“Okay. I forgive you.”
“You can’t forgive me that easily!” She rolls her eyes.
“Fine, tell me a secret, and then I’ll forgive you.”
“A secret?” A small smile pulls at her lips.
“It has to be one that you’ve never told anyone else or something you would never admit out loud.”
“I had a sex dream about Ben.”
“What?” I was not expecting that at all.
“You heard me right. Did I hit my head or something when everything went down?”
“No, Ben caught you before you hit the floor.” I fill her in on that little detail. She lets out a groan before closing her eyes. “Why can’t you and Ben... you know.” I wiggle my eyebrows.
“No! He’ll get all protective if we go there. I see how Logan is with you.”
“It wouldn’t hurt your feelings if he didn’t get all protective of you?”
“Yes.” She groans again.
“So you’re worried too right now, since they’re out there doing God knows what?” How are we supposed to sit around here and wait?
“Not too much. Logan is damn good, and he’s trained Ben. They’ll handle themselves.”
I wring my hands, wishing I had that same trust. I know nothing about this world, so I can’t help but worry.
“I still think I’m going to wake up and this is all going to be a dream.”
“Do you really?” She turns in her chair to face me fully.
“I mean, I knew there was this darkness in Logan. I could sense it at times. You know how people say someone can give a look that kills? Logan can truly do that. I can remember one night we’d gone out to dinner and he’d stepped away for a moment, and a man hit on me. I told the man I was married. He proceeded to say something along the lines of my husband would never have to know. Next thing I knew, Logan was there. He had that look in his eyes. He grabbed the man by the neck. At that moment, I knew Logan would kill him if I didn’t do something to intervene.”
“Brock Webster. I remember him.”
“What?” I remember the man’s name being Brock, but I have no clue what his last name was. He’d only given me his first when he introduced himself to me. I shouldn’t be surprised that Nova remembers. It’s one of the things I love about her; she never forgets.
“You got him to let the man go.”
“Then Logan tracked him back down?”
Nova shrugs her response. This isn’t actually surprising. Logan is so protective and intense.
“Does that bother you?”
It probably should, but it doesn’t. In fact, it only makes me love Logan more. He’s always trying to keep me safe. He may go overboard sometimes, but that’s the only way he knows.
“No.” I lick my lips. It’s that darkness that I think often draws me to him. I want to fill the man with love and life. Logan always wants to take care of me, but I also have that need to do the same for him.
“Good, because I enjoyed fucking Brock Webster’s life up. He had it coming. His wife is a lot better off without him. His name alone annoyed me.”
“Meow.” Harley jumps up onto the counter, demanding my attention.
“Are you hungry too?” I scratch his little head, then slip from the chair to get him something to eat. “Thank you for saving him.”
“Of course. I’d never leave a cat behind.” She reaches out and gives him a few pets.
“How about I make some popcorn and we watch a movie?” I suggest. As much as I want to pepper her with questions, she needs to rest, and I want her to get that rest knowing we’re going to be okay.
“I’d love that.”
“Good,” I chirp, my eyes drifting over to the clock, the minutes dragging by.
“They’ll be fine,” Nova tries to reassure me. “Now back to discussing the baby’s name.”
My hand goes to my stomach, and I know she’s right. We need to move forward, not back. Logan will be fine, and he’ll come home to me. He won’t break my trust again. Call me naïve and silly, but I truly believe that.
18
Logan
“This is a bad idea.” Ben shakes his head as we rise in the familiar elevator.
“Maybe.”
“We don’t need backup. You and I can handle it.”
“I’m aware.” I shoot him a sideways glance. “We can take down every single asshole who came for us, but they’ll send more. Those fucking mercs are a dime a dozen, and if they want to wear us down, they will. I can’t risk Quinn. Now’s not the time to go it alone.”
“But you said you’d never join the Broth—”
“Trust me, Ben.”
“I do.” He looks taken aback. “Always have.”
“Don’t stop now.” I give him a short nod as the elevator opens and Sister Jezebel greets us with one eyebrow arched.
“Back so soon, fellas?”