by Lex Martin
I’m surprised to hear him call my name as I race out of the restaurant, but there’s no way I’m going to sit there and let him talk to me that way.
My days of being a doormat are over. Even if it breaks my heart to lose my brother.
34
Logan
Today is not going the way I imagined.
Last night, when Ethan texted to say he’d pick me up late, I decided to sit Jojo down for breakfast while I explained why I’m at this other chick’s beck and call. The more I thought about what Isaiah said, the more I realized he was right. Jo deserves for me to talk to her, one on one, and explain how I got myself into this situation.
Instead, I fucked her like an animal and overslept in a post-sex haze.
Real mature, asshole.
Worry gnaws at the back of my mind. I didn’t mean to be so savage with her this morning. We fucked like the world was ending, and it was hot as hell.
I’ll be honest, though. I’m having a hard time melding Joey, my childhood best friend, with Joey, my girlfriend, the woman I want to fuck until I can’t move.
It takes me a second to realize I’m feeling shame. Shame that I took her that hard. She was practically a virgin ten minutes ago, and I mounted her like a damn animal. I lost all restraint. Like when I came on her tits at the coast. Not my proudest moment.
Well, that’s a lie. I liked marking her and seeing the evidence. Liked it quite a bit. But it feels wrong to do this to my sweet Jojo. Even if she tells me it’s okay and she likes it.
Scrubbing my face, I let out a curse. Truthfully, I could really use a brother-to-brother chat with Ethan. Though I’m not sure how to bring this up. Just add that to the whole host of things I need to talk to him about.
The worst part is he would know exactly who I’m talking about, and I’d rather have my nails pulled out with a rusty plier than share details about what Jo and I do in bed.
I’m filling the tank at the gas station when a familiar car pulls in.
“Hey, man.” I lift my chin to Patrick, who gives me a weird look.
He comes over and shakes his head, but doesn’t say anything.
“What’s your deal? You pissed about something?” I haven’t seen him since we got back from the coast Sunday night.
“Why’re you messing with Joey when you got some chick on the side?”
I frown. “What are you talking about? I don’t have anybody on the side.”
He rolls his eyes at me. “Samantha? Ring a damn bell?”
I still, my heart thudding in my chest. “How do you know Samantha?”
“So you do know her? Red head. Legs for days. Tits like melons.”
Christ. This guy. “What about her? We’re friends.” Sorta. “And what does this have to do with Joey?”
“Just had a really interesting conversation with Samantha on Monday, and she was surprised to hear you’ve been boning Joey when you’re supposed to be with her.”
What the hell? I grab him by his T-shirt. “You have no clue what’s going on here, and before you go spreading some nasty rumor about the people involved here, I need you to think long and hard first. Because if you tangle up Joey in some bullshit that hurts her, I swear to God, I will kick your ass until there’s nothing left. You hear me?”
I push him off, and he stumbles away and mumbles, “I hear you, but I’m not sure I believe you.”
“I’m not fucking Samantha.”
Still shooting daggers my way, he sniffs. “I’d just hate to see Joey get her heart broken because you can’t keep your dick in your pants.”
“And I’d hate to see your mouth get broken because you can’t keep it closed. This is the last time I’m gonna say it, I’m not stepping out on Jo. I made you a promise I wasn’t gonna hurt her, and I meant it. That girl is my entire world.”
Sliding in the truck, I slam the door shut while talking myself out of running over Patrick. I get that he has feelings for Joey and has a wild hair up his butt as a result, but there’s no excuse for the shit he’s saying.
My fingers fly over my phone as I send a text to Samantha. I can’t figure out if she’s really telling people we’re together, or if Patrick was talking out his ass.
With one more errand to run for the day, I try to focus on my job and head for the lumber yard to pick up a delivery for my brother. As soon as I’m done with this, I can finally get back to Jo so we can talk.
All of a sudden, my phone starts blowing up. I don’t recognize the number, but the person calls back three times in a row.
When I answer, I listen to the frantic voice on the other end for only seconds before my blood runs cold.
35
Joey
Despite how angry and hurt I am with my brother, I manage to get my act together enough to pick up the wedding supplies for Tori. With a truck full of votive candles and hair accessories for the wedding, I head back to Logan’s house and crawl into bed. Rambo must sense how upset I am because he curls up on my neck and whimpers.
Silent tears fall when I think of my messed-up family. In some ways, I know Silas never stood a chance. Our father was a grade-A asshole who roughed us up, cited scripture when he was good and high, and only thought of himself. My mother was a saint for putting up with his bull. Or a fool.
In some ways, I understand why Silas hates the Carters. They were everything our family wasn’t. Loving. Financially stable. Respected. And they always loved up on us like we were theirs. But Silas doesn’t know how to accept love.
Too tired to keep my eyes open, I pull the blankets over me and Rambo, ready to block out the world.
I’m not sure how long I sleep, but it’s getting dark out when I crack open my eyes at the sound of the front door closing.
That’s when I remember I was going to make us dinner so Logan and I could hang out. Dang it. I didn’t mean to sleep so long.
