“I-I…” Ella seemed to stumble a bit before she recovered and said, “I thought you were connected to the police.”
“Did you?” Vague.
“Your name was…” Her face scrunched up as she seemingly struggled to remember.
“You may call me Dex.”
She waited. Glanced at Antony.
Antony eased a little closer to Ella. “I work for him.”
Her head whipped his way. “What?”
“When I’m not at Shark, Dex helps me with my…extracurriculars.”
A laugh boomed from Dex. The bastard was always laughing these days. Marriage had—apparently—put him in a very good mood.
“Extracurriculars?” Dex laughed more. As if he’d just heard the most hilarious joke in the world. “Is that what we’re calling it?”
“You’re the spy boss,” Ella accused.
Dex poured himself a glass of wine from the limo’s bar. Settled back against the seat. “I will neither confirm nor deny that charge.”
Which, of course, was a confirmation.
Tension slid through Antony’s body because he did not like the way Dex had focused on Ella. There was speculation in the other man’s eyes. A speculation that needed to vanish. “Why are you here, Dex?”
“Because you screwed up. Actually got caught at a murder scene. WTF, man? I know I taught you better than that.” Dex’s words were directed at Antony, but his gaze lingered on Ella. “And that makes me wonder…” His tone turned silky. “Did you stay at the scene because you just couldn’t bear to leave someone else behind?”
Damn straight that was why he’d stayed. Antony had known that he should slip away when the cops arrived, but the crowd had been rumbling about Ella being the shooter. He’d needed to stay in order to back her up. He hadn’t known that security footage would be found. He’d wanted to give his account of the attack. He’d wanted to protect her.
“Instead of leaving,” Dex continued softly, “you stayed at the scene. You were interviewed by the cops.”
“I was cleared. There was footage that showed Ella and I weren’t involved in the shooting at all. It’s not a big deal.”
Dex’s head turned toward him. “You’re useful to me because you stay below the radar, Antony. When your name starts getting tied to murders, you’re not below the radar. You’re on the radar. You’re a big, blinking blob right on the radar.”
“Just hold up.” Ella waved a hand between the two men. “Look, don’t get mad at Antony because he stayed with me. What the hell was he supposed to do? Ditch me? Let me get locked in jail? Stop giving him a hard time. He did the right thing.”
“Did he.” Not a question from Dex. “Aren’t you the protective one.” Again, not a question.
Shit. This meet and greet was going even worse than Antony had feared.
“So you’re the big guy in charge…” Her head cocked. “I thought you’d be scarier. Aren’t spy bosses supposed to be super scary? Your talk about having people to shoot threw me off initially, but I don’t think you’re nearly as bad as you want me to believe.”
“Trust me,” Dex murmured. “I am super scary.”
Yes, he was. Antony never wanted Ella to see that side of Dex.
“I’m shaking,” Ella fired back at Dex.
Maybe she should be. Dex had the power to make people vanish.
“Just how much has Antony told you about me?” Dex asked before he sipped his wine. “And about the work he does for me?”
Those were loaded questions. “I told only what I had clearance to say,” Antony growled.
“In other words,” Ella explained, “pretty much nothing. You’re the boogeyman. He’s a part-time spy. I’m just supposed to act like I know nothing, and the world will keep right on spinning. Oh, you know, except for the fact there have now been two attacks and a murder tied to Antony in just the last few days. But, you know, no biggie.”
The temperature in the limo seemed to drop. “Two attacks?” Dex questioned.
Fan-freaking-tastic. This scene was about to go from bad to worse.
“The attack in Asheville,” Ella supplied helpfully. “When someone broke into his condo. That was attack one.”
Dex’s stare could have frozen a lesser man as he pinned Antony. “Someone broke into your condo and you didn’t report that to me?”
“He came down here and hired me to protect him,” Ella explained before Antony could reply. “Though I have to admit, I wasn’t sure I believed his story. Not at first. But then he was nearly stabbed—or kidnapped, I’m not real sure what the plan was—right in front of the Wilde building. Luckily, I was there to watch his ass.”
“How very fortunate,” Dex drawled.
“It was,” Antony gritted right back. Dex was going to be such a problem.
“We tracked the perp, but before we could talk to him, someone shot him. And now, here we are.” She paused, tilted her head, and gazed expectantly at Dex. “Was that good for you? Do you feel all brought up to speed and not left in the dark?” Ella tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.
He took another sip of wine. “I feel extremely brought up to speed. Thank you.”
“Hmm. That must be wonderful. To be in the know and all.”
Uh, oh. Antony suddenly knew where this was going.
“Since I updated you, perhaps you could do me the same courtesy…” Ella leaned forward. Her voice shook and her calm demeanor vanished as she said, “How about you drop this security clearance crap and tell me what is really going on? A man died beneath my hands tonight, and I want to know why.”
Chapter Eight
“I’m afraid this is the end of the road for you, Ella Webb.” At Dex’s words, the rear door of the limo was opened by the driver as if perfectly on cue. “We’ve reached Antony’s place, and you should go inside. Wash away any blood that remains. Perhaps get yourself a stiff drink. I’ve found that helps when dealing with the dead.”
Those were all the wrong words to say to her. Antony could feel the rage pouring from Ella. After she’d made her demand for information, Dex had sat in silence.
Now he was trying to kick her out of the car. Oh, yes, Dex was handling this situation in one hundred percent the wrong way. The way designed to infuriate Ella the most.
“You’re going to tell me nothing?” Ella fumed. “Do not be that much of an asshole.”
“Unfortunately, he can be a giant asshole,” Antony assured her. He reached for her hand. Squeezed. “Ella…” Emotion thickened his voice. God, when he thought of her running away from him in that parking lot…Of her crouched over the guy on the ground as he lay dying…Of her pushing and pushing to try and get him to survive…Antony cleared his throat. “You’ve had a hell of a night. You should—”
“I hate when anyone tells me what I ‘should’ do.” Her response was brittle. “I’m more than capable of deciding that I want to do. I want answers.” Her gaze locked on Antony. “If you won’t give them to me, how am I supposed to protect you?”