Page 223 of Ruin Me Gently

“What’s your point?”

“My point is that I know exactly how many back doors you’ve opened. And if I know… how long before someone else does?” He exhaled slowly, then sat back, rolling his shoulders. “You’re sloppy, Orion. Too many leaks, too many fingerprints. You think you’re untouchable?” His head tilted slightly, eyes sharp, voice dipped in something cold and final. “You’re not.”

I’d seen Silas pissed before. Brooding. Overprotective. Maybe a little unhinged at work. I knew what he was capable of to some capacity.

But this? This was something different—somethinglethal.

Something terrifyingly attractive. Like watching a predator toying with its prey.

I swallowed hard, shifting in my seat.

Orion let out alow chuckle, dragging a hand through his hair. “You’re such a hard-ass, Graves.”

Silas didn’t so much as twitch as the silence stretched between them.

Finally, Orion huffed. “Fine.” He rolled his wrist lazily. “Let’s get started.”

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small USB, spinning it between his fingers like it was a chip in a poker game.

Silas exhaled, easy and unbothered, then—as if he hadn’t just spent the last few minutes threatening to ruin Orion’s entire existence—he shot me a wink.

I spontaneously combusted.

My stomach flipped.

My heart fumbled the beat. And I clenched my thighs together so fast I was surprised no one heard it.

“I assume you’re not dumb enough to just plug this into any system?” Orion’s voice cut through my lust-drunk haze.

“Yeah, yeah. We have a sandbox set up,” Finn cut in.

Orion let out a low hum of approval as he slotted the USB into the laptop. “Good. Means I don’t have to waste time babysitting your firewalls.”

His fingers moved fast over the keyboard.

I wanted to know what they were doing. I wouldn’t understand it, but I still wanted tosee.So I got up, moving around to where they were watching, stepping in close just behind Silas’ chair, leaning slightly to see over his shoulder.

Orion’s fingers didn’t slow, but his focus? Definitely not on his screen anymore.

His smirk curled, black eyes dragging over me before flicking to Silas, then back again.

“You know, baby girl,” he murmured. “If you wanted a front row seat, you could’ve just asked. Come sit on my lap so I can show you how a real man works.”

One second, I was standing. The next, Silas’ hands were on my waist, pulling me down onto his lap with zero effort.

“Possessive.” Orion tutted, shaking his head slightly. “Can’t say I blame you.”

Silas’ arm wrapped tight around my waist, his grip firm and steady.Fuck,I liked this side to him. The quiet dominance, the unspoken claim. I was here for something very,very,important. But shit—if this man wasn’t the sexiest man alive.

“Booting the interface now,” Orion’s tone shifted as he hit enter, the screen flickering before rows of numbers spilled across it. “Cracking the initial layer… okay, she’s opening up.”

The screen flashed, line after line of symbols and numbers moving too fast for me to process.

Orion let out a small hum, tilting his head. “Well, well. Looks like someone’s been reinforcing their walls.”

“Problem?”Silas asked, his fingers pressing into me just a little tighter.

“Not for me.”

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