A notification on my phone catches my attention. It’s a lame-ass apology from my brother. Didnt mean for things to get out of control today.
Annoyed, I text back. I’m with Logan. Deal with it. Get over yourself and your petty issues and support me for once in your life. I’ve always had your back. Why don’t you have mine?
In the last few months, I’ve learned a few things about myself. I hate gray areas. My brother can either put up or shut up.
I decide to put things in his court. You can make it up to me. Come to dinner tonight at Logan’s.
I probably won’t hear from him for another three months.
Wishing I could erase what happened with Silas today, I stumble into the hallway ready to launch myself into Logan’s arms for a much-needed hug when I freeze.
A strange woman with long, auburn hair is standing in the kitchen.
Logan never locks the door if someone’s home. It’s one of the things I’ve always loved about country living. How everyone knows everyone out here, reducing the need to lock up.
Obviously, that’s a mistake.
She’s wearing a tight tank top, a tight pair of jeans, and red heels, and she’s putting away groceries like she owns the place.
Before I can ask her what she’s doing in someone else’s house, she starts to speak.
“Logan, baby, I know you said you were busy this evening, but I couldn’t go one more day without seeing you. I haven’t seen you since Sunday night.” She makes a pouting sound.
Logan’s not home yet, but she obviously doesn’t know this.
But the familiar way she talks to my boyfriend makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
I clear my throat. “Who are you and what are you doing in Logan’s house?”
Her breath catches, and she spins around with wide eyes. Rambo finally decides to bark.
“Oh, hey, Rambo,” she coos. “How’s my puppy?”
Who the hell is this woman? I pick up my dog before the psycho does.
Her eyes narrow as they travel over me. I’m just wearing one of Logan’s T-shirts and underwear.
I
lift my brows. “Again, who are you?”
She looks so familiar, it’s eerie. Where have I seen her before?
Her red lips tilt up. “I’m Logan’s girlfriend, Samantha. And you would be?” She says it with such authority, I take a step back.
I open my mouth and close it again. At this point, it feels weird to argue that I’m Logan’s girlfriend.
“Oh!” She laughs, and the sound sends chills down my arms. “You’re his little friend. The one who’s always tagging along everywhere. Back from Florida for the wedding?”
How does this woman know so much about me?
I nod hesitantly, my head spinning in a million different directions. “You look really familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?” She shrugs and flicks her hair over her shoulders, a mannerism I remember. “Wait. I cut your hair once, right?”
Nothing about her expression changes. She completely ignores my question, but I know who she is. At least I think I do. She’s the woman who pitched a fit at the salon last winter and got me fired. I didn’t think her name was Samantha, but maybe I’m misremembering.
Jesus, what is going on?
A bad feeling settles over me, and all at once, it dawns on me. Those texts Logan’s been getting for the past several days. The ones he got this morning from Sam.
No, not Sam. Samantha.
I never bothered to read those messages. Didn’t think I needed to. Even if I was concerned, snooping isn’t my style.
But now Sam has definitely piqued my interest.
“Did you say you saw Logan on Sunday?” I hear myself ask as I lean against the wall. Bracing myself for her response, I cringe when she smiles again.
“Sunday night.” A giggle shakes her ample chest. “I can’t turn him away when he wants to get some, you know? He’s insatiable. He sure does like his booty calls.”
My stomach lurches because she’s talking so confidently, with so much assurance, it rattles me.
“I… Can you tell me what time he… visited on Sunday?” I feel like I’m clinging to a life raft in the middle of a storm. Maybe this woman is a nut job. Maybe she’ll tell me the wrong time, but all the hope I have burns to ash when she responds.
“It was after he stopped at the pharmacy for Zach, so it was late. Like almost midnight. Poor Zachy got sick and needed some soup, and Logan drove to my apartment in the middle of the night, bless his heart. And then he tucked me in, if you know what I mean.”
Bile crawls up the back of my throat.
Sunday night. When Logan left for several hours to allegedly refill his mother’s prescription and came back well after midnight exhausted.
My brother’s warning rings loud and clear in my mind. That Logan’s a cheater. That he’ll toss me away once he gets what he’s looking for. That I’ll never keep his interest.
I shake my head. I’ve known Logan my whole life, and he might be irresponsible from time to time, but I can’t see him sleeping with another woman right in my face.
“Is he gonna be home soon?” Samantha curls a shiny lock of hair around her finger. “I figured he’d be here since his truck is parked outside.”
“I borrowed his truck. He took his brother’s. He was supposed to be home for dinner, but I guess he’s running late…” I trail off. I’m not sure why I’m telling her this.
She takes a step closer. Samantha is really beautiful, I admit ruefully. Tall and buxom with gorgeous long hair.
“Logan’s so proud of Zach. Want to see some photos?”
I have no clue who Zach is, but this doesn’t seem to deter her.
Without invitation, she sidles up next to me and pulls out her phone. She’s so much taller than me, her being this close is freaking me out. When she taps on the screen, several texts from Logan pop up. She swipes it, but not before I see him asking where she is. That he’s been trying to reach her. That he really needs to talk to her.
