Logan's Need

by Sloane Kennedy

  “A nineteen-year old college student who went missing after a frat party last spring and a prostitute who disappeared after being picked up by a john almost a year ago. There are still four more samples that they need to run.”

  “Jesus,” Logan said.

  “Both women were about 5’5, late teens to early twenties, slim build, long black hair, blue eyes,” Dom said softly. Logan shut his eyes and dread swept through him as he realized the women matched his sister’s appearance.

  “He’s more dangerous than any of us could have anticipated, Logan. And he’s not going to stop coming after your sister. You’re an obstacle and he won’t hesitate to make sure he kills you this time.”

  There was a knock at the door and he watched as Dom opened it to reveal a huge, thickly built man with dark hair. He entered and stood next to Dom, his black T-shirt pulled tight over a sculpted torso. He had a couple inches on Dom which put him at at least 6’4. His bearing yelled military and his sharp eyes quickly scanned the room, then Logan as if assessing him as well.

  “This is Cade,” Dom said as he motioned to the hulk next to him. The man nodded at Logan, but said nothing. “He’ll be your shadow until Sam Reynolds is found. You don’t like it, that’s too fucking bad because he works for me,” Dom said coldly. “You may be okay with putting your life at risk, but I promised your sister I would look out for you so you can spout as much bullshit as you want about being able to take care of yourself, but he’s on your ass for as long as I tell him to be!”

  Before Logan could even respond, Dom was out the door. Cade gave him a quick nod, then followed. “Lock this behind us,” the huge man ordered as he motioned to the door before pulling it shut behind him. Logan didn’t miss the sight of the handgun that was tucked into the back of the man’s pants. It was another harsh reminder at how fucked up things had just become.

  Chapter 7

  Dom strode from Logan’s building, anger radiating through him. He knew Logan would be pigheaded about staying at his place and hadn’t truly expected the man to accept, but it didn’t make it any easier. And knowing that Logan was willing to put himself in harm’s way to seek vengeance on the man who had raped his sister and left him for dead had him seeing red.

  “You okay boss?” Cade said from behind him.

  “Don’t call me that,” Dom sniped as he made his way down the walkway.

  “Sure thing, boss,” Cade chuckled.

  Dom stopped and swung around, ready to take his frustrations out on the other man. But when he saw the humor in Cade’s expression, he forced himself to relax. Cade had lit up a cigarette in the time they’d walked out of the stairwell that led up to the apartment above Logan’s bar. The man appeared casual enough, but Dom didn’t miss the way his eyes were always searching the environment. His body looked relaxed, but Dom could see the slight tension in his frame – indication that Cade was ready to do battle at any moment if the situation called for it.

  “Sorry, I shouldn’t have talked like I owned you in there,” Dom muttered. He considered Cade a friend and even though Cade did technically work for him – or for Barretti Security rather – he owed the man more than treating him like the hired help.

  “Stubborn guy,” was all Cade said as he took a drag on the cigarette.

  “Yeah,” Dom responded.

  “Hot though,” Cade said mildly.

  “Keep your hands off him,” Dom shouted, then realized what he’d said and how it sounded. He’d known Cade was openly gay, but he’d wanted the best man for the job so any potential attraction Cade might have had for Logan hadn’t even been on his radar. Now, jealously ripped through him at the thought of Cade pursuing Logan. Cade was studying him so he quickly added, “he’s not into men,” even though Dom knew that really wasn’t true – certainly not after Logan’s physical reaction to the surprise blowjob Dom had given him just days ago.

  “Right,” Cade responded casually, then he stepped around Dom and headed towards his car.

  “I’ll find someone to relieve you tonight,” Dom muttered as he went to his own car and climbed in. His hands shook as turned the key in the ignition. Driving away was one of the hardest things he had to do, but he forced himself to do it anyway.

