Page 77 of Cruel Ice

They thought Pierre was dead. Dead somewhere in the building. Her breath huffed out. “This is the kind of crap I’m talking about,” she fumed. “I need to be in the damn loop, Declan. You can’t fuck me like your life depends on it one moment, and then keep from me the fact that you think yourassistant is trying to kill you—and, oh, thathemay be dead. That isn’t how relationships work.”

Declan glanced toward Hunter.

She did, too.

He grimaced. “This sounds like a you-two problem. I think I’m gonna go search the building for a dead assistant.”

Who said things like that? Searching for a dead assistant as if that was a run-of-the-mill activity?

Hunter swung away. “Oh, and by the way, you might want to check the news when you get a chance. Big story out of Georgia.”

“Hunter.” A snarl from Declan.

Hunter tossed a wave over his shoulder before he reached for the elevator button. “Thought she had a right to know.” The doors opened. He glanced back. Stared at Marley. “No more monsters.”

Then he slipped into the elevator. The doors closed a moment later.

Of course, he would have access to get in and out of the private elevator and to go wherever he wanted in the building. “You trust him more than anyone else.” Something she had not picked up on before. In fact, if anything, she’d thought he was closer to Cade. But…

Hunter. Hunter is the one who shares Declan’s secrets.

A million thoughts seemed to crash and churn in her head.They think Pierre is dead. So…what? They believe the killer was here last night? That he got in the building with all of its security and took out the assistant? And what in the hell is happening in Georgia that I need to know about?

Then, beyond all that…

And why does Declan trust Hunter so much?

“We should talk in my office.” Declan turned away. “Hunter will let me know what he discovers. Be certain of that.”

“You mean if he turns up Pierre’s body, probably with a bullet in his head and his heart…” Like the two men who’d taken Declan. “He’ll notify you.”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I meant.”

She didn’t move. “You let me tell you all about my suspicions. For James. For Cade. For Hunter. ForPierre.And you said nothing. You acted like it was typical for him not to be here—like you weren’t alarmed at all when you already believed the man had betrayed you!”

“I was going to bring you in on the interrogation.”

“You were going to bring me in on—” Incensed, huffing, she broke off. Then she blasted past him, might have even elbowed him out of the way, as she stormed into his office. “What in the hell, Declan? What in the actual hell? This isn’t how a partnership works! This isn’t how a relationship works!”

The door closed quietly behind her. She spun around. He leaned back, letting his shoulders hit the door as he studied her.

“That’s the second time you’ve used the word ‘relationship,’” Declan noted, as if that was the most important part of their conversation. Spoiler, it was not. They were talking about a potential murder. More important, surely, than their relationship.

His arms crossed over his chest. “Does that mean you’ve accepted my proposal?”

Her eyes widened. She felt them widen. Or bulge. Whatever. “Declan!” Marley glanced around the massive office, frantic. Her gaze landed on the desk. The desk they’d been on when he took her for the first time. When she’d taken him.

Memories flooded through her.

“Is that a yes?”

“There was no proposal! There was you telling me, not asking. We’ve covered this, and you are not going to distractme.” Her hands were on her hips. She needed to get him focused. “Why isn’t Hunter a suspect?”

His eyes narrowed. Narrowed eyes didnotequal an answer.

“Hunter is onmysuspect list.” Marley was sure she’d covered this, too, with him. “Why isn’t he on yours? Why are you trusting him so much when I thought you weren’t a trusting person?”

Declan rolled one shoulder. “Because I hauled his ass out of an inferno once upon a time. The man has this ridiculous idea that he owes his life to me. And now, shit, I’m pretty sure he’d take a bullet for me in a heartbeat.”

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