The CEO Above My Desk (Mckenzie Shinabery) novel Chapter 240

Chapter 240

is a moment, nobody moved

Yoboh breathed

only sound munde the bus were the old woma

crying and the distant noise of traffic passing outside,

Ashers ever stayed locked on mine while his arm remained wrapped tightly around her shoulders. The gun was still preset sgánst but I noticed something now that I hadn’t before.

hand. It wasn’t perfectly steady. Barely noticeable. Tiny tremors.

Most people would’ve missed it. I didn’t.

I slowly lowered my voice, keeping it calm and even. “Asher. Let’s think this through.”

He laughed softly. “Oh no.” He smiled wider. “No no. That’s FBI talk.”

I ignored him. “Marcus already left you.”

His expression didn’t change.

I continued anyway. “He got another bus. He didn’t stay. He didn’t come back for you.”

There. Tiny shift. Barely there. But I saw it. His jaw tightened for less than a second.

“You think he planned on circling back?” I asked quietly.

Asher smiled again, but it looked thinner now. Less natural. “He needed a distraction.”

Distraction. Not partner. Not friend.

Distraction

I took another slow step forward.

The old woman immediately cried harder. “No por favor… por favor…”

know,” I said softly without taking my eyes off Asher. “You’re okay.” Then I directed what I said next towards Asher, “You knew what Marcos

Asher’s eyes narrowed.

He used you.

Chapter 240

Silence.

“He took another bus because he knew we’d chase the immediate threat.” I shrugged slightly. “He left you holding the gun.

Asher stared at me.

“He left you holding the hostage.”

Nothing.

“He left you taking the fall.”

The smile disappeared completely.

Locke shifted slightly beside me but stayed quiet.

Asher looked down briefly toward the woman in his arms. Then back at me. “You’re manipulating me.”

I nodded once. “Absolutely.”

That surprised him. Because people expected lies. Not honesty.

I kept my voice steady. “You know why?”

His eyes stayed on mine.

“Because Marcus doesn’t care if you live through this.”

Silence settled over the bus again. I could practically feel every person listening. Every person waiting.

I slowly lowered my weapon a fraction. Not much. Just enough. “Look around you.”

His eyes flickered. Just briefly. Families. Kids. Terrified people crouched between seats. An old woman shaking so badly I thought her legs might give out.

“Marcus blew up an entire building today.” I swallowed, “He doesn’t care who gets hurt.”

I took another careful step.

“He’ll disappear into another country while you die on a bus.”

Asher stared at me. Long enough that my heart started pounding harder.

Then quietly, … Ten years?”

I didn’t move. Didn’t react.

“Private facility?”

Chapter 240

I nodded slowly. “If you cooperate.”

His eyes searched mine. Like he was trying to figure out if I meant it.

Then the old woman whispered through tears: “Por favor…”

And suddenly… His arm loosened.

The woman stumbled forward immediately.

The second she moved, Locke was already there.

He pulled her behind us and toward the front of the bus while another passenger wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She was crying hard now, speaking rapid Spanish through shaking breaths while clutching at the woman’s arm like she was afraid someone would take her again.

I barely had time to look before my attention snapped back to Asher.

Because he was moving.

My entire body tightened.

Then I realized not toward us. Toward the gun. Or rather… Away from it.

Asher stared down at it for a second before turning the grip outward and extending it toward Locke.

Locke cautiously stepped forward and took it.

Nobody breathed. Nobody moved.

The second the weapon left his hand, I crossed the distance between us immediately. “Asher West,” I said firmly while pulling his arms behind his back. Metal clicked around his wrists. “You are under arrest.”

The handcuffs locked into place.

I started reading his rights automatically while guiding him down the aisle. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law…”

Asher stared straight ahead. No fight. No resistance. No smartass comments like before.

By the time we stepped off the bus, backup units had finally arrived and flashing lights painted the road blue and red.

I turned him toward me once we reached the SUV. ‘I keep my promises,” I told him evenly. ‘Once we get back to the federal building, we’ll work something out. But first things first.” I narrowed my eyes. “Is Marcus really heading to Canada?”

Asher swallowed. Then looked away. “No.”

Locke and I both went still. “No?”

am

Chapter 240

Asher stared out toward the highway. “He got on a bus to Portland.”

The blood immediately drained from my face. “…Why Portland?”

“So he could catch a flight.”

My stomach dropped. “To where?”

Asher looked directly at me. “Hawaii.”

Everything around me suddenly felt distant. Suddenly, all I could hear was Rowan’s voice from earlier.

We’re staying in Hawaii.

Locke looked horrified beside me. “What?”

Asher exhaled heavily. “Marcus still had access through his own computer back at the hotel.”

I stared at him.

“He used FBI databases.”

Oh my God.

“He found Rowan’s flight information.” Asher sighed, “He plans on killing him. For Hargrove.”

“But why?”

Asher laughed weakly under his breath. No humor. Nothing in it. “You realize FBI agents only make around seventy–five thousand a year,

right?”

I slowly turned toward Locke. “…Do you make seventy–five thousand?”

Locke snorted. “Only in my dreams. I’d throw a party if somebody handed me another ten grand a year to my pay.”

I looked back toward Asher slowly. He looked almost embarrassed now. “Sorry,” he muttered quietly. “Money was Marcus’s thing. He had a gambling addiction. He talked about owning people.” His eyes lowered toward the pavement. “Debts. Power. Control.”

My stomach twisted.

Then he looked up again. “Hargrove promised him five hundred thousand dollars to kill Rowan.”

Locke froze. I froze.

But Asher wasn’t finished. “And another two hundred fifty thousand… for Rowan’s wife.”

No.

10:31 am P P P P

Chapter 240

Oh my God.

No.

I was already reaching for my phone before he even finished speaking.

Because Rowan needed to answer.

Right fucking now.

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