Page 39 of Broken Princess

7

Logan

By the timeI got back to Wonderland, it was almost nine o’clock. I headed straight for the top floor, and I ended up crossing paths with my mother as soon as I stepped out of the elevator.

I could barely look at her without feeling a desperate, blazing urge to pick her up and throw her out a window, but for now, I had to smile and pretend everything was fine. I couldn’t let her know I was onto her.

“Logan!” she said with a bright smile, air-kissing my cheeks. It took every ounce of willpower I had to not flinch at her touch. “Where have you been?”

“Just out with a friend.”

“Oh, that’s nice.” Her forehead wrinkled as she stepped back. “Are you all right? You look exhausted.”

“I haven’t been sleeping much.”

“Why?”

I swallowed thickly. “I guess I’m just worried about Willow.”

“Don’t worry, she’ll be back before you know it,” she said, patting my forearm. “She called you, didn’t she?”

“I got a voicemail from her the other day, but I haven’t been able to call her back.”

She shrugged. “You know what it’s like when you’re out on a yacht. No phone signal most of the time, and you’re too busy having fun to think about calling anyone anyway.”

I forced a tight smile. “Yeah. I’m sure she’s having a lot of fun.”

“Yes. Anyway, I better go,” she said, glancing at her watch. “I’m meeting someone downstairs for dinner. I’ll see you again in an hour or so for tea by the fire?”

“Sure.”

“Maybe we’ll make it scotch instead,” she said with a playful wink. “That’ll help you sleep.”

I nodded. “Good idea.”

“Actually, that reminds me—I won’t be around for our nightly drink tomorrow.”

“Why?” I asked, lifting a brow. I was already ninety-nine percent certain that I knew the answer. I just wanted to hear the bullshit excuse she came out with.

“A friend’s daughter just got engaged, and I said I’d help her throw a party, so I’ll be out most of the afternoon and night. I might even stay out there until the next day. So don’t wait up for me.”

“Okay.” I swallowed thickly, wondering what the hell she had in store for Willow tomorrow night. There had to be a reason she was going up to Lilith Hall for so long.

“Anyway, see you later, darling!” Mom air-kissed me again before sweeping down the hall toward the elevator, leaving the cloying scent of her perfume lingering in the air.

I gritted my teeth, took a deep breath, and headed down to my father’s study. He was sitting at his desk, glasses halfway down his nose as he pored over some paperwork. When I walked in without knocking, he glanced up and frowned. “Logan. What are you doing here?”

I sat down without waiting for an invitation. “I just wanted to talk.”

“Since when do you want to talk to me?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.

I lifted a conciliatory palm. “Since now. I know there’s been a lot of tension between us over the last few months, and I wanted to apologize for that.”

His eyes widened slightly. “Oh. I see.” He coughed and cleared his throat. “I suppose it’s fine. Both of us can be irritable on occasion.”

“So we’re good?”

A ghost of a smile crossed his face. “Yes. We’re good.”