Page 41 of Elite Metal: Warriors

“You wanted to see me?”

Morrow propped his fists on his hips. “Where the hell have you been?”

Roni tipped her head. “What do you mean?”

“You disappeared from that Podunk bar…”

Her brows rippled. Sterling found himself fascinated with her face. But then, he always was. “How do you know that?”

“Did you think I wouldn’t have someone watching you?”

“You put a tail on me?” she spat.

He chuckled. “Of course I did. When you didn’t show up for work, he reported in. So what happened?”

Roni shrugged. “I met a guy.”

Ant draped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her close. Sterling tried not to snarl.

“Seriously?” Morrow studied Ant, who did his best to look like a douche nozzle. It wasn’t hard.

He waved at Roni’s boss. “Howdy, sir. It’s nice to meet Roni’s pappy.”

Morrow snorted at him.

“So why did you want to see me?” Roni asked. “In person? Surely a phone call would have done.”

Morrow flicked a look at Ant. “Can we talk in private?”

“Why? What do you have to say to me that Ant can’t hear?”

“It’s about Annabelle.”

Roni frowned. She glanced at Ant. “Do you mind if I chat with him in private, hon?” Damn, her acting skills were good. Too good. They pissed Sterling off. She was definitely getting a spanking tonight. Definitely.

“Go right ahead, darlin’.” Ant threw himself onto the leather couch and propped his dirty boots on the coffee table—Morrow flinched—and then Ant pulled out his cell phone, swiping through his messages. “Don’t be too long, though.” He grinned at Morrow. “I’ve never seen the ocean before. I have a beach towel and a bottle of sunscreen with our names all over ’em.”

It was clear Morrow was bemused. His lips flapped. “All right. Um… Let’s talk in the conference room.” He took Roni by the arm, which pissed Sterling off too, and led her back into the hall. As soon as the door closed, Ant shot into action. He whipped across the room and quickly set the bug into Morrow’s phone. Then he pulled a screwdriver from his impossibly tight jeans—yeah, Sterling didn’t even want to imagine how that was possible—and opened Morrow’s computer with practiced moves.

As Ant worked, Sterling focused on the conversation between Roni and Morrow in the conference room. It bugged him that he didn’t have line of sight, but at least he could hear.

His nerves sizzled and every ort of his attention was on point. It killed him to be so far away. Out of the action. But he knew, if she needed him, he’d be there for her at the drop of a hat.

Or die trying.

And fuck, yeah. He would.

Die trying.

If she needed him.

The thought should have scared him, but it didn’t.

It didn’t.

Chapter Ten

“So,” Roni gusted as Marcus closed the door behind him with a click. She tried not to feel like he was locking her in. But with him, it somehow always felt that way. “What was so important that you had to talk to me alone?”