Page 96 of Falling for Them

“Yeah, well, so was mine,” Ella says.“And without my permission.Asshole.”

“The storage was full,” he whines.“I haven’t backed it up in months!”

“Even better,” she says.

“You’re going to buy me a new phone,” Joel says, pointing at her.

“Point at Ella one more time, and I’ll break your finger,” Bash says cheerfully.

“She’s not buying you a new phone, and neither am I,” I say.“Was there a copy of that video anywhere else?”

Joel frowns.“Yeah.My computer in the office.”

“Which he no longer has access to,” I say to Ella.“Security has already been informed that he isn’t allowed on the premises.”

She nods.“Thanks.”

The video is gone.Forever.Ella is free of him.

Joel looks between the three of us.“You’re sick freaks, all of you.”

I’m not afraid of his judgment.Never have been.Never will be.So I just shrug as he turns around and steps into the elevator, then takes himself from our sight.

As soon as he’s gone, I turn to face Ella.I want to hold her so fucking bad, but I also know we need to talk, first.

Before I can say a word, she whips around, picks up her mop, and starts cleaning the marble that runs along the edge of the hallway.

“What are you doing?”Bash says.

She doesn’t miss a stroke of the mop.“My job.”

“Come home with us,” I say.

“Can’t.”Her voice is thick with emotion.“I’m working.”

“Ella,” I say, lowering my voice.

Her shoulders fall, releasing some of their tension.“What, Mr.Tyler?”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, call me Kingston,” I say.“Mr.Tylercan be for when you’re being a sassy brat.In all other ways, we’re equals.”

She turns and raises a single eyebrow at me.“Fine,Kingston.”

I wish I could spank the sass right out of her, but that’s not what this situation warrants.Someday, though…

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed,” she says, “but I have a job.I get paid to do this job.If I don’t do this job, I don’t get paid.And if I don’t get paid, I can’t afford my phone or food or my apartment.So no, I’m not coming home with you.”

“We’ll wait, then,” I say.

Bash, standing next to me, nods.

“We’ll wait forever,” I continue.“Unless and until you tell me to get lost, I’m going to be here for you, Ella.But don’t push me away just because you’re scared of what we could have.”

Rolling her lips between her teeth, she blinks away tears.“Fine.I’ll be done in an hour.Then we can talk.”

“Good, then,” I say.

I almost have to drag Sebastian outside the building.