Page 31 of Betrayed

Logan shook his head. Miles wouldn’t understand. Divorce wasn’t an option in Logan’s book—sure he’d thought about it, even talked to a lawyer, but that’s as far as he got. It wasn’t like he would remarry. AJ was his one and only. If that was over completely, he was done.

“No need for a ball and chain without all the benefits.”

Logan let out a dry chuckle. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me.”

Logan shook his head.

“No worries.” Miles held up his hands. “I will not get in the way there. She’s off limits; I get it.” He closed the space and slapped Logan on the shoulder. “I’m excited to reconnect. Glad Will invited me.”

“Me too.” Even if that conversation had been awkward … and Logan would rather just hang out with AJ.

No, no he wouldn’t.

Logan followed Miles back to the living room. Megan, Jenna, and Brennan also joined and the nine of them played a round of Apples to Apples that left everyone in stitches.

Logan struggled to keep his eyes off AJ. It had been so long since they actually both came to the same thing. More often in the last five years their friend group had been split. And if both of them happened to be invited to something, one of them would bow out. With Will and Zara not only dating but talking about marriage, it was going to be impossible not to be in the same place occasionally.

After that game concluded, they split into two groups to play board games that required smaller numbers. Logan waited to see which game AJ would pick and then chose the opposite. Although he found having her in the room didn’t bother him as much as he would have expected.

“Logan.” Will’s voice snapped Logan out of his thoughts. “Pick your color.”

The four other people at the table were staring at him.

He snatched the bag of black items and dumped them in front of him. He’d simply pretend AJ wasn’t sitting across the room.

Yeah, that didn’t work. He lost the game miserably because he kept making stupid blunders for lack of focus.

Will barely contained his laughter, but Logan caught it. He shot a dagger of a look at his friend. Will feigned innocence, mouthing, what?

Logan shook his head and helped clean up the game. Everyone stood around chatting, but AJ sat to the side and listened. Eric tried to engage her in conversation. She didn’t seem interested in talking to him, though she was polite.

Why was Logan paying attention to what she was doing?

He re-engaged with the story Jenna was telling.

Eventually, everyone called it a night. Logan cut out as soon as the first person was ready to leave. He felt bad. He was Will’s closest friend, helping clean up would be the appropriate thing to do. And maybe he would have if AJ had left quickly, but she didn’t.

Logan revved his motorcycle and zoomed home. All he could think about was pouring a glass or three of whiskey and washing down the mixed emotions he didn’t want to process.

And that’s exactly what he did. Once inside his lonely house, he emptied his pockets on the table and laid his Glock, holster and all, beside his keys and wallet.

A glass from the dishwasher. The whiskey bottle from where he’d hidden it behind the flour so judgy eyes like Will’s wouldn’t see it.

He poured it, sank into the chair, and downed the entire thing.

And another.

It didn’t act fast enough. AJ consumed his mind. He wanted to push her as far away as possible, but he couldn’t. This was supposed to be their house, yet he was here by himself. How’d they gotten to where they were? He’d lost her. She was gone. It didn’t matter how much he missed her. It was over.

One more glass of whiskey.