Never Gonna Happen - Cynthia Eden Page 0,58
I’m obsessed with her. After the way he’d run out of the Shark Gaming and Design press conference and gone straight to her, the perp damn well had gotten the message about Sebastian’s feelings, too.
“Maybe it’s safer to let her stay with him. Until we catch the SOB out there,” Antony amended. “I mean, you heard her. It’s not forever. It just…for now.”
A set of elevator doors opened to the right. Sebastian headed inside. “I made her a promise.”
The others strode into the elevator. “What was it?” Winston asked.
“I said I wouldn’t let her go.”
Antony hesitated. “But…she left to protect us. You get that, don’t you?”
Oh, he damn well did. But what Antony wasn’t getting… “I don’t break promises to Alyssa.”
Antony and Winston shared a long, worried look.
“She’s not going to be taken from me.” He knew how Dex operated. He knew exactly the type of shit that the man would pull.
And how he would use Alyssa to get what he wanted.
Not happening.
“I’ll get her back.”
Chapter Fourteen
“I know it’s not exactly the Ritz.” Dex rolled one shoulder in a shrug. “But we don’t all have Sebastian’s limitless budget. Uncle Sam does the best that he can.”
She stood in the middle of the apartment with her arms loose at her sides. He’d rushed her through a maze in downtown Asheville and set her up in what had looked like an old warehouse. Once inside, though, she’d quickly discovered the warehouse had been converted into apartment units. The other units had still been under construction, but this one—it was finished. Finished, furnished, and, apparently, her new safe house.
“Didn’t think he was going to let you go.” Only Dex had entered the apartment with her. The men in suits—silent guards—had stayed beyond the door. “Rather expected Sebastian to put up a fight. Thought you’d matter more to him.”
That was just insulting. Her spine stiffened. “I asked Sebastian to stand down.”
Dex’s brows lifted as he made his way toward a stocked bar on the right. “And he always does what you ask?”
Do not answer that. But…now that she thought about it…
Usually, yes. Hmm. How about that?
“You know, you slipped under my radar.” Dex poured a drink into a shot glass. Downed the liquid in a fast gulp. “That doesn’t happen often. I usually am pretty good—great even—at seeing threats.”
“I’m not a threat.”
“Of course, you are.” He put down the shot glass. Turned toward her. Propped his elbows on the bar. “It’s the threats you never see coming that are the most dangerous.”
“Okay, you are obviously under the wrong impression. I’m not a threat, and I’m not dangerous. I’m a law-abiding citizen who happens to find herself in the middle of a nightmare.” She huffed out a rough breath. “Could totally happen to anyone.”
He laughed. “I don’t think so. This situation is very unique to…you.”
Her stare sharpened on him. “What does that mean?”
“It means you’re an important piece in the puzzle.” He smiled. It was an enigmatic, Sphinx-like smile.
She was done. “Playtime is over.”
“I rather think it’s just getting started.” His smile widened.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “I know your game.”
“I highly doubt that you know—”
“I may not have my brother’s IQ, but, trust me on this, I can spot a player like you from a mile away.”
His smile slipped a little. “Excuse me?”
Now it was her turn to laugh. Mockingly. “You don’t care about keeping me safe.”
“I’m a government agent. My job is to—”
“It’s to be a spy. Or to handle the spies or something like that.” She waved the specifics away with a negligent flick of her fingers. “Your job is not to put women into protective custody because you secretly want to be a hero.”
He didn’t argue.
“So let’s circle back to that point, shall we?” She began to pace. She often did that when she was stressed. Walking was good for the soul. And for a person’s stress level. “You handle spies. That means that you look after Sebastian’s and Antony’s best interests.”
“That is one of the things I’m supposed to do.”
She could feel his eyes on her. “Antony didn’t tell Sebastian to watch me.”
“So it would seem.”
She turned and paced back toward him. Her hands slid to her sides. “You think I’m a threat to them.”
“I do not think that you would ever physically hurt either of those men. Not your brother. Not your boyfriend.”
Her eyes raked over Dex. “We’re not talking about physical pain here, are we? At least, not pain that I would personally inflict.”
His lips pursed.