Benjamin Julius Knight (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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noirenewyork2014-01-11 02:49 am
shadowedknight) wrote in noirenewyork2014-01-11 02:49 am
"I'm gonna bet they never really feel at home if they spent a lifetime learning how to live in Rome"
Who: Benjamin Knight and Molly Pierce
What: In which SRS BSNS is distracting from funtimes
Where: Ben's office, the Knight (and company) home
When: A few days after Emmeline's arrival in New York
Molly's day had been relatively uneventful, despite having spent most of the day with Eric, trying, on Ben's behalf, to find out exactly what it was that was up with his younger brother. Eric had been extremely evasive, in such a way that, anyone who wasn't one of them would've probably bought it. But Molly knew Eric well, and had for years, even having butted heads with him along the way before rising to the rank of Primogen and taking his brother as her lover. The pair had put aside their differences along the way, and were now relatively good friends. So, while Eric had carried on the conversation almost flawlessly along the way, Molly still knew that something was going on with him. Though exactly what, she wasn't sure.
Still, having nothing to report to Ben when he was dead set on finding something out was going to be a less than pleasurable experience if Molly couldn't get him distracted with thoughts of other things along the way. It was with that in mind that she moved silently through the hallways until she came to the door of his office. If breathing had been a necessity for her, Molly would've taken a deep breath to steady her nerves. But as it were, she just paused for a moment before opening the door and walking in, without even a knock.
No one was there, but Ben was on what seemed to be a very important phone call. He was listening quietly with serious nods here and there, as if the person on the other end could see him nodding. With a smirk of amusement at seeing her lover in such a serious pose, Molly walked over to his desk, and without preamble, just sat right down on his lap, turning to watch him, with a fake yawn of boredom, before she started examining her nails.
Ben continued on his important phone call - all in French - as if nothing had changed. He was a Prince of the biggest City in the world and with that came distinct self-control. He could have ten clones of Molly sit on his lap and it still wouldn't have distracted him from the phone call. He had important business to attend to and City business would always come above and beyond everything else. The French Prince was due to arrive that very next day, and although Ben wasn't personally privy as to exactly why Blaise Richelieu was holidaying in America, the liaising between their countries had to take priority right now. Ben did know that Blaise's close confidante and relative was in town. Supermodel, Alyce, also Kindred, but her Kindred status only known to their Kind. To humans, she was just as normal as they were, and that was how they wanted it kept. Alyce also wasn't her real name. Emmeline Laurent and rumoured to be direct descendant from the French throne in her day, Ben couldn't afford to be blasé or distracted with any of this. Fact of the matter was, Blaise could well be here for Kindred business of his own. There were a lot of French Kindred based in New York, and that was there the lines of City governing always crossed. Kindred were wanderers. Some Clans more than others, but Ben prided himself on the relationships he had with other Cities and this was no exception.
He ended the call and gave Molly a terse look. "It would be in your best interests to show some respect, Pierce. This is Kindred Prince of Paris. Not only has he been ruling his City for centuries, he is also two hundred years older than you. Do not think I will not rid you of your title you don't show the respect for him demanded. Not only as royalty, but as a fellow member of my Clan," he bit out in a non-nonsense tone. Normally he was easygoing and a lot less stringent than older rulers, but with something important like this, he wasn't going to take any shit. "If this is boring you so fucking much, feel free to relieve yourself of your responsibilities. There is a very long line of Brujah just waiting for you to fuck up to step into your shoes. Keep this up, and I will roll out the red carpet for them."
As soon as Ben's call was over, Molly knew she'd pushed just that bit too far. Then again, it wasn't as if she hadn't done that before, and the fact was, lovers or no? She and Ben would always be Ventrue and Brujah, and with that came an interesting dynamic. Not to mention the fact that, being Brujah, Molly loved a good fight, for whatever reason it might be. Even if said fight was with her lover. "Oh, don't be so touchy," she replied, rolling her eyes. "I don't speak French, your Highness," the title spoken with just a hint of mocking that few would even have caught, but she knew how well Ben knew her, and she knew she'd be pushing her luck. It didn't matter to her. Pushing her luck was one of her hobbies. "How was I to know what you were going on about looking so serious?"
Leaning back just a little to get a better look at him, she gave a little huff of annoyance before settling in to listen to his whole spiel. He was going on about a Ventrue Prince who was coming to New York, soon, and Molly shrugged. "Okay, fine... I'll be respectful of his title. I wasn't intending to get up in his face and tell him to take his French Ventrue ass back to France or anything like that. My God, you're not usually so fucking bossy." With a glare, she stood up from her lover's lap and walked to the other side of his desk, seating herself in the chair where most people sat when they came to meet with him on a professional level. "I take my responsibilities very seriously, Benjamin," she added. "Even though half of my own Clan think that I'm only on your council because I'm a good lay. But let them line up, darling. Really, don't let me stop you if you think that's best." There was a nasty bite to her tone, and she knew that she only had a few steps further that she could go before she would be well over the line. But over the years it had become almost a game of hers, seeing how far she could go before she crossed it. Perhaps it was that trait of hers that had most of their friends taking bets as to whether they would mate or kill each other.
With a small nudge of her arm, Ben got her to move off his lap and he went over to the liquor cabinet in his room to pour himself a drink from an antique silver flask. The thick, red liquid spilled into the glass and he picked it up, nursing it against his chest as he went over to the ceiling to floor windows that made the entire east-facing wall of his office. It wasn't like heights ever bothered him. He loved the expansive view of his City at night, and his high-rise office would never have been chosen without this luxury. He was just restless lately, knowing this visit was coming up and knowing something was going on with Eric. His senses were more piqued than usual, so he was more aware than he generally felt he needed to be.
He took a sip from the glass, savouring the blood as it washed over his tongue. "You are aware his arrival is pending. If I am speaking to someone in French, it shouldn't have been a far push to deduce it might have been important. You will be respectful of him. He isn't just Kindred royalty, he is actual royalty. He was the second born son to Francis I, King of France. Second in line to the throne. His brother was betrothed to Henry the Eighth's daughter. And do you know who Alyce is? She is Emmeline Laurent, who happens to be Marie Antoinette's daughter who the history books records as dying in infancy. Respect goes above and beyond just turning your nose up arrogantly with a huff of, 'Oh, just another Prince'. You are going to find yourself deceased if you keep attitudes like that up when it comes to Kindred dignitaries. I warn you, now is seriously not the time to get bitchy with me. I'm not playing nice with your attitude. You will be the primogen I expect you to be."
