Chapter 196

Ella

I made my way through the crowd with my wolf’s pull guiding me, weaving between groups of well-dressed partygoers. The soft murmur of conversations and the clinking of glasses filled the air.

Up ahead, Logan was engrossed in a discussion with a few businessmen, and I approached him, my heart quickening at the sight of him. He looked so confident and composed, exuding an air of charisma that drew people in.

As I neared, Logan glanced in my direction and flashed a charming smile. Without missing a beat, he casually put his arm around my waist, drawing me closer to him.

It was a simple gesture, but it sent a rush of warmth through me. I couldn’t deny the attraction I felt towards him, and the way he held me only intensified it. I couldn’t tell if it was the alcohol or Lyra’s words or both, but I found myself leaning closer to him.

“See?” Ema teased, her voice a low purr in the back of my mind. “You want him.”

I blushed and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear while Logan continued his conversation. “Shut up, Ema,” I replied, although there was no real heat in my words. “It’s all for appearances.”

Ema chuckled. “Oh, Ella. You try so hard to rationalize everything. But you’ve always been that way, haven’t you?”

As Ema spoke in the back of my mind, I felt my face turning an even deeper shade of red. Maybe she was right, but I wouldn’t admit that right now. Instead, I turned my face away and sipped my drink, hoping that no one would notice.

Once Logan finally finished his conversation, he turned toward me, looking down at where I stood, still caught within the warmth of his arm.

“Hey there,” he said, his voice smooth and inviting. “Having a good time?”

I nodded, unable to hide the smile that tugged at my lips. “Yeah. It’s been… quite the night.”

Logan smirked. “How many drinks have you had so far?”

“Just this one,” I said, lifting my glass.

“Tipsy already, huh?”

I frowned, even though he was right. “No. Leave me alone.”

Logan chuckled, and as he did, his fingers brushed lightly against my hip. I felt a shiver of desire run down my spine at the sensation. Part of me wanted to give in to it, to let go for just this once. Maybe my wolf was right; maybe tonight was the night where things went one step further.

Maybe, just maybe, all we needed to do was take Harry and Marina down and then everything would finally be okay.

Right?

But just as the thought crossed my mind, a man who Logan had been talking to before made his way over.

“Oh god,” Logan said under his breath. “That’s Richard, and he’s drunk. He gets talkative when he’s drunk, and he’s already talked to me for—”

“Hello again,” Richard, a middle-aged man with a beer belly said as he approached, his face red from the alcohol. “Logan, I wanted to—oh, hello there.” He paused, eyeing me up and down.

“Hello,” I said stiffly, leaning into Logan just a little bit more.

The man smirked and held his hand out for me. I hesitantly took it, not wanting to be rude. But then he kissed my fingers, his lips a bit too wet for my liking. It was all I could do to not grimace.

“Such a lovely piece you have on your arm there, Logan,” he said, releasing his grip on my hand and turning away. “Enjoy it while it lasts! They always get fat and miserable, you know.”

I gasped. “That little—” Ema began, but it was too late. I was already stepping forward, getting ready to tell this guy off.

But before I could, Logan sensed my discomfort and immediately stepped in. His tone was firm as he addressed the man. “She’s not a ‘piece,’” he said, his voice carrying a note of authority. “She’s my fiancee, and she’s a brilliant and accomplished woman. You should treat her with the respect she deserves, Richard.”

The man, taken aback by Logan’s words, stammered, “Why, I never—”

Logan didn’t let up, though. He continued, his voice low and threatening, “And I know all about your secret rendezvous with escorts behind your beautiful wife’s back, Richard. If you ever speak to her like that again, I won’t hesitate to share your little secret with everyone. Now I think it’s best if you leave before I decide to share it anyway.”

The man’s face paled, and he quickly made his exit, leaving me feeling a mix of gratitude and embarrassment. Logan turned to me, concern etched on his features.

“Are you alright?” he asked, his gaze softening.

I nodded, my cheeks flushing with a mixture of emotions. “Yeah, I’m fine,” I muttered as I wiped my hand on a cocktail napkin. “Thanks for standing up for me… Although I could have handled it myself.”

Logan chuckled and placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “It’s a man's job to stick up for his woman,” he said with a smile. “No man should let someone speak about his woman like that. Ever.”

I felt my cheeks grow warmer at his words, but at the same time, they filled me with a strange sensation. “I’m not your woman, Logan,” I murmured, feeling an inexplicable need to correct him.

Logan fell silent for a moment, his blue eyes searching my face. Although he tried to hide it, it became glaringly obvious that I had hurt him.

“Logan, I didn’t mean—”

“No, I get it,” he said, clearing his throat. “It’s just… no one else knows that here. Appearances, right?”

I nodded, although the motion was stiff. “Yeah,” I murmured; although inside, my wolf was screaming at me.

“Why did you say that?” she asked. “Ella, that was—”

“I know,” I replied, averting my gaze. “It just… slipped out.”

We continued mingling with the other guests, but I couldn’t stop wondering why I had said that. It was cruel of me, and it confused even myself. I knew it hurt Logan, even though he was hiding it well.

Why did I say that? What was wrong with me?

But my thoughts were soon interrupted when Logan suddenly perked up, making eye contact with a man standing by the far wall. The man wore a suit that was slightly too big for his frame, and he had a strange look about him. Honestly, he seemed… sketchy.

But they locked eyes, and Logan nodded so subtly it was almost imperceptible.

“Who’s that?” I asked, looking up at Logan.

“Don’t worry about it,” Logan said vaguely. He paused then, and leaned closer, his breath warm as he whispered into my ear, “I’ll see you later, Ella. This meeting could take a while. Remember to meet me outside like we promised.”

I furrowed my brow, wanting to know more about the meeting, but before I could ask all he did was wink and walk away. I watched the man follow him up the stairs toward Logan’s office, and then they were gone.

“That was odd,” Ema said, sounding just as perturbed as I felt. “Who do you think that was?”

I swallowed, staring at the spot where they had disappeared to. “I’m not sure,” I replied, biting the inside of my cheek. “But something about it was fishy, don’t you think?”

“Absolutely.”