Page 56 of The Silencer

I meet his gaze, and his eye twitches. “To be fair, I thought he was you at first.”

His fingers tighten on my waist. “And what’s his excuse?”

“No idea. But I’m pretty sure he was trying to eat me.”

Anthony lets out a huff and turns his gaze away, his fingers suddenly leaving me.

“Teddy, bring him back to the house and don’t let him out of your sight again.”

I turn and see my bodyguard frowning at me. Oh hell, did he get into trouble over this?

Shit.

“Wait, Anthony. This isn’t Teddy’s fault.”

“Isn’t it? He was put in charge of you and he lost you. It seems he is responsible.”

I purse my lips and place my hands on my hips. “It is not. He couldn’t have known where I went! Bane came in through a secret door. In your room.”

Anthony’s eye twitches again and then he starts striding away.

“Ugh, listen. If anyone’s to blame, it’s you. I mean, how could I resist that? A secret door, Anthony. A secret door!”

I moan in frustration and then jog to catch up with him. His strides are long and purposeful, and I’m winded by the time he makes it to the porch. God, I need to start working out again. That beat-down really took it out of me.

“Teddy will see you to your room.”

I roll my eyes and then continue to follow him into the house.

“Oh, no you don’t. You can’t just put me in my room like a child.”

“When you behave like one, I can.”

I huff in annoyance and traipse after him, pushing past Teddy’s wide form to get into Anthony’s office before he shuts and locks it on me.

I narrowly avoid those big arms coming around to grab me, but Teddy’s a little too slow and I’m far too motivated.

“Anthony. You don’t understand. Bane showed me a secret passageway. I couldn’t say no.”

Anthony moves toward the table with the drinks on it and pours himself a stiff one.

“Honestly, Anthony. Put the drink down and talk to me, man to man.”

“Are you a man, though? Seems you behave like a child.”

I roll my eyes and then bite down on my bottom lip at the realization of what I just did.

I am acting childish.

“Listen, it wasn’t the smartest, especially considering he had a jar of eyeballs with him, but listen… You show me a secret door and a secret passageway, and I’m going in. I’m telling you, I’ll die in there, but I’m going in.”

He takes a gulp of his drink and sets it down, the ice clinking loudly.

“Tatum. I’ll say this once and never again. You’re never to associate with Bane. And he’s not to put his mouth anywhere on you.”

I sigh and then nod. “Okay. But if he’s not allowed to put his mouth anywhere near me, will you?”

His hand slides across his jaw, his eyes narrowing. “Why would I when Bane has been all over you? You even smell like him.”