“This is where we’ll be staying…” Logan said as he pushed open the front door.
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Emery stepped inside and stopped. The ce was massive–ss walls, high ceilings, and concrete floors softened by expensive rugs. Modern, minimal, expensive. Everything was clean and sharp, not a single thing was out of ce. Floor–to–ceiling windows lined the back of the house, opening to a wide deck and a stretch of forest beyond the property. There was no sound but the quiet hum of the AC and the faint rustle of trees outside.
Logan walked ahead and tapped a panel on the wall. The lights adjusted instantly.
“There are five cameras on the perimeter,” he said. “Motion sensors by the tree line. ss <b>is </b>reinforced. Same materials used in secure facilities.<b>” </b>
Emery followed him further into the hallway, frowning slightly. “Why do we need all that?” she asked.
She already knew the answer. Of course, she did. Logan had enemies. He moved like someone who expected to be watched. And people like that didn’t build homes–they built safe zones.
He didn’t answer her right away. Instead, he walked toward the stairs and gestured for her to follow.
She kept pace with him, taking in the space as they climbed. Neutral tones. Cold materials. It wasn’t unweing–it just felt like it was built for control.
“This way.”
He led her to a wide hallway upstairs and pushed open the double doors at the end. The bedroom was huge. Another wall of ss looked out toward the woods. The bed was in the center–massive, perfectly made, with dark sheets and no unnecessary pillows. A second door sat just off to the side, slightly open.
Logan stepped in and gestured to the windows. “The property backs into a private forest. No neighbors. No foot traffic. No drones. This is where you’ll be safest. The baby, too.”
Emery didn’t respond. Her gaze moved around the room and back toward the door beside the bed.
“That’s the nursery,” Logan said. “It’s connected.”
She blinked. “Of course it is.”
“There’s an on–call doctor living five minutes from here. The staff rotates in shifts. There are three servants on the grounds. And a few people training outside. You’ll hear them sometimes.”
Emery turned to him. “Training?”
Logan nodded once. “Security”
Emery narrowed her eyes<b>. </b>“Your own military?”
“No.” He looked at her. “Just security.”
She didn’t believe him, but she let it go.
Her gaze shifted back to the bed. “So this is where I’ll be sleeping?”
Logan didn’t look away. “This is our room.”
She turned to him. “Our room?”
He nodded again. “It’s connected to the nursery.”
Emery’s jaw tensed, but she nodded. She didn’t have the energy to argue.
“You should rest,” he said. “The business manager will be here soon.”
Then he stepped closer. She didn’t move. He leaned in and kissed her forehead.
Her whole body went still.
Then he pulled back like nothing had happened.
She stared at him. “Logan?”
He looked at her.
“Are we sleeping in the same room?”
“Yes.”
Her mouth opened slightly. “Isn’t that… a little awkward? We just got married.”
He didn’t look away. “It’s safer this way.”
Emery crossed her arms. “The entire house is safe.”
“You agreed to act as my wife.”
Her eyes widened. She hadn’t expected him to say it so directly.
He smirked. “Don’t worry. I won’t touch you unless you want me to.”
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Then he turned and walked out, leaving her in the middle of the room. She didn’t move for a while. Her hand lifted slightly, touching the spot on her forehead where he kissed her. Then she turned toward the window.
The trees didn’t move. The house was quiet.
Too quiet.
But the quiet didn’tst. Suddenly, a sound broke through. It almost sounded like a howl. Emery’s head turned immediately. She walked to the balcony doors, unlocked them, and stepped outside. The cold air hit her skin as she moved forward. From here, she could see the entire stretch of forest behind the house. The balcony faced directly into the trees.
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She squinted toward the woods. Tall trees stretched endlessly across the back of the property. Pines. Redwoods, maybe. Their trunks were thick, their branches dense, barely swaying in the still air.
She leaned against the railing, listening. There it was again–a long, sharp sound like a howl. She narrowed her eyes, trying to see if anything moved in the distance. Nothing. Just trees. The line of cameras mounted along the edge of the house pointed outward toward the forest. None of them moved.
She stayed still, watching.
Then it was quiet again.
She nced around the property. No other houses. No cars. No lights. Just the sharp outline of trees and the faint sound of something moving through leaves far away. Maybe an animal. Or something else. She didn’t know, and Logan wasn’t the type to exin things twice.
She pulled her coat tighter and looked down at the ground below. No footprints. No shadows. Whatever that sound was, it wasn’t close. She exhaled.
Then she closed her eyes and took a breath. The air was sharp–cold enough to sting a little. Winter. She hadn’t thought it would feel this strong in California, but it did. Not snowy, but damp. Wet bark. Cold earth. Pine needles and distant smoke, maybe from a firece on another property, if there was one.
The scent calmed her.
It didn’t make sense, but she stayed like that for another minute, breathing it in. She needed that minute.
Then she opened her eyes and nced at the cameras again. Still nothing. Whatever that sound was, it was
gone now.
She stepped back inside and shut the ss door. Locked it. Then pulled the curtain across without looking back.
“Alright, first things first.” She grabbed her bag and pulled out herptop. Within seconds, she had the right document open. Then she picked up her phone and started making calls.
Staying at Logan’s estate came with rules, but they’d made a deal–she could still run her business. Whether from inside the house or surrounded by security outside, it didn’t matter. There were boundaries, sure. But she still had control over her work. That was non–negotiable,
After what felt like forever, she finally finished what she needed to do. She closed her document and checked out some news, only to freeze,
“This…” Emery said when she saw the news. “You gotta be kidding me.”
<b>12:35 </b><b>Thu</b>, <b>Sep </b>11 <b>B </b>