Because Nikolai hadn't driven his own car today, learning that Allen and Jackson were joining their group made one thing immediately obvious: he was about to spend the morning trapped in close quarters with the two men most fiercely protective of Belle.
At first, a shadowy temptation crossed his mind. He briefly considered sabotaging Eli's clever little maneuver by calling Cayenne, quietly suggesting that the Dumrique matriarch request an urgent home consultation from her personal physician. But he discarded the thought almost as quickly as it had formed. It was far too risky. A calculated move like that would inevitably spark suspicion, and he could not afford to raise red flags with anyone—least of all his powerful employer.
