Indestructible

by Angela Graham

  Halfway to the door, I felt an unsettling tingle that raised the tiny hairs on the back of my neck. On instinct, I jerked my head back and spun on my heel, ready to attack at the feeling of hands wrapping around my middle. Logan was there, his hands shooting into the air in defense.

  “Just wanted to give you a proper goodbye,” he explained, and I relaxed.

  “Well, if that’s all…” A soft laugh bubbled up from within me.

  A mischievous gleam crossed his steely blue eyes, and instantly his hand encircled my waist, drawing me into his chest.

  “People are staring.” I scanned the room, but surprisingly enough, the patrons were too engrossed with their meals to notice us. Biting back my smile, I bathed in that wicked gleam in his eye. “Never mind, carry on.”

  And he did. His mouth demanded mine, tongue dipping inside, caressing and teasing. “I missed you,” he confessed across my lips.

  “I just saw you,” I giggled.

  “I always miss you.”

  I tugged on his bottom lip as we separated. “Good.”

  “Stay with me tonight.”

  It was a strange feeling, suddenly remembering the four days were up already. His eyes darkened as he watched the deliberation in my expression.

  “Okay,” I said softly. How could I say no? “One more night.”

  I blew him one last kiss and headed out the door, ignoring the troublesome thoughts about guards being bribed. Logan and I were happy, and nothing was going to ruin that.

  During my lunch with Luke, he agreed to keep Scout for a couple weeks. In exchange for the favor, I agreed to find out why Julia had been not-so-subtly hinting that she had no interest in dating. If it had anything to do with Mark, I understood completely—a girl needs a break after dating a scumbag. I still didn’t know the story about their breakup, but I had plenty of ideas.

  After lunch, I met Jax, who was waiting outside the building to give me a ride as promised. I opened the passenger door and stepped back, surprised to find his car occupied not only by him, but the redhead I’d met once before who’d been bent over Logan’s kitchen counter. I preferred her fully clothed and with the innocent smile she wore as she sat there, watching me.

  “In the back, babe,” Jax said, and the girl lifted her seat for me to climb in. But before I could duck into the back, Jax said, “No, not you—her.”

  The girl’s head snapped his way, but he was unaffected.

  “It’s fine, I can take the back,” I said, embarrassed for her.

  He ducked his head, looking past her to me. “I said her, not you.” His hand moved from the gear shift to her knee. “Now get that fine ass back there.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest, blocking her exit as she attempted to step out.

  “No! I said I’d sit in the backseat!” I yelled, revealing the depth of my annoyance. “Don’t be a dick!”

  Furious, I gestured for her to sit up out of the way, then lifted the seat forward and climbed in the back. The front seat slammed back into place, and timidly, the girl shifted back and shut the door. I met his glare in the rearview mirror with a firm one of my own.

  “Calm down, Cassie. She doesn’t mind,” he grumbled. I heard him curse under his breath as we pulled away from the curb.

  “Sorry,” she whispered to him.

  “Don’t apologize. He was rude.” I sighed, buckling my seatbelt. “Honestly, you can do better.”

  My statement was out of line, but watching her sit there satisfied to be just a toy for him left me irritated. My annoyance boiled over when she placed her hand tenderly over his on the gear shift and he shot her a mocking smile, then moved her hand to his lap.

  Yuck!

  My eyes rolled and I turned to stare—or, more accurately, glare—out the window. I hadn’t figured out what made Jax tick, but I wondered if Logan’s past lifestyle had rubbed off a little too much on his brother. If that was the case, I’d need to figure out how to intervene before he broke too many hearts in my town. Logan, I understood—Natasha had left him jaded. But Jax was too young to be that cynical. There was no way I’d sit back and bite my tongue.

  But what was I supposed to say—‘Learn some manners’? It was tempting, but it wasn’t really my place.

  “So I got a call from Logan,” Jax said, his voice slicing through the awkward silence. “He said he told you about Scout.”

  “When did he call you?”

  “About an hour or so ago.”

