“Ow,” Alana says. “See what I’m saying?”
Ella frowns. “Is he charging the crystals at Hologrid Hub?”
“No,” Alana and I both say in unison.
“He’s not,” I add quickly.
Alana shakes her head. “Please do not create another virus. You nearly killed Thorn.”
Ella doesn’t look the slightest bit abashed about the situation. “I didn’t know you were going to fall in love with him,” she protests. “If I had, I wouldn’t have tried to kill the guy.” She shifts her gaze to me. “I can, however, take out Alexei once he starts charging the Hologrid Hub crystals if you like. I mean, if he starts charging their amethysts.”
“I will absolutely keep that in mind.” I mean it. Ella discovered how to poison a crystal so it would then poison the person charging it and had nearly killed Thorn. Of course, we all considered him an enemy at that point.
Alana clears her throat. “I really can have Alexei taken care of if you want.”
I cut my eyes at her. “I do not want Thorn killing Alexei. At least not tonight. I have a job to do, and this will get me that office on the top floor. Plus, I do believe the man was set up.” I took an oath with my law license to right wrongs.
Today, Ella is dressed in a cute green dress with light silver pumps. She crosses her legs. “I like your outfit, but the jacket sleeves are a little too long.”
“I haven’t had a chance to trim them,” I say easily.
Alana shifts her weight. “Do you need a loan?”
“No, but thank you,” I say. Alana has always been generous with her money, and I’ve worked overtime to keep from taking advantage from her. Now the money would actually come from Thorn, and I don’t want to owe him a thing. I assume the head of the Irish mob has no problem calling in dangerous and possibly illegal favors. Ella hasn’t had a lot of money, either. Her stepmother paid for her boarding school and college, and her trust fund allotted her a set amount each year until her stepmother decided to end the trust.
As if following my train of thought, Ella sighs. “If I had any extra, I’d give it. In fact, it’s time for us to sue for my trust fund.”
I nod, already having had drafted the documents a year ago. But why now? “Do you think you’re in danger?”
Ella shrugs. “I don’t know. If anybody makes a move on me, it will be too obvious who. Yet sometimes I wonder, you know? She’ll come for me someday, or maybe I’ll go for her.”
I believe that Ella has plans to take out her stepmother and stepsisters, at least financially. She’s the smartest hacker around and she’s trained all over the world. She has, however, neglected to share any plans with us. It could be because someday, I’ll have to serve as her lawyer, and I can have no prior knowledge of her planning to commit crimes. At least that’s what I tell myself.
There’s a rustle and then a murmur down the hallway, and then a couple of shouts. “Ah, crap.” Alana shakes her head. “Well, this was fun. I enjoyed seeing both of you.”
I look up to the doorway as Thorn Beathach strides inside. Even after watching him and Alana be together for the last three months, the sight of him catches me off guard. He’s tall and broad and was probably quite handsome before being scarred completely across his face and down his neck. I have to admit to myself that he’s still handsome.
Right now, his eyes are pissed. “Alana?”
She stands and smiles. “I just went for a walk. I have no idea where the bodyguards got to, Thorn.”
He lifts one dark eyebrow, and the air in the room chills. I have to admire her bravado though. Not much scares Alana. “I see. We’ll discuss this at home.” Thorn takes two graceful steps inside my office, ducks his head, and instantly tosses her over his shoulder.
“This is absolutely not necessary,” she says, her long hair hanging down before she punches him in his upper thigh.
“I believe it is.” He smacks her butt hard enough to echo around the office.
“Want me to try and kill him again?” Ella offers.
Alana chuckles.
Thorn turns his dark gaze on her, and she gulps. “I believe our deal was for you to do some work for Malice Media.”
“I did for almost two weeks.” She lifts her chin. “Your brother chased me off.”
“Huh.” Thorn looks incredibly dangerous in my doorway. “Keep away from Justice. I think he wants to return the favor of you trying to kill me.”
“I know he does,” Ella spits. “You keep your brother away from me. I have better ways of getting to people than just by messing with their crystals.”
