by Janie Marie
Logan, however, couldn’t appear happier. He grinned from ear to ear as Kevin took them in.
Kylie almost fainted when Kevin’s eyes lingered on Logan’s tattoos that peeked out under his white tank top. How had she not noticed him wearing that under his leather jacket?
Oh, God, I’m dating a bad boy. A leather jacket, tank top wearing, bad boy!
“Well,” Kevin said, stepping back, “I expect to see you for dinner sometime in the next week, so we can get to know you.”
Logan nodded, pulling Kylie closer. “Sure. I look forward to meeting the family.”
She swore his body heated up at those words.
“Good,” said Kevin. “I assume you will also get her home safely tonight?”
“She’s safe with me.”
Kylie grew annoyed with the way they were carrying on like she was invisible. She was ready to beat the crap out of Logan. How was she supposed to protect her heart now? He was probably going to ruin everything.
“Well, I will see you both later,” said Kevin, smiling tightly at Logan. His eyes barely seemed to register her cheek, but he called her out on it. “Kylie, your cheek is still swollen?”
She tensed, but Logan began rubbing her back. “Yeah, that’s my fault. We were playing around, and she bumped my elbow trying to pin me.” He kissed the top of her head. “I don’t know how she got it in the first place though.”
Kylie realized Logan was suspicious of Kevin and stepped in. “Yeah, I wanted to show him he’s not so tough.”
Kylie wanted to roll her eyes at Kevin’s obliviousness—it was his own wife who hurt her, not whatever Logan was claiming to be. It did remind her to make sure she didn’t give away her other injuries though, and she stood a little taller.
“That’s where I know your name,” Kevin said, oddly wearing a smile. “You’re one of my fighters. The Big Bad Wolf.”
Logan shook his head. “I don’t claim that name. That’s just something the crowd and my old manager started because of my tattoos.”
Kevin nodded. “Yes, I remember now. The Reaper.”
Logan nodded, his posture still tense.
“I hope your reputation with the ladies is in the past now that you’re dating Kylie.”
She choked on her spit. Logan chuckled, rubbing her back as she tried to compose herself.
“Yes, sir. It’s in the past.” He hugged her with one arm. “She keeps me on a tight leash.”
“Good girl.” Kevin looked happy with the arrangement now. Kylie was stunned. “Just tell me if he screws up, sweetheart. I retired undefeated, after all.”
Logan gave a fake laugh. “Warning received, Mr. Blackwood. I know all about The Black Wolf’s reputation. I’ll take care of her.”
“Terrific.” Kevin smiled at them and turned away. “Have her home by midnight, Logan.”
“Yes, sir.”
Kevin nodded and left the aisle. It felt like forever before she could even breathe.
“Hood?”
“What the hell, Logan?” She moved away as fast as she could.
He sighed, relaxing his stance. “Calm down. All this means is that your dad thinks we’re dating. Dating, Kylie. It’s not like I told him you’re carrying my baby or that I want to put a ring on your finger.”
Her face burned from anger, humiliation, and hurt.
He cringed, reaching out for her. “I didn’t mean it like that, baby.”
“Quit babying me!” She slapped his hands. “And we’re not dating. This means nothing. All I have to do is tell him I stopped seeing you.”
“But you won’t,” he said, smiling confidently.
“We’re not dating. I’m not going through with this. This isn’t—“
He cut her off, “Come to dinner with me.”
“What? Why?”
“Well, maybe I want to have one date between us before our relationship ends.” He grinned at her glare. “You know I think you’re hot when you’re all angry with me, Hood.”
Her cheeks burned, and not from her bruised skin.
“Blushing now,” he said in a teasing tone as he pulled her to him. “I can’t tell which look I like more.”
“Shut up, Logan,” she muttered, trying not to smile at him.
Damn him and his smile.
He chuckled, placing his hands on her hips. His touch made her knees tremble, and he smirked down at her. She knew she was pushing aside their earlier conversation, but she didn’t want to think about it right now.
“Where do you want to eat?” he asked, lightly caressing her waist.
Kylie closed her eyes, cursing her heart for letting him back in so quickly. This was why she never wanted to see him again.
“We can just pick up something, if you want, and go back to the apartment.”
“I’m sure you have plans, Logan,” she whispered, feeling him pull her that much closer. His legs were brushing against hers now.
“You heard Mr. Blackwood. My bachelor days better stay behind me.”
She wished he wasn’t joking, but she knew he was just teasing her. “Logan.” She sighed, preparing to push him away.
“No, don’t even think about it. I get my date before you get rid of me. We’ll just talk and eat.”
She stared at his gorgeous face, hating that she was so soothed by just seeing him. This was stupid. Dangerous for both of them. He could handle himself, but she was worried that Kevin could ruin him. But she was so consumed by Logan. He looked so confident as he stared down at her. He knew she wanted to say yes, she could see it in his eyes. He was not expecting rejection.
“Logan,” she said, closing her eyes to give her strength.
He gripped her hips harder. “Don’t you say n—“
“I want a milkshake,” she cut him off. Peeking one eye open, she grinned at his smile. She knew she didn’t have a chance against that smile.
