“Yeah. You’re George Wilson right now. Only the nurse Lara knows who you really are, and she’s cool. She promised not to tell anyone.”
“Because she has a crush on you,” I pointed out.
Noah flushed, obviously embarrassed, and turned back to Logan. They both chuckled softly. Then Logan grew serious again. “You almost died, man. You were in surgery for several hours, and apparently you flatlined more than once. The doctors said they couldn’t do anything else for you. You were fading fast, so I came to the decision that I had to give you a transfusion of dreg blood. And it worked. It brought you back.”
Noah held Logan’s gaze. “Thanks, man. I appreciate it. You’re the best.”
They shook hands, then Noah closed his eyes. “Man, I’m tired. I feel like I just competed in a week-long, ironman competition.”
Logan chuckled. “You need rest, man. Time to heal. In a few days, you’ll be good as new. The other dregs are on their way. They should be here in a few days.”
Noah opened his eyes. This time there was moisture in his eyes as he looked at Logan. “I couldn’t ask for a better dreg partner, or best friend. Thank you.”
My own eyes swam with tears, my chest tightening with emotion. They exchanged a long glance, a look that was full of meaning that only they as dreg partners understood.
The dregs truly were amazing individuals. Every one of them. And I felt privileged to have met them all.
And so damn lucky to have Logan as my man. My love. My friend. My everything.
Loving a dreg was worth all the heartaches, the trials, the excitement, and the danger. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
I wouldn’t trade Logan for anything.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Logan
Senator Collins’ murder made the headlines. Since Ryan and Luke had deposited his body and the bodies of all his soldiers back in the old warehouse where Collins had tortured me, the authorities believed the senator had been killed by a gang. Speculation arose as to why the senator had even been in the city in the first place, and numerous theories abounded. Was the senator corrupt? Had he been kidnapped? Was he secretly part of a gang? No one suspected the dregs of any involvement in his murder.
Luke got rid of his Camaro, trading it for a black Porsche. He said the guilt over what had happened to Nishi’s mother and then Noah’s near death had convinced him to get rid of the car.
“You can’t blame yourself for that,” I argued, but Luke stayed firm.
“That car was too conspicuous. It led the gangs and The Company right to us. I don’t know what I was thinking when I bought it.” He shook his head in obvious disgust.
“You couldn’t know they would be looking for your car,” Nishi pointed out.
Luke shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. It’s gone. And we’re all leaving here soon, anyway.” It was obvious from the closed-off expression on his face that he was done talking about it.
The other dregs finally arrived, and we snuck Noah out of the hospital late one night, bringing him back to his apartment in the underground maze. We all hung out together over the next several days, taking turns visiting with Noah while he recovered, playing cards and other games, watching football, and generally annoying the hell out of each other. By the end of the week, Noah was healed enough to get up out of bed. I walked him through some physical therapy exercises that would help get his strength back and speed along his recovery. He promised to continue them daily until his strength returned.
Then the other dregs decided it was time to head back to Idaho to their women and their families. They all tried to talk Noah into going with them, but he wasn’t quite ready. Jacob and Tracker even offered to help box up the rest of his equipment for him, but he turned them down, saying he preferred to pack his own things. His stubbornness bothered me. Why not leave with everyone now? What was keeping him here?
When I confronted him later after the other dregs had gone, he told me there was something he was working on, and that he wanted to take care of it before he left. He promised he would be along soon, and that he would be extra careful. Since I trusted that in time he would tell me what was up, I didn’t pressure him. Whatever he was “working on”, he would tell me about it when he was ready.
Ryan and Luke promised to keep an eye on him while he made a full recovery, and that they would wait to leave until he was ready, so they could all leave together.
Nishi and I left the following night. Our second goodbye was more emotional than the first had been, our bonds strengthened by the near-tragedy that had almost stolen Noah away from us. We had all grown closer over the time that Noah recovered, and knowing I was now leaving Noah behind made my chest ache. Leaving a dreg partner wasn’t easy, even if I was leaving with the girl I loved, even if I would see him again soon. Noah and I would always share the dreg bond, our connection deep and lasting, no matter how far apart we were. I couldn’t deny I wanted him to find the kind of happiness I’d found with Nishi, a woman who loved him unconditionally.
As Nishi and I left my apartment for the last time, we went to find everyone to tell them goodbye. We visited Noah first, finding him—not surprisingly—in his tech room.
“Hey, man.” He turned to face us. “Hi, Nishi.”