My unease deepens. God, am I being a complete idiot? Is she telling the truth about dating him or hooking up or whatever they’re doing? I cover my mouth with my hand, afraid I’m going to be sick.
She smiles at me like my world isn’t on the cusp of destruction. “Here we have a photo from last summer at the lake.”
“La-last summer?”
“I have some from the year before, but last summer’s shots are adorable.”
“So you guys go back years?” I ask weakly.
Nodding, she looks at me like I’m a moron. “Well, Zachary is seven, so you do the math.”
My heart thuds painfully in my chest, and I swallow back the acid in the back of my throat, my eyes finally focusing on the image in front of me.
It’s a pic of Samantha and Logan. He has his arm around her shoulders, and they’re both smiling.
And they’re standing behind a little blond boy.
One who’s the spitting image of Logan.
I stare at it long and hard.
She runs her finger over the boy. “You can tell what side of the family he takes after.”
The answer is like a knife to my shredded heart. His father’s.
36
Logan
Rage is an interesting thing.
The emotion can spin you out of control or make you so deathly focused, you swear you could fight like Neo in The Matrix.
Right now, I’m so pissed, I might spit fire.
My legs can’t carry me fast enough up the stairs of Samantha’s building. When I get to the top of the stairwell, I go to the apartment across the hall from her place and pound on the door.
A petite older woman opens it. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know who else to call. I have to go to work tonight, and—”
“It’s okay, Carmen. This isn’t your fault. I’m glad you called me.” I’m kicking myself for not having her number in my phone to begin with. If I had known she babysat for Zach, I hope I would’ve thought to get it.
Zach hops off the couch and comes racing into my arms.
“Hey, buddy. You doing okay?” It takes everything in me to calm the hell down. Seeing that he’s safe helps. I give him a big hug and let out a sigh of relief.
Zach nods, but it’s obvious he’s been crying. “Hey, Logan.”
Carmen motions for us to sit, and I take Zach over to her kitchen table and sit next to him before I turn to her.
“Tell me what happened again.”
Her hands twist together. “Mr. Logan, Samantha asked me to watch Zach on Monday morning for a few hours, and by late afternoon, I started to get worried, wondering where she was. By night time, I had Zach sleep on the couch and hoped she would come home after her job. It was strange because she wasn’t returning my messages. And then yesterday morning, when I took out the trash, I saw her run to her car. I was shocked to see her. She acted like nothing was wrong, even though she had left her son with me and hadn’t stopped by to check on him or anything.”
What the fuck? I’m about to blow a gasket, but I take a deep breath.
“And you’re sure you didn’t maybe misunderstand? Is it possible she wanted him to stay with you for a couple of nights?” Although the fact that Samantha dumped him here and hasn’t checked in with Carmen this whole time has me seeing a haze of red.
“Zach has never stayed overnight with me before.” She turns to the kid. With a sad smile, she pats his hand. “But mijo, you know you’re always welcome here, right? I was just worried about your mama, and I was afraid I’d miss work tonight.”
He nods, big tears welling in his eyes.
I tug him into my arms and give him another hug. “Hey, bud, everything’s okay. We’ll get this sorted out. How about you go and play for a few minutes while Carmen and I finish chatting? You hungry? Maybe we can grab some burgers after this.”
That makes him smile. Once he’s settled in front of the television, I turn back to Carmen and lower my voice. “How much does Samantha pay you for childcare? I want to be sure to settle her bill.” I didn’t miss the tremble in Carmen’s voice when she talked abo
ut missing work.
But she shakes her head, pink rising in her cheeks. “I’ve never asked for money. She’s a single mom.”
There’s a question in her eyes. “Yeah, she’s a single mother. But I give her more than enough to pay for childcare if she needs it.”
In fact, I’ve offered to take Zach for a few days to give her a break, and she’s never taken me up on it. Samantha, though emotional at times, seemed like a good mom. She was flexible with me at the beginning, and I was afraid to rock the boat and talk about getting more time to see the kid. Sure, that might’ve pushed me to finally tell everyone in my family what’s going on, but I didn’t want her thinking she had to raise a child by herself.
Maybe that’s what I’ve fucking needed—to face the reality of the situation.
I scrub my face, so tired of dealing with this by myself. Who am I kidding? I need people in my life to know what’s going on even if it hurts them. More than anyone, I’m desperate to tell Joey, desperate to finally have this out in the open.
Grabbing my phone, I try calling Samantha again, irritated as fuck when I get voicemail. So I rifle off several more messages, wishing I had my brother by my side and sorry as hell I’m gonna have to burst his bubble before the wedding.
And then I call our lawyer.
By the time I’m done, the sun is starting to set. Zach and I drop off Carmen at work, before we grab some drive-thru and head to the ranch. It’s time to talk to Joey.
37
Joey
For one long, agonizing minute, I stand there and do the math.
Seven years.
Samantha’s child is seven years old.
That means Logan got this woman pregnant in high school. His senior year. Back when I was busy writing his name in my binder like a lovesick fool, he got this girl knocked up.