Inés stiffened at once, her body going rigid, but she kept her gaze lowered, refusing to meet his eyes.
"I'll be questioning her alone," Dominique stated sharply. Rising from his chair, he snatched up his jacket and tugged it into place with a force that spoke of restrained impatience before striding around the table.
Santiago reacted instantly, pushing to his feet and stepping in front of Inés, shielding her behind his back. His stance was firm, protective.
"She's not a criminal for you to interrogate," he said, a flicker of anger threading through his voice.
Dominique didn't even spare him a glance.
Those jade-green eyes cold and glacial remained fixed on Inés alone. She shifted nervously where she stood, her foot tapping restlessly against the floor, her gaze still locked downward.
Despite her fear, she found a strange sense of comfort in Santiago's presence.
