The way he was pissing off Ella.
No, charm was not his strong suit. He could never act like Sebastian. Hell, the guy had even charmed Antony’s sister into marrying him.
I am definitely not charming Ella. Quite the opposite. Obviously. Maybe he should call Sebastian and ask for some tips. Sebastian wanted Ella back with the company, too.
“Forget it,” she told him flatly. “You can’t buy me.”
Tell him something he didn’t already know. “Ella—”
“I have a real case waiting on me.” She brushed past him, but before her head turned away from him, he could have sworn…wait, had those been tears in her eyes?
He had to touch her. Ella’s pain knifed right through him. His fingers lifted toward her shoulder.
But she yanked open the door and stormed away.
Antony released the breath that he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding. That chat hadn’t gone so well. In fact, he didn’t think it could have gone much worse. His hand raked over his jaw. Ella had rejected him and left him in the dust.
Good thing he had a backup plan in place.
***
A light knock rapped against Ella’s office door. Her head immediately whipped up, and she found Eric standing in her doorway. She’d just stopped by her office to grab her bag before heading out to meet her client.
He cleared his throat. “Wanted to confirm with you…that’s a no on the Antony Kyle case?”
She opened her mouth. Closed it.
“I see.” He nodded. “How about you take some time to think it over?”
“I have a client waiting. I was just about to head over to the recording studio.”
“Yes, about that case…”
She tensed.
“I already have that covered. I sent your partner down. Niesha can handle things with the singer. You’re still getting settled in, and, ah, just so you know, Antony told me that he would not accept anyone but you. So if you don’t take his case, he plans to walk from Wilde.”
Because the man was playing a game. “He doesn’t like being told no.”
A flash of humor lit Eric’s gaze. “I did get that impression.”
“He thinks that he has so much money, he can just throw it around and people will jump and do his bidding.”
“Is that what he thinks?” He rocked forward onto the balls of his feet. “What an ass.”
“Not always.” What in the hell? Where had that response come from? And why did she feel compelled to add… “Antony donates a ton of his time and money to charitable efforts. He has specific programs in place to help train individuals from high-risk backgrounds on—” She stopped because Eric was looking at her as if she’d grown a second head. “What?”
“Sounds like you are defending the guy. I call him an ass, and you tell me all about his good deeds.”
“He’s just not a total ass, that’s all.” She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “What kind of danger is he in? Can you tell me more?” Not that she was buying Antony’s story, but she still needed to hear more. She had been his head of security. Taking care of him—protecting him—had been her job. It wasn’t like she could just flip a switch and stop caring.
If only. Life would be much easier.
“I’m still evaluating the situation. But Antony told me that someone broke into his place in Asheville.”
That bit of news had her eyebrows rising. “He’s got great security at his condo.” She’d made sure of it. For someone to get past the security…
Unease slithered through her. Could this be about more than getting her back?
“He seemed worried. Or as worried as I suppose Antony could be,” Eric mused. “Told me that he’d pay any price in order to get you as his bodyguard.”
Because he didn’t want anyone else stumbling onto his secrets. Or maybe…
Maybe he just wants sex again.
But who was she kidding? Antony had never lacked for female companionship. When you were routinely listed as one of the “Most Eligible Bachelor Billionaires” in all the flashy magazines, women tended to go out of their way to catch your attention. She vividly remembered one gaming conference where a completely naked woman had rushed the stage because she wanted to meet Antony.
Ella’s lips tightened.
“Think on it a little longer,” Eric advised her. Then he snapped his fingers. “Or, you know what? I have a better idea. Why don’t you go and talk with him more? Find out specific details. See what you think about the case.”
Her hands slid along the surface of her desk. “Do you think he needs me?”
Eric nodded. “Probably more than he realizes.”
Her brow furrowed. “But—”
“What do you have to lose by doing a little investigating?”
Everything. Eric didn’t understand—leaving Antony had ripped out her heart. Learning of his lies had gutted her. Because I was falling in love with him.
And if she ran after him now? “Antony can take care of himself.” She was sure of that. “I have a case.” She grabbed her bag. “I’ll go downstairs. Maybe I can catch Niesha.” Her new partner was the tall, willowy, and absolutely gorgeous Niesha Grim. A woman who didn’t waste time chatting aimlessly but preferred to get straight down to business.
“If that’s the choice you want to make, go right ahead. Stay on the case with Niesha.”
“It is.” It was the safe choice, and it was the one she’d take.
She hurried past him. Flew down the elevator and somehow made it to the lobby at the exact same time that Antony was walking out. He was just steps ahead of her.
He didn’t realize she was behind him. At least, Ella didn’t think that he did. His head was down as he fired off some text on his phone. That was Antony. Always working. His head often buried in tech. She’d been convinced that the man often was completely unaware of the reality around him until she’d learned the truth…
Not Clark Kent. He’d just been playing that role. Bumbling around when he could really kick ass and take names.
She pushed open the door. Followed him outside with slow steps. Her heart squeezed in her chest as she watched him. No, Antony didn’t need her. He could more than take care of himself.
Except…
There was a hooded figure running down the street. A jogger, with his head down and his gray hood up. He was running fast and hard but…
Was he running toward Antony?
Because she could have sworn that maybe he was. That maybe…
She saw the guy reach into the pouch of his hoodie. Caught the glint of metal. A knife.
Fear iced through her. She didn’t waste time screaming. If she screamed, Antony would just look toward her. She didn’t need him looking at her. She needed him getting the hell out of that guy’s path. She ran toward Antony, rushing as fast as she could.
At the last instant, he did look up at her. Frowned.
She slammed her body into his. Antony went stumbling to the side even as she heard the sudden gunning of a motor. Her head snapped up.
“Uh, Ella,” Antony began. “Just what is—”
She yanked her weapon out of her bag. Surged toward the jogger.
But he’d just jumped into a black van. A van that was now hurtling away in a cloud of burning rubber and with the squeal of tires. A van that didn’t have a license plate.