Page 38 of Malicious Claim

“Me what?” she rolled her eyes.

“I swear on my life–”

She walked forward and stopped in front of him. “That what?” She folded her hand across her chest, throwing him a daring glare.

Chapter Fifteen

Interference

LEILA'S POV

“What are you doing here, Leila?” I could see the controlled anger on his face no matter how hard he tried to mask it. “I asked you to watch over Vanessa.”

“Well, that's why I'm here,” I replied. “She’s clean. But on the other hand, one of her bodyguards, Dan, is an agent.”

He let out an amused sigh. “And how did you deduce all this in such a short time?”

I smiled, enjoying the moment. “It’s all about observation, Makros. But I guess you are not a very observant man.”

He crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. “Go on.”

Even though I've started to realize that my sharp tongue doesn't work on him, it was still worth a try.

I took a slow step forward, lowering my voice slightly. “Vanessa’s clean because she doesn’t move like someone who has something to hide. Her reactions to questioning are natural, she shows mild irritation, confusion, and even a bit of defensiveness, but nothing rehearsed. When I casually mentioned a few key dates, she didn’t hesitate. A liar would have stumbled, even if only slightly. She also doesn’t overcompensate, no forced friendliness, and no unnecessary explanations. She exists in her own world, comfortable, unbothered. That’s not the behavior of someone playing a role.”

Makros gave a slow nod, waiting.

“But Dan on the other hand?” I scoffed, propping my leg onto a chair. As expected, his gaze immediately flickered to my thigh.

I reached out, gripped his jaw, and tilted his face upward the way he always did to me.

“Hey, I’m right here,” I said, my voice firm.

He chuckled, running his tongue over his lips. “Honey, your thighs are as much a part of you as your face.”

“Oh really? And yet you force me to look you in the eyes every time,” I shot back, arching a brow. “Like the rest of you isn’t part of your body?”

He smirked, his chin shifting slightly under my hold. “The eyes tell me everything I need to know. Your thighs?” His gaze lowers for half a second before returning to mine again. “They’re a distraction.”

I let out a dry laugh, releasing him. “Exactly. And that’s Dan’s problem. He’s too disciplined to be only a bodyguard. A normal man, even a highly trained bodyguard would be distracted by the strippers in the club or something else. But Dan? He doesn't even flinch. No reaction, no distraction. He’s too aware, too um...controlled.”

I draw in a deep breath before continuing.

“He tries too hard to be forgettable in the room, keeps a relaxed posture, and doesn’t engage in conversations longer than necessary. At first glance, he does seem like a regular bodyguard, but his microexpressions give him away. When I was testing Vanessa, he watched me instead of her. A true bodyguard prioritizes their client, watching for external threats, not analyzing the person they’re speaking to.”

I could see the flicker of intrigue in Markos's eyes, but he didn't say anything, didn't interrupt my flow.

“Then there’s the way he moves. Agents, real ones, walk with controlled efficiency. No wasted movement. Dan’s reactions are too precise, too anticipatory. When I dropped my fork atthe table, he reacted before it hit the ground. Normal people hesitate, even if only slightly. And the final nail in the coffin?” I smirked, enjoying what I was about to say next. “I slipped something into Vanessa’s bag, a simple trick to see if he’d react. Five minutes later, he faked accidentally brushing against her bag and removed it. He thought I didn’t notice.”

Makros hackles rose. “What did you put into Vanessa's bag?”

Oh Leila you are back on track. Look at the way you made him worried. “Relax Makros, it was only a chewing gum wrapper. I mean he wouldn't know I was testing him, he'd think I was being childish or something.”

Makros let out a low chuckle and said, “Damn.”

“So, how'd I do?” I asked with a smug smile.

“Impressive,” he replied.