Logan stood before her, his eyebrows raised.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to. I just…”
“We’ll talk later,” he replied. “Upstairs with you. Second door on the left.”
She nodded. She knew the room. It was the one connected to the nursery.
Her gut clenched. He now had every right to be angry with her. She’d eavesdropped on a conversation and…she sighed. And learned that he wasn’t the Earl of Gold because all he cared about was money.
In fact, if she were to guess, his heart was made of pure gold.
Chapter Twelve
Logan returned to the room, barely containing a smile. Somehow, it made him feel better to know that she wasn’t absolutely perfect.
That did not mean that she wasn’t perfect for him.
She made him softer. Hell, she made him a better man.
With startling realization, Logan discovered that he liked himself more than he had…ever.
Thoughts of his father ricocheted through his mind. His father hadn’t been overly cruel. He’d just hurt Logan, first with indifference. The subtle snub of always being second to gambling. As a child, it had hurt deeply. And then later, the outright abandonment of being left behind as his father had been carted off to prison.
No one had ever cared about him.
What if he’d had a Penny as a younger boy
? How different would he be today?
But now was not the time for such thoughts.
He turned back into the room to face the Earl of Baxter.
“Problem?” Baxter smirked as he leaned back in his chair.
“No,” Logan answered, taking his seat again. “Where were we?”
“I was telling you I had an exclusive lead on a property in Mayfair.”
Logan gave a small smile. “A lead I surely couldn’t replicate?” He knew very well he could. And Baxter knew it too.
That was part of what made him the Earl of Gold.
The other man narrowed his gaze. “You’re annoyingly good at this.”
Logan smiled at that. “A conundrum to be certain. It’s the very reason you want me within the club and yet—”
“It makes it difficult to recruit you.” Baxter leaned forward his lips pulling into a devilish smile. “But I have an even more tempting offer.”
Baxter shifted his shoulders and Logan caught sight of a golden emblem pinned to his lapel. It gleamed in the firelight. A single, shiny W winking back.
Logan had seen them before, but he had no idea what the emblem actually signified.
“Do you like it?” Baxter noticed his glance and pulled out his lapel for Logan to get a closer look.
“It’s wonderful,” Logan said flatly. Baxter was deflecting. He wasn’t having any of it.
“Only members wear this pin. It’s the insignia of our very exclusive club.” Baxter’s grinned widened. “I’ve just been appointed the new leader.”