his keys around his index finger.
    "Come with, where?"  I put my controller down, pausing the game I have going and take a sip of rootbeer.
    "I have some errands to run before we go to Juliana's office.  Figured we could ride together, make a couple of stops, add anything you need, then hit her office."
    I raise a brow, confused.  "Why are we going to Juliana's office?"
    "For the press releases, fucktard."
    I smack my forehead.  The bliss of Monday's reminiscing orgasm pretty much overwrote anything else that happened that day- including scheduled press release interviews.  I want to smack my forehead again because I don't want to spend a bunch of extra time with Cy, giving him the opportunity to dissect why I've been so introspective and quiet since The Tap.
    So I hedge, "Naw man.  I think I'm gonna finish this level first.  Been kicking my ass and I want revenge.  I'll meet you there."
    "Two, though.  Be there on time, alright?"
    "Yes, Dad," I groan, rolling my eyes.
    He gives me the finger with a snorted laugh and is gone, leaving me to do exactly what I said I was going to do.  I really do want to beat the level, but with my full concentration, it only takes another twenty minutes.  Leaving now would mean sitting around in Juliana's office for an hour before our meeting.
    Don't get me wrong, the office is niiiiice.   Dark Fire ranks high in their office and if I want an internet connection, a private room to myself, take-out, and some company , I would barely have to ask.  In fact, they keep my rootbeer on hand, cold and waiting.
    But I just can't force myself to do it.  Instead, my mind goes to places I don't want it to, thinking about the interview and the mushy stuff I might have to say about Justin and Andy's love match.  I'm torn between feeling sick at their luck, and jealous as all hell.
    Which is probably why I get that first shot of tequila.  I was planning to cab it to Juliana's office anyway.  A little something to take the edge off won't make a difference...
    I am much more than a single shot into the bottle when I look down to see the little memory box in my hands, the contents spilling out onto my lap.  My mother's rings- the one with her birthstone in it that her parents gave her when she graduated high school, and the wedding and engagement rings my father gave her.  There's also a picture of her.  I cut the picture a long time ago, eliminating the asshole who was standing next to her when the picture was taken.
    Next in the box is a ratty friendship bracelet.  When I left Lakemont, it was around my wrist.  It had been there ever since the summer before when I took Sarah to the County Fair.  Being broke and a teenager, there wasn't much from the artisans market that I could afford to buy for my girlfriend, but that hadn't mattered to her.  Leaving through the main gate, we encountered a local Girl Scout troop selling all kinds of trinkets to raise money for some trip.  The best three dollars I ever spent purchased two matching friendship bracelets- one for me and one for Sarah.  The last time I saw her in Lakemont, she'd still been wearing hers.  I wore mine until it fell off.  Then I glued the ends so it wouldn't unravel, and added it to my collection.
    I run my fingers over the CDs she burned for me.  My mom made me watch Say Anything when I was little, so I knew what a mix tape was.  These are even better because they aren't just a bunch of songs that she put together to tell me how she felt.  I didn't have access to a computer to download music, or the money to buy songs at a buck a pop online, so Sarah watched my face whenever we listened to the radio and made notes to buy and