Chapter 59
He didn’t look up when I entered. But he said, “Londered us dinner.”
I dropped my bag by the door. “Pin not hamgry.”
“Did something happen?” He set the faliter down and gave me his full attention.
I turned toward my room, hesitating. “Not yet.”
וד
His voice followed me as I started to walk away. “Then stay. Just for a bit,
I paused. Just long enough to be uncomfortable, then I dropped my bag on a chair and turned back. I sat across from him without waiting for an invitation.
The room felt warmer than usual. Or maybe that was just me, still shed from how close I’d come to breaking during that meeting. From the way he’d looked at me across the room like I belonged there.
Logan closed the folder. “You were right about the projections. That Beta’s been running unchecked for too long.”
“I didn’t say he was skimming”
“No. But you wanted someone to check. That’s enough.” There was something in his voice. Not quite admiration. Not quite
Something close.
“I got a version of the report today with a decimal shifted,” I said, watching him carefully.
His brow furrowed. “From who?”
“Carla.”
That earned a pause. Then, slowly, he leaned back in his chair, studying me.
“you’re not
not going to say
to say anything yet, are you?‘
“No.” I said. “Not until I have what I need,
He smiled faintly, just the corner of his mouth. “Smart”
“You keep acting surprised.”
“I’m not,” he said. “Not anymore.”
That was… unexpected. I looked away first, gaze falling on the abandoned press release draft on the table. “You’re going to announce the conclusion of the internal investigation?”
He nodded. “Tomorrow. It’ll go out to all allied Packs.”
“I reworked the draft you gave me,” I said, pulling a marked–up version from my bag “Your version was too aggressive. If we’re trying to restore confidence, we can’t sound like we’re hunting shadows.”
“I was trying to sound decisive. ”
“Yoursounded defensive.”
He took the draft from me and read in silerice.
“You changed the phrasing on the conclusion,” he said, voice neutral
“Yes.”
THE
“You removed the word ‘corruption “”
“Because it implies the system is still compromised.”
Chapter 59
He looket up. “It is.”
“But the point is that you’re cleaning it.”
+25 BONUS
We stared at each other for a long beat. The tension wasn’t combative It was close Pressed between us like a breath we hadn’t agreed to share.
Finally, I reached out and slid the folder across the table toward him. “If you want a puppet, Logan, you should’ve kept Iris.”
That did it. He laughed.
Not the cold, calculated chuckle he gave to nobles or rivals–but a real one. Brief, surprised, unguarded. A full bellied Laugh I think caught us both off guard.
“I’d burn this place down if you ever let someone pull your strings, he said, shaking his head. “You’d never survive as a puppet You’d light the wires on fire and strangle the puppeteer.”
Something in me uncoiled at that–something I hadn’t realized was so tightly wound.
And when our eyes met again, it felt like the air changed.
His smile faded.
And the silence between us stretched, slow and heavy, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was full. Thick with anticipation and unfinished business.
His hand twitched like he was about to reach for mine, but then he stopped. I saw the hesitation. Saw the moment he decided to pull back.
He stood instead, tucking the folder under one arm.
“I’ll send the release with your revisions,” he said quietly. “Every word.”
He started toward the hall and I didn’t stop him. But I watched. And I felt it–the pulse in my throat, the ache behind my ribs, the echo of something that almost happened.
Almost