And there, he was drawing the line right in the sand. This wasn't a situation she should be fucking with him in, and it was of no importance if they were sleeping together. Not when representing his City was on the line.
Molly's eyes followed Ben around the room, a darkness slowly bubbling up to the top. They were lovers, and had an extremely close and passionate relationship, and Molly knew that Ben was utterly dedicated to his City, just as she had become, and just as the other Kindred leaders of New York were. But it was not the easiest thing for her to do to accept receiving direct orders, even in cases like this one. "Of course, darling... I'm supposed to deduce a lot of things, aren't I?" she asked, her voice a deep, dangerous purr, like a lioness on the verge of attack.
She crossed the floor to stand close to him, her eyes gazing out across the New York skyline. This was a truly amazing city... one at whose very pulse Molly could feel the buzz of revolution happening every day. People of all kinds came to this city, seeking fame and fortune, seeking an escape from their old lives, seeking freedom and sometimes even anarchy. Those were the things on which Molly thrived. She had come to love this City and to see the city itself as her cause, though it was hardly the same as in her glory days, fighting in revolutions, for independence and freedom and to put an end to government control in any given place. Now, she was on the side that once would've been the enemy. Moving very close to Ben, she murmured softly into his ear, "And you, my love, will not tell me what I will or will not do. I will represent my City well, and be a brilliant primogen, not because you told me to be, but because it is my duty, and I take my duty very seriously. As it stands, darling, I'm not very impressed by the bloodlines of mortal royalty. I spent a hundred years of my life or more fighting royalty... My kind were among those who rid France of the model's mother. So I will show respect to them as fellow Kindred, even as Kindred royalty. And for their ages as well. But I will not laud the great deeds of their mortal bloodlines, as I feel they are very few. I will be polite and respectful, not because you expect it of me, but because I represent my Clan in this city, and I represent the City itself, and I will do them proud."
She stood, arms crossed firmly over her chest, still pressed close to her lover's body and waiting for the other foot to fall. It might well be a humdinger, but there was no question that some of the hottest sex they'd ever had was in anger... So they would either fight, or fuck, and either way, Molly very much liked the odds.
"Yes," Ben snapped, eyes flashing silver as he turned to nailed her with a glare. "You are supposed to deduce a lot of things. You are a Primogen of the biggest City in the world and the sooner you stop acting like a petulant brat not getting your own way, the better," he growled at her, not at all appreciating the fact she was trying to come up against him right now. If she kept pushing, things were going to get extremely dangerous... for her.
He pushed her away when she got close. "Leave. You are acting like a pain in the ass and if you keep this up, I will ensure you are entirely absent from any and all international relations from here on in. Meaning, you won't remain on the Council. I will tell you what you will or will not to as much as I please. I am your Prince above fucking all else, and you will respect me and my position. Keep this up, Pierce, and you won't have any 'duty' to attend to. You'll be lucky to still be alive. This is fucking ridiculous. You better get over your little hormonal pissing contest and start acting like the Primogen you are, and if you think I'm not serious, keep fucking pushing me. I warn you. I don't give a flying fuck what your Kind did in the past. I give a fuck what our Kind are doing in my City at present. Your lack of respect is sickening me right now. Leave. You are dismissed. Get out. Use the time remember your place and remember the loyalty your position demands. And be thankful this is you. Anyone else would be fucking dead right now for their careless indifference to their Prince."
He was fuming. If she was going to act like a cunt, he was going to treat her like one. Right now, he was absolutely ashamed to claim her as a member of his Council with the flimsy patronising selfish shit coming out of her mouth.
The fact was, there came a point when even Molly knew she had gone way too far with her rebellious Brujah routine. And this was perhaps even past that point. Ben was far beyond angry, and despite everything between them, his role as Prince was above and beyond his role as Molly's lover. Princes had killed their own lovers for less, and she knew it, so it was a matter of restraint on Ben's part that she wasn't taking a phos bullet already. "Of course," she replied, instantly taking on the cold, businesslike demeanor that her position sometimes required of her. "My mistake."
Backing away from him, as if he were an animal about to attack (an apt description that may not have been far from the truth), Molly let her arms fall to her sides. With a tiny bow of her head, she indicated her full understanding, as well as her respect. Despite everything, Molly did respect Ben. She sometimes got caught up in a power struggle with him when the lines between their relationship as Prince and Primogen, and their relationship as lovers. It was rare, but this was one of those times when the ice she was treading on was thinner ice than even she was comfortable with, and she put both hands up in front of her in an expression of surrender. "My apologies, Benjamin. I only came to talk with you, and my intention was to have a bit of fun along the way. I wasn't exactly going for insubordination, Ben... Or for the bitchfight of epic doom. Forgive me, love. I have forgotten my place. I do know where my loyalties lie, and I will be more mindful of them in the future."
Molly had seen Ben like this many times before. Not always directed at her, but they'd had their moments along the way, some of them worse than others. This was definitely on the "worse" list, but she would do what was necessary to appease him. She had crossed the line, and there were consequences for doing so. There always would be, and she knew it. Within the Kindred world, there was very little room for error when it came to showing the proper respect for royalty, and Molly had taken up all of that room and then some. "I had only come to speak with you about Eric. But if you still want me to leave, I will."
"Tell me about Eric, then leave. And have it known that if you ever withhold information about my brother again, I will be very, very pissed off," Ben responded, making it clear that was more than tired of her games. Sometimes he would play along, but this really wasn't one of them. She should know better than this shit, and if she wasn't careful, he really would remove her from her position. He surrounded people around him that he trusted and respected him and his City. When he wasn't in the mood for game, he wasn't in the fucking mood for games.
He sipped from his glass again, his back turned on her as he looked out over his City quietly. He knew there was unrest with something to do with Eric, and he suspected there was more to the Prince of Paris' visit that just sightseeing and international Kindred relations. His distance great niece was in town, and that was something Ben was more than aware of. Alyce would do amazing in his City, and be a fine international liaison to have in the Kindred world. She had the Toreador Clan in the palm of her hand because of her long-standing international connections, and he really hoped that Xavier, his Toreador Primogen, could spend some time with her to learn from her. All of that and Ben's general concerns when a fellow Prince was about to walk his City was exactly why he wasn't about to put up with Molly's shit. She could like it, or she could piss off. She better have some decent information too, or it would anger him even more to know she was using his brother to try and make nice with him after fucking up. He just was not in the mood.
