Olive blinked rapidly and jerked her gaze away from Brennan's piercing stare. The instant her fingers released their grip on his jacket, she stepped back, creating distance between them.
Her voice dropped to barely above a whisper as she looked down. "That matter doesn't concern you, Beta Brennan."
Brennan's eyes blazed with frustration. He whipped his head to the side, his jaw clenching as he bit down hard on the inside of his cheek.
"How's your latest project developing?" he asked sharply, deliberately steering the conversation away from dangerous territory.
His attention drifted back to Kimi across the room, where she stood laughing with Kirk. Brennan's expression darkened when he caught Kirk's fingers gently stroking through Kimi's hair. The intimate gesture made his stomach twist, knowing how much pain it would cause his best friend to witness such affection.
"Everything's progressing smoothly. I appreciate your interest," Olive replied curtly, attempting to sidestep him.
