“I have never—”
Her body brushed closer to his. “Pretending that you can’t protect yourself—”
“Ella—”
“Pretending that you don’t understand hand-to-hand fighting, or weaponry, or a dozen other things—when all along, you…” Her mouth was an inch from his because she was still on her toes and leaning toward him as she proclaimed, “When all along, you are a damn…spy.”
His hand flew up and covered her mouth. It was either cover her mouth with his hand…or maybe cover it with his own lips. And he could not kiss her. Okay, fine, so he’d fantasized about kissing her far too many times. But this was not the time or the place. “Don’t say things like that.” His tone wasn’t so mild any longer. A thread of steel had entered his voice. “Someone might overhear you and think that you aren’t kidding.”
Over his hand, her eyes narrowed. Angry, gold fire shot at him. He’d always thought her eyes were incredible. Her stare could gleam with her happiness. Turn sober when she was worried. Or shoot absolute fire when she was angry. At the moment, her gaze was blazing with golden fire. A whole inferno was in her stare.
Antony winced. “You want me to lower my hand, don’t you?”
More fire. He took that as a yes.
“Don’t say things you don’t mean,” he whispered to her. “Especially when you don’t know who may be listening.” His hand slowly dropped from her lips.
Her tongue swiped out. Wet her mouth.
He held back a groan.
“No one is listening,” she told him. Her words were fast and furious. “I swept this office right before our meeting. I have made sure you have the best security possible at this facility, even though you have been diligently working against me the entire time I was employed by you.”
He caught her deliberate past tense emphasis. “Ella…”
“I know who you are.” She lifted the glasses she still held. Tapped them against his chest. “Doesn’t matter if you try to wear your glasses again, Clark. I told you, I see you. I know your secret now.”
He was keeping his cool with an inhuman effort. She knows. She knows. The words played through his head over and over again. While he was flipping out on the inside, he kept his expression completely neutral. His whole body had locked down.
What she was saying might sound utterly crazy, but the truth was…Ella had learned his secret.
By day, yes, he was one of the major partners in Shark Gaming and Design. He and his best friend, Sebastian Ridgeway, had created the company. They’d grown it into a billion-dollar business. Tech was his name and his game, but Antony also had a side job. One that only a very select group of individuals knew about.
He was a spy.
His business cover let him slip in and out of various locations all around the globe. His tech skills enabled him to crack even the hardest of codes. He’d become indispensable to Uncle Sam years ago, but he’d worked very hard to create a public image that was so good—so sound and foolproof—that no one would suspect what he really did.
But he’d screwed up. When he’d been in Atlanta a few weeks ago, he’d been working a job for his CIA boss. The case had gone sideways, and a limo had exploded. Unfortunately, Antony been at the scene when the limo exploded, and some bystander had filmed him with a phone. Just like that, the footage had gone viral. The footage had been taken down, but by that point, it had been too late.
Ella saw it. Her suspicions had been ignited. Rather like the limo…
“You’re not denying my charge,” Ella murmured.
He forced a smile. “You seriously think I’m a spy? Like cloak-and-dagger-type stuff? That’s what you think I do on the weekends for fun? I infiltrate enemy organizations and take out targets?” Antony wiggled his brows. “Me?”
She didn’t smile back at him. “Yes. You. That’s exactly what I think you do. You play the role of the confused genius who isn’t a physical threat, but underneath your mask, you’re a very dangerous man.”
Again, she wasn’t wrong. Not that he could tell her that. Ella didn’t have government clearance to hear about all of the secrets in his life. Only a select few did. Hell, even his parents didn’t know about his extracurricular activities. “Ella…” He cleared his throat. “We both need to calm down.”
“I am completely calm.”
Fair enough. He was the one trying not to lose his mind. He just—he didn’t want to lose her. “You don’t need to quit.”
“Actually, I do. I tied up some loose ends today, and now I’m done. Delivered my official notice and everything.”
“You’re angry with me. I get that.” He pulled his glasses from her hand.
“I think you don’t get a lot of things.”
He got one very important thing. Ella was trying to walk—no, run—away. And if he lost Ella, he would be screwed. “Don’t leave.”
Her head cocked. “Why in the world should I stay? I already have a new job waiting for me.”
A new job? What? Since when? “Where?”
She shrugged one shoulder. God, she was sexy. High cheekbones, pert nose, curving and delicate jaw. She’d put on dark eye shadow to accentuate her incredible eyes. The first time he’d seen her, Antony’s entire body had jolted. It had been as if he’d been hit by electricity that had surged through every cell in his body. He’d suddenly felt hyper-aware. Hyper-focused. Hyper-locked on her. Her beauty had been undeniable, but there was far more to Ella than just a pretty face. As soon as she’d started talking, he’d realized how wicked smart she was. Then she’d protected his company time and time again, proving how dedicated she was, and he’d been a goner.
He needed Ella. She was the best head of security he’d ever had. And she—hell, he just needed her in his life. “What can I do to make you stay? You want more money?” He turned away from her and paced toward his desk. He slipped his glasses back into place. “I’ll double your salary. I will—” He heard the door open.
Antony whirled around.
Too late. Ella was gone. She’d double-timed it out of his office the moment his back was turned.
“Ella!” The bellow tore from him. He rushed after her and nearly collided with Sebastian in the hallway.
“What’s happening?” Sebastian demanded as he frowned at Antony. “Where’s the fire, bro?”
“Ella just quit!” He could see her—she was heading for the elevator. He shoved Sebastian out of his way.
“Stop her!” Sebastian’s order followed him.
“I’m trying!” Antony yelled back. What the hell did it look like he was doing? Sitting with his thumb up his ass?
Ella was already inside the elevator. Shit. Antony yanked at his tie and ran forward. He burst onto the elevator just as the doors were closing. The sensors caught his movement and immediately sent the doors flying back open.
Ella crossed her arms over her chest. “Was that really necessary?”
He closed in on her.
She didn’t back up. One of the many things he admired about her. Ella never backed down from any challenge.
“Yes,” he gritted out. “It was necessary. Running down the hallway like a track star was necessary because you wouldn’t stop.”