"In my defense, Benjamin, I wasn't trying to withhold information from you about Eric. I just succeeded in pissing you off before I got to the topic at hand." She was frustrated as all hell already, and she was pretty sure that it was only going to piss him off more when she got to explaining what exactly Eric had and more specifically hadn't told her. In most other circumstances, she and Ben would go at each other for a while like this, and it would go in a very different way. But he was clearly not playing with her right now, and Brujah or no, she valued her life and her position far too much to push this any farther.
She took a step... only one... toward her lover, knowing full well that she had pushed all the limits, and this was a fine line she was treading. "I spoke with him earlier, Benjamin. And whatever it is that he's got going on? Before I could even hint at it, he was shutting me down. I still don't know what's going on with him, but whatever it is? He's guarding it like nothing else I've ever seen. At first, I wasn't worried... I just thought he was being Eric... But, darling, after talking to him... It's not just a younger brother trying to keep his older brother out of his business thing... This is something far deeper than that. I just... still have no idea what."
Ben was watching her as she spoke by this point, taking in every little issue of body language, tone of voice, even the look in her eye. She was still a Brujah at the end of the day, and he always knew he had to note them more carefully than most of his other Clans. Sometimes, he liked to entertain the idea that he could trust her more than the all the others, but there would still always be that Clan separation that had him watching her more closely. Honestly, though, it would be a bloodbath if she ever tried to betray him. This was New York City and his own Clan was one of the biggest, and he had been a successful ruler to date. There hadn't been a rebellion under his ruling since his very early days when he was still drawing support for his election as Prince.
"That's what I suspected," he finally responded with a frustrated shake of his head as he strode back over to his desk and sat down. Ever since his Embrace, Eric was always a handful for Ben. They were different, even if they shared the same Kindred blood. Eric was more hot-headed than Ben, who had always been more analytical and forward-thinking. Eric had this rebellious streak and a reckless streak that meant he could often act without really thinking of the consequences. Over the years, Ben had pulled him out of his fair share of close shaves but this was different. Eric was deflecting him lately. Not just pointedly, but subconsciously too, which meant he did have something to hide. Ben could feel the anxiety off his brother when he was in his presence, which was why Eric chose lately to keep himself scarce from Ben. "He has done something to put himself at risk, I can just sense it. But I have no idea what. Logan is no help. He is a Toreador with a Prince's blood, also ex MI6. He's very savy with concealing and deflecting. He's near impossible to read."
The tension between them was unpleasant at best. Molly was a prized bitch when she wanted to be, and she could well and truly drive Ben entirely mad from time to time. But she was, without a doubt, utterly loyal to her City, and to her lover, both as such, and as the Prince of their City. That wasn't to say that there weren't other sexual partners. It wasn't their way to be exclusively monogamous, and sometimes, a Kindred just needed to feed and have a bit of fun in the process. But the title of "lover" was one that Molly reserved specifically in her mind for her Prince. She sometimes teased Ben that she didn't think he was quite the Prince that Walt Disney had in mind, but then she was hardly Cinderella. She had no intention of ever betraying him, not only to prevent the ensuing death that would be almost certain, but because she genuinely didn't want to ever betray him.
"That's a question I'm not sure we'll be able to answer," Molly replied quietly, her brow knit in concern. "Whatever it is he's done, Ben... It's got to be bad. Even for Eric. Ordinarily, when he's in trouble, he comes to you with it if nothing else." An almost sick feeling washed over her as the possibilities of what he could've done rushed through her mind. If he'd put the Masquerade at risk, it could spell certain death for him... a death that not even being brother to the Prince could save him from. Under Benjamin's rule, the Kindred tended toward contentment within their City. By and large because of one thing: the knowledge that their Prince was a fair ruler. He made wise choices... right choices. And if they saw him falter because of Eric, it would be very hard to regain their trust from that point on. But he wouldn't. He had gotten Eric out of a great many sticky situations, but this one... What if this one was beyond Ben's ability to save him from? Molly nodded firmly. "You're right there. He's like a clam with the way he keeps shut about things. It's not a bad thing when necessary, but it makes it fucking impossible to know what's going on with those two."
As much as Ben wished he was a mindreader, he knew he wasn't. He could sense emotions and reactions due to his Kindred blood, but not actually read a person's mind. It would make it a hell of a lot easier if he could read his brother's mind right now. Eric's past constantly had Ben on alert when times seemed strained because he was reckless. He had lost his mortal life because of it, and Ben just could not risk his brother losing his Kindred life because of the same stupidity. Molly was right too. Ben usually was Eric's first port of call on just about everything. They had even spoken extensively when Eric met Logan and there had been an instant and undeniable chemistry there. They had been insatiable for one another, but Eric had been concerned that Logan wasn't a New York native, wasn't a Ventrue, was a Childer of a Prince of another City and possibly a threat in the wrong circumstances. It had been a risky situation and Ben had a lot of reservations, but Logan turned out to show a deep loyalty to Eric and therefore to Eric's City. He gave his blessing for Eric to connect to Logan for a more long-term thing, and he fully expected them to want to mate sometime soon. It was only a matter of time.
At least, until now. "I distinctly hope that my trust of Logan hasn't been betrayed. Perhaps Eric is protecting Logan, and hence the infuriating secrecy?" he mused, pacing back and forth. "Though, with the Prince of Paris about to arrive, I don't believe Logan would be so stupid as to disrespect his links there by dirtying his ties to New York. He is not that stupid, and his actions are extremely calculated. I am more inclined to think it would be Logan protecting Eric from something. Eric has a history of stupidity," he added with a wry shake of his head when he soon came to rub at his eyes wearily. He was a very young Prince in the grander scheme of things and even though he ruled his City with a top reputation, sometimes it strained on him and that was usually when his personal connections were tense. And why he appreciated the people he cherished and valued the most in his life to cut him some damn slack sometimes. He had a lot on his plate, he needed the support and not to be fought at every turn.
Seeing the strain and stress written all over Ben, Molly actually felt a pang of remorse for having a go at him when it was clear that he had more than enough on his plate at the moment without dealing with what may as well have been a PMS induced bitchoff. She knew that the stress of what was going on with Eric, compounded with the impending arrival of a visiting Prince was a lot for Ben to deal with. And as if by way of apology, she slowly walked across the room to where Ben was seated, resting her hands on his shoulders before pressing her thumbs in to knead the muscles there. She could feel the tension, not only through her hands, but through her Kindred ability to sense his feelings. Carefully, she leaned close to rest her chin on his shoulder, turning her head to the side to kiss his cheek with a tenderness that spoke nothing of their fight only moments earlier. Despite it all, Molly knew when Ben needed her compliance with his plans.