“Anything you want, Hood.” He gave her a triumphant grin as he picked up the shopping basket she had been carrying as she pretended to be a normal person. There were just a few things, like strawberry lip balm, raspberry lotion, shampoo, and conditioner.
“Oh, I wasn’t really buying this,” she said, getting his arm over her shoulder instead of a reply.
He started walking them to the front of the store.
“Logan, really. I was just wasting time and didn’t want to look like I was stealing.”
“Quiet,” he said, looking around.
“What?” she whispered, looking around, too.
“I’m trying to remember if I need condoms or not.”
“Logan!”
He laughed and kept walking them toward the checkout lines. “Don’t worry, Hood.” He squeezed her to him. “I stocked up on Monday.”
“You’re disgusting.” She tried not to laugh because she could practically feel his smile as he walked with her.
“It’s pronounced sex-y, Hood. Come on. I know you can say it. Seeeexy.”
Her face hurt from smiling, and she stayed quiet as he placed her basket on the counter, still laughing as he pulled out his wallet. She realized he only had one item for himself. Men’s bodywash.
Oh, Lord. We look like we’re going to shower and rub raspberry lotion all over each other.
“Is that all?”
Kylie didn’t look at the old lady who checked them out. She was still trying to hide her blush.
“Yeah,” he said, pulling out cash.
She stayed quiet, fiddling with her still slightly damp hoodie as he got his change and their bags.
“You didn’t have to buy me this stuff,” she told him as they walked side by side to leave.
“Oh, I didn’t buy it for you,” he said.
She whipped her head over to look at him.
He smirked. “These are to stay at my apartment. I’d hate for Mr. Blackwood to smell our sex all over you when I take you home. Best to wash you up, make you all pretty again.”
She shook her head, smiling as he pulled her to him aga
in.
His hold tightened when they passed a few guys from her school. “Thanks for letting me take you out, Hood.”
She smiled because he had mumbled this against the top of her head. “You have one date, Logan. And I want fries. Lots and lots of fries.”
Now she just had to make sure he didn’t see how hurt she really was.
“Logan,” she said, giving him an irritated look. He was sitting across from her in their booth, wearing a devilish grin with a straw between his lips. Stupid sexy lips. “I’m not answering that.”
He released his straw and slowly licked his lips.
Sweet baby Jesus.
“You have to,” he said, stretching his hands over his head. The action revealed a small section of tattooed flesh above his jeans. He caught her gaze and winked. “See something you like, Hood?”
Kylie closed her eyes and covered her face when he chuckled. “You’re a mean bastard.” He just laughed softly as she groaned, “I can’t believe you’re making me answer this.”
“It’s only fair.” He carefully pulled her hands down from her face.
It was like he couldn’t not touch her. Opening her eyes, she blushed because of the question she was about to answer.
“You’re the one who suggested we play this game,” he said, reminding her that she’d brought this upon herself.
Kylie groaned, trying to pull her hands from his. He was right, after all. When he kept pestering her about them dating, she decided they should do what she read in books: play twenty questions to get to know each other. However, it had slipped her mind that this was Logan she was dealing with, and by that, she should’ve known his questions would involve sex.
“You suck,” she said when he held her hands tighter.
Logan smiled, a wicked gleam sparking in his dark eyes. “Well, baby, the question was will you? But I’ll be nice and give you a freebie and tell you that if it’s your body my lips and tongue get to taste—the answer is as often as you’ll let me.”
Hot! It was like he’d lit a fire right between her legs, and now it spread over every cell in her body.
“Logan,” she said, failing miserably at hiding how turned on she was.
His eyes fixed on her lips, darkening as he watched her. “Keep saying my name like that, Hood, and you’ll be spread out on this table with my face between your legs.”
She didn’t know what to do. Her only knowledge of sex had come from reading . . . Her head throbbed, but she was easily distracted by his smile.
“You can do that to me?” She yanked her hands free to cover her mouth. “Oh my gosh! I didn’t mean to ask that.”
Surprisingly, Logan controlled himself and nodded slowly, taking her hand again to hold between them on the table. “Yes. It’s basically the equivalent of you giving me head, but I do it for you.”
“Please stop,” she said, turning her face away. She was so embarrassed. Of course she knew guys did that to women. At least in books they did.
“You still haven’t answered. And I’ve given you so many freebies.”
Biting her lip, she turned back to him. “But this is embarrassing. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I have no idea how to . . .”
He started shaking his head and rubbed the back of her hand in a soothing manner. “I didn’t ask if you know how, or if you’re good at it—I just asked would you want to with me?”
“I don’t know,” she said automatically, her heart hammering inside her chest. She didn’t even know why she was having this conversation. But for some reason, she was pulled in by him, participating before she even realized that she was.
“Well,” he said, smiling, “that’s not a no.” He started rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand again. “Your turn, Hood.”
“Um,” she said, staring at his hands playing with hers, happy that her lame answer worked. “I, um, realized that I don’t even know how old you are. So, how old are you?”
“Does that matter to you?” was his instant response.
“I guess not, but I want to know.”
