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Ben's lips quirked into a mischievous grin. ‘Well, if you decide to retire early, you could always consider becoming a consultant. With your track record and skills, I bet people would pay top dollar for your expertise.’
Ella raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on her lips. ‘A consultant? Can you imagine me in an office setting, giving seminars?’
He laughed, ‘I can actually. Plus, women in suits are hot.’
She nudged him as she contemplated the idea. The thought of a new beginning, a fresh start without the constant danger and chaos was tempting. But could she really walk away from everything she knew? From the adrenaline, the chase, the satisfaction of closing a case?
Ella got up and looked over at the board, the maze of information she had compiled on Logan Nash. It was a reminder of the risks she took, the lines she crossed. But also, the lengths she was willing to go for justice.
She turned back to Ben, tears forming in her eyes. ‘Ben... I'm so sorry for dragging you into all this. This isn't your fight, yet here you are, in the thick of it because of me.’
He stood up and took a step closer, reaching out to grab her wrist. ‘Hey, I chose to be here. With you. I wish we didn't have this hanging over our heads, but I wouldn't trade our time together for anything. Besides, we’ve been through worse.’
Ella recalled the incident from a few months ago, one that took place in the very apartment they now stood. The man that Ella considered her nemesis had taken Ben hostage, tied him to a chair and used him as bait. Together, she and Ben had fought off him and his disciples, tossed the man over the balcony with a noose around his neck. It wasn’t a standard date night, but it was a bittersweet memory she’d come to remember fondly for some strange reason.
She nodded, wiping away a tear. ‘You have a point. We've faced monsters and come out stronger. This is just another hurdle. I just wish it wasn't so complicated.’
Ben smiled softly, lifting her chin with his finger, forcing her to meet his gaze. ‘Life is complicated, El, and pretending it isn’t is naïve. But we face it together, remember? We’ll get through this, just like everything else.’
She looked into his warm hazel eyes, finding comfort in their depths. ‘I just can't shake off the feeling that every move I make could be the one that costs me everything. My job, my freedom, you...’
‘You’ve got guns and wits, and you know where this Logan guy is going to be housed for the next three months?’
‘No, his location is confidential, and he’s free to walk around providing he stays within five miles. But what’s stopping him just driving to Canada, catching a boat to France, disappearing and assuming a new identity?’
‘He’s tagged, you said?’
‘Tags are made of plastic, not titanium. He could cut that thing off no problem.’
‘Are you more worried about him escaping – or one of his cronies coming for us?’
Ella looked down, contemplating the question. She then met Ben's gaze with raw honesty. ‘Both. Logan is vindictive and cunning. If he escapes, he'll regroup and come back stronger. But he also has enough loyal followers who'd love to see me dead.’
Ben's face hardened at the comment. ‘So what’s our plan? We can stay at my place, but for how long?’
Ella had no answer. She couldn’t track Logan down and kill him because the suspicion would be too great. But on the flip side, she couldn’t continue living her life with Logan’s looming shadow dogging her every step. It was three months until his trial, and anything could happen between now and then.
‘I’ll figure it out. I just need time.’
Ben wrapped an arm around her, drawing her close. ‘I think we should set up some security measures at my place, maybe some surveillance cameras. And perhaps talk to a few contacts, see if we can gather any intel on Logan's whereabouts and plans.’
‘Good idea, detective.’
He smirked, ‘Well, I learn from the best.’
‘Charmer,’ Ella said. ‘Come on, we’ve got some packing to do. You’re about to suffer every bachelor’s worst nightmare.’
‘I am?’ asked Ben.
‘Yup, you’re going to live with a girl.’
CHAPTER THREE
Mia Ripley's laughter echoed through the restaurant, punctuating the soft jazz playing in the background. Candlelight danced in her eyes, revealing a happiness she hadn’t felt for as long as she could remember.
Martin, with his piercing blue eyes and salt-and-pepper hair, was lost in her stories. Each course seemed to arrive just when they finished the previous one, as if the staff were expertly attuned to the ebb and flow of their conversation. As Mia recounted another suspenseful tale from her time chasing serial killers and mass murderers and terrorists, Martin leaned in, eager for every detail. He had been an agent once, but injuries on the job had forced him into an early retirement.
‘I don't know how you do it,’ Martin mused, sipping on his wine. ‘Facing that kind of darkness day in and day out.’