"I'm more inclined to go with the latter," Molly confessed. She adored Eric, there was no question about it. But she knew his recklessness well... knew the levels of stupidity to which he sometimes sank when left to his own devices. And she knew how often Ben had been forced to pull the other Ventrue out of harm's way. "You're right. Logan isn't stupid. Nor is he reckless or careless like your brother. But he would do almost anything to protect him. And therein lies our problem. When you have ex MI6 protecting you... Well, it becomes quite a pain in the ass for those trying to figure out just what it is he needs protecting from." Straightening back up to full height, Molly continued to try and work some of the stress out of her lover's body through a firm shoulder rub. "But I'm at a loss as to what level of stupidity Eric may have fallen to this time."
Some days, it still really wore on Ben that he even had to Embrace his own flesh and blood. It had been one of the hardest things he ever face in his long life, and there had been a terrifying moment where he seriously considered just letting Eric die. He knew he would have regretted it until his dying day, though, and considering Kindred were all-but immortal, it would have been a regret he carried around for centuries and probably never recovered from. Yet, Eric had this reckless and wild streak, and it didn't always bode well for a Kindred Prince trying to keep order amongst his Clans in the biggest city in the world. Having a younger, wayward Kindred brother was often the thorn in his side, and many knew Eric to be Ben's weakness. There had been a lot of times of attempted targeting of Eric to flag Ben's attention to rebellions, but any smart and worldly person like Ben was would know that you protected and shielded your weaknesses before anything else, and much tighter than anything else, so anyone would honestly be ridiculously stupid to try and use Eric against him. But that didn't account for Eric getting into trouble of his own, for which he seemed to have a prized knack.
Her words spoke a truth he already knew and it pained him to hear it out loud. "My brother, the giant pain in the ass, with an MI6 trained Kindred Prince childer protecting his interests. Fucking hell, could this year get any more stressful than it has already been? I need them both here in the same room, but that hasn't happened in months. They never arrive together, they never put themselves in my presence together. I haven't heard of any untimely deaths of diplomats or Mafia bosses recently, so I'm less inclined to think he's covering an important death I should know about. The last few times he has visited, he has had this... scent on him. Feminine almost, most certainly Toreador. It makes me more than wonder who this third Kindred is he is cavorting with, and one of which Logan must be fully aware. The scent isn't Logan. It's unfamiliar to me, it's no one I know personally."
Molly's hands still remained firm as she worked carefully at Ben's shoulders. If only being Kindred also negated the feeling of stress, it would make things much easier in general. But there was so much to this... So much that Ben would need to deal with that he probably didn't want or need to deal with right now on top of everything else. But it was beyond his control. A foreign Prince was coming to their city, and there was much to do in preparation for that, but if Eric had gone and fucked up on a grand scale right before the arrival of said foreign prince? There would indeed be hell to pay. This wasn't just about Eric. It was about Ben, about their City. Eric wasn't just the Prince's brother. He was serving as Ventrue Primogen, and that was no fucking joke. It definitely wasn't the first time that Eric's recklessness had caused all of them stress, and Molly hoped like hell it wouldn't be his last. If he'd done something that would earn him death, it would destroy Ben. Not entirely, because she felt sure that, if it came down to it, Ben would protect his City. But in the end, having to choose between his City and his brother would be the hardest thing he could ever face.
"I wish I had an idea where to even start with all of this," she said with a tired shake of her head. "But it's your brother... I have no idea how in the world he manages to get himself into the things he gets himself into, but it's as if he's got a fucking magnet that draws trouble to him... Or he goes looking for it. I'm not sure which." She paused at that, not quite sure how even to begin to respond. "Feminine? So could it be that your brother has taken to sampling more of the fairer sex that we're used to? Although, I'm not sure why in fuck's name he'd be keeping that a secret, so that can't be all it is. We have to do something to get both of them together, then. A dinner, perhaps? One that neither of them can turn down an invitation to?"
Ben had a lot of natural instinct these day, learned from many, many years of watching analysing Kindred from all Clans. But it was his own brother who made his insides twist up with anxiety and lately, it was a sensation he hadn't been able to shake at all. Something wasn't right, and Ben's gut instincts were never wrong. It wasn't something small, either. It was something with potentially dire consequences otherwise Eric would come to him and they would hash it out together. It's how they had learned to work together so well over the years. They were still brothers, and often quarrelled like brothers, but when it came to important business that could lay the City on the line, they usually worked together a team or Ben would never have risked making his brother his second-in-charge and a Primogen of his City. Not even close. He would have just kept Eric busy with their corporation. It was why it was disconcerting him so much that Eric was keeping something from him. It wasn't just worrying him, it was hurting him that Eric was creating a divide between them. He was worried Eric had some something stupid to put them at risk, but he was more concerned that if he was genuinely right, what the consequences would have to be. Would he punish his own brother in the worst possibly of ways if his own blood betrayed him enough to warrant it? It wasn't a position Ben had ever been in, and one he had never wanted to consider either. Now, though, with Eric separating himself more and more as he could without getting a very angry brother up in his business, Ben was fearful of what could be about to land on his plate.
His eyes narrowed in deep contemplation, his eyes watching the bright and stark lights of the City high-rises stretching out in front of him without really seeing the views. "Trouble I can handle. Betrayal I cannot," he stated, and it had a very no-nonsense air to it. Trouble was old school for him, and nothing he couldn't handle. This wasn't trouble. If it was trouble, Eric would thrive on it or even prance around and exhibit it because that was just who he was. It was fun for him to be reckless and push the envelope.
"Choose a woman over Logan? It wouldn't happen. Eric's very essence is coarse and brash. He careless but not stupid. Despite the fact he will tell you it was the giant Toreador dick attached to someone who had a terminal illness that had him salivating, it wasn't. It was Logan's intense intrigue and self-assuredness. His confidence to walk into any situation and gain control over it. That gave Eric a reckless boner, it fascinated him what Logan might get into without a care in the world. But it's Logan's calculating and genius focus on the world that is the only thing that has stopped me going in and tearing the information out of Eric to this point. Logan's not reckless. Whatever he does, it's with confidence. So, he is protecting Eric, and that is, as infuriating as it is for me, a relief right now. I am not ready to face the potential dire consequences."