  ***

  Logan was on edge as he hurried down the sidewalk, his eyes scanning the face of every person walking towards him. He hated that Sam Reynolds had managed to take his sense of security on top of everything else. When he’d initially heard Dom tell him that Sam might come for him, the desire for revenge had been the only thing that registered and the thought of pounding on the evil man until he no longer breathed the same air or walked the same ground as everyone else had him blind to everything around him. He’d sat on one of his wobbly, sixties-era vinyl kitchen chairs all day, his eyes trained on the front door as he waited for any sign that evil stood on the other side. He’d managed to pull himself away only long enough to talk to Savannah on the phone as she begged and pleaded with him to stay with Dom. He couldn’t very well explain to her that if he stepped foot inside of that man’s home again, it would be to crawl into his bed and beg the man to take him until he couldn’t feel anything anymore besides the burning pleasure that his body demanded.

  So he’d lied to Savannah and told her he’d consider it, then had made her promise to keep him posted on how things were going in Chicago. He assured her that if things hadn’t been ironed out by Christmas, he’d make his way to Chicago so they could be together for the holiday. He’d then spent several minutes being lectured by Shane on staying safe and within minutes of hanging up, Gabe was calling up and insisting he come stay with them. But putting his friends at risk by being around them was the last thing he wanted to do, so he’d turned them down and lied again by saying he had a place to stay that was safe and that it was better if they didn’t know the details. And it was all bullshit. Truth was, he was scared – it would be stupid not to be. But he was more scared of what it would mean if he sought the safety that Dom was offering.

  He hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Cade even though he’d looked for the big man as soon as he left his building. But if his bodyguard was there, he wasn’t eager to be seen apparently. Taking a walk down to the marketplace probably wasn’t the smartest thing to be doing, but Logan was going stir-crazy as he waited for his would-be stalker and sleep had eluded him all day so getting out and moving around seemed like his best course of action. He’d grab a quick bite to eat at one of the small, hole-in-the wall Asian places at the marketplace, then grab a cab home before darkness fell. The fresh air felt good across his itchy skin as he walked, but he kept his guard up. Someone brushed past him and he nearly jumped, but then calmed when he saw it was a couple holding hands. Something shifted inside him when he saw it was two men and he found his eyes locking on their intertwined hands. A few people gawked at them as they went by, but most didn’t seem to notice anything out of place as the young lovers chatted happily, their heads occasionally dipping towards each other.

  Logan slowed as the couple entered what appeared to be a small, busy bar. In the doorway were two more men, one pressing the other against the wall as he murmured something in his ear. Another shiver ran through Logan at the sight and he glanced up to see where he was. When he saw the bar’s name, he immediately realized it was a popular gay hangout. Ignoring the surge of curiosity that went through him, he took a few steps forward, but then stopped and glanced back at the lovers – or soon to be lovers – as they caressed each other. They were both attractive men, but Logan felt no physical attraction when he looked at them. But the more they touched each other, spoke in quiet whispers and shared flirty smiles had Logan turning around and reaching past them for the door before he could think better of it.

  The bar was noisy and the loud music made Logan’s ears ring. Men and women danced around him as he worked his way through the crowd towards the bar at the far end. He felt the occasional seeking hand on his ass, but his brisk pace had him safely at the bar within seconds.
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  “What can I get you?” asked the heavily tattooed and pierced bartender.

  “Scotch and soda,” he replied, then took a long drink when the bartender plopped it down in front him him. The alcohol instantly eased his nerves and he looked around. He felt eyes on him from multiple sources, but settled on a man at the end of the bar who was watching him hungrily. A good looking guy – early thirties maybe, with an expensive haircut and equally costly suit. Some type of businessman, he figured. The man nodded at him, then called for the bartender, his eyes never leaving Logan. Seconds later the bartender was pushing another drink in front of Logan and motioning towards the businessman.

