East Bound by Nana Malone (big ebook reader txt) 📕

raised my hackles. I had more right to be there than he did. But I had to keep it tight. "Look, I know you're not particularly happy to see me, and I understand that. I recognize that my actions..." God, what was I going to say? I needed something that was feasible enough. I tried again. "I know that my actions have been a cause for consternation for a prolonged period of time, and I just want you to know that I apologize. From now on, I will be the team member you need. No arguments, no circumventing the system. Whatever you need, I'm here. I'm just here to do the job, and it's a privilege that I get to do it."

He smirked at me with a cruel smile. I knew that punishment was coming. And unlike with East, it wouldn’t be at all pleasurable. "Okay, fine. But what about the little problem of who you're dating?"

No, I was not consenting to that, but what choice did I have?

"Well, I'm no longer dating East Hale, but whoever else I date is not your concern, or anyone else's. That's a breach of privacy and shouldn't be a public record."

Something in Denning's eyes told me that he wasn't happy with that, but there wasn't much he could do because I had a solid point. He didn't really have a right to ask about my private life or to butt in whenever he liked. "So just like that, she apologizes and she's back?"

My father sighed. "You know, Denning, while I did want Nyla to show some humility, I think you need to as well. Let's not forget, you were the one in her flat, unannounced, uninvited, and for no good reason. I haven't actually forgotten that."

Denning sputtered. "I was merely protecting her because she was not—"

My father shook his head. "I never thought I'd have to say this, but Denning, you need to get yourself together. Nyla walked in here and did what she needed to do for the good of the job. You need to keep your emotions in check, Agent Sinclair."

My heart soared. My father had never done that for me. And I mean never. I still couldn't believe it. I could not believe that he'd backed me for once. Denning clearly couldn't believe it either. "Sir, of course not. I’m just speaking as her supervisor."

My father continued with his truth bombs. "About that… Nyla is coming back, but she will be working under Amelia as her direct supervisor. Not you."

Denning tried to hide the disapproval on his face, but it showed anyway. I tried to wipe any gloating expression off my face, because, after all, I was a picture of contriteness. "But sir, East Hale is—"

"Enough, Denning. I don't want you turning up in her flat. You two are no longer dating, so why you even thought it would be a good idea to breach her trust by showing up at her flat unannounced is beyond me. You're lucky she didn't kill you. And that's all I need to hear ever again about that. Do you both understand?"

I was quick to nod.

Denning followed through. "Yes, sir."

My father nodded. "Good. Now that that's out of the way, Denning, as I said earlier, she'll be working directly with Amelia, so make sure she gets settled. She's still under your team, but I want the two of you working one-on-one together as little as possible because I like my peace and sanity."

I ground my teeth, but at least he was on my side.

I was back in the fold, just like I'd wanted. Now all I had to do was make sure I didn't squander that chance.

Chapter 15

East

All night I’d tossed and turned, waiting for a call from Theroux… waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Bullshit. You’re thinking about what Nyla said. 

I didn't want to think about what she’d said. That I was acting obsessive. That I had no right to her body, her mind, her emotions. I was not hot and cold. There was no decision to be made. I didn’t want her.

But you can’t stay away, can you?

Fucking hell. I'd seen it. Her hit list. I had nothing to apologize for. I’d protected my family.

But my brain kept trying to go back to the day in that flat. Back to the moment of seeing our names on the board. All the questions, the red lines of yarn, trying to piece together… what?

There was something I was overlooking. A thread was missing, and I couldn't quite lock onto it.

It didn't matter. I had bigger fish to fry.

Drew had been off his game, and it was time I figured out why. I hadn't been surveilling him, but when we were together, he was always withdrawn, quiet. Out of it. If we were going to survive this, we needed all of us functioning on all cylinders. So if something was up with him, we needed to know. And we needed to know now.

I'd taken half the afternoon off and driven into Chiswick despite the wild traffic. I could have called my driver. Hell, I could have done anything other than driving myself, but I needed the time to think. It was bloody Thursday, and Drew worked from home on Thursdays so he would be there to take his daughter Annabelle to riding class. It was their thing, and I always admired that about him. He fulfilled his commitments.

But what if he's not sticking to the other commitments he made?

I rang the doorbell, and a member of the staff in full livery opened the door. I couldn't believe that they had their staff wear formal uniforms. My staff did, but that was because they were employees of the hotel, not a personal residence. "I'm here to see Mr. Wilcox."

"Yes, he's in the study, sir. Shall I direct you?"

"Nope, I know the way." The butler was a kid, not much older than we'd been when we joined the Elite. But he