Amber took a deep breath and exhale as the camera light indicator on the laptop flashed. No matter who or what was on the other end, she schooled her face, observing as the laptop automatically opened an application located on the taskbar. It then proceeded to log in via a script before displaying some final prompts on the screen. Amber didn’t have to do anything, though, and waited as the laptop connected to another application before a medium-size green phone icon flashed on the screen. It was soon followed by ringing and fancy jazz background music.

All of that in a matter of seconds and without human intervention. Impressive.

Amber’s eyes gravitated to the network icon on the lower right of the taskbar menu, noticing its connection to the world wide web with all three bars highlighted. Briefly, she wondered if the laptop was on a wireless network or cellular network. Before she could move the cursor over to find out, however, the ringing and music ended abruptly.

“I was wondering how long you were going to make me wait,” the voice on the other end was indeed male. Unfortunately, that was all Amber could tell because it was also prolonged and computerized, an apparent conversion to obscure his authentic voice. “Amber Black.”

Even his on-screen image was hidden behind a black screen. No surprise there. Amber hadn’t expected him to reveal himself, especially so soon in the game.

“What do I call you?” Straight to the point with no pleasant conversations to be had first.

“Benefactor. Patron. Angel. You can call me any one of those names.” The ridiculous flat and heavy tone made him sound drunk.

“I don’t think you’re an angel. Somehow I find it hard to believe you’re in the business of saving lives.”

“Just yours,” the voice chuckled eerily. “Think of it as a right place at the right moment situation.”

“Why?” Amber stared into the camera as if she could see into it to the other side. “Who are you?” More importantly, what are you, and how do you look like? Why are you helping me? She spoke neither of those out loud, though, remaining expressionless in front of the camera.

“I am either your worst nightmare or your guardian angel.” Once more, it spoke in riddles.

“What do you want?” Amber asked instead since they were getting nowhere. It was just like her aunt predicted. No questions were off-limits, but he picked which ones to answer.

“The question is, what do you want?”

Immediately, the word flashed in her head: revenge. “You already know what I want. So, what is it you’re after?”

Not that she was expecting to get a whole lot of information out of him right away, but his constant selection of rebuttals and riddles was starting to get on her nerve. On purpose, maybe?

“Amber Black,” the digital voice answered instead as if reading from a report. “Twenty-two years old, black eyes, black hair, 5′ 2", weighing 124 pounds. After your parents’ suicide, all you have left is your younger sister Hope, including an aunt who is unable to conceive along with her programmer of a husband.”

Her benefactor did his homework.

Amber clenched her hands together under the table even as her face gave nothing away. While she didn’t care what information he had on her, it aggravated her that he discovered such personal issues regarding her aunt. It was true her aunt couldn’t have kids, but to point it out? He was looking to get a rise out of her for sure.

Amber took a few quiet breaths before saying, “Tell me something I don’t know.”

“It’s interesting,” the electronic voice continued, overlooking her remark. “You’ve had your entire life planned before you were even born, and now that you have a chance to escape that life and path, you want to jump right back into it. Why don’t you run back to that beloved of yours, Hunter? Have him take care of you for the rest of your life?”

“It’s called justice,” Amber lied through her teeth. Everything she’d done, every step she’d taken up to this point, was to get back at her parents’ murderers.

“Is that what we’re calling it these days?” The voice chuckled. It sounded like he was wheezing instead. “Correct me if I’m wrong, my dear, but what you want is cold, hard revenge. Justice is letting the system run its course. So now, the question is… do you want revenge against Liam or against his parents?”

Amber didn’t answer. It took all her energy to bite her lips and keep from telling him to cram it because that was none of his business. He wasn’t the one that lost everything in just one night. A home, parents, an inheritance, the reputation built over the course of their lives…

“I’ll tell you what,” the laptop speaker spoke after a few moments of silence. “I like the way you think. Tell me. What will you sacrifice to have your revenge?”

“Everything,” Amber’s eyes burned with renewed strength and hate. A pair of green eyes flashed into her mind. “Everything, except Hope.”

The creepy laugh lasted longer this time, and Amber waited patiently until her benefactor could articulate again. “Fantastic! How fearless you are! I haven’t had this much fun in a while. This is going to be so entertaining!”

Before Amber could ask him what he meant, he continued. “Let me offer you my assistance since I have a bit of time and a hell of a lot of money available. So why don’t you use them at your...pleasure? I’m sure, as you know, money can get you anywhere in life. As for me, I have quite a bit of connection and a lot of people who owe me favors.”

The tone and confidence of the voice told her all she needed to know, and it was almost scary how close he could read her thoughts. None of it mattered, though, because Amber had him right where she wanted.

“And the price?” There was a price—there always is. Nothing was ever free.

There was a long, hard pause for fifteen seconds or so. To Amber, it felt like the longest fifteen seconds of her life. “I need a wife.”

Of course, Amber should have seen it coming. There was always an old creepy rich bastard out there who needed a wife because he spent his entire life making too much money. “I’m pretty sure a rich weirdo like you can buy any wife you want.”

“Ah, how true,” The voice mused across the network. “But it’s impossible to buy someone like you who is so loyal, so dedicated. You wouldn’t just toss me aside once we’re married or try to murder me in my sleep now, would you?”

There was a cold smile on Amber’s face. “Didn’t your homework tell you how I tossed Liam aside?”

“It did indeed,” No surprise or shock there. He didn’t even sound like he was worried about that fact. But then again, Amber couldn’t tell behind the concealment of a voice. “However, I want to see if you can resist temptation again a second time. Will you sacrifice everything for revenge, or does true love conquer all?”

“My life isn’t a princess movie for your enjoyment,” Amber couldn’t keep the grim tone out of her voice.

“Indeed, it’s not,” the solemn voice responded. “That’s why...should you fall in love again, I will come after your sister.”

Amber flinched at his words. It took her a moment before responding. “You’re one sick bastard! Do you get your kicks out of messing with kids?”

“The truth of the matter is, I need a child.” The voice continued as if it didn’t hear her. “A descendant to pass all my wealth to, and I don’t want my nephew getting any of it.”

“What a lovely uncle you are,” Amber responded sarcastically. Another power-hungry sicko like Liam’s parents.

“I’ll have my lawyers draft the contract and fax it over this evening for your review and signature. After that, you have three days to respond.”

Lawyers? How rich was this old creep if he had more than one? Her parents had two at their disposal, but in the end, those useless lawyers couldn’t protect anyone but themselves. All they cared about was their own well-being.

“Wait,” Amber shouted, afraid he was going to cut their connection. Her eyes drifted to the icon, which was still green, before continuing. “What if I go to jail? What if I die?”

“If I must, I will visit you in jail. All I need is a kid.”

“Perfect,” Amber retorted through clenched teeth. “But if I die, I want your guarantee, written in the contract, that you won’t go after Hope.”

“Ah, such love,” the voice practically sighed. Amber felt the goosebumps across her flesh at his following words. He obviously was someone she didn’t want to cross. “Very well; however, I wouldn’t worry about stuff like that. No matter what you do, I will do everything in my power to prevent you from going to jail or from dying.”

It would have sounded romantic if his voice didn’t sound so ridiculously automated and the fact that he just told her he’d breed her in jail if he had to. That was fine with Amber because she would do everything in her power to die first before going to jail. Only one man was allowed to touch her, and it was neither Liam nor this mysterious benefactor.