And with Dex, with what he offered, I didn’t fit because…that wasn’t me. I couldn’t be a different person all the time. Couldn’t lie to the people close to me. It wasn’t what I wanted.”
Couldn’t lie to the people close to me. Couldn’t lie—like he’d done to her. Over and over. No wonder she’d left him.
“I wasn’t secretly reporting anything about you to Dex. I swear it, Antony.” She held his gaze. “I took the job at Shark because I wanted to be there. I didn’t know Dex was behind the scenes, pulling his strings. He told me earlier that he wanted me at Shark so that I could be close to watch over you and Sebastian. That I was a safety net in case anything went wrong.”
She was one hell of a lot more than a safety net.
“I should have told you the truth, but I didn’t realize Dex was your actual boss until I saw him in the limo. And then, I thought if I told you—I just…” An exhale. “I was scared.”
He never wanted her afraid when he was near. No, correction, he just never wanted her to be afraid, ever.
“We were just trying again, and I didn’t want you to think I’d lied to you about who I was. About how I felt because I was working some angle with Dex.” Her gaze was intent. “Let me be clear. I am not working with Dex. I never had some sort of secret agenda at Shark. You might not believe me, but it’s—
“I do.”
Her lips parted. He could see the surprise on her face.
“I do believe you. I trust you, Ella.” Wasn’t that what it came down to? He could think she’d been a plant by Dex all along. Think that she’d been manipulating him so that Dex could have better control over him or…or he could trust Ella.
He’d go with the second option and side with Ella every time.
“I thought you were angry with me.” Soft. “You rushed away from the factory scene and left me, and then when I got here, you called me a sleeper—”
He caught her hand in his. “I’m a bastard.” No big surprise. She’d probably been aware of that for a while. “I was afraid at the factory. Not many things scare me, but when I realized how close you were to getting hurt, I lost my control.”
“I did notice you seemed different.”
Understatement. His fingers slid along her inner wrist. “I was trying to put some distance between us so I wouldn’t scare you.”
“I’m not afraid, Antony.”
“Did I—” Hurt you? “I didn’t want to be so rough last night. I wanted to be—”
“I wanted you exactly as you were. Couldn’t you tell? I’m pretty sure you’ve got scratch marks on you to prove it.”
He hadn’t even looked.
“But I do wonder, are you always so…” Red stained her cheeks. “Quick to recover? With your previous lovers, I mean.”
He brought her wrist to his lips. Pressed a kiss over her pulse point. Felt her pulse race beneath his mouth. “No. I am only this insanely insatiable with you. I feel like I can’t get enough of you. That I want to take and take and take.” He wanted her endlessly. “I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold back last night. Another reason I tried to put distance between us.”
Her long lashes swept down to conceal her gaze from him. “I want to take and take, too. And I feel the same way—like I can’t get enough. Maybe that feeling will fade one day. Then again…” Her lashes lifted. “Maybe it won’t.”
“God, you’re beautiful.” He had to focus. He needed to tell her more. About who he really was. About why the missions with Dex had pulled him in so deeply. About how he was too damn dangerous, but that he didn’t want to let her go.
“You did more taking than I did,” Ella said as he opened his mouth to explain.
Her words caught him off-guard.
“So I think it’s my chance to take and take…” She hopped off the desk. Then pushed back his chair. The wheels rolled over the floor.
“Ella?”
She pushed his legs apart. Crouched on her knees before him.
Oh, fuck.
“Ella.” His voice was no more than a growl. “Look, I will lose my mind if you—”
Her hand slid inside his sweatpants. Curled around his eager dick. “Good. Lose it.” She shoved the pants down, out of her way. Ella leaned forward and put her mouth on the straining head of his