TBC...
What: In which SRS BSNS is distracting from funtimes
Where: Ben's office, the Knight (and company) home
When: A few days after Emmeline's arrival in New York
Molly's day had been relatively uneventful, despite having spent most of the day with Eric, trying, on Ben's behalf, to find out exactly what it was that was up with his younger brother. Eric had been extremely evasive, in such a way that, anyone who wasn't one of them would've probably bought it. But Molly knew Eric well, and had for years, even having butted heads with him along the way before rising to the rank of Primogen and taking his brother as her lover. The pair had put aside their differences along the way, and were now relatively good friends. So, while Eric had carried on the conversation almost flawlessly along the way, Molly still knew that something was going on with him. Though exactly what, she wasn't sure.
Still, having nothing to report to Ben when he was dead set on finding something out was going to be a less than pleasurable experience if Molly couldn't get him distracted with thoughts of other things along the way. It was with that in mind that she moved silently through the hallways until she came to the door of his office. If breathing had been a necessity for her, Molly would've taken a deep breath to steady her nerves. But as it were, she just paused for a moment before opening the door and walking in, without even a knock.
No one was there, but Ben was on what seemed to be a very important phone call. He was listening quietly with serious nods here and there, as if the person on the other end could see him nodding. With a smirk of amusement at seeing her lover in such a serious pose, Molly walked over to his desk, and without preamble, just sat right down on his lap, turning to watch him, with a fake yawn of boredom, before she started examining her nails.
Ben continued on his important phone call - all in French - as if nothing had changed. He was a Prince of the biggest City in the world and with that came distinct self-control. He could have ten clones of Molly sit on his lap and it still wouldn't have distracted him from the phone call. He had important business to attend to and City business would always come above and beyond everything else. The French Prince was due to arrive that very next day, and although Ben wasn't personally privy as to exactly why Blaise Richelieu was holidaying in America, the liaising between their countries had to take priority right now. Ben did know that Blaise's close confidante and relative was in town. Supermodel, Alyce, also Kindred, but her Kindred status only known to their Kind. To humans, she was just as normal as they were, and that was how they wanted it kept. Alyce also wasn't her real name. Emmeline Laurent and rumoured to be direct descendant from the French throne in her day, Ben couldn't afford to be blasé or distracted with any of this. Fact of the matter was, Blaise could well be here for Kindred business of his own. There were a lot of French Kindred based in New York, and that was there the lines of City governing always crossed. Kindred were wanderers. Some Clans more than others, but Ben prided himself on the relationships he had with other Cities and this was no exception.
He ended the call and gave Molly a terse look. "It would be in your best interests to show some respect, Pierce. This is Kindred Prince of Paris. Not only has he been ruling his City for centuries, he is also two hundred years older than you. Do not think I will not rid you of your title you don't show the respect for him demanded. Not only as royalty, but as a fellow member of my Clan," he bit out in a non-nonsense tone. Normally he was easygoing and a lot less stringent than older rulers, but with something important like this, he wasn't going to take any shit. "If this is boring you so fucking much, feel free to relieve yourself of your responsibilities. There is a very long line of Brujah just waiting for you to fuck up to step into your shoes. Keep this up, and I will roll out the red carpet for them."
As soon as Ben's call was over, Molly knew she'd pushed just that bit too far. Then again, it wasn't as if she hadn't done that before, and the fact was, lovers or no? She and Ben would always be Ventrue and Brujah, and with that came an interesting dynamic. Not to mention the fact that, being Brujah, Molly loved a good fight, for whatever reason it might be. Even if said fight was with her lover. "Oh, don't be so touchy," she replied, rolling her eyes. "I don't speak French, your Highness," the title spoken with just a hint of mocking that few would even have caught, but she knew how well Ben knew her, and she knew she'd be pushing her luck. It didn't matter to her. Pushing her luck was one of her hobbies. "How was I to know what you were going on about looking so serious?"
Leaning back just a little to get a better look at him, she gave a little huff of annoyance before settling in to listen to his whole spiel. He was going on about a Ventrue Prince who was coming to New York, soon, and Molly shrugged. "Okay, fine... I'll be respectful of his title. I wasn't intending to get up in his face and tell him to take his French Ventrue ass back to France or anything like that. My God, you're not usually so fucking bossy." With a glare, she stood up from her lover's lap and walked to the other side of his desk, seating herself in the chair where most people sat when they came to meet with him on a professional level. "I take my responsibilities very seriously, Benjamin," she added. "Even though half of my own Clan think that I'm only on your council because I'm a good lay. But let them line up, darling. Really, don't let me stop you if you think that's best." There was a nasty bite to her tone, and she knew that she only had a few steps further that she could go before she would be well over the line. But over the years it had become almost a game of hers, seeing how far she could go before she crossed it. Perhaps it was that trait of hers that had most of their friends taking bets as to whether they would mate or kill each other.
With a small nudge of her arm, Ben got her to move off his lap and he went over to the liquor cabinet in his room to pour himself a drink from an antique silver flask. The thick, red liquid spilled into the glass and he picked it up, nursing it against his chest as he went over to the ceiling to floor windows that made the entire east-facing wall of his office. It wasn't like heights ever bothered him. He loved the expansive view of his City at night, and his high-rise office would never have been chosen without this luxury. He was just restless lately, knowing this visit was coming up and knowing something was going on with Eric. His senses were more piqued than usual, so he was more aware than he generally felt he needed to be.
He took a sip from the glass, savouring the blood as it washed over his tongue. "You are aware his arrival is pending. If I am speaking to someone in French, it shouldn't have been a far push to deduce it might have been important. You will be respectful of him. He isn't just Kindred royalty, he is actual royalty. He was the second born son to Francis I, King of France. Second in line to the throne. His brother was betrothed to Henry the Eighth's daughter. And do you know who Alyce is? She is Emmeline Laurent, who happens to be Marie Antoinette's daughter who the history books records as dying in infancy. Respect goes above and beyond just turning your nose up arrogantly with a huff of, 'Oh, just another Prince'. You are going to find yourself deceased if you keep attitudes like that up when it comes to Kindred dignitaries. I warn you, now is seriously not the time to get bitchy with me. I'm not playing nice with your attitude. You will be the primogen I expect you to be."
