The One Who Got Away (Wilde Ways #12) - Cynthia Eden Page 0,82

barbs off him and—

“I can’t kill him. Not until I get the money. But you’re different.”

Antony was staring straight at her. His eyes blazed with emotion even as his body jerked and twitched from the shock he’d received.

Slowly, she turned back toward Carson. He was sitting up. Holding a gun in his hand. A Glock. He had it aimed right at her.

“I liked you, Ella. I didn’t want to involve you, but he just couldn’t stay away from you, could he? I thought—when you left Shark—that would be my chance. Antony put me in charge of security, so I had perfect access. All I had to do was hire a few people to help me out. Warren was gonna be the point man. He had the experience. Should have been so damn easy.”

Ella’s bag still crossed her body. Her fingers inched toward it so she could get her gun—

“No. Take off the bag. Throw it toward me, or I will shoot you right now. This close, there’s no way I miss.”

“Give him the bag, Ella,” Antony gritted out.

Jaw locking, she pulled the bag off her head.

“He’s talking already? Impressive. I had a friend of mine amp up the power on that thing. Should have knocked him out.” A laugh. “Guess he’s stronger than I thought.”

And you’re a thousand times worse than what I thought. She’d worked alongside this man. Trained him.

“Pat down your boyfriend, Ella. I never expected him to be the type to fight, but I saw the bulge at the back of his shirt when he got on the elevator. I know he’s got a gun on him. Get it and toss it across the floor. Do it slowly or my finger will get twitchy.”

She looked back at Antony. Her hand slowly slipped behind him and under his shirt. Her fingers closed around the butt of the gun.

“Slowly, Ella, remember? It would be a shame if I had to put a bullet in your heart right in front of him.”

She didn’t lift the gun. “You’re going to kill me anyway.”

The fuck he will, Antony mouthed. She put her hand on his chest. Felt the shudders that still pulsed through his body. He’d just been hit with a ton of electricity. No way was he about to lunge up at the bad guy. He’d better not.

“Why are you doing this?” Ella asked Carson. She needed to buy time. Her phone was still on—even though she’d dropped it—so Jacob would have heard everything that happened. She had no doubt that he would be bursting through the stairwell door any moment. She just had to keep Carson talking until that happened. Jacob would distract Carson, and she could disarm him.

A great plan. Hopefully.

“Why? Why else? Money. When I take Antony, Sebastian will pay whatever I want to get him back. When you cut out of Shark, you left him vulnerable, Ella. Ripe for the plucking. He raced down here, so desperate to get you back. He never even realized I was setting up my trap.”

Antony’s eyes had narrowed. The rage in his stare was barely contained.

What is taking Jacob so long? Even as Ella had the thought, she heard a thunderous pounding. It seemed to echo down the hallway.

Carson sighed. “He’s not getting to you, I’m afraid. You can stop thinking help is coming. I made sure that door was secured from this side after I shoved Ross’s fool ass down the stairs. Antony’s friend won’t be able to help you. Now lift the gun up—use only the tips of your fingers to hold it—or I will shoot. Do it.”

She lifted the weapon. Held it with her index finger and thumb. Keeping her face averted from Carson, she moved her mouth carefully so Antony would get her message as she told him to… Stay down.

He blinked once. She took that as a yes. She hoped it was a yes. It had better be a yes.

Ella rose. Turned to face Carson. Studied him with disgust. And to think, she’d been excited when he came on board at Shark. A steady employee who’d arrived with glowing recommendations. Stable. Dependable.

Her ass.

“Toss it over there,” Carson directed as he jerked his head to the left.

She looked to the left. More pounding came from the stairwell door. Would Jacob be able to break through soon? Didn’t matter. She couldn’t wait any longer. Ella let her shoulders slump as if she’d been defeated. As if all the choices had been taken from her, and she was going