Page 37

As might be predicted, I’m not alone for long.

“You good?” Cole asks.

I look up at him and don’t answer.

He laughs a little, I think getting used to my taciturn silences, taking them for the answers they are. He sits on my log – not too close to me, but not far, either. “You’re going to want to be more careful with Rose.”

“Why?” I snap, pissed off again.

“Because,” he murmurs, “she’s a bully. And she’s not above doing some nasty stuff to you to make you miserable if you make her miserable too. She is…well practiced in the art of sabotaging girls she marks as her enemies.”

I scoff at him. “Why do youlikeher?”

Cole turns to me, a curious smile playing at his mouth. “Why gives you the impression that I like her?”

“Cole,” I say, snapping my eyes shut. “Don’tevenmake me roll my eyes at that – they’ll go so far back they’ll never come forward again –“

He laughs, and I open my eyes to renew my glare.

Cole just smirks and shakes his head. “I’ve known Rose for a long time, Nadia. Our relationship is complicated. She wasn’t like that at the start – or at least, I wasn’t aware of it. And she’s notalwayslike that. Rose has many…layers.”

“Yeah, but youknowshe’s horrible now,” I say, shaking my head, not getting it. “So why do youlikeher? Why don’t you just kick herout?”

“Is that what you want?” he asks, glancing at me and then staring into the fire. “Me to just…remove obstacles for you? You took charge of the nursing unit, and your dad let you have it, Nadia. If you’re going to be a leader, then you have to manage these kinds of opposition, not just shove them away.”

“Iammanaging it,” I growl. “By makingyoukick her assout.”

He laughs, I think unable to help it. But he doesn’t look at me. “She is talented, Nadia. If you want her to leave, then I’ll make her go. You’re in charge. But my dad sent her for a reason – sheisthe best.”

I sigh, not liking it.

But then my curiosity overtakes my discontent. “So, is she your ex or something?”

Cole goes still.

I smirk.

“Or are you guys like,stilldating?”

Slowly, he turns to me and holds my gaze. The steely seriousness of him makes me go still for a moment before, quite slowly, he shakes his head. “No, Nadia,” Cole says, his voice a low, powerful hum. “I’m not dating Rose. I’m not dating anyone.”

I cock my head to the side. “But you used to date her. Didn’t you?”

Another beat before he slowly nods.

“So?” I ask, quirking my brow, leaning back against a hand that I place flat on the log, pretending for all things that this is just averycasual chat between friends. “How long did that last?”

The edge of his mouth twitches. “Why do you want to know, Nadia?”

“I’m taking a survey of everyone in camp,” I say, twirling a finger in the air, breezy and casual. “Mostly for Shay. She needs everyone’s sexual history before she can decide her next target.”

Slowly, Cole shakes his head, smirking at me and playing along. “I’d prefer to remain mysterious in Shayne’s book,” he says quietly. “She’s a heartbreaker, and I doubt I’d survive her. But ifyouwant to know, Nadia…I’ll tellyou.”

I study him for a moment, my eyes moving over his steady features, his well-defined mouth and stubbled cheeks below high, carved cheekbones.

“Fine,” I say, my voice softer now. “I want to know.”

“Then again,” he says, leaning incrementally closer. “Why do you want to know?”