And there, he was drawing the line right in the sand. This wasn't a situation she should be fucking with him in, and it was of no importance if they were sleeping together. Not when representing his City was on the line.
Molly's eyes followed Ben around the room, a darkness slowly bubbling up to the top. They were lovers, and had an extremely close and passionate relationship, and Molly knew that Ben was utterly dedicated to his City, just as she had become, and just as the other Kindred leaders of New York were. But it was not the easiest thing for her to do to accept receiving direct orders, even in cases like this one. "Of course, darling... I'm supposed to deduce a lot of things, aren't I?" she asked, her voice a deep, dangerous purr, like a lioness on the verge of attack.
She crossed the floor to stand close to him, her eyes gazing out across the New York skyline. This was a truly amazing city... one at whose very pulse Molly could feel the buzz of revolution happening every day. People of all kinds came to this city, seeking fame and fortune, seeking an escape from their old lives, seeking freedom and sometimes even anarchy. Those were the things on which Molly thrived. She had come to love this City and to see the city itself as her cause, though it was hardly the same as in her glory days, fighting in revolutions, for independence and freedom and to put an end to government control in any given place. Now, she was on the side that once would've been the enemy. Moving very close to Ben, she murmured softly into his ear, "And you, my love, will not tell me what I will or will not do. I will represent my City well, and be a brilliant primogen, not because you told me to be, but because it is my duty, and I take my duty very seriously. As it stands, darling, I'm not very impressed by the bloodlines of mortal royalty. I spent a hundred years of my life or more fighting royalty... My kind were among those who rid France of the model's mother. So I will show respect to them as fellow Kindred, even as Kindred royalty. And for their ages as well. But I will not laud the great deeds of their mortal bloodlines, as I feel they are very few. I will be polite and respectful, not because you expect it of me, but because I represent my Clan in this city, and I represent the City itself, and I will do them proud."
She stood, arms crossed firmly over her chest, still pressed close to her lover's body and waiting for the other foot to fall. It might well be a humdinger, but there was no question that some of the hottest sex they'd ever had was in anger... So they would either fight, or fuck, and either way, Molly very much liked the odds.
"Yes," Ben snapped, eyes flashing silver as he turned to nailed her with a glare. "You are supposed to deduce a lot of things. You are a Primogen of the biggest City in the world and the sooner you stop acting like a petulant brat not getting your own way, the better," he growled at her, not at all appreciating the fact she was trying to come up against him right now. If she kept pushing, things were going to get extremely dangerous... for her.
He pushed her away when she got close. "Leave. You are acting like a pain in the ass and if you keep this up, I will ensure you are entirely absent from any and all international relations from here on in. Meaning, you won't remain on the Council. I will tell you what you will or will not to as much as I please. I am your Prince above fucking all else, and you will respect me and my position. Keep this up, Pierce, and you won't have any 'duty' to attend to. You'll be lucky to still be alive. This is fucking ridiculous. You better get over your little hormonal pissing contest and start acting like the Primogen you are, and if you think I'm not serious, keep fucking pushing me. I warn you. I don't give a flying fuck what your Kind did in the past. I give a fuck what our Kind are doing in my City at present. Your lack of respect is sickening me right now. Leave. You are dismissed. Get out. Use the time remember your place and remember the loyalty your position demands. And be thankful this is you. Anyone else would be fucking dead right now for their careless indifference to their Prince."
He was fuming. If she was going to act like a cunt, he was going to treat her like one. Right now, he was absolutely ashamed to claim her as a member of his Council with the flimsy patronising selfish shit coming out of her mouth.
The fact was, there came a point when even Molly knew she had gone way too far with her rebellious Brujah routine. And this was perhaps even past that point. Ben was far beyond angry, and despite everything between them, his role as Prince was above and beyond his role as Molly's lover. Princes had killed their own lovers for less, and she knew it, so it was a matter of restraint on Ben's part that she wasn't taking a phos bullet already. "Of course," she replied, instantly taking on the cold, businesslike demeanor that her position sometimes required of her. "My mistake."
Backing away from him, as if he were an animal about to attack (an apt description that may not have been far from the truth), Molly let her arms fall to her sides. With a tiny bow of her head, she indicated her full understanding, as well as her respect. Despite everything, Molly did respect Ben. She sometimes got caught up in a power struggle with him when the lines between their relationship as Prince and Primogen, and their relationship as lovers. It was rare, but this was one of those times when the ice she was treading on was thinner ice than even she was comfortable with, and she put both hands up in front of her in an expression of surrender. "My apologies, Benjamin. I only came to talk with you, and my intention was to have a bit of fun along the way. I wasn't exactly going for insubordination, Ben... Or for the bitchfight of epic doom. Forgive me, love. I have forgotten my place. I do know where my loyalties lie, and I will be more mindful of them in the future."
Molly had seen Ben like this many times before. Not always directed at her, but they'd had their moments along the way, some of them worse than others. This was definitely on the "worse" list, but she would do what was necessary to appease him. She had crossed the line, and there were consequences for doing so. There always would be, and she knew it. Within the Kindred world, there was very little room for error when it came to showing the proper respect for royalty, and Molly had taken up all of that room and then some. "I had only come to speak with you about Eric. But if you still want me to leave, I will."
"Tell me about Eric, then leave. And have it known that if you ever withhold information about my brother again, I will be very, very pissed off," Ben responded, making it clear that was more than tired of her games. Sometimes he would play along, but this really wasn't one of them. She should know better than this shit, and if she wasn't careful, he really would remove her from her position. He surrounded people around him that he trusted and respected him and his City. When he wasn't in the mood for game, he wasn't in the fucking mood for games.
He sipped from his glass again, his back turned on her as he looked out over his City quietly. He knew there was unrest with something to do with Eric, and he suspected there was more to the Prince of Paris' visit that just sightseeing and international Kindred relations. His distance great niece was in town, and that was something Ben was more than aware of. Alyce would do amazing in his City, and be a fine international liaison to have in the Kindred world. She had the Toreador Clan in the palm of her hand because of her long-standing international connections, and he really hoped that Xavier, his Toreador Primogen, could spend some time with her to learn from her. All of that and Ben's general concerns when a fellow Prince was about to walk his City was exactly why he wasn't about to put up with Molly's shit. She could like it, or she could piss off. She better have some decent information too, or it would anger him even more to know she was using his brother to try and make nice with him after fucking up. He just was not in the mood.
