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Despite multiple protests, I managed to load the dishwasher after dinner. The doorbell rang just as I finished, and my heart sank at the thought of Natasha showing up.
I stepped out of the kitchen to find Logan helping Oliver with his coat and Hilary and Caleb standing in front of the door.
“Hey,” I said. “What are you guys up to tonight?”
“Taking the little man out to see a movie,” Caleb explained. Logan shimmied Oliver’s hat down over his ears.
I stood staring at Hilary, willing her to look at me. It didn’t work.
“How’s Scout doing?” Caleb asked, glancing at Hilary then to me. It was obvious he knew something was up—especially given the sidelong glance he shot Logan. The tension in the foyer was thick, and there was no way they didn’t feel it.
“He’s in good hands with your brother,” I said, my voice monotone.
“Right.” Caleb and Logan exchanged another look.
“I’m ready!” Oliver squealed, rushing to the door.
Hilary followed him without a single word to me.
“Well, I guess we’ll see you in a couple hours.” Caleb looked at Logan, and I could’ve sworn the words he spoke didn’t match the silent discussion between them.
“No candy!” Logan’s voice boomed with warning.
“I know. We got this.” Caleb placed his hand on Hilary’s back. “We can handle a little tot, can’t we, baby?”
She paled, and I hoped I was the only one who noticed. She nodded her head in an awkward haste while pulling on an almost-painful smile. I wanted to run over and hug her, sit her and Caleb down, and force her to confess and tell him the truth. But instead, I watched as she opened the door and led Oliver outside in a rush.
“Have fun, you two.” Caleb threw me a wink then shut the door, leaving Logan and me alone in the house.
It was in that moment I realized we were really alone in his home for the first time all week—which meant Logan had plans for us. And I knew they’d be in his bedroom.
But first, I needed to tell him about Natasha.
He moved toward me with smooth, determined steps and took my hands. “Alone at last.”
“Lucky us.” I balanced up on my tiptoes to kiss him, but his head moved back.
My brows raised in surprise. Did he just dodge my kiss?
“First, you have a few things to tell me.”
Oh, crap.
“Logan, I was going to tell you the moment I got here. I just didn’t want to say anything in front of Oliver.”
He said nothing. He knew, and was waiting for my explanation, so I gave it. And Jax was right—I did look ridiculous.
My hands flew about as I rattled it all off. “I was helping her with boxes, but one was really heavy, and I—I tried to hold it, but then she said...well, she—she made a joke, and the box slipped.” My voice rose. “I swear it was an accident. I tried to grab it, but it was too late. She went down the stairs. But the doctor says she’ll be fine, that it’s just a bruise.”
I blew out a stream of breath. My shoulders deflated as I waited for him to speak.
It felt like eternity before his mouth twisted up. “I knew all that already. I was talking about what’s going on with you and Hilary.”
“Oh.” Double crap! “So you’re not mad at me?”
His finger trailed down my chest to my stomach. “It was an accident. Why would I be mad?”
How could he be so cool about it? “How did you find out?”
His lips pressed to my cheek and he whispered, “Nothing happens that I don’t know about. I’ve told you already.”
“Jax.” I sighed. Of course.
He took my hand and led me to the living room, where he sat on the sofa and pulled me onto his lap to straddle him. With both his hands sprawled against my back, he held me close, my breasts to his cheek.
“Actually, Natasha had given the hospital my information as her emergency contact.”
I wrenched back. “You were there?”
He shook his head, his face impossible to read. “No. I told them not to call me again and gave them Jax’s number.”
“And he told you what happened?”
“No. That I discovered from Caleb. Luke heard the commotion when the ambulance came, and one of his neighbors said he saw it happen.”
I wondered if that was when he asked Caleb to watch Oliver for a few hours—his reason to get me alone to hear my side of the story.
“Does Oliver know?”
One hand moved to my chin while the other pressed the small of my back as he drew me in and placed his lips over mine. The kiss was gentle and quick.
“No, and he won’t ever find out.”
I tugged away. “What? Either she’ll tell him, or he’ll see her like that.”
“She knows better. He will find out she fell and got hurt, but not that you had any part of it.”
“Logan—”
“Tell me, what did she say to you? What so-called joke was it?”
I squirmed in his lap, gnawing at my bottom lip as I muttered, “Your sex swing.”
“What?” His forehead creased.
“I asked why the box was so heavy, and she said it had your sex swing in it.” Mortified, I dropped my head against his chest, unable to look at him while I waited for his laughter.
But it never came. Instead, he lifted my chin, his eyes holding not a shred of amusement.
“You believed her?”
“No! I mean, I don’t know…it just shocked me,” I admitted.
“Well, a bruised ass was deserved then. So tell me, what else did you two discuss while you were there?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does to me.” His voice lowered. “She’ll use you, Cassandra—your kindness. She’s not like you.”
“I’m not an idiot!”
“No, but it was foolish of you to let her talk you into helping her.”
Now I’m pissed. “She didn’t talk me into anything! I went to her and offered to help.”
His lip quirked up, but it wasn’t in a smile. “Don’t you get it? Natasha living in the same building as Luke, one of my closest friends’ brothers? Her happening to need help the same moment you were there? That’s not a coincidence.”
“You’re paranoid!” I attempted to move off his lap, but he locked his hands around my wrists.
“No, I see clearly what she’s trying to do, but I won’t allow it.”
“And what’s that?” I spat, angry that he’d think me meek enough to be controlled by her.
“She’s using you.”
“She can’t. I’m not blind, Logan, but I’m also not a bitch, and I won’t let her turn me into one. I’m sorry she hurt you, and it kills me that she walked out on Oliver, but I won’t treat her like trash. Oliver deserves better—and she deserves a chance to make it right with him.”
“What?” Logan pushed himself up to his feet, all but tossing me aside. “Deserves a chance?” His scowl was hard and set on me.
“She’s his mother. You can’t ever change that.”
“Maybe not, but I sure as hell won’t make it easy for her. If she really wants to prove herself, then she’ll do it by finding a job, accepting she and I are never going to be together, and spending time to get to know her son—not trying to manipulate the girl I love.”
