“Jesus, Kat. Put some fucking clothes on.” Ream’s voice was bitter and cruel “You gonna screw everyone in the band like some groupie?”
Holy wow. Ream was raging mad. Like bull fighting mad. I could see his temples throbbing, and his lips were pursed together—tight.
Kat didn’t flinch, and I have to say I was proud of her. She smiled and put her arm around Crisis who instantly reciprocated by placing his hand in her back jean pocket and squeezing her ass.
“Least it’s only four of you. Not like you … fucking the hundreds of groupies who kiss your goddamn feet like they’re made of ice cream.”
“Oh they’re not kissing my feet, Kitkat. The ice cream is up a bit further,” Ream shot back.
“Yeah, cold and always melting.”
Insulting a man’s dick was the quickest way to him hating you, and it looked like that was what she was aiming for.
Crisis and Kite threw back their heads in hysterics.
“That’s only when you’re around,” Ream said.
Kat came at him, her cool finally breaking. Crisis snagged her around the waist as she kicked and shouted to let her go. He whispered something in her ear, and she settled down, but Ream was striding toward her and Crisis, and he was ready to pop a blood vessel.
“Not tonight, Ream. Let it the fuck go.” Kite slapped Ream on the back, his hand digging into his shoulder, halting him.
“I swear, Kitkat, I’m going to—”
“Take a walk,” Logan suddenly thundered.
“You’ll regret it man, leave it alone.” Kite guided him down the porch steps, and I saw Ream plow his fist into the pillar at the bottom of the steps.
“What’s with them?” I whispered to Logan.
“I don’t know. But whatever it is, they need to work it out before they kill one another.”
Watching Ream walk across the yard with Kite, I knew whatever made Ream and Kat lash out at one another was big. I tried to recall Kat acting weird back when I’d come back from Mexico but I had been so self-absorbed after what happened that I may have missed it.
“So, barbecue. Steaks or burgers?” Crisis had let Kat go, but his hand was still in her back pocket. Kat was zoned out, eyes focused on one thing—Ream.
“You good with steaks?” Logan asked me.
“Well, I’m not really hungry—”
“You’re eating, and then you’re in my bed,” Logan said quietly.
My breath hitched. “Logan, I—”
He was keeping his voice low, so others wouldn’t hear. “Eme, we’ve slept together before.”
It was like a medicine ball was lodged in my throat. I tried again. “That was different.”
“Did you want to sleep with me?”
“What?”
“Answer me, Eme.”
“That isn’t fair.”
“I’m asking for the truth. Did you?”
“Well, I didn’t really have—”
“Eme.”
God. “Yes. But Logan, I need some time to digest this. It’s too fast, and—”
He pulled me to my feet and dragged me into the house, down a hallway then opened the door to the office. He slammed it behind us. “You had time.”
I backed away until I was up against a desk, my hands gripping the edge.
“But mainly, you’re lying.” He approached.
I knew that look; it was unbending. Determined. And I wasn’t afraid. Not for one second.
I took several deep breaths.
“I see it.” His voice was graveled and low.
What did he see? I raised my chin and locked my jaw.
“You want me.” He kept his distance a few feet away. “Stop denying it. I know who you are. I know what you need and what your body needs. There wasn’t a single time you weren’t turned on when we were together. Not once.”
“You’re wrong. Public sex wasn’t my thing.”
He took the final steps toward me. I couldn’t control it. Unleashed need blanketed me. He must have seen it, saw me wavering on the edge, the hook that was holding me back from trusting him slowly ripping from my skin.
“Let me love you.”
And then I did what I wanted to do since the day he walked back into my life. I crumpled into his arms, and Logan wrapped me in his warm protective embrace. “I loved you, Logan. You didn’t care what they did to me, and it was devastating. I know now why and that you had to, but sometimes … I never want to feel that helpless again.”
Logan caressed my hair while his other hand linked with mine and gave a reassuring squeeze. “Whatever happens between us now, it’s because we both want it. No one—no one will ever make you feel helpless again. Baby, I love you. I never stopped, and regardless of how destitute you felt, you weren’t alone. You’ll never be helpless. You’re too strong.” His fingers stroked the side of my face. “You know what the first thing my mother taught me in that place? To take emotion out of the equation. That’s what always made me a good fighter. I never lost control.” He sighed. “I’ve hide my emotions for a long time. I’m good at it.”
“When I came back here for you, I needed you to see who I am, and yeah, I’ve lost it a few times like with your dance partner at the bar. But Mouse, I’m letting you see all of me so you can learn to trust me again. I need you to trust me again.”
I knew that whatever Logan said or did it was always about protecting me. He pushed his authority and liked control, but I trusted him. Sexually, I craved that escape he gave me. It set me free from decisions and as Logan would say, “Lego building”.
I sniffled and few tears fell. “I’m sorry. For what you and your mother have been through.”
He kissed the tears. “Baby.”
I knew that whatever Logan said or did it was to protect me.
Nothing more was said as he held me close. It felt right in his arms. He had done everything for me. That emotionless cage he locked himself in to hide his feelings from his father was to save me. He’d suffered too. We both did. And maybe my body had known all along that the Logan I hated was also the Logan I loved. Maybe my body knew that the man I feared wasn’t the real Logan.