Chapter 7

Logan

Nothing helps me clear my head like hitting the weights. Follow that with a relaxing time in the sauna and I should be feeling more like myself. Hopefully, it will help me figure out what needs to happen next.

I change into workout clothes and make my way through the mansion. I’m halfway to the gym when Gervas rounds a corner in front of me and flags me down. Talking is the last thing I want to do, but he seems insistent.

“Now isn’t a good time,” I say. 

Gervas falls into step with me.

“I was curious if Miss Watson had the occasion to speak with you? She inquired as to your whereabouts and I do know how she is prone to getting… misplaced.”

I let out a frustrated sigh. It’s going to be hard to not think about Aimee if she gets brought up in every conversation.

“She did,” I say, curtly. “And she said you had something to do with it. You knew I wasn’t in the mood to talk to her…”

Gervas isn’t fazed by the obvious frustration in my tone.

“I only told her where I thought she might find you.”

I come to halt and round on him. To his credit, Gervas doesn’t miss a step.

“You told her to find me in the sauna?” He nods. “That’s rather interesting, since I told you I would be in my suite and didn’t want to be disturbed.”

“It must have slipped my mind,” he says, attempting a half-hearted shrug.

I eye him, suspiciously. Gervas isn’t good at masking himself and there is definitely something off. He’s never taken any particular interest in my personal affairs before, so why is this different?

“You know something is happening between Mara and Lucas, don’t you?”

“Is there?” he asks, his eyes widening in fake concern.

Damn him.

“Cut the act and be straight with me. What’s going on?”

There’s a brief hesitation before he responds. 

“I wasn’t positive,” he says. “But I have had my suspicions.”

Frustrated anger is quickly rising inside of me.

“Why did you get Aimee involved? You should have just come to me.”

Gervas considers me for a long moment before responding.

“I hope it isn’t too forward of me to say this, but it seems like you and Miss Watson have a special connection.”

My gut tightens. I don’t want to think about our special connection.

“Aimee and I…” I wave a hand and try not to sound too deflated. “That’s not something we have to worry about, anymore.”

Gervas’s face seems to droop.

“That’s too bad. She seems quite taken with you.”

“Apparently she has some… other… interests in mind.”

“Oh?”

Gervas gives me an innocent look. He’s used that look before and it usually means he knows something I haven’t figure out yet.

“Don’t look at me like that. You know damned well I have to protect myself.”

“What on earth do you need protection from?”

“I’m a powerful man. And powerful men make good targets.”

“So Miss Watson is targeting you?”

“Don’t twist my words around on me. Besides, you have your own situation to be handling… I’m starting to think that someone on your staff has become a liability.”

Gervas’s cheeks tinge a rosy color. It might be the first time I’ve ever seen him blush.

“I must apologize for that. Rest assured, the situation is being dealt with.”

“Dealt with?”

He gives me a curt nod.

“The person in question has been let go. But not before securing some sensitive information.”

This is the first I’m hearing anything about it.

“When were you going to tell me?”

“We’re still following up on loose ends. I wanted to wait until we had a better handle on it before bringing it to your attention.”

So Mara did have someone she was working with. Things are starting to fall into place.

“Dig deep. And do it quickly, we may not have much time.”

Gervas nods his head once.

“Might I be so bold as to inquire how things have changed between Miss Watson and yourself, sir?”

I hesitate for a moment, but then give in. Gervas’s heart is in the right place, even if this isn’t something I want to be talking about right now.

“Mara confronted her,” I begin. “She made Aimee an offer and apparently it’s exactly what Aimee was looking for.”

Gervas frowns.

“I got the feeling the only thing she’s looking for is a connection.”

Dammit, why won’t he just drop it?

“Look, what’s done is done. It’s time to put the past behind us and focus on the future.”

Gervas continues as though I hadn’t even said anything.

“What is it that you’re running from?” he asks.

“I’m not running.”

“Mister Atwood… Logan…” Hearing him say my first name makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. “I’ve known you for a long time. Maybe the longest of anyone that knows you. You can’t fool me like everyone else. You’re scared of something—even if you won’t admit it to yourself.”

What in the world gives Gervas the right to talk to me like this? 

“I’m sick and tired of women only seeing me for what I can give them. I want a woman who is going to see me for the man I am.”

“Then why don’t you start acting like it?”

“Excuse me?” I say, giving him a sideways look.

“Logan, you’re the only one making a big deal about how much money and power you have. If you want a woman to see you for who you really are, maybe it’s time you start seeing it for yourself?”

“That’s ridiculous. Of course I know who I really am.”

“And what makes you so sure that Aimee doesn’t see it for herself?”

“Aimee only sees me for the big house and the exotic toys. The moment she had an offer for a sure thing she was all over it.”

“You’re talking out of your ass and you know it.” The anger in his tone stuns me. “You’ve got a woman running around this house, bending over backwards to let you know that she just wants a chance with you. You’re the one putting up all the roadblocks. And yet, somehow, she’s still determined to do anything she can to win you over. You’re the only one making it about the money, and if you keep it up then you’re going to be the one who loses.”

The words hit me like a ton of bricks. A long silence hangs between us before I’m able to say anything. I’ve never heard Gervas get so angry about anything before. 

“Maybe you’re right,” I say, finally.

Gervas nods as a little smile tugs at the corners of his lips.

“I knew you would see reason when it was pointed out,” he says. “Now, I’m quite certain that you’ll find Miss Watson in the study. Perhaps it would be wise for you to go to her…”