  Probably after his meeting with Lawrence and before the guards. My stomach sank, wondering once again why he was there with them, buying them drinks.

  “Thanks for taking him to the vet,” I said, ignoring the pang of worry I couldn’t seem to shake. “I can’t even imagine how scared he must have been.”

  “I’ll admit I was a little nervous myself, but he curled up right here on my lap the whole drive and went to the doc with no problem.”

  Seemed Jax had a heart in there after all.

  “Good. He can go home tomorrow.”

  “You need a ride to pick him up?” he asked in what appeared to be a sincere, no-strings-attached offer.

  “Yeah, that would be great. I’m going to take him to Luke’s in the evening. He’s gonna watch him till he’s feeling better—or at least until he’s able to withstand some roughhousing with Oliver.”

  “Good idea,” Jax replied with a chuckle. He glanced at me in the mirror and I nudged my head to the girl, who was picking her nails silently. His forehead crinkled in confusion.

  I kicked the back of his seat and he shot me an irritated scowl in the mirror. I nudged my head to the girl again and raised my brows expectantly.

  “What?” he mouthed, oblivious.

  Men. I sat up in my seat as far as possible within the restraint of the belt, willing myself to hold in another eye roll.

  “Hi, I’m Cassandra. We’ve never been properly introduced, and I don’t think Jax has the manners to do so any time soon.”

  “Yeah, didn’t cross my mind,” Jax said, eyes on the road.

  “No biggie. Jax and I aren’t that close anyway,” she replied, peeking over at him with pursed lips.

  Uh oh, somebody was in trouble. I’d put good money on him not getting what he wanted from her—at least not without some serious sweet-talking.

  “Close enough to enjoy, but not close enough to get on my nerves,” Jax explained. “Perfect acquaintance.”

  The girl rolled her eyes, forgetting I was waiting for her introduction. I slinked back in my seat, deciding it best to stay out of Jax’s love—no, sex—life until I figured him out.

  The instant we pulled into Logan’s driveway, the redhead was out of the car and marching up to the front door, hands on hips.

  “Good luck,” I teased, climbing out.

  “Right,” Jax laughed, shoving his keys in his pocket. “She’ll get over it the moment I take off my shirt and whisper a few sweet words in her ear.”

  “You sure are a cocky one. Logan teach you that act?” It was I who now had my hands settled on my hips.

  “I don’t need lessons on how to seduce a woman. How much you want to bet she’ll be under me within ten minutes?”

  “Ew, nothing.” My face screwed up.

  He laughed again, harder. “See you around, Cassie. I’m glad Scout’s gonna be all right.”

  There he went, being all nice again. That made it really difficult to stay repulsed with him. In spite of myself, the corner of my lip curled up the slightest bit. It was all it took to show him we were good. With a knowing nod, he headed up the porch steps.

  Deciding I didn’t want to be in the house with them regardless of whether they were arguing or making up, I looked over at my place. It’d been only four days, but it felt like weeks.

  I pulled my phone from my coat, checking the time. It was nearing four o’clock, and I knew Logan and Oliver would be home shortly. If I was going to stay another night, I needed a fresh change of clothes. And if I was being completely honest, i
t felt like the right time to face any lingering fears and go home for a little while.

  Smiling, I adjusted my shoulders and crossed the lawn to my front door. My hands trembled as I dug out my keys. I stopped to inhale the cold air, allowing it to clear my nerves.

  The lock turned easily, and I pushed open the door.

  Once inside, I surveyed the living room slowly. Everything was in its place, as if the day Kurt had broken in was nothing more than a distant nightmare. I dropped my keys on the foyer stand and took a few steps farther into the living room, my hands buried deep in my pockets, fingers gripping my cell phone in the right pocket just in case I needed it.

  With hesitant steps, I made my way to the kitchen. The only sign that anything out of the ordinary had happened was the new back door. It was constructed of a sturdy metal, with a glass window at the top. The deadbolt above the doorknob eased a fraction of my tension. I double checked it was locked, smiling when I saw it was.

