Counting On Cole (Wilde Ways #8) - Cynthia Eden Page 0,38
he doubted that she could.
The smile that curved her lips felt wooden. “Absolutely. I have him wrapped around my little finger.”
His laughter boomed around her.
***
When he heard the bastard’s laughter, Cole gave serious thought to turning around and marching right back up to the dumbass director. He hadn’t liked the way the other man’s gaze darted over Evie’s body and lingered for far too long in the wrong places.
Evie might not have known it, but the director was lusting after her. That shit needed to stop.
“I’m on her,” a voice said in his ear. When he’d turned away from Evie and started marching across the ballroom, Cole had casually slipped his comm link into position. Super tiny and quite awesome, the tech was top-of-the-line Wilde merchandise. It let him hear his other team members and transmit information quickly.
“Don’t worry,” the low voice continued. “She’s covered.”
He knew she was covered. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be heading anywhere. But he’d wanted to see what Robert Demakis might reveal to Evie when Cole wasn’t nearby.
Divide and conquer time.
Chase was currently chatting up Gia.
That voice in his ear—it belonged to James Smith—and there was no doubt that James would keep watching Evie.
As for Cole, time to see why Stephen Lowe had been staring so very intently at Evie.
There was a cash bar to the left of Stephen. Cole headed for it and slapped a twenty down after he got his drink. His fingers curled around the glass, he lifted it toward his mouth, and just like clockwork…
“You’re with Evie Lake?”
Stephen closed in.
Cole lowered his glass. Studied the guy near him. Tall, lean, with slightly long hair and a hard gaze. “I am.” He paused. “And you are?”
“Stephen Lowe.”
“Cole Vincent.” He inclined his head.
Stephen glanced across the ballroom. “I need to talk to Evie.”
It seemed like the whole freaking world wanted to talk to Evie.
“But I saw how you reacted when Robert cut in, so I didn’t think this would be the best time.”
He put down his drink. “It’s never a good time when some bastard thinks he’s going to take my Evie away from me.”
Stephen threw up his hands. “No! No, I’m not—I’m not interested in her that way. I just…” He huffed out a breath. “I need to talk to Evie about her brother.”
“Harrison?” Cole acted dismissive. “He’s here. You should talk to him yourself.”
“No, you don’t get it. Evie doesn’t know the truth about him.”
Color me curious. “And what’s the truth?”
“He’s a cold-blooded, back-stabbing bastard.”
Keep talking. I hear motive.
“He put a spy in my company. A corporate spy! That’s how he beat me on that last bid. Evie thinks he’s some good guy—hell, half the city does. But Harrison is only out for himself.”
Cole nodded. “So you hate him because he beat you on a deal.”
“Corporate. Spy.” Each word vibrated with fury. “He’s going down. I am going to make it my mission to take him out.”
Oh, yes, not suspicious. At all.
“But I don’t want Evie getting caught in the fall-out. So I just…I wanted to tell her to watch herself.”
Was that a threat? “Evie isn’t getting caught in anything.” He advanced on Stephen.
The guy backed up a quick step.
“If you’ve got some revenge plan in place, know that it had better not so much as touch her. Because as long as I am around, anyone who hurts Evie? Anyone who tries to hurt her?” Get this message. Burn it into your mind. “I will hurt them. I will destroy them.”
“You sound just like Harrison.”
Hell. Not exactly thrilling news but…
Stephen shoved a hand through his hair. “Bastard was always way too obsessed with Evie. She’s his weakness, but I’m not like the others.”
“What others?”
“I won’t use her against him.” He pointed across the room. Right at Robert Demakis as he leaned in close to talk with Evie. “He will, though. He’d use her in a heartbeat to get what he wants.” With that dramatic announcement, Stephen spun on his heel and stormed through the crowd.
“That seemed like an enlightening conversation.” James’s voice drifted into Cole’s ear. “Do you mind if I ask—oh, hell, I don’t care if you mind, I’m asking anyway—just why is the brother so obsessed with his sister?”
Cole lifted his hand as if he was rubbing his jaw. Really, he was covering his mouth as he replied, “Step-sister.”
“Oh.” There was way too much meaning in that response.
“Not fucking like that,” Cole growled with his hand still rubbing along his jaw.
“You sure about that? Because I heard you haven’t seen the