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“Hold up.”
“No.”
Ares grabbed my wrist.
“Unhand me,” I spat.
The bastard let go but looked as if he was about to laugh. “No decision has been made about working in Shere. I broached the subject with Z this morning in Cayman’s presence. After he and I visited the port and the industrial complex this afternoon, he asked if I wanted to see his family’s place. He said no one ever uses it.”
“While Shere is only fifty kilometers from here, it takes an hour each way just to get to Surrey and another thirty minutes to get to the village. It takes longer when there’s traffic leaving London. Do you truly expect me to agree to spend three hours on the road each day?”
“I do not.”
“Oh my God.Are you suggesting I be removed from my own case? I need to get the hell out of here,” I seethed, storming away a second time.
I reached the table at the same time Wilder, Wren’s husband, did. “Hello, Nem,” he said, cheek-kissing me. He rubbed his hands together. “I’m so glad we opted for the pub for dinner tonight. I’ve been craving their fish and chips.”
“We won’t be staying,” I said, looking over at his wife.
“Sure, we will. Wilder, you take the empty seat beside Cayman. Nem, you come sit on the other side of me.”
My eyes bored into hers. “I’d rather not.”
“Please,” she said, nodding at the unoccupied chair. “Grin and bear it, my friend,” she whispered when I took it. “Nothing’s been decided yet. You leaving now is tantamount to waving the white flag.”
I disagreed. However, my leaving would create a spectacle I’d prefer to avoid.
Fortunately,in order to see Ares, I would’ve had to lean forward, which I refused to do even when he addressed a question directly to me.
“Would you like to take that with you?” the waiter asked when he cleared the rest of the plates and I’d hardly touched my dinner. “I know it’s your favorite.” He winked.
“I’d appreciate it, if you wouldn’t mind.” I was about to revisit the lavatory, but thought better of it. I could wait until we left the pub, since my flat was just across the street, rather than risk being confronted by Ares a second time.
“Excuse me,” said Wren, pushing away from the table, likely to do the very thing I’d been thinking about. Before I could join her, Wilder stood as well and followed his wife, leaving two empty chairs between Ares and me.
I refused to glance in his direction even when, from the corner of my eye, I saw him shift over so he was beside me.
“We need to talk.”
“And we shall. Tomorrow at the office,” I responded, still refusing to look at him.
“When you left, this morning, I had a conversation with Z. He told me our working in close proximity lasted longer than he thought it would.”
I folded my arms, wondering why in the bloody hell I was bothering to listen.
“When I asked why you were given the role of UK CO, he told me it’s because you’re the best. He also told me I’d do well to remember that. Do you want to know what else he said?”
“I’m sure you’ll tell me, whether I do or not.”
Again from the corner of my eye, I saw him smile.
“He told me he’d argued to delay my arrival, per your request. Unfortunately, Marchand’s mind was made up.”
“You’ve made your point.”
“I don’t think I have.”
“You’renot leaving the investigation. However, it doesn’t mean I’ll commute to Shere. We can videoconference as necessary.”