“Hi.” She smiled. “We’ve come to say goodbye. I’m going to miss you, Noah. You’re such a cool guy and I’m so grateful I got the chance to know you.”
He blushed, clearing his throat. “Thank you, Nishi. You’re a pretty cool girl yourself. And I too am glad that I got to know you. You make Logan happy, and for that, I am eternally grateful.”
He rose from his chair and drew her in for a long hug. Finally, she stepped back, wiping at her eyes.
Noah shook my hand, then I yanked him in for a real hug, not a simple shoulder bump. He was my dreg partner. My best friend. And I wasn’t sure when I would see him again. Damn, I was going to miss him.
We separated and stepped back. “Well, I guess this is goodbye. But not for good. I expect to see you real soon.”
Noah nodded. “Yeah, man. Later, but not goodbye. I’ll be along shortly. I promise. Have a safe trip.”
“We’ll text periodically to let you know how the journey is going,” Nishi offered. “Is that okay?”
“Of course. I’d expect nothing less. Keep me updated. And send me pictures so I can see all the places you visit.”
I shook his hand once more, then we headed for the door.
Ryan and Luke were in the workout room, and we paused to visit with them for a moment on the way out.
They both came forward, shaking my hand, even giving Nishi awkward hugs that she initiated. I tried not to laugh at the look of discomfort on Luke’s face when she hugged him, but my lips twitched anyway. He was the most jaded of all of us, and I imagined it would take him the longest to find true love. Even so, I had high hopes that he too—along with Ryan—would someday find his own happiness.
“Take care, doll.” Ryan’s gaze filled with genuine affection. “Logan’s a good guy and I’m glad he has you.”
She smiled. “Thank you. I’m glad I have him, too. I expect to see all of you again real soon.”
Luke let out a soft snort. “Even me? The asshole who interrogated you?”
She giggled. “Even you, Luke. You’re not so bad, though you don’t have to be a smartass all the time.”
He shrugged. “I’m a smartass, what can I say?”
They waved as we headed up the escape hatch. Moments later, we headed across the forest toward the garage. The melancholy that had hit me the last time we were leaving slammed into me again. I would miss this place.
But mostly, I would miss Noah.
I had Nishi now. And she had me. She would always have me. I would love her until my dying day. She was my future. And I was hers.
I had once been afraid to love again after losing Himari, even becoming celibate to keep from falling for another girl. It had been the only way to protect my heart. To keep from being
hurt.
But loving Nishi wasn’t scary. Loving her filled me with joy, and having her love me in return was a true privilege, a great honor. I had nearly died for her. And I would do it again if I had to. But I would rather live for her. And living was what I planned to do.
We headed out of the garage several minutes later, driving toward our future. Nishi linked her fingers with mine and smiled across the truck at me. I smiled back, content with the knowledge that I had her love forever.
I had once thought being a dreg was a bad thing, that I was unworthy of love.
Now I was able to admit that Nishi was right. Each of us dregs were special. Unique. And we should embrace who and what we were.
Being a dreg was a good thing.
And I was damn proud to be a dreg.
###
Thank you for reading Logan and Nishi’s story. I sincerely hope you enjoyed it. It would mean a lot to me if you would take a moment to leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads:
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Thank you so much!
**Don’t miss the next book in the series, The Hacker, coming May 1, 2019**
Books in the Dregs series:
The Tracker
The Fighter
The Healer
The Smuggler
The Trainer
The Hacker (coming May 1, 2019)
The Extractor (coming approximately September 2019)
The Enforcer (coming approximately January 2020)
Other Titles by Leslie Georgeson
No Son of Mine (standalone mystery/drama)
Unlikely Heroes romantic suspense series:
Stolen – Book 1
Abducted – Book 2
Deceived – Book 3
Stoned – Book 4
Scarred – Book 5
Underneath paranormal/sci-fi romance series:
Exiled – Book 1
Drifter – Book 2
Unseen – Book 3
About Leslie Georgeson
Leslie Georgeson is the author of the standalone mystery/drama NO SON OF MINE, the UNLIKELY HEROES romantic suspense series, the paranormal/sci-fi romance series UNDERNEATH, and the newly released THE DREGS, a military romantic suspense series. Leslie lives with her husband and daughter on a quiet country acreage in Idaho. She is currently working on The Hacker, the sixth book in The Dregs series, and anticipates a May 1, 2019 release.
Connect with Leslie Georgeson
Author webpage
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
The Trainer (military romantic suspense) (The Dregs Book 5) Page 32