Chapter 84

Emily

Heat floods my cheeks at Logan's words. I divert my gaze and look away, pushing back the strands of hair that falls into my face behind my ear. I nod my head, unsure of what else to do in this moment as my emotions overwhelmed my mind and body, and I walk back around the conference room table to pick up my tea.

Logan follows close behind. He picks up his own belongings as well, the smile remaining on his face. Before he is ready to go, I quickly make my way towards the conference room door, exiting quickly with a rushed excuse about needing to get back to work.

I hate how easily Logan can distract me. Even with one simple look, I am like putty in the palm of his hand, ready to be morphed at any given moment or second. With the way that he has been acting towards me, the way that he has protected me amidst the drama in my life and the crimes that have been committed inside of his pack, it makes me feel as if he has bigger and more affectionate feelings towards me than he is truly letting on.

Even if Logan were to admit these feelings towards me, I am not sure how I would even react in the first place. Would I accept his love that he shares for me? Or am I bound to reject him and follow through with the guidelines of the contract that we have set up with one another?

Even thinking about it, makes my head hurt. I listen to the soft clicks of my heels against the floor and make myself at home at the desk beside his office. I sit down and take a sit for my tea, placing it on the coaster before, turning my attention to the computer that sits in front of me.

I turn on the computer, trying to figure out a way to distract my mind from the way Logan's hands felt on my waist, the warmth from his touch, making me feel so alive. I also need a distraction from Dorothy in the files that I have given her.

The information in the papers that we have shared with her are crucial and sensitive. They reveal all of my dark family secrets, the way my father and stepmother have so cruelly taken away my inheritance in properties that belonged to me, the daughter of the late alpha who ran my family pack the best she could.

All I can do is sit here with the hope that Dorothy keeps the files on a need to know basis, that she will keep them away from the public eye and help me contain the privacy that I deserve.

I can feel my mind slipping away from me. Each and every thought that crosses, my consciousness is either revolved around Dorothy or Logan, the endless possibilities of my future, laying before me in my daydreams that are beginning to take away my attention from the work that was given to me. I tried to get my mind back on track, forcing myself to look at the spreadsheets that sit before me on the computer screen.

It does not help that Logan keeps his office doors open so they can keep an eye on me. Every so often, I catch him staring at me or he catches me taking a glance at him, a silent game of cat and mouse being formed between us in the small distance that separates the two of us. Every single time, I look away and feel the heat come back inside of my cheeks, attempting to hide my face from him as the second of the day tick by.

My mind is unusually loud today. I am overwhelmed with the hypothetical situations that surround me in the circumstances of my life. I am overstimulated with information that has been laid at my feet, unable to piece together the puzzle of my free freedom and security.

Before I even know it, I stand from my desk and quickly walk inside of Logan's office. He immediately drops the piece of paper in his hand and gives me his full attention, his eyes focused on mine as I look down at him from in front of his desk. He leans back in his chair, the quiet squeak from the leather catching my attention. It roots me in reality.

“I would like to have the rest of the day off,” I immediately proclaim to him in a slightly stern tone.

“The rest of the day?” he asks with a perked up eyebrow, “but we just started.”

“Then I would like the rest of the day off,” I let out a huff of air, only the slightest bit annoyed that he did not immediately give into my request.

“I can come with you, if you want,” he slightly lowers his voice. He moves to stand but I hold a hand out, gently shaking my head.

“No, that’s okay. You have a lot to do here anyways. You will only fall behind if you come with me and we can’t let that happen,” I breathe out in a rush, stopping him in his tracks. “I’m going to go now.”

Without wasting another second, I turn on my heel in quickly exit his office before he can try and stop me or follow after me. I quickly gather my belongings from my desk, shoving everything inside of the large bag that I bring with me every day to work, and head towards the elevator that sits just at the end of the hallway. I pressed the button and step inside as soon as the door is open, watching Logan step through his office doors just as the elevator closes.

I make my way through the public spaces of the building and find myself in front of the packs building, standing on the sidewalk. I turn around and look up at the windows. Counting the floors, I find the area in which Logan’s office is located, looking up at the window, covering my eyes from the bright sun.

Is he watching me right now? Is he wondering why I am taking the spontaneous day off, something that he has never known me to actually do or take. Logan knows that I take my work very seriously, never taking a break when it is not needed, but I can only sit here and hope that he understands why I must create distance between myself and his office, the one place that reminds me of my own personal dilemma that I find myself in.

I turned on my heel, ready to walk down the street and to my favorite café, that is just a couple minutes walk from here. As soon as I take a step, though, I feel somebody grab my hand, drawing me back to the place I originally started.

The person's touch is not like Logan's. The rough skin that I am used to is not the same against my hand. This person is much more supple and soft than he is. I slowly look up at the man who stands before me, my eyes meeting Michael's.

“Michael? What are you doing here?” I ask, instinctually looking around to see if anyone is watching us.

“We need to talk, Emily,” he breathes out in a low voice. “Please…my car is right over there.”

I begin to shake my head but then I realize that a scene may be exactly what he wants. I pull my hand back to my body, noticing a figure in Logan’s office window, and nod.

“Okay,” I hesitate to agree, forcing the words out of my mouth, “let’s talk.”