"In my defense, Benjamin, I wasn't trying to withhold information from you about Eric. I just succeeded in pissing you off before I got to the topic at hand." She was frustrated as all hell already, and she was pretty sure that it was only going to piss him off more when she got to explaining what exactly Eric had and more specifically hadn't told her. In most other circumstances, she and Ben would go at each other for a while like this, and it would go in a very different way. But he was clearly not playing with her right now, and Brujah or no, she valued her life and her position far too much to push this any farther.
She took a step... only one... toward her lover, knowing full well that she had pushed all the limits, and this was a fine line she was treading. "I spoke with him earlier, Benjamin. And whatever it is that he's got going on? Before I could even hint at it, he was shutting me down. I still don't know what's going on with him, but whatever it is? He's guarding it like nothing else I've ever seen. At first, I wasn't worried... I just thought he was being Eric... But, darling, after talking to him... It's not just a younger brother trying to keep his older brother out of his business thing... This is something far deeper than that. I just... still have no idea what."
Ben was watching her as she spoke by this point, taking in every little issue of body language, tone of voice, even the look in her eye. She was still a Brujah at the end of the day, and he always knew he had to note them more carefully than most of his other Clans. Sometimes, he liked to entertain the idea that he could trust her more than the all the others, but there would still always be that Clan separation that had him watching her more closely. Honestly, though, it would be a bloodbath if she ever tried to betray him. This was New York City and his own Clan was one of the biggest, and he had been a successful ruler to date. There hadn't been a rebellion under his ruling since his very early days when he was still drawing support for his election as Prince.
"That's what I suspected," he finally responded with a frustrated shake of his head as he strode back over to his desk and sat down. Ever since his Embrace, Eric was always a handful for Ben. They were different, even if they shared the same Kindred blood. Eric was more hot-headed than Ben, who had always been more analytical and forward-thinking. Eric had this rebellious streak and a reckless streak that meant he could often act without really thinking of the consequences. Over the years, Ben had pulled him out of his fair share of close shaves but this was different. Eric was deflecting him lately. Not just pointedly, but subconsciously too, which meant he did have something to hide. Ben could feel the anxiety off his brother when he was in his presence, which was why Eric chose lately to keep himself scarce from Ben. "He has done something to put himself at risk, I can just sense it. But I have no idea what. Logan is no help. He is a Toreador with a Prince's blood, also ex MI6. He's very savy with concealing and deflecting. He's near impossible to read."
The tension between them was unpleasant at best. Molly was a prized bitch when she wanted to be, and she could well and truly drive Ben entirely mad from time to time. But she was, without a doubt, utterly loyal to her City, and to her lover, both as such, and as the Prince of their City. That wasn't to say that there weren't other sexual partners. It wasn't their way to be exclusively monogamous, and sometimes, a Kindred just needed to feed and have a bit of fun in the process. But the title of "lover" was one that Molly reserved specifically in her mind for her Prince. She sometimes teased Ben that she didn't think he was quite the Prince that Walt Disney had in mind, but then she was hardly Cinderella. She had no intention of ever betraying him, not only to prevent the ensuing death that would be almost certain, but because she genuinely didn't want to ever betray him.
"That's a question I'm not sure we'll be able to answer," Molly replied quietly, her brow knit in concern. "Whatever it is he's done, Ben... It's got to be bad. Even for Eric. Ordinarily, when he's in trouble, he comes to you with it if nothing else." An almost sick feeling washed over her as the possibilities of what he could've done rushed through her mind. If he'd put the Masquerade at risk, it could spell certain death for him... a death that not even being brother to the Prince could save him from. Under Benjamin's rule, the Kindred tended toward contentment within their City. By and large because of one thing: the knowledge that their Prince was a fair ruler. He made wise choices... right choices. And if they saw him falter because of Eric, it would be very hard to regain their trust from that point on. But he wouldn't. He had gotten Eric out of a great many sticky situations, but this one... What if this one was beyond Ben's ability to save him from? Molly nodded firmly. "You're right there. He's like a clam with the way he keeps shut about things. It's not a bad thing when necessary, but it makes it fucking impossible to know what's going on with those two."
As much as Ben wished he was a mindreader, he knew he wasn't. He could sense emotions and reactions due to his Kindred blood, but not actually read a person's mind. It would make it a hell of a lot easier if he could read his brother's mind right now. Eric's past constantly had Ben on alert when times seemed strained because he was reckless. He had lost his mortal life because of it, and Ben just could not risk his brother losing his Kindred life because of the same stupidity. Molly was right too. Ben usually was Eric's first port of call on just about everything. They had even spoken extensively when Eric met Logan and there had been an instant and undeniable chemistry there. They had been insatiable for one another, but Eric had been concerned that Logan wasn't a New York native, wasn't a Ventrue, was a Childer of a Prince of another City and possibly a threat in the wrong circumstances. It had been a risky situation and Ben had a lot of reservations, but Logan turned out to show a deep loyalty to Eric and therefore to Eric's City. He gave his blessing for Eric to connect to Logan for a more long-term thing, and he fully expected them to want to mate sometime soon. It was only a matter of time.
At least, until now. "I distinctly hope that my trust of Logan hasn't been betrayed. Perhaps Eric is protecting Logan, and hence the infuriating secrecy?" he mused, pacing back and forth. "Though, with the Prince of Paris about to arrive, I don't believe Logan would be so stupid as to disrespect his links there by dirtying his ties to New York. He is not that stupid, and his actions are extremely calculated. I am more inclined to think it would be Logan protecting Eric from something. Eric has a history of stupidity," he added with a wry shake of his head when he soon came to rub at his eyes wearily. He was a very young Prince in the grander scheme of things and even though he ruled his City with a top reputation, sometimes it strained on him and that was usually when his personal connections were tense. And why he appreciated the people he cherished and valued the most in his life to cut him some damn slack sometimes. He had a lot on his plate, he needed the support and not to be fought at every turn.
Seeing the strain and stress written all over Ben, Molly actually felt a pang of remorse for having a go at him when it was clear that he had more than enough on his plate at the moment without dealing with what may as well have been a PMS induced bitchoff. She knew that the stress of what was going on with Eric, compounded with the impending arrival of a visiting Prince was a lot for Ben to deal with. And as if by way of apology, she slowly walked across the room to where Ben was seated, resting her hands on his shoulders before pressing her thumbs in to knead the muscles there. She could feel the tension, not only through her hands, but through her Kindred ability to sense his feelings. Carefully, she leaned close to rest her chin on his shoulder, turning her head to the side to kiss his cheek with a tenderness that spoke nothing of their fight only moments earlier. Despite it all, Molly knew when Ben needed her compliance with his plans.