  Next was the bedroom, which was easier to take in than I’d thought it’d be. The blood stain was gone—not a hint of it remained. My new bedroom door was exactly the same as the previous one aside from the extra lock at the top.

  My smile broadened as I pictured Logan with his three-piece suit and stern expression, rattling off his list of demands to keep me safe. He was too good to be true. That single thought warmed me to my very core.

  My bed was made perfectly, but the comforter was new. I ignored the pesky memories of why it was replaced; it didn’t matter. The new one was beautiful: pure white with a flower pattern just visible enough, stitched in white thread. I wondered if Logan had picked it out himself. It was too girly for his taste, but it was obviously something I’d love. I wanted to believe he knew me that well.

  I sat on the bed and ran my hands over the soft material. When my eyes fluttered shut, it wasn’t Kurt I saw storming into the room. Instead, I saw Logan. He was there on my bed, making love to me as he had on Valentine’s Day. The mere thought of him erased the wickedness clawing to get back in.

  I was home, and I was safe. The stiffness melted from my muscles and seeped through my pores as I lay back and closed my eyes, smiling.

  “Cassandra!”

  I shifted in my sleep, rolling my head to the side.

  “Cassandra!”

  “Mmm,” I moaned, Logan’s voice heavy in my dreams.

  “Cassandra?”

  It was now a soft whisper of a sigh calling out to me. I opened one eye slightly, peeking through a haze to find Logan standing over me, his hand scrubbing down his face.

  “I couldn’t find you. I was…” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. What are you doing here?”

  With a hollow yawn, I stretched my arms above my head. His uneasy expression softened when I grabbed his arm and tugged. He complied instantly, shrugging out of his coat and pulling me into his arms as he lay down beside me.

  “I fell asleep,” I whispered groggily. “Sorry. What time is it?”

  “Sixish. How are you feeling?” he asked, looking around the room.

  I followed his gaze, ignoring the question. “They did a good job. I wish you’d let me pay you back,” I said, running my fingers over his abs. My head rested in the nook of his neck.

  “You already know the answer to that.”

  My eyes drifted skyward, and I knew he could hear the slight growl in my throat. “Can I at least make it up to you?” I shifted my head to see his face.

  His lip quirked up. “As much as I like the sound of that, Oliver’s waiting.”

  “I wasn’t implying sex, perv boy! Something…better.” Was that possible? I’d need time to think of something extraordinary.

  “I’m intrigued.” A full-blown grin spread over his lips. “But unfortunately, for now, we should go. We made you dinner. I thought you were up in my room resting.”

  “Okay, just let me grab some clean clothes.” I looked back down at our entangled legs. “I wanted to come here alone first.”

  Logan encased me more tightly in his arms and pressed a kiss to the side of my head. “Understandable. So just one change of clothes?”

  I smiled, pushing myself up to capture his mouth with a swift kiss. “Play your cards right and I might give you a bonus day,” I murmured.

  “Now you’re talking.”

  He grabbed my hips and flung me on top of him, setting off a fit of giggles I couldn’t control when his fingers worked painfully slowly up my sides.

  “I thought Oliver was waiting!” I panted between squeals.

  “He is, but you seem to be holding me captive,” he teased, a wicked grin in place.

  “Me!?” I yelped, gasping for air when he sat up, one hand locked around my waist and the other tickling me torturously.

  “Stop!” I cackled. It was a horrible sound, yet his fingers refused to relent. Swatting didn’t help, and as much as I tried to roll off him, he blocked my every move. My heaving gasps and his boyish laughter were all I could hear.

  Realizing I needed to gain control, I lunged forward and ensnared his bottom lip, then bit down gently.

  His gaze darkened in surprise and his hands fell from my stomach, moving up to cup my cheeks. I opened my mouth to free his lips and placed a soft kiss over them.

  “I forgot you play dirty.”

  “We need to go over your definition of ‘playing dirty’. You know—pot, kettle, and all.” I climbed off the bed and crossed the room to my dresser, pulling out a few items. “Come on, let me get some clothes packed before dinner gets cold.”

