Page 28 of Defending Madison

“That’s a good idea. Good luck.” Yeah. I’ll need it.

I knock on Ella’s condo door, knowing full well she saw my every move into the building. She was gracious enough to agree to let me visit. The door opens, and her husband, a fellow CPSP employee, glares down at me.

“Dixon.”

“Ghost.” Graham spent years in Army Intelligence with a reputation of what he did and how quietly he executed people. His growl makes me smile. “I come in peace.”

Little feet run toward the door with Ella close on the young boy’s tail. He looks up at me and stops, tucking himself behind his massive father’s legs. “Who’s that?”

Graham leans down and pulls up his son with one arm. “A friend. You’ve been running your mom ragged again, young man.”

The boy giggles as Ella saunters up, seeing me standing at the door. “Come for round two?”

I blow out my breath and cock my head. “No. Ma’am. I came to apologize.”

Graham’s brow lifts. “Apologize for what?”

I hold up my hand. “I was rude earlier.” I focus on Ella. “I shouldn’t have acted that way to you. That’s not me. I respect women. Hell, I love women. You’re awesome at your job. I apologize for having my head up my ass.”

Graham spins his son down to the ground and mock-growls. “Get ready for bed.”

The little boy who matches his father in hair and eyes seems to want to disobey but the look his mother gives him, stops it. “Yes, Daddy.” He moves to hug his mother and places his hand on her belly. “Good night, little brother.”

The couple smile as Graham puts his hand on his wife’s shoulder. “Give me a heads up if I need to hide the body.”

Her smile sends the big man off with a skip in his step heading for the back of the condo. Ella motions for me to step inside. “Come in.” She leads us to the kitchen. “Whatcha want?”

“Benny Bennett from the Dauntless has a stalker.”

She nods. “I pulled up what I have on her. You’ve spent time with her and her family.”

“Yeah. Her brother and I go way back.”

Ella opens up her laptop and turns the screen to face me. “Someone has been in her emails and her social media. She needs to change all of her passwords to sets that are obscure enough to not have any meaning for her. Her passwords are the same on quite a few things, and I’ve found them on the dark web.”

“Shit.” The dark web is a haven for criminals. Ella rubs her belly. “When’s the baby due?”

She beams. “A few months.” She pauses, and the silence deafens my senses. “Can you get Ms. Bennett to let you protect her?”

I shrug before I realize I’m flaying my soul for her to judge. “I think so. She’s pissed at me for good reason, but she’s smart enough to know that I won’t let anything physically hurt her.”

“Okay. I’m running the algorithm through all the security data. We’ll know what her vulnerabilities are when I’m done.”

“Thanks, Ella. I appreciate you. Again, I’m sorry for my attitude. You didn’t deserve it, and it won’t happen again.”

I startle to see her husband lean against the kitchen wall. “I’ll walk you out.” I know he’s going to warn me. I deserve it. He intimidates the fuck out of me, but I hold my head up as we walk. I extend my hand to the man as his lip raises in a slow smile. “My wife seems content with your visit.”

“I’m glad. I was out of line. It won’t happen again.”

Graham nods. “I know.” He shakes my hand, and I exit the condo.

“Congratulations on the new baby.” I mumble as he nods as the condo door closes. Well, that went better than I thought it would. I race to the elevator needing to get to the other side of the Quad to the apartments that will house the woman I love.

Chapter 10

TWO HOURS BEFORE

MADISON

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