"I'm more inclined to go with the latter," Molly confessed. She adored Eric, there was no question about it. But she knew his recklessness well... knew the levels of stupidity to which he sometimes sank when left to his own devices. And she knew how often Ben had been forced to pull the other Ventrue out of harm's way. "You're right. Logan isn't stupid. Nor is he reckless or careless like your brother. But he would do almost anything to protect him. And therein lies our problem. When you have ex MI6 protecting you... Well, it becomes quite a pain in the ass for those trying to figure out just what it is he needs protecting from." Straightening back up to full height, Molly continued to try and work some of the stress out of her lover's body through a firm shoulder rub. "But I'm at a loss as to what level of stupidity Eric may have fallen to this time."
Some days, it still really wore on Ben that he even had to Embrace his own flesh and blood. It had been one of the hardest things he ever face in his long life, and there had been a terrifying moment where he seriously considered just letting Eric die. He knew he would have regretted it until his dying day, though, and considering Kindred were all-but immortal, it would have been a regret he carried around for centuries and probably never recovered from. Yet, Eric had this reckless and wild streak, and it didn't always bode well for a Kindred Prince trying to keep order amongst his Clans in the biggest city in the world. Having a younger, wayward Kindred brother was often the thorn in his side, and many knew Eric to be Ben's weakness. There had been a lot of times of attempted targeting of Eric to flag Ben's attention to rebellions, but any smart and worldly person like Ben was would know that you protected and shielded your weaknesses before anything else, and much tighter than anything else, so anyone would honestly be ridiculously stupid to try and use Eric against him. But that didn't account for Eric getting into trouble of his own, for which he seemed to have a prized knack.
Her words spoke a truth he already knew and it pained him to hear it out loud. "My brother, the giant pain in the ass, with an MI6 trained Kindred Prince childer protecting his interests. Fucking hell, could this year get any more stressful than it has already been? I need them both here in the same room, but that hasn't happened in months. They never arrive together, they never put themselves in my presence together. I haven't heard of any untimely deaths of diplomats or Mafia bosses recently, so I'm less inclined to think he's covering an important death I should know about. The last few times he has visited, he has had this... scent on him. Feminine almost, most certainly Toreador. It makes me more than wonder who this third Kindred is he is cavorting with, and one of which Logan must be fully aware. The scent isn't Logan. It's unfamiliar to me, it's no one I know personally."
Molly's hands still remained firm as she worked carefully at Ben's shoulders. If only being Kindred also negated the feeling of stress, it would make things much easier in general. But there was so much to this... So much that Ben would need to deal with that he probably didn't want or need to deal with right now on top of everything else. But it was beyond his control. A foreign Prince was coming to their city, and there was much to do in preparation for that, but if Eric had gone and fucked up on a grand scale right before the arrival of said foreign prince? There would indeed be hell to pay. This wasn't just about Eric. It was about Ben, about their City. Eric wasn't just the Prince's brother. He was serving as Ventrue Primogen, and that was no fucking joke. It definitely wasn't the first time that Eric's recklessness had caused all of them stress, and Molly hoped like hell it wouldn't be his last. If he'd done something that would earn him death, it would destroy Ben. Not entirely, because she felt sure that, if it came down to it, Ben would protect his City. But in the end, having to choose between his City and his brother would be the hardest thing he could ever face.
"I wish I had an idea where to even start with all of this," she said with a tired shake of her head. "But it's your brother... I have no idea how in the world he manages to get himself into the things he gets himself into, but it's as if he's got a fucking magnet that draws trouble to him... Or he goes looking for it. I'm not sure which." She paused at that, not quite sure how even to begin to respond. "Feminine? So could it be that your brother has taken to sampling more of the fairer sex that we're used to? Although, I'm not sure why in fuck's name he'd be keeping that a secret, so that can't be all it is. We have to do something to get both of them together, then. A dinner, perhaps? One that neither of them can turn down an invitation to?"
Ben had a lot of natural instinct these day, learned from many, many years of watching analysing Kindred from all Clans. But it was his own brother who made his insides twist up with anxiety and lately, it was a sensation he hadn't been able to shake at all. Something wasn't right, and Ben's gut instincts were never wrong. It wasn't something small, either. It was something with potentially dire consequences otherwise Eric would come to him and they would hash it out together. It's how they had learned to work together so well over the years. They were still brothers, and often quarrelled like brothers, but when it came to important business that could lay the City on the line, they usually worked together a team or Ben would never have risked making his brother his second-in-charge and a Primogen of his City. Not even close. He would have just kept Eric busy with their corporation. It was why it was disconcerting him so much that Eric was keeping something from him. It wasn't just worrying him, it was hurting him that Eric was creating a divide between them. He was worried Eric had some something stupid to put them at risk, but he was more concerned that if he was genuinely right, what the consequences would have to be. Would he punish his own brother in the worst possibly of ways if his own blood betrayed him enough to warrant it? It wasn't a position Ben had ever been in, and one he had never wanted to consider either. Now, though, with Eric separating himself more and more as he could without getting a very angry brother up in his business, Ben was fearful of what could be about to land on his plate.
His eyes narrowed in deep contemplation, his eyes watching the bright and stark lights of the City high-rises stretching out in front of him without really seeing the views. "Trouble I can handle. Betrayal I cannot," he stated, and it had a very no-nonsense air to it. Trouble was old school for him, and nothing he couldn't handle. This wasn't trouble. If it was trouble, Eric would thrive on it or even prance around and exhibit it because that was just who he was. It was fun for him to be reckless and push the envelope.
"Choose a woman over Logan? It wouldn't happen. Eric's very essence is coarse and brash. He careless but not stupid. Despite the fact he will tell you it was the giant Toreador dick attached to someone who had a terminal illness that had him salivating, it wasn't. It was Logan's intense intrigue and self-assuredness. His confidence to walk into any situation and gain control over it. That gave Eric a reckless boner, it fascinated him what Logan might get into without a care in the world. But it's Logan's calculating and genius focus on the world that is the only thing that has stopped me going in and tearing the information out of Eric to this point. Logan's not reckless. Whatever he does, it's with confidence. So, he is protecting Eric, and that is, as infuriating as it is for me, a relief right now. I am not ready to face the potential dire consequences."
TBC...