The One Who Got Away (Wilde Ways #12) - Cynthia Eden Page 0,17

to hear—Antony waved a hand in the air. “Eric’s team is installing my security system.” There was currently a buzz of activity at the place. “With you at my side, I should be safe enough here.”

She took another step closer. “Is this some sort of joke to you?”

Now he stiffened. Rose. Towered over her. She always projected so much strength that he sometimes forgot how small and physically fragile she was. No, fragile was the wrong word. She’d kick the ass of anyone who called her fragile. “Not a joke,” he clarified. “Nothing about this situation is humorous.” Because now, in addition to working to woo Ella back, he had to figure out who the hell the joker with the knife had been.

Before leaving Wilde, he’d taken the liberty of, ah, peeking into the street security cams. Barely required any effort. Thanks to the cam footage, he’d managed to get an image of his would-be attacker. When the guy had leapt into the van, his hoodie had fallen back. His head had jerked toward Ella and Antony.

They were after a young guy, maybe early twenties. Caucasian. Dark, curly hair.

Antony had used the street cam footage to track the van. He’d managed to follow it around town, and he’d directed Eric’s team after the vehicle. Unfortunately, when the Wilde group had arrived at the indicated location, the van had been abandoned. No sign of the driver or the jerk with the knife.

But I’ll find you. He took it rather personally when someone came after him with a knife.

Antony stared into her eyes. “I’m glad that you’re here with me.”

Her lips parted. Gorgeous lips. The lower one was a little fuller than the upper and what delicious fun it would be to suck her lower lip and—

“Ground rules,” Ella snapped.

His brows immediately shot up. “Excuse me?”

“We need to go over some ground rules, right away. Because whatever you think is happening—or going to happen between us—it’s not. Think again.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “I thought you were going to protect my body. I’m wrong about that?”

“You were staring at me like you wanted to—to—” She broke off, seemingly flustered.

He waited because he was very curious to see where this would lead. Though he had the feeling he’d probably been staring at Ella as if he wanted to eat her alive. Gobble her right up. Or rather, lick every single inch of her delectable body.

“Stop it,” she told him.

He was staring at her mouth again. His gaze lifted. Maybe they should clear the air. “Out of curiosity…” Also, because it was exceedingly important to know. “Is there some rule about Wilde agents not sleeping with clients?” He’d checked the fine print in the contract and hadn’t seen a clause like that but asking still seemed like a good idea.

“I am not sleeping with you.”

“But you did before.” His voice roughened. Hardened. “You told me you were quitting, but then you kissed me.”

Her chin lifted. “Yes.”

That was all she said—just…yes. A one-word answer that left him hanging.

“Why?” Antony gritted out.

“I told you that already.”

He remembered everything she’d said. He had a tendency to remember everything that everyone always said. But Ella’s words, in particular, were burned into his memory. “You wanted to see how I tasted.”

She didn’t speak.

But they hadn’t only kissed. “You found out how I tasted.” And he’d discovered how incredible she was. “Then what happened?” Anger spiked through him. “You decided that you wanted to see how I fucked?”

Her eyes shot fire at him. “This is why we need ground rules. I’ll guard you, but we are not—are not—”

“Not what?” He probed when her words broke off.

“Not going back to what we had before!” Ella finished with a rush.

“Good. I don’t want to go back.” He had a whole new direction in mind.

“I thought you were doing this to manipulate me.”

Antony’s arms dropped to his sides. “Excuse me?”

“When I saw you in Eric’s office, I didn’t believe you were in danger. I didn’t trust you. Does that tell you anything?”

The fact that she didn’t believe him told Antony that the woman had been on target. He had made up the break-in back in Asheville. But the rest of what she was saying…

Unease slithered through him. “Why wouldn’t you trust me?”

“Uh, because you have a major history of lying to me?”

His spine straightened. “I did not lie about everything during those two years.” He’d been as honest with her as it had been possible to be. He’d just neglected to