Page 49 of Cold Heir

His hand lingered on my waist, where he’d caught me, and even this slight contact between us was dizzying.

“It’s fine. Don’t apologize,” he smirked, wetting his lips with the words.

He moved aside to let me through, and his fingertips slipped over the small sliver of exposed skin above my waistband. The touch continued when he caught my hand, only holding on long enough to make me swoon.

It worked.

My eyes followed him like a lioness in heat. And just as quickly as he’d come, he was headed away from me, back on course to wherever he’d been going before I interrupted with my clumsiness.

It took a moment for the giddy girl with raging hormones inside me to quiet down. Eventually, the responsible adult I knew I was capable of being stepped forward again.

“Hey, have a sec?” I called out to him, catching him at the last moment, before he disappeared around a corner.

“For you? Always,” he answered with a smile.

The warmth in his eyes when they met mine made me feel undone. It’d been that way all week. For some reason, the secret between us—our plans to infiltrate the Tine Facility—made the tension between us even thicker. It was evident even now, in the way my heart raced as he returned to me. In the pleased look that crossed his face as he did a quick scan of my figure, and in the lingering stare as our gazes found one another’s.

“I uh … I wondered if you could do me a favor?” After stammering like an idiot, because he made me forget why I even called him over, I spoke in a whisper. Just in case anyone was nearby. “Can you possibly help me get my hands on some info?”

His brow gathered at the center as he became curious. “Sure. Whatever you need.”

He was always so kind, so accommodating, and it wasn’t until now—when I entrusted him with yet another of my secrets—that I realized how much stock I put in our natural connection.

“A friend’s gone missing, and I hoped you could put your feelers out to see if you can find anything. I’d do it myself, but here my resources are pretty limited,” I reminded him.

Understanding, he nodded. “Of course. What’s her name?”

“Hisname is Spencer,” I corrected. “And he works the docks just east of the Danfield Medical House.”

Silas offered another thoughtful nod. “I’m familiar with the area. Is it safe to assume this friend is an Ianite?”

It didn’t surprise me he’d guess as much, seeing as how it was extremely rare for a human male to be employed outside one of the mills. In other words, if it wasn’t back-breaking, slave labor, they weren’t jobs for our men.

“He is, and it’s urgent,” I informed him. “As soon as you know something, please let me know.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

We parted ways then, and I continued on my path, feeling confident he’d do his best.

Chapter Seventeen

Julian

Having Elle see to it that Corina stayed out of the house for at least an hour was merely a precaution. All because of a call that came through almost right at the break of dawn.

Roman hadn’t reached out in weeks, so after hearing from him this morning, stating that it was urgent he speak with us, it was without question that the others and I would clear our schedules.

Hopefully, whatever it was he had to say, wouldn’t end with another explosive argument like the one between he and Corina. The argument responsible for keeping him away all these days.

We sat in silence, each with our gazes fixed on the window that faced the circular drive. Levi—being the unashamed day-drinker he was—had foregone a glass, choosing to hang on to the entire wine bottle for what I thought weallanticipated to be a tense conversation. Silas paced thoughtfully, quieter than usual, while I held my composure from the seat behind my desk. It took every ounce of energy within me to stay optimistic.

So far, it wasn’t working.

At the first glint of sunlight on the hood of a polished black sedan, I was on my feet, not bothering to wait for someone on my staff to take notice and let him into the house. By the time my brother from the South was escorted from the backseat by his security, I was already at the door.

He mentioned on the call that he’d been away this past week to gather his thoughts. Stopping here upon his return had taken precedence over all else, which left me to wonder what was of such great importance that he’d order his jet to land inmyquadrant instead of his own.

There was a heightened sense of it having been way too long since we communicated. Yet, despite the uncertainty that lingered between us, embracing him felt as natural as breathing. He’d always been a brother to me. I wouldn’t stop treating him as such now.

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