Page 90 of Blood on the Ice

I can feel his eyes on me and imagine how broadly he’s grinning. Lucas is starving for praise and love, even if his grandmother was good to him, and he lights up like a Christmas tree when I give it without being asked. His parents are stupid, selfish assholes and so was every dumbfuck who used him for his family name before now.

Damn, that almost sounds like I’m…nope.

Shaking my head to clear it, I open my eyes and look up at him with a grin. “To what do I owe this unscheduled visit, mate?”

“Nana got the old farts to agree. She just texted me during my last class, so I headed here to tell you in person.” His smug grin tickles me; I know he didn’t actually do more than ask his rich relative to fix something, but he’s so adorably proud of himself.

“Good job, baby. I’m glad my GPS won’t go off and send Guardians winging their way to Bay City to arrest me for leaving my invisible cage.”

“That’s bullshit, anyway,” he grumbles. “As long as you do your shit and serve out your time, grounding you in one place is fucking stupid and spiteful. I asked Nana to figure out just who requested that extra bit of security so we can check into them.”

And again, he surprises me with his strategy. No wonder he’s a Captain.

“I doubt she’ll be able to find out someone’s hidden motives, but… thank you,” I murmur up at him. “You’re really making it hard to focus on doing shit when you’re not around.”

His chest puffs up, and he preens a bit—which was my goal. I didn’t think I’d ever find anyone who made me feel safe or like I want to take the risk of sharing myself with them again until this brash young bear stomped into my house, but I’m not stupid enough to reject it. Between him and the Prince, I fell asleep every night this week in a cocoon of warm, sated comfort like I’ve never experienced before.

“Want to walk across campus with me for a coffee? I think the pretty boy is working.”

My smile widens, and I pull away so I can scoot out from the table. “Why didn’t you lead with that? I’d love to visit Slade. He and Iggy have been so busy getting their stuff covered for the trip and dealing with ‘secret’ sources to scout his dad. I haven’t seen nearly enough of them.”

Lucas nods, holding his hand out. “It’s afternoon, anyway, and I’d be surprised as fuck if you’ve eaten since breakfast. Andbefore you say it,no, coffee doesnotcount, even if you filled it with a bunch of fluffy shit.”

Damn. He’s got me there.

“Stop being impressively observant and chivalrous. You’re making me look bad,” I grumble as we walk to the door. When we exit, Channing winks at me and I sigh when I realize she’s heard every word.

“I’ll set your phone and email to ‘out for lunch,’ Morgana. I don’t want people chasing you while you eat.” My bear gives Channing a double thumbs-up, and she flushes brightly. “Make sure she’s back before her meeting at two, Lucas.”

“Got it Chan-o-rama!” he calls and I chuckle.

I don’t know how he charms damn near everyone around us, but he does. Polar bears aren’t known for being friendly, nor are spoiled rich guys, but Lucas Wolfberg is an exception to almost every rule. I think that’s why he burst through my defense so easily; he’s simply not what he seems from the outside. His actual personality is fucking adorable and infinitely endearing, with a broad capacity for fun and adventure.

I haven’t been around anyone with that kind of joie de vivre in an extremely long time.

“Okay, Lady M. So you usually have a large vanilla cappuccino with whip, sweetener, and some fluffy shit. Buttoday, I want you to try something new. We’re flying to a place neither of us has been to meet criminals we don’t know tomorrow… so adventure is on the docket.”

I blink at him. “Were you reading my mind, you nosey parker?”

He laughs and shakes his head as we leave the admin building to head across the quad. “Nope. But I’m all about experiencing new shit. It’s been an awfully good week for that, yeah?”

Flashes of him and the Prince together and with me assault my brain and I nod. “Uh… yeah. Yeah, it has.”

“Bad girl,” he coos playfully. “Not in public. You’re going to draw supes with good noses if you don’t clean up that dirty mind. But yeah, you caught my drift.”

I shake my head again and suck in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “Okay. So the theme of today and by extension, the trip… is try new shit?”

“Fuck, yeah, it is!” Lucas pumps his fist in the air and I laugh. “I mean, why not? If people are trying to frame me, kill you, and who knows what the others have going on… whywouldn’twe enjoy ourselves every minute?”

When you put it like that…

“Okay. I’m in.” He grins and I look at him seriously. “Who else is involved? Have you asked Li or the others to play along?”

“Nope,” he says with a pop. “But I’m going to. Liam willdefinitelyaccept ‘cause he’s very adaptable. Slade might—which is why we’re going there now to get our caffeine and protein on. Iggy? I’m not sure about him, but if we convince Slade, we can get him in, I think. The dragon will be harder.”

“Uh, I highly doubt Kaspar will play along withanything, especially if I’m in,” I reply wryly. “He’s got a giant hard-on for being a jerk to me and nothing else.”

“Mmmm, I don’t know about that,” my bear says as we get closer to the coffeehouse. “You’re giving him too much leeway with his shit, and that’s what he enjoys.”

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