  Logan swallowed the rest of the first drink, then started on the second as he turned his attention back to the dancers. Bodies writhed and sweated under the multi-colored lights that flashed overhead and the pulsing bass of the music had Logan wondering if he would need to stop and buy aspirin on his way home. The couples were mostly men, but there were a few women as well. He expected to feel something at the sight of all the grinding and groping that was going on, but didn’t. There were a few couples on the edge of the dance floor, some talking, others making out. He had to admit that he was somewhat turned on at the sight of two men who were on each other like they weren’t in a public place, but his interest was nothing like the bone-wrenching need that nearly crippled him when he remembered Dom’s heat drawing him in, burning him alive. As expected, his cock instantly responded to an image of Dom in his head and he began to shift uncomfortably.

  “Hey there, beautiful,” the businessman said as he sidled up next to Logan, the man’s body brushing his as he ordered two more drinks.

  Logan swallowed the second drink down and didn’t protest when the man shoved a third drink into his hand. It was too much and he knew he should stop, but another image of Dom bent over, his fluttering hole on display as he waited for Logan’s cock had Logan taking a long draw of the amber liquid. The man must have taken Logan’s silence as some kind of welcome because he felt a hand close over his thigh and travel up towards his dick which was now starting to ache. But not because of this man. Nope, the good looking man was just more evidence of what was becoming clearer every second.

  Just as the man’s fingers were about to brush his length through the fabric of his jeans, Logan stood and pulled away. “Thanks for the drinks,” he mumbled as he swallowed the last of what was left in the glass and placed it on the countertop. The man looked pissed, but Logan didn’t give a shit and turned to leave. He instantly slammed into a hard body.

  “You about done?” Cade asked as his huge hands closed around Logan’s upper arms to steady him. The man did not look happy. Logan wrestled free, then pushed past Cade and headed for the door, disappointment driving him to get home and seek out the safety of his bed.

  “You find what you were looking for?” Cade asked as he followed Logan out of the bar.

  Logan’s appetite was gone so he started the walk back home, ignoring the presence behind him. Cade didn’t say another word until they were at Logan’s door and he was fumbling with the key. He wasn’t drunk, but the alcohol was definitely making him lightheaded. He heard a snort behind him, then felt Cade snatch the keys from him. Logan was still facing the door and he sucked in a breath when he felt the other man’s body pin his as Cade carefully worked the key into the lock. But instead of turning the key, he watched Cade’s hand drift up until it rested on his waist. As Cade turned him around, warning bells went off in Logan’s mind, but he remained silent as Cade pressed him all the way back against the door.

  “He wanted you,” Cade murmured as his fingers pressed into Logan’s waist. “Looks like you wanted him too,” he said as his eyes lingered on the hard-on Logan was still sporting.

  Cade really was a good looking man – tight muscles, tanned skin, work-roughened hands that knew exactly how much pressure to exert, firm lips, penetrating eyes. He let his eyes drift down Cade’s body and noticed he wasn’t the only one struggling with an erection. But the way Cade was looking at him made Logan suspect the man wasn’t confused by his body’s reaction.

  “Or is that for someone else?” Cade mused as he continued to stare at Logan’s crotch. The man was crude and rough. But instead of pushing him away, Logan stood mute and still as he watched the other man’s lips descend. The kiss was demanding and Logan closed his eyes when he felt the tongue slide over the seam of his lips seeking entry. It should be easy to open to this man because he was so much like Dom – big, intimidating, controlling, confident. His goal tonight had been to experiment. To figure out what his body really wanted. And if being at that bar didn’t confirm it, this kiss absolutely did. It was a great kiss and the guy kissing him was insanely hot by any man’s standard – straight or gay. But it still felt wrong and he pulled his mouth free of Cade’s. Even though his eyes were still closed, Logan felt Cade hang there for a moment, likely studying him to see if he truly wanted the kiss to end. Then the other man was releasing him and stepping back. He heard the distinctive snick of the key in the lock.

  “You hungry?” Cade asked casually as he pulled Logan away from the door so he wouldn’t fall as Cade opened it. Cade entered the apartment first and did a quick look around, Logan in tow behind him.

  “Cade,” Logan began.

  “I know a great pizza place that delivers,” Cade said as he locked the front door and pulled out his phone and dialed.

  “Cade,” he tried again.

