Page 59 of Legacy Elite

"I've been told."

"Mostly by me."

"Almost exclusively."

I should leave. I don't.

"Jon."

His eyes come back to mine.

"When I ask you again, you better not fucking answer me with words."

His expression finally breaks.

His eyes close. His hands curl into fists at his sides, and his jaw locks so hard I can see the muscle jump.

"I won't."

His voice has dropped to something just short of a growl.

Jesus Christ. The man is holding himself so tight he's practically vibrating.

And suddenly I know exactly what happens if I take those two steps.

Goddamn him.

If I don't leave now, I'm going to climb him like a fucking tree. I grab my bag.

This time I actually make it through the door.

Chapter eight

Jessica

Ander laughs.

I'm halfway across the courtyard with a coffee in one hand, half listening to Sophia complain about her community rotation, when the sound makes me stop.

Thirty feet away, under the covered walk, Ander Ardent has his head tipped back and he's laughing.

Actually laughing.

I've known this man for a year. I've seen him irritated, cold, pissed off, and once silently furious through an entire dinner. I've seen him look at people like he could have them removed from the building without ever raising his voice.

I've never seen him like this.

There's a woman standing beside him, dark blonde and about our age, maybe a little older, wearing a fitted coat and flipping through a folder while she talks. Whatever she said to make him laugh, she doesn't seem particularly impressed with herself, because she keeps reading while Ander looks at her with a smile still hanging around his mouth.

Then she reaches over and straightens his collar.

He lets her.

He doesn't move away or give her one of his looks. He barely seems to notice, which somehow makes it worse.

"Jessica."

"What?"