I follow his gaze. Nothing but crystal clear glass walls meet my eyes, but I know they’re around somewhere. Cameras.
Better not push that particular topic. He obviously doesn’t like them, but isn’t going to say why where they can hear. Totally fair. I wouldn’t say half the shit I want to say about my bosses in front of their face.
Okay, I probably would.
Maybe.
I don’t know. It’s easy to say you will until the time comes along...
"Okay, but why keep me away from them if you work for them? You’ve been pretty adamant about keeping me separate from anything Conclave-related."
"Because working with them and being bound to them are different things." Logan’s fingers drum against his thigh. "Once you sign their contracts, there’s no going back. No escape clause."
"Speaking from experience?"
His jaw tightens. "Speaking from observation."
For a moment, I glimpse something raw and desperate behind his careful mask. A warning he can’t voice aloud.
"What exactly happens when someone signs?"
"They get what they want." Logan’s voice carries an edge sharp enough to cut. "Power. Protection. Position. Everything has a price."
"And the price is?"
"Sometimes what you get isn’t worth what you give up." Logan changes the subject abruptly. "Speaking of giving things up, your friend has been blowing up my phone."
"Penelope?"
"Every hour, on the hour. ’Does Nicole have her phone yet?’ ’When can I talk to her?’ ’Is she okay?’"
"Vale didn’t bring one earlier. Hopefully soon. Or he’ll drag it out until I’m discharged from here." He’s the kind of sleazy jackass who would, too. I don’t really know the guy, but I can sense it. Dragons don’t give a shit about my best friend going insane without hearing from me.
"It’s fine." Logan’s lips press into a thin line. "She’s persistent. It’s... cute how much she cares about you."
Something in his tone catches my attention. The slight pause before ’cute.’ The way his jaw tightens. The subtle shift of his weight away from me.
My eyes narrow. Could it be? The mighty heir to the Lycan throne (and no, I’m still not over that revelation), jealous of my best friend?
"Penelope’s been there for me through everything." I watch his reaction carefully. "When Scott cheated, she held me while I cried. When I got my job, she threw me a party. Hell, she even helped me pick out furniture for my apartment."
His nostrils flare. "Sounds like quite the relationship."
"It is." I bite back a smile. "She knows everything about me."
"Everything?" His voice drops an octave.
"Everything."
"Everything?" he asks again, raking his eyes over my body.
I pause. "She knows some details of what goes on in the bedroom. Or, uh, bathroom."
His eyes narrow. "So she doesn’t know everything."
I mean, missing a few bedroom details isn’t something I’d consider not everything, but the man’s clearly looking for a win somewhere. "No, but she’s still the most important person in my life."
Logan’s eyes flash gold for a split second. "Is that so?"
"Absolutely." I keep my voice light, innocent. "I mean, who else would I trust completely?"
A low growl builds in his chest. "You trust her completely?"
"Of course." I tilt my head. "Why? Does that bother you?"
"No." The word comes out clipped, and he looks away from me. His hands clench at his sides.
"You sure? Because you seem bothered."
"I’m not bothered," he growls.
"Really? Because your eyes keep flashing, and you’re doing that thing with your jaw."
"What thing?"
"That clenching thing. Like you’re trying not to say something."
Logan forces his jaw to relax. "I don’t clench my jaw."
"You’re doing it right now."
"No, I’m not."
"Fine, fine." I step closer, grinning. "I think it’s great that you’re so unbothered by how close Penelope and I are."
His eyes narrow. "Are you trying to make me jealous?"
"Is it working?"
"No."
"Liar." I press my palm against his chest. "You know, green isn’t your color."
"I’m not jealous of your friendship with Penelope."
"Sure you’re not. That’s why you look ready to bite something."
"I do not—" He cuts himself off, running a hand through his hair. "You’re impossible."
"And you’re jealous."
"I," he declares haughtily, "am not jealous. I have the utmost confidence in you to maintain appropriate boundaries with other people."
"Appropriate boundaries? Like what."
Logan mutters something that sounds suspiciously like "insufferable woman" under his breath. His gaze fixes on some fascinating spot on the wall behind me.
"What was that?" I duck my head, trying to catch his eye. "I didn’t quite hear you."
"Nothing."
"Come on, use your words." I step into his line of sight. "Tell me how you really feel about my relationship with Penelope."
His jaw ticks. "I said it’s fine."
"Just fine?" I press my palm against his chest again, enjoying the feel of his firm muscles beneath my palm. "Because you seem a little tense."
"Nicole." A warning rumbles in his voice.
"Yes, Your Highness?" I bat my eyelashes. "Something bothering you?"
The muscle in his jaw jumps. "You’re playing with fire."
"Am I?" I trace a finger down his chest. "Or am I playing with a wolf?"
A growl builds in his chest. His eyes flash molten gold.
"You know, Penelope and I tell each other everything." I tap my chin. "Well, almost everything. I haven’t told her about that thing you do with your tongue—"
Logan snaps. His hand tangles in my hair, yanking my head back as his mouth crashes down on mine. The kiss burns with possession, dominance, alpha pheromones flooding my senses until my knees buckle. His arm bands around my waist, holding me up as he claims my mouth with bruising intensity.
When he finally breaks away, I gasp for air. My head spins, body trembling against his solid frame.
"Your friendship with Penelope is special. I get it." His voice drops to a dangerous purr. "But let me show you the difference between a best friend and a boyfriend."
I let my confidence go a little too far. Pointing in the vague direction of one of the cameras he likes to glance at, I whisper, "Camera."
He nips at my mouth. "Be a good girl if you don’t want to make a show, Nikki."