Indestructible (34 page)

“So I take it Logan hates tattoos?” My hand shot over my hip, where my own body art was hidden. Oh, I was in trouble.

“It wasn’t that. It was more the fact that his underage sister was drinking and smoking weed at a party, and then found herself in a dirty room getting an unsanitary tattoo from a man way too old to be there. It’s my own fault. I should have asked to make sure he was using a fresh needle, but I was drunk!”

“I'm understanding your brother’s rage a bit more.”

“My friend got one right before me and it looked cute. How was I supposed to know it would get infected? Luckily I didn’t catch any diseases, but it didn’t matter. Logan wouldn’t even look at me, he was so mad. It was right after we met Caleb, so they searched the guy out together and Logan broke his hands. The bat belonged to one of the guy’s buddies that tried to intervene. Long story short, Logan’s unstoppable when he’s pissed. Add in the fact that it had to do with his
baby sister
, and I’m sure you can paint your own picture of how things went down.”

“I sure can,” I muttered.

“You have to understand: Logan’s always looked out for me and Jax. And Natasha had just left him, so he wasn’t exactly a happy-go-lucky sort of guy.”

“Obviously.” I was at a loss, which had been happening a lot lately. I felt like a one-woman episode of
CSI
, but on rewind. Here I was, setting up meetings and questioning everyone about the man I thought I knew as well as he did me, yet I’d barely spoken to him over the past week. And even though he currently sat only thirty feet from me, it still felt worlds away.

“I felt like crap when he was arrested. Oliver was still a baby. It was Caleb that saved him from real jail time. He broke into the tattoo artist’s apartment and found some videos of the perv screwing around with some underage girls. One trip to the hospital later and all charges were dropped. As far as the tattoo, I’m waiting for Jax to cover it for me.”

“Waiting?”

“Yeah, till he saves up for some equipment. He wants to open his own shop one day. I’ll be his first customer.” She sounded proud, and her smile returned.

One day?
It looked like twins didn’t tell each other everything. As much as I wanted to, now wasn’t the time to divulge that fact that Jax not only had high-end equipment stashed in his bedroom, but also that half the campus already comprised his clientele.

We sat for a few more minutes chatting about lighter topics, such as Oliver and how he was staying at his grandma’s until Monday night. Logan didn’t strike me as the type of father to allow his son to miss a day of school, which had me even more worried.

Did he know about the DA’s decision? Was that why he’d come home early—to see me? I might’ve felt better about his police record, but considering everything else happening, it didn’t matter.

After a quick goodbye to Julia, I entered Haven, still harboring some resentment for being thrown out of Logan’s house but ready to explain and work things through with him.

He needed me now more than ever, and I needed my man.

I stole a quick stop to the ladies’ room to pee and check my face, which was in dire need of under-eye concealer. I compromised by swiping on some clear lip gloss, then left the restroom and sneaked up to the bar.

But he wasn’t there. After surveying the room, I came up empty on seeing the broad shoulders and charming smirk I missed.

I snared a seat at the bar and flagged the bartender. He walked right over with a bright, welcoming smile in place. Surprisingly, it did wonders for my mood.

“Hey, what can I get you?”

“I'm looking for Logan. Is he still here?”

“Uh, yeah. I’m, ah, not sure where he went though. Give me a sec to check, all right?”

“Sure.”

The blaring music surrounding me faded to a dull rumble. I watched the bartender walk away and gaze indiscreetly back in my direction, looking uneasy.

Something happened.

My focus remained on him as he stepped out from behind the bar and walked up to a waitress. He dipped his head and whispered into her ear, throwing a cautious, sidelong glance my way and nudging his head toward the stairs in the corner, which I knew led to the hotel rooms.

My stomach dropped and heart sputtered. I shoved off from the counter and approached them, still huddled and whispering.

“Where is he?” I demanded, my gaze darting between them.

“I’m sorry, but he went upstairs a few minutes ago,” the waitress replied. “You just missed him.”

The explanation didn’t match the pity written all over her face. Logan kept a room up there, and if he’d been drinking all day, it would make sense that he’d stay there. It was better than driving drunk.

“Okay, so why all the whispers?” I asked.

The bartender sneaked away, not even looking my way in the process while the waitress twirled a dishrag in her hand. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. My pulse pounded, sweat beading at the nape of my neck.

“Just tell me.”

“He didn’t go up alone.”

As though someone had sounded a starting pistol, I was off before she said another word. I raced up the stairs two at a time, experiencing a case of déjà vu.
I did this with Mark.
If Logan was up there with another woman, I wouldn’t walk away without my own police record.

I didn’t even stop outside his door, busting it open to face the scene behind it.

Logan was lying flat on his back on the bed, his shirt missing but hanging around one arm, pants exactly where they should be: on his body. His eyes were closed, almost peacefully.

Natasha stood beside him, her skanky tube dress resting at her feet. Her cheap black lace panties were almost as repulsive as her fake tits.

She couldn’t act any better than she could shop for decent underwear, either. The amusement in her eyes spoke louder than the hand she placed strategically over her supposed-to-look-stunned mouth. She didn’t even bother to shield her breasts.

“Cassandra, I’m sorry. It just happened.”

Rolling my eyes at the obvious performance, I stormed over to the bed, yelling Logan’s name. He didn’t even flinch. He was out cold.

“I know this hurts right now, but Logan and I have so much history. You can’t be that surprised.”

Was she trying to sound sympathetic? Because it wasn’t working.

I lowered my ear to Logan’s chest. He was breathing. That was a good sign.

“I tried to tell him we should talk to you first—let him break things off before we started up again—but he didn’t want to wait. One thing led to another, and we just ended up here in bed together.”