  “How about this?” Logan asked, appearing beside me. He grabbed the silk nightie I’d worn in his pool months ago, when he’d been watching me. My skin seared with goose bumps.

  His breath was on my neck. “I want this framed on my wall to remind me of a night I’ll never forget.”

  I grimaced, glancing over at him continuing to rifle through my drawer. “Not sure how that would look next to your artwork.”

  Logan held up the thin fabric, admiring it. “True. Then how about I paint you wearing it?”

  My rummaging through the drawer ceased instantly at his suggestion. Slowly, my gaze moved back to his. “You want to paint me?”

  “Since the day I met you, I’ve wanted you in my studio posing for me.”

  I blushed. The intensity in his eyes was thunderous.

  “Okay,” I said, nodding. His hands traveled up my stomach, and I winced at the burn from the scrapes still marring the area. I didn’t want to be painted until my body was fully healed. “But not this weekend.”

  There was pure pleasure in his smile. “There’s no rush. I’ll always want to paint you.”

  I stepped back, loading my arms with a couple blouses and pairs of jeans.

  “So, have you painted a lot of women?” I asked softly. Why did I go there? I knew the answer from Hilary, yet the question still came out. “Not that it matters. I was just curious, I guess. Never mind—don’t even answer. Not my business.” Shut up!

  “Yes,” Logan answered instantly.

  “Right,” I breathed out, my gut churning. I should’ve known better than to go there.

  His hands encircled my waist, twisting me to face him. His finger took my chin, lifting my head. “I greatly enjoy painting, and there are many people who enjoy sitting to have someone capture them on canvas.”

  That’s good enough for me. I swallowed, not needing to hear more.

  “Any woman I painted outside of a paying job was faceless to me.”

  Seriously, you can stop now. Should I say something, or will it show insecurity? Maybe he needed to tell me. If he did, then I’d listen. I wanted to know everything about him, but the women…I’d seen enough to know I didn’t really want to go there.

  “Cassandra, they never meant anything,” he explained.

  I nodded, a tight smile in place. Time to change the subject. “I think I’ve got everything. You ready?”

  “I want to show you,” he offered, a
nd I could’ve sworn I felt my jaw drop.

  “What?” I stepped out of his hold, my face scrunched. “No! I don’t need to see…anything. I’m good, really.”

  “That came out wrong.” He sighed. “I meant I want to show you my work. I never kept the paintings I did of women—only the ones I’m related to. And I promise they’re fully clothed.”

  “I would hope so!” I laughed, knocking down the walls of tension that had been building.

  Logan’s thumb traced my chin, his eyes locked on mine. “You know I love you, and my past is just that—the past. I can only tell you that before you entered my life, I was a very lonely man. Oliver was my only reason to smile. To have you pose for me….” A smile curved his lips. “It would be an honor. A privilege.”

  I kissed his thumb, no longer caring about the women of his past. I already knew they were there, and that they meant nothing to him.

  “I look forward to it,” I said, then turned back to close the drawer. “Can you grab my bag from the hall closet?”

  Logan left the room, and the excitement of imagining him behind the easel painting me sent my arousal into overdrive. He reentered a moment later and opened my closet.

  “So, just out of curiosity…Natasha’s painting, the one Oliver showed me…” My voice lowered, unsure of its next words. “Are there others you have of her? I mean, that are up in your studio?”

  “No. I only have that one because…” He seemed to think it through as if he didn’t already know the answer. But that look was cleared from his expression within seconds, and his confidence returned. “I thought one day Oliver might want to have it. It’s the only image of her that I held onto for him.”

  “She found an apartment in town,” I blurted out.

  “And?”

  “She wanted to tell you herself, but I figured you might want to know sooner rather than later. I’m sure you’re relieved she’ll be moving out.”

  “Yes, I am.”

  I’d been expecting a different reaction—surprise, at least. But he didn’t seem surprised at all as he opened my closet door casually and flipped through the hangers.

  He already knew.