Chapter 157

Ella

“Do you really want to know, Ella?” Logan asked, his voice low and husky. “My deepest, darkest secret?”

Something about the teasing tone hiding in Logan’s voice gave me pause. I took a step back, slipping out from between his body and the wall where I was sandwiched.

“I don’t care what you do,” I muttered, although I couldn’t entirely deny the fact that my heart was clenching with a sensation that was akin to jealousy, which made me hate myself even more.

His laughter broke the silence. “C’mon, Ella. Let me show you. I think you might actually be intrigued.”

I frowned. “I’m not going to join you on your late-night escapades, Logan. I don’t do...that sort of thing.”

“Trust me, it’s not like that.” He leaned closer, his eyes earnest, the teasing edge gone for the moment. “I’m not seeing anyone, if that makes you feel better.”

I turned my face away, hiding the relief that surely showed there. It did make me feel better, that sliver of confirmation, though I would never admit it out loud.

Ema’s voice echoed in my mind, her presence comforting after how long she had been dormant. “You should be satisfied now,” she said. “At least you know he’s not seeing other women.”

But the scent of that perfume nagged at me, a lingering sense of doubt in the back of my mind. Where had it come from? As much as I hated to admit it, I couldn’t quite let it go.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Ema continued, “and maybe this will bring the two of you closer.”

I shut that down immediately. “No, Ema. I’m not getting closer to Logan. I’m just… curious, that’s all.”

Ema chuckled, a low rumble in the back of my mind. “Ah, cognitive dissonance. You’re not fooling anyone, Ella. Not even yourself.”

“Ella?” Logan’s voice pulled me back to the present. “Earth to Ella?”

I shook my head as if to dispel the thoughts that my wolf had planted in my mind. “Look,” I said, “I don’t care if you’re seeing anyone. Really. But you shouldn’t be traipsing in and out of my apartment in the middle of the night. Period.”

Logan chuckled. “Okay, you have a point. So, if you’re open to it, why not just let me show you where I’m going?”

“And why would I do that?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Because I’ve been thinking lately, and I think you might actually like it. Besides, you go to bed at nine PM like a grandmother. You should get out more.”

I scoffed, folding my arms across my chest. “My sleep schedule is just fine, thank you very much.”

“Listen, Ella, do you want to come out with me or not?”

“And go where, exactly?” I asked.

That was when the smirk finally came across his face again. “Look,” he said, his voice dropping slightly. “If I told you, I doubt you’d believe me. So just let me show you. What do you say, hm? Tomorrow night?”

I opened my mouth, caught somewhere between telling him to screw off and accepting his absurd offer. But then Ema’s presence permeated my consciousness, and all at once, I felt myself saying something that I never meant to at all, all thanks to her.

“Okay. I’ll go with you.”

…

The next night came much more quickly than I had anticipated. I stood at the window, arms folded, gazing at nothing in particular.

I should’ve been getting ready for bed, considering I had work in the morning. A rational part of me wanted to call Logan and tell him not to bother. I should just stay at home. It would be easier.

But Ema stirred inside of me. “You’ll be glad you went with him, wherever he’s taking you. Trust me.”

I pressed my lips together, looking away from my reflection in the darkened window. “So says you,” I answered out loud. “You’re the one who took over and forced me to say yes last night.”

There was a knowing tone to her chuckle. “I did what I had to do. You were being indecisive, and this… This could help you two get closer.”

“Closer?” I huffed. “Ema, what don’t you understand? I need to keep Daisy safe. I can’t be getting closer to him, because I need to cut him off.”

“And where in Marina’s stipulations did it say that you need to cut him off?” Ema asked. “All you need to do is ensure that he doesn’t win as heir. There are plenty of ways to do that without cutting him out of your life.”

“I’m just trying—”

“No, I know what you’re doing,” Ema insisted. “You’re pushing him away because you’re scared. Because you’re scared that you might actually love him, and you can’t handle it. Because if he finds out that you’re trying to sabotage him, he’ll leave you anyway.”

I blanched at Ema’s words. No matter how much I refused to listen to her, there was still a part of me that wondered if she was right. Sighing, I passed my hand over my face and walked over to my bedroom, sinking down onto my bed. My reflection stared back at me from the full-length mirror, tired and a little haggard.

“What are you going to wear?” Ema’s question pulled me from my thoughts.

I glanced down at my sweatpants and sweatshirt ensemble. “I’m wearing this.”

There was a pause, and I could sense that she was judging me. “You’re going out with Logan looking like that?”

I turned to the mirror, catching sight of my reflection. The baggy clothes did little to flatter my figure, and the stark overhead light washed me out. “What’s wrong with this?”

“Put on the jeans—the tight ones. And that blue top you like. The one that makes your eyes stand out.”

With a sigh that carried all the weight of my reluctance, I pulled the sweatshirt over my head and grabbed the pair of jeans Ema had mentioned.

They were snug, hugging curves I usually didn’t bother to accentuate. Next came the blue top, soft and somehow both comfortable and flattering. The jacket was a last-minute addition, more for my own comfort than any fashion statement.

Ema prodded me again. “A little makeup wouldn’t hurt.”

“Fine,” I grumbled, dabbing on some foundation and a hint of mascara. It felt foreign, this ritual of painting my face just to discover someone else’s ‘secret’. But I couldn’t deny the odd thrill that bubbled up inside of me, the anticipation of discovering Logan’s secret.

As I finished with a touch of lip gloss, headlights flashed through my window, casting long shadows across my living room. The purr of an engine cut through the night, and I knew it was Logan before I even looked out the window.

He was leaning against his red car, casual as could be, like a scene from an old movie. “You coming?” he called up, catching my gaze.

I hesitated at the door, suddenly unsure. I hated how excited I was, excited to uncover this hidden side of Logan and find out whatever he was hiding.

“Ella?” His voice held a hint of amusement and something else, something which I couldn’t quite read.

“Alright. I’m coming.”

I stepped out, the cool night air a sharp contrast to the warmth of my apartment. The jacket suddenly felt like a smarter choice, and I wrapped it tighter around myself as I approached the car.

“You look good,” Ema murmured, satisfaction in her tone. “He won’t know what hit him.”

I ignored her, focusing instead on the man in front of me. Logan’s eyes scanned over me, taking in my attire. There was a spark of something in his gaze, approval maybe, or surprise. I couldn’t read it, and that annoyed me more than I wanted to admit.

“Nice car,” I said instead, nodding toward the red sports car that I had become so accustomed to associating with Logan.

Logan’s smile widened as he opened the door for me. “I know she’s your favorite.”

I let out a wry chuckle and slid into the passenger seat. There was a beat of silence as Logan jogged around the side of the car to the driver’s side, sliding in next to me. He buckled his seatbelt, then put the car in drive and revved the engine.

“Ready?” he asked, his eyes glinting with something mischievous in the dim light.

I nodded. “Ready.”