Why was she still talking? She tilted her head to the side, watching me smooth back Logan’s tousled hair. The incessant urge to knock him around a bit was unbearable. How had he gotten himself into this mess? The man was in for it when he woke up, but I had someone else to deal with first.

I recaptured my senses, preparing myself for a long-awaited battle. I lifted my head slowly, piercing Natasha with a sharp stare, seeing through every tawdry façade she’d ever attempted to parade around.

“You should probably go,” she said, having the audacity to speak to me with determination—almost condescension—in her words.

Was she insane, or just stupid? I was ready to find out once and for all.

My laughter was harsh and menacingly brittle when I finally opened my mouth. “You’ve got some nerve.”

“We never meant for you to find us like this,” she tried to reason.

“
Find
you like this? Like what, exactly—about to rape my boyfriend?” I stepped around the bed, moving toward her.

“Are you blind? We just went two rounds in that bed.”

More laughter erupted from my throat. “Right, well, considering I was told he’s only been up here a few minutes, I call bullshit. Logan isn’t a minute man,
and
he prefers to sleep nude when he finishes.” I waved my hand over his fully clothed legs, then nudged my head to the shirt around his bicep. “What happened—his unconscious body too heavy to undress?”

“You can believe what you want, Cassandra. I know the truth.”

“The only truth I want right now is whether he passed out drunk or you drugged him.”

“I don’t need to drug a man to—”

“Obviously you do.”

I stepped closer until I was only a few feet away from her. It put her on edge; I could see that clearly.
Good.
You mess with a woman’s man, you should be very afraid of the consequences.

She snatched her dress from the floor, pulling it back over her hips and up to cover her breasts.
Finally!

“You and Logan are through. You need to accept that,” she said, trying to sound reasonable.

I wanted to laugh, although I didn’t find it funny.

“No, we’re not. I know Logan. He wouldn’t do this to me.”

“You know
nothing
about him. I’m the mother of his child! You think just because he moved in next door to you and sweet-talked his way into your panties that he actually
loves
you? What a joke. You’re just a passing amusement.”

“Here’s the thing, Natasha: I couldn’t care less what you think about my connection with Logan. It doesn’t involve you, and you’ll never understand what he and I have. It wasn’t some love-at-first-sight, superficial romance. We built this relationship one strong, honest brick at a time, and
nothing
you do will destroy that.”

Her sneer deepened. “He’ll get bored of you.”

Serenely calm, I replied, “Maybe. But it doesn’t change the fact that I’m here now. You really think Logan would ever want you back after you abandoned him and your child? And let’s not forget about taking advantage of his kid brother, who had only pure intentions that you used against him.”

“Jax wanted
me
!” she exclaimed, looking surprised at my knowledge.

I shook my head, folding my arms across my chest. “You used him. And it worked out great for you too, huh? Jax is so ashamed of what he did, so
terrified
of Logan finding out, that he’ll do practically anything you want—well, almost, considering he confessed everything to me. I’m guessing you didn’t ask him to do that.

“Do you see what’s happening here, Natasha? Your desperate plans are falling apart all around you. Logan’s going to find out soon enough, and then what? What big scheme are you going to run next before Logan kicks you out of Oliver’s life for good?”

“Logan can’t do anything,” she barked, fury heavy in her tone. “He’ll be sitting in prison, and Oliver will be with me, away from all of you.”

I felt sick. “What did you do?”

“Nothing. I didn’t have to. Seems luck might be on my side for once. Kurt’s death was a happy coincidence.”

My arms dropped, hands balling into tense fists at my sides. “You won’t get custody of Oliver if Logan goes away.”

She looked smug, her grin too bright. “Then who will?
You
?” She chuckled darkly. “You’re not even family.”

I moved forward until I was inches from her face. “Trust me,
nobody
in Logan’s family is going to let you take Oliver anywhere.”

“Watch me,” she spit back.

My palm connected with her cheek, fast and hard. It wasn’t planned—it was purely an instinctual act, but not one I regretted. It felt amazing; the sting was totally worth it.

She stumbled back, speechless, her eyes wide.

“Get out—NOW!” I shouted, watching her cradle her red cheek and scurry around for her heels before she ran out, slamming the door behind her.

Chapter Twenty-Four
Spurned

Battling through a field of cumbersome emotions, I gazed down at Logan. He looked so gorgeous and serene.

I wanted to slap the hell out of him.

But it would do no good, considering he wouldn’t even feel it, so I went the opposite route. I removed my shoes, slid out of my jeans, and crawled into bed beside him, resting against the headboard and cradling his head in my lap. He never budged—not even a twitch.

There was no way he’d gotten that drunk. No matter how scary the thought was, I knew Natasha must have slipped him something.
Bitch.

I fought back my rising fury, needing to deal with her later and take care of Logan first. I stroked his cheek, my heart swelling, eyes brimming with tears. I loved this man more than anything, and would protect him from everything within my power.

That was the reason I stayed awake checking his pulse and watching for any signs of distress. When I felt confident enough that there would be no trips to the ER in our immediate future, my eyes slid shut in the darkness.

It wasn’t long before I woke to the feeling of warm breath caressing my stomach.

“Sweetheart…so perfect.”

His almost-tangible words pressed against my chest. My eyes fluttered open, a deliciously familiar mass weighing me down.

Logan’s head was lost amongst my breasts; my shirt was pulled up, breast freed from my bra and bathed in the warmth of his soft lips. I melted against the sensual and tender sensation. He lavished one nipple, then the next with his exquisite tongue. My head dipped back, an unstoppable moan clawing its way up from my throat.