Logan nodded and answered. “I’m twenty-one. My turn.”
“I don’t want to answer any more sex questions, Logan.”
Nodding, he said, “I won’t ask another. But that doesn’t mean we won’t continue our discussion another time.”
She smiled, shaking her head. “Whatever. Now ask your question.”
“You have to answer, okay? No backing out with some excuse.”
She nodded slowly, comforted by the hold he still had on her hand but worried because of the seriousness he suddenly spoke with.
“Good.” He held her hand tighter. “Who hurt you?”
Panic set in. She could see this had been his plan all along. Of course she wouldn’t cause a scene. “You tricked me!” Her eyes watered as she kept them on his firm look.
“This was your game, Hood,” he said, not changing his determined expression. “And don’t give me any of that shit about falling down. You may have, but I know for damn sure that you were pushed if that was the case. Now tell me. Who did it? I know it wasn’t Kevin—you weren’t afraid of him, and that’s the only reason he didn’t wind up on the floor of that store.”
Her eyes widened at his statement.
“Who?”
“Please, Logan,” she whispered, her vision blurring with unshed tears. “No one did this. Just drop it.”
“Fine,” he said, gripping her hand tighter, “we’ll go have a chat with Kevin and your stepmom then.”
“No!” She tried to pull him back down when he slid out of the booth. He didn’t budge. Instead, he started to pull her from her spot. The pain that shot through her body was terrible, but she only let out a small cry.
Logan stopped his attempt to yank her up. He studied her for a moment, no doubt scrutinizing the way she held her breath and her sudden rigid posture. “Where else are you hurt?” His voice was frightening.
She shook her head, still trying to subdue the cries wanting to spill out of her mouth. He couldn’t find out the truth. No one could.
“Goddammit, Kylie. We may not have known each other for long, but I’m trying to help. How do I get you to trust me?”
“It was Maura,” she whispered quickly, turning to look out the window because she just ruined everything.
“What?” He had lowered his voice, but she still flinched at the angry tone.
“I said it was Maura.” Oh God, what have I done?
He slid down next to her, still holding her hand. “Your stepsister?”
She nodded and continued to stare out the window. It was the stupidest move she’d ever made. She was finally telling someone, and not just anyone. She was telling Logan Grimm, a man she hardly knew anything about—a man who within minutes of meeting her noticed signs of abuse and offered help. It might be a very warped sense of help he was offering, but he was still there, holding her hand and trying to find out who was hurting her. The danger of revealing this to him was almost worth it because he was making her feel so good just by holding her.
“Does Kevin know?” His arm slid over her shoulder, and he pulled her to his chest.
She wanted to cry and nearly did when she pressed her face against him. “No,” she whispered, whimpering a little when he reached up with his other hand, sliding it under her hood to hold her head in place.
“But your stepmom does.”
She nodded, not surprised that he could form such accurate conclusions.
“How long?”
She sighed as his thumb rubbed her cheek. Her mouth opened without really knowing she was talking, but she was. She was saying everything that she’d wished to say for years. “Since my dad died when I was fourteen. I tried to fight back, but when Lorelei didn’t help, and the teachers—and the police—believed them, I stopped. They all believed her and said I just wanted attention.”
His hold tightened as he rocked her gently.
“Nothing can be done, Logan. I’m just waitin
g until I can leave. Please leave it alone. It’s not as bad as you think.”
“No, it’s going to stop right now,” he said, letting a fierceness coat his words. “We’re either turning them in, or I’m going to take matters into my own hands.”
“The police won’t believe me,” she blurted. “They didn’t in my old town, and they don’t here. Lorelei manipulates everyone. Look at Kevin—he lives with me and he doesn’t know.”
Logan made a sort of growling noise and said, “That piece of shit knows. He’s a fighter. We see weakness—injuries. He knows, and he hasn’t done shit. I should—”
“No,” she said, reaching her arm out to hug his waist. Her action surprised even her, but she liked it too much to pull away. It was what she’d always wanted. “Please. I don’t want everyone to know. No one even knows me. I won’t be able to take the uproar this would cause. And Kevin would be ruined—he doesn’t deserve that. He’s only been around for two years, if that.”
“He’s taken on the role of your father; he should protect you.”
Kylie closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of his arms around her, the sound of his heartbeat—his strong body and amazing smell. Her internal chaos was soothed with him holding her. “Just let me wait it out, please. I’ll get my inheritance soon, and then I won’t have to see them. I can have a new life, and I’ll forget all about this.”
“They can’t get away with this,” he said fiercely. “Look at yourself.”
“I have, Logan.” She took a shuddering breath. “And I’m just a girl everyone forgot. No one cares, and I’m fine with that.”
“I care, Hood.”
She smiled sadly and tried not to let his sweet-sounding voice pull her farther down the rabbit hole. She knew he cared, but it wasn’t the way she wanted him to. “I know. Thank you.”
He kissed the top of her hood. “You’re welcome, baby. But I’m not letting this go.”
She figured that, and she let him talk so she could savor this moment.
“I get why you don’t want to go to the police,” he added, “but I’m not going to let them hurt you anymore.”