  “Why don’t you go get cleaned up? Take care of that if you need to,” Cade smirked as he glanced again at Logan’s erection. Jesus, the man had no boundaries.

  Too worn out to argue, Logan went into the bathroom and shut the door. He turned the shower on, then stripped out of his clothes and stepped under the hot water. He tried to will his cock into submission, but he was too on edge from the combined exhaustion and stress of the last twenty-four hours. Half a dozen strokes and an image of Dom gliding smoothly in and out of him from behind had him shooting all over the shower tile and he watched in languid satisfaction as his semen collided with the water and disappeared down the drain. He leaned back against the cold tile and let the lingering pleasure loosen his muscles before forcing himself to finish his shower so he could deal with his unwanted guest.

  By the time he’d dried himself off and gotten redressed, he found that Cade had made himself at home and was already working on the first piece of pizza that had apparently been delivered in record time. Or he’d been in that shower longer then he thought. He dropped down on the other end of the couch and grabbed a piece of pizza as he watched the man commandeer the remote and start flipping channels.

  “Feel better?” Cade asked as he settled on an old black and white sitcom. Logan heard the laughter in his voice.

  “Guess this wasn’t part of the job description, huh?” Logan finally said as he settled back against the cushion and devoured the pizza.

  “What wasn’t?”

  “Having to watch some guy try to figure out what team he plays for.”

  “So that’s what that was tonight?” Cade asked as he snagged another piece of pizza. “Cause there’s a lot of places with much hotter guys.”

  “Hotter than you?” Logan said, then nearly choked when he realized he’d said the words out loud.

  Cade laughed heartily before taking another bite. “No wonder he likes you,” he said as he licked the grease off his fingers. Logan’s gut tightened at the obvious mention of Dom. “So what’s stopping you?” Cade asked.

  Logan fell silent as he finished off the rest of the pizza slice, then wiped his now clammy hand on his jeans.

  “Is it ‘cause he just lost his wife or ‘cause of the whole team thing?”

  “Both,” Logan admitted.

  “Well, maybe you need to let Dom make his own decision about the first one,” Cade said as he started on his third piece of pizza. “And focus on the second part. ‘Course, I think for you it’s less about teams and more about finding the righ
t teammate.”

  Logan dropped his head back on the couch and sighed. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he’d be talking sex with some stranger, much less someone who was clearly a friend of Dom’s. A man he’d let kiss him just so he could experiment.

  “Sorry for using you like that,” Logan murmured as his eyes began to feel heavy.

  “With that ass and that face, you can use me all you want,” he heard Cade chuckle and he smiled. The guy was loud and brash and looked like sex on a stick – and Logan was really starting to like him. That was his last thought before sleep claimed him.

  ***

  Logan awoke in the same position he’d passed out in. His neck ached as he sat up and a blanket fell into his lap from where it had been draped over him. Cade was gone, the TV off. Even the pizza had been cleaned up. Logan stretched as he stood and felt marginally better than he had the night before. At least he’d slept dream free last night. He glanced at his watch and saw that he had less than an hour to get to work. Although he preferred the night shift, a desperate co-worker had asked him to switch, so today would be spent watching rush hour traffic crawl by as he spread hot tar on the always cracked and worn out interstate.

  It took him less than fifteen minutes to shower and shave and when he went hunting for something to eat, he was pleased to find that Cade had left him what remained of the pizza. He piled two pieces on top of each other and ate them at the same time as he hunted for his keys, remembered to grab his cell phone, and headed out the door. A quick glance told him the stairwell was empty and he locked his door, his body once again on edge as he went out into the open streets. He automatically searched for Cade, but like the night before, he saw no one. As he drove, he kept his eyes peeled for any sign of Sam, but nothing was out of the ordinary. No cars followed him, there was no feeling of being watched. On his lunch break he called Savannah to check in with her and then finished out the day. The sun had just begun to settle along the horizon when he headed home. This time as he drove, he did notice headlights in his rearview mirror. His tension grew as the car stuck with him and when he took several unnecessary turns to see if it followed, it did.