Chapter 308 Workatolic
Logan.
The morning light filtering through the porthole was far too harsh for the tenderness of the moment.
I was drawn from my slumber not only by the bright sun peeking in through the window, but also by the sensation of movement beside me. Blinking against the invading light, I saw Ella pull away from our embrace. She was already up and looking for her clothes.
As the morning sun painted the room in soft golds, I pretended to be still lost in sleep, though my attention was entirely on Ella. I watched her silently move about the room, engrossed in her thoughts.
The oversized t-shirt she wore-one of mine- hung loosely on her, reaching mid-thigh and billowing gently as she moved. The contrast between the starkness of the shirt and her delicate frame was strangely endearing. Stray strands of her almost white hair cascaded over her shoulders, adding a touch of unruly elegance to her appearance.
It was a side of Ella I rarely saw-vulnerable, natural, utterly beautiful. The corners of my mouth turned up in a soft, secret smile, my heart swelling with a tenderness I couldn’t name.
“Ella?” I finally murmured, my voice husky from sleep. She didn’t meet my gaze. “I want to go home,” she declared simply.
I sat up, rubbing my temples. “What’s the rush?” I asked. “It sounds like we just made it back to the docks.”
She paused, holding her dress from the night before in her hand. “I just… I need to go home after all of that,” she said. “I’m ready.”
Taking in her slightly haggard appearance and the tension evident in her shoulders, I simply nodded and began to get up. “Alright, if that’s what you want.”
Once the boat was docked and we were both dressed, we made our way out. My brother, Harry, was standing by, smirking. He took in Ella’s agitated state as we approached, then glanced at me. “Quite a night, wasn’t it?”
“She’s tired, Harry,” I said tersely, hoping that he didn’t know about Ella’s escapades the night before. “The boat didn’t provide her with the best night’s sleep. It’s not for everyone, you know.”
Harry laughed, casting Ella a sly look. “Yeah, I’m sure she hardly slept a wink,” he said. Ella swallowed knowingly. “It wasn’t all that bad,” she lied. “I just get… seasick.”
Harry nodded slowly, clearly not believing a word she said. “Funny,” he said. “The waters were pretty calm last night. But I guess some people are just more sensitive… Anyway, care for breakfast before you go? We’ve got a full breakfast bar set up in the deck.”
Ella shook her head. I could feel her becoming more and more tense by the moment beside me, almost instinctively sidling a little closer to me. “I don’t think my stomach can handle it,” she said. “Thank you, though.”
Harry shot me a knowing look, but said nothing. “Well, it was nice having you. Come back soon.”
With that, Ella and I began to make our way to the ramp. I could sense Ella’s urgency to leave, the way that her steps were quick and the way she clutched her purse, containing the pistol, as though her life depended on it.
But just as we were leaving, Harry caught me by the arm, causing me to stop. Ella shot me a worried look, but I waved her on to keep going. Harry and I both watched as she stiffly walked away then disappeared toward the docks.
“A little birdie told me that your ‘girlfriend’ was wandering last night and sticking her nose into business that had nothing to do with her,” Harry hissed, narrowing his eyes as he dropped the polite facade. I swallowed slightly. “Is that so?” I asked, feigning ignorance.
Harry clearly didn’t believe me. “Next time, Logan, keep your woman under control,” he murmured. “We can’t have her sneaking around. Not unless she wants to end up like the guy I had to take care of last night.”
A chill ran down my spine at Harry’s words, mostly because I knew that he was at least mostly serious. I shot him a sharp look, willing him to keep his mouth shut. “It won’t happen again,” I said, trying to convey a silent warning in my own tone.
Harry merely smirked, leaning against the railing with casual menace. “Just make sure it doesn’t. We can’t afford complications, you know.”
Extricating myself from my brother’s grip, I nodded solemnly and smoothed down my shirt. “Of course,” I said. “I’ll make sure she knows from now on.”
“Good.” Harry took a step back, his face taking on the fake genial expression it had before. “See you later, brother.”
Without another word, I walked away and met Ella on the docks. “What was all that about?” she asked as we walked back to the car, bodyguards in tow.
I shook my head. “Nothing,” I lied. “Let’s just get you home.” The drive back was charged with tension, the car’s interior pulsing with unsaid thoughts.
“Ella,” I began, taking a deep breath. “What you did last night… it was reckless. If Harry found you, if anyone from that party did…” I trailed off, not wanting to finish the thought. Harry’s words of warning kept whirling around my mind, like an echo bouncing around an endless cave.
Ella sighed, looking out of the window. “I get it, Logan. It was a mistake. I’m sorry.”
“It wasn’t just a mistake,” I said. “It was almost suicide. Next time we’re in a situation like that and you need fresh air…”
“Don’t worry,” Ella hissed, her tone lowering defensively. “There won’t be a next time.”
I let out a soft sigh, too tired and hungover to question what she meant by that. All that mattered was that she was okay, and Harry’s viper venom hadn’t struck. Not yet, at least.
Before I could say anything more, Ella suddenly shifted gears. “What about our next case? Anything interesting?” she asked. I raised an eyebrow, glancing at her. “Really? After everything that’s happened, you’re thinking about work?”
She smirked, though I could see a hint of exhaustion in her eyes. “What can I say? I like to keep busy.”
A chuckle escaped my lips. “You never stop, do you?”
She just shrugged, leaning back in her seat. “It’s who I am. Besides, focusing on work helps keep my mind off… other things.”
I couldn’t help but smile at her determination. “Alright,” I relented. “I’ll send over the next case info when I have it.”
“Thank you,” she said simply as we pulled up to her place. I watched as she exited the car, her gait steady, her posture regal. No one would have guessed the harrowing ordeal she had gone through the previous night. It was evident that work was her escape, her haven.
“She’s a bit of a workaholic,” I murmured to myself, shaking my head in disbelief. Yet, as I drove away, I couldn’t help but think it was a little endearing. The tenacity of Ella was something that had always captivated me.
The previous night’s events weighed heavily on my mind, but amidst it all, I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of our next case together.
It was becoming evident that work wasn’t the only thing keeping her distracted-it was also the thrill of our partnership and perhaps something more. Or at least, that was how it felt to me.
