Page 73 of Defiance
“Bollocks.” Smith sneered, and if Cole didn’t know better, he’d be worried about what was coming. “You shouldn’t even be here. This isn’t your fucking team.”
Logan cocked his head to the side, eyes narrowing. “Paul told us to stay.” He nodded at Cole. “In case he decides to do a runner.” He offered a sneer of his own. “Shows how much you fucking know.”
“Like you could catch him if he did. You did a piss poor job of it the first time round, and look how that turned out.”
Logan lunged at him, fist connecting with Smith’s jaw, and Cole was positive none of this was for the benefit of those watching.
Smith stumbled back, surprised, but recovered quickly enough to catch Logan with a blow to the stomach.
“Enough.” Paul’s voice cracked like a whip. Cole hadn’t even noticed him shift. “Tonight is supposed to help bring our team together, not open old fucking wounds.” He walked over to Smith, expression furious. “You knowbetter.”
Smith bowed his head enough to show respect but still held a defiant set to his shoulders.
Paul nodded once, then turned to Logan. If Cole had thought he looked angry before, it was nothing compared to the way he glared at Logan. “I told you to stay out of our way.” He stalked closer to Logan, the rage rolling off him so thickly it made the hairs on the back of Cole’s neck stand on end. He took a few steps backwards on instinct.
Paul’s top lip curled; seeing the wolf in him in was easy. “You’ve caused my team enough fucking trouble. If it were up to me—”
“Well, it’s not, is it?” Aaron said and Cole startled, not having noticed him shift back. “The order for us to escort Cole on full-moon runs came from Michael, via Jacob. We don’t answer to you. If you have a problem with us being here, you need to take it up with Jacob. Or Michael,” he added.
Cole could practically see the steam coming out of Paul’s ears. Aaron had always let Logan handle things. Cole had never seen this side of him. He stood facing off against Paul as calm as if he was talking to him or Logan.
Cole was in awe.
Paul growled but didn’t contradict anything Aaron said. Instead, he faced Logan again. “Michael also said I could use you any way I saw fit for Cole’s training.” His smile was so cold, Cole shuddered. “So, Logan, I’ll see you bright and early Wednesday morning for the next step in Cole’s training.” He shifted back into his wolf, black fur rippling as he walked away back into the trees. The others who’d come with him turned and followed, leaving a loaded silence in their wake.
Cole shifted the second they were out of hearing distance. “What did he mean?” He had so many questions about what the fuck had just happened, but that one was at the forefront.
Logan shook his head. “Nothing.”
“Bollocks.” Cole stalked over to him, fists clenched. “What’s the next step in my training.”
“I don’t—”
“Don’t fucking lie to me,” Cole hissed, wanting so badly to touch Logan in that moment but not daring to. No matter how much he suspected Smith knew about them.
“You have five minutes,” Smith grunted. “Then we have to go. Fletcher and the others will no doubt be looking for us after that.” He walked a few paces from them and turned away.
Cole met Logan’s gaze, then glanced pointedly at Smith’s back.
“He knows.” Logan sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. He looked tired.
“What? Everything?” Cole asked, moving closer.
“Enough.”
Now that the immediate danger had passed, Cole became intimately aware that they were naked.
Everything else seemed to fade away.
Unable to help himself, Cole cupped Logan’s jaw, thumb smoothing over his cheekbone. “What’s the next step in my training?”
Logan glanced up at the moon before answering. “Interrogation techniques.”
“And how are you supposed to—Oh.” He grabbed Logan’s hand, twining their fingers. “I won’t do it.”
“You have to.” He tugged Cole closer until their foreheads rested together. “I’ll be okay.”
Cole remembered his own interrogation. No way did he want to watch Logan go through it, let alone be the one to do it to him.
