“I planned to, but every time I started to, someone started to talk to me. I want to get changed and say good night to Logan, anyway. I won’t be a minute, and you can show me around the house after Logan goes to Tate’s.”
“Hurry, woman. I’m ready to get started on my honeymoon.”
She would have kissed him again, but she had to go to the bathroom too badly.
Getting out of her wedding dress with a full bladder wasn’t an experience she ever wanted to repeat.
Diamond had already laid out the outfit she wanted on the bed. Quickly, she pulled on the jeans and top, going back to the living room, where Greer was lighting candles.
“The bathroom is gorgeous, but what made you decide not to buy the fixtures I picked out?”
“They were out of stock.”
“I’m not going to complain. At least that stench is gone from the yard. I was worried you wouldn’t get the septic line repaired before the wedding.”
“It was my first priority today, other than marrying you.”
“Let’s go say good night to Logan, so we can make out.”
“I’m hoping to do more than make out. I’m a married man now; I expect more than I’ve been getting,” he teased, wrapping his arm around her waist.
“You sure you can even do your husbandly duties after all that food you ate.”
“I worked it off. I’m good to go.”
Logan was sitting at a table, finishing his second piece of cake, when they found him. Tate and Dustin were sprawled out on their chairs with their jackets off and their top buttons undone. Rachel was buckling Ema into her car seat, while Cash said good night to King, who was driving the van with the servers.
“Can I light another sparkler before I leave?” Logan begged, setting his fork down.
“Go ahead. The box is on the porch,” Dustin agreed, indulging him.
“Sutton, thank you for letting me stay last night, and for helping with Logan.”
“I can put up with more if you and Greer need some more alone time.”
“I’m anxious to have him home after yester …” He broke off at the horror on Sutton’s face.
Jerking around, she saw Tate and Dustin jump out of their chairs, and Greer running toward Logan.
“Don’t you fucking move, or I’ll kill him.”
Paralyzed in shock, she stood still, seeing Logan held against the chest of the man she had seen with Jessie. His hand was covering Logan’s nose and mouth, his eyes wildly beseeching her as he struggled to breathe.
“Let him go!” Holly took a step forward, only to have Greer jerk her back as the man cocked the gun against Logan’s head.
“I don’t want to kill the kid, but I will if you don’t do what I want.”
“Let him breathe. We’ll do whatever you want,” Dustin begged.
The man nodded his head in her direction. “I want her.”
She immediately took a step toward him, but Greer wouldn’t release her arm.
“Please, Greer.” One at a time, she peeled his fingers off her arm then walked toward the man holding her son’s life in his hands.
In what seemed like slow motion, she drew closer, trying to understand why he wanted her. Then she realized she had seen him before today.
“You’re Mitch’s friend.”
A smile of satisfaction filled his face. “You stupid bitch, did you really think I would let you be happy when you’re the reason he is dead?”
Logan’s body went limp.
“You have me. Let him go.” She stepped closer, so he would release Logan.
He dropped Logan to the ground then reached for her, his hand going to her shirt sleeve to jerk her to him. Then he pointed the gun at her.
The explosion of sound had her screaming, expecting the piercing pain of a bullet. Mitch’s friend’s face became a mask of pain as another bullet went into him, making him drop to his knees.
Frantically, Holly picked up Logan as the men rushed him, giving a sobbing laugh when Logan stared up at her.
Moving away from the Porters’ beating, she adjusted Logan until he was sitting on her hip, crying.
“You’re almost getting too big for me to hold.” She rubbed his back soothingly.
She was using the hem of her T-shirt to wipe blood away from his lip when a bursting pain struck her in the back so suddenly she couldn’t call out.
Falling to her knees, she tried not to drop Logan, but she couldn’t prevent him from slipping out of her arms.
She tried to lift her hands to the agonizing pain coming from chest. Instinctively, she tried not pass out. Like a wounded animal, her instinct was to get back on her feet and get Logan to run. She fought the swirling darkness to reach for Logan.
The scream she had held back for herself broke free when she saw Logan’s chest covered in blood, and he was gasping for air, trying to breathe.