Emily
I pulled into the hotel parking lot, cutting the engine with a sharp exhale.
Moses Lake wasn't exactly known for luxury accommodations, but this place? It wasn't bad. The penthouse level might have sounded impressive, but in a town of twenty-five thousand, it was just the top floor of a decent hotel. Nothing crazy.
Still, the sight of Logan's guys lingering near the entrance and parking lot made my stomach twist.
There were too many of them.
A cluster of men, all built like they lived in the gym, standing with the kind of alertness that screamed professional security. Their conversations were clipped, eyes sweeping the area, hands resting near their concealed holsters in that casual-but-ready way Logan always had when things were serious.
Something had happened.
Something big.
I already knew Logan wasn't telling me everything, but the way they looked at me as I walked past—silent nods, polite but firm—confirmed it.
This wasn't just work.
This was something else.
I swallowed, adjusting my grip on the duffel bag filled with Logan's fresh clothes. He hadn't packed extra, of course. Because God forbid he ever plan ahead.
The elevator ride felt longer than it should have, tension winding tight in my chest as I reached the penthouse floor.
I knocked on the door, shifting the weight of Logan's duffel in my grip, already half-annoyed before anyone even answered.
The hallway was quiet—too quiet. The kind of silence that made my skin prickle, like something had happened here that no one wanted to acknowledge.
I was about to knock again when the door cracked open.
And suddenly, I wasn't annoyed anymore.
Because holy shit.
The Lead Singer of Nova…Ji-an.
Standing there. Looking like she had just stepped out of a magazine cover.
I had seen pictures, videos and blog posts of her, obviously. Everyone had. Ji-an of Nova—the kind of celebrity who wasn't just famous, but untouchable. The kind who walked into a room and made it feel like a stage.
But in person?
It wasn't fair.
She wasn't even dressed up—just an oversized, off-the-shoulder sweater, hanging loose against her collarbone, paired with simple leggings. But somehow, it made her look even better.
Like she had effortlessly woken up that beautiful. Like her hair, sleek and dark and falling perfectly around her face, hadn't been styled to perfection. Like her skin, smooth and glowing, wasn't the kind of flawless that made people question reality.
She wasn't wearing much makeup—just enough to make her features pop, her lips tinted a soft pink, her lashes long and curled.
I suddenly felt very aware of my own appearance.
My hoodie. My worn-out jeans. My definitely-not-done hair.
Yeah. This was bullshit. I am a huge freaking fan and I come here looking like a homeless person.
I am going to kill my brother.
Ji-an smiled, and it was the kind of smile that should have been illegal—soft, warm, with just the faintest hint of amusement.
"You must be Emily," she said. "You're just as pretty as Logan described you."
Her voice was low, smooth. The kind of voice that made you lean in just to hear more of it.
I blinked, momentarily disarmed. "Uh. Yeah."
She knew my name?
She stepped aside, motioning me in. "Logan's inside."
I hesitated for a fraction of a second before stepping through the door.
The suite was nice. Not over-the-top luxury, but expensive enough. Comfortable enough. Lived-in enough.
Which was the part that caught me off guard.
There were clothes draped over the chairs. A half-empty coffee cup on the table. The lingering scent of something warm—coffee and vanilla.
And my brother?
This wasn't just a meeting space.
They had stayed here.
Together.
And just as that realization was starting to sink in—
The bathroom door swung open.
And Logan stepped out.
Wearing nothing but a towel.
"Em, is that you?"
I nearly dropped the bag.
"What. The. Hell," I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. "You better start talking, Logan."
Ji-an immediately turned away, her arms tightening around herself, her head ducking slightly like she physically couldn't look at him.
Logan sighed, running a hand through his damp hair.
"This isn't what it looks like," he said.
I let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Oh, really? Because it looks like you spent the night in a hotel with an international superstar and now you're walking around half-naked while she refuses to even glance in your direction. He didn't do anything to you, did he Ji-an? Because I will kick his ass if he did!"
Ji-an's jaw tightened.
She definitely wasn't looking at him. I had been half joking. Did my brother really hook up with the lead singer of Nova?
Oh.
Oh, this was interesting.
I crossed my arms. "Well?"
Logan exhaled slowly. "I'll explain everything. Give me a moment."
"You better," I said, my tone cutting.
Because whatever this was?
It was a lot.
I gestured wildly between him and Ji-an.
Neither of them said anything.
Which only made it worse.
I took a slow step forward, lowering my voice. "Did something happen?"
Something flickered across Logan's expression—too fast to catch, but there.
Ji-an's arms tightened around herself.
Oh yeah. Something had happened.
And I wasn't leaving until I found out exactly what it was.
Logan nodded and went into the bathroom.