Antony Kyle responded.
Antony Kyle.
Sebastian didn’t lower his weapon. “You went dark.”
“Well, yeah.” Antony shrugged. “Trying to get some alone time, if you know what I mean. I had Dex breathing down my neck and pressuring me to take other assignments, and I wasn’t even sure I wanted to stay in the business longer and—”
“How did they find out about Alyssa? How did your cover get blown?”
Now Antony jerked, as if his body had just been surged with electricity. “My cover has not been blown.” He rose and put his body right in front of Sebastian—and Sebastian’s gun. “I’ve been friendly so far because, you know, we’re friends, but want to tell me why you’re pointing your gun at me?”
“Want to tell me why you broke into my office?”
“Uh, I just did.” Antony’s gaze was hard behind the lenses of his glasses. “I told you, I was trying to get alone time. Didn’t know if Dex was tracking my online activity—you know that jerk does that sometimes when he’s keeping tabs on me—so I figured if I came here, to your office, it would just look as if you were the one in Shark doing some late-night work.” His hands were loose at his sides. “Now what the hell did you mean about Alyssa?”
“You know exactly what I meant! You sent me the text asking me to protect her!” This was some bull—
“I didn’t send you any text,” Antony responded slowly. “I told you, I went dark. As in, dark from everyone. I haven’t used my phone in days. Hell, I didn’t even take it with me on the mission. I left it here in my office. I did not text you.”
“You told me your cover was blown.”
Antony shook his head.
“You told me to protect her.”
Once more, a negative shake of Antony’s head.
“To do anything necessary.”
Antony’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “I never contacted you about Alyssa.”
Tension poured through Sebastian’s body. If Antony didn’t contact me, who did? “You didn’t see any of the media reports? You haven’t heard what’s happened?” Sebastian demanded.
“I’ve been staying off-line, like I said. This is my first time to be at a computer. Got some big damn decisions to make. I went off-grid for a reason. Now tell me what is up with my sister!”
Sebastian lowered his gun. “Someone shot at Alyssa. The same person later trashed her house.”
Antony’s eyes widened. “Someone shot at my sister? Is she hurt? OhmyGod, was Alyssa hit?”
“I got her.” He should say more. Sebastian cleared his throat. “She’s safe. I’ve been taking care of her.”
Antony’s grabbed him and pulled him in for a hug. “Thank you. God, you know how important she is to me! If something happened to her…”
Sebastian was stiff. Too tense. “Nothing will happen to her.” Not on his watch.
Antony pulled back. Frowned. “Where is my sister right now?”
Sebastian backed away and stalked for the door. “Waiting with the guards.”
Antony rushed up behind him just as Sebastian hauled open the door. “Stand down,” Sebastian immediately snapped to the assembled guards.
“Wow.” Antony’s voice was low. “They were out here the whole time? How’d you even know I was in your office? ‘Cause, man, I was careful. Made sure no one saw me entering this building.”
That would explain the mysterious tech glitches. Figured they’d come from one of the guys who knew the system inside and out. “I knew you were in here because no one touches my tech without my knowledge.” No one could get to the secrets he had.
No one.
He hurried forward. “Go back to your stations,” he ordered the guards. He flashed his smile at them and gave a rough laugh. “The situation is contained. One of your bosses just forgot to follow protocol and decided to scare us all to death.”
“Low key,” Antony muttered. “I was trying to be—”
“Antony!” Alyssa’s shocked voice. And then she was rushing forward. Her whole face lit up as she ran forward.
She’s not running to me. Sebastian wanted that. He wanted Alyssa to light up and run to him.
Sebastian stepped to the side. He got out of the way.
Alyssa ran into her brother’s arms and hugged him tightly. Antony buried his face in her hair.
“Everything okay?” Ella asked. Her voice seemed oddly cautious—even for Ella—as she sidled closer.
Sebastian nodded. “Sorry for the false alarm. Didn’t realize Antony was in tonight.” Because the bastard had gone dark.
And…
Antony didn’t contact me. Sebastian was keeping his mask in place and trying not to show just how unnerved he was. If Antony hadn’t contacted him