by Janie Marie
“It could,” Damon said. “She’s doing everything in her power to be close to him now. She might still have feelings for him after all.”
The police chief lifted his phone again.
Say: Just keep Janie safe.
Logan complied, reading the message aloud. “Just keep Janie safe.”
“Of course, Logan,” said Than. “We know she’s all you really care about. It’s always just her.”
Damon smiled at him. “Have a good day, Mr. Grimm.”
At that, Damon turned, nodded at Than, and walked away.
“What was that?” Logan watched Damon walk out the doors.
Than chuckled. “Orders.”
“From who?”
“You know who.” Than smirked. “I’ll head over to the school now. If anything new comes up, I’ll call. Stay out of trouble and do what needs to be done. And don’t forget, keep Janie at the top of your priorities.”
“She’s—”
Than held his hand up. “Trust me. You want to keep her at the top. Over Kylie.”
Logan stared at him, studying Than’s suggestive expression. He nodded. “Of course.”
“Good. I’ll talk to Kali when she’s done with you.”
Logan rubbed his face, tired. “Than, if you’re setting me up, I’ll bury you.”
“If there’s one thing you should know about me,” Than said, walking backward, “it’s that I’m loyal.”
“Yeah, it’s who you’re loyal to that I don’t know I trust.” Logan grabbed the back of his neck. His head was killing him, and he wanted to destroy everyone around him.
Than smirked. “I guess you’ll just have to have a little faith in us. Good day, Logan.”
Logan stood there until the police chief was out of sight and exhaled. “Fuck.”
“Logan?”
He turned around fast, addressing the female voice with anger. “What?”
Gloria flinched at his harsh tone, but she smiled after his expression relaxed. “You wanted to see me?”
Running his hand through his hair, Logan nodded. “Meet me in my room in thirty minutes. I’m going to finish my run first.” A happy smile formed on her lips, but Logan walked away before she could say anything. “Why does this shit have to happen all the damn time?” He released a frustrated breath and lifted his phone, hitting call on the contact he needed. He only breathed easier when the call was answered. “Baby doll, I need to see you.”
Seven
Forever
“Kylie?”
She looked up from her worksheet to where Mrs. Demoness stood next to the open classroom door. There were three figures there, and each one had her heart falling out of her butt. Mr. Prince, Kevin, and Detective Kali Parvati. “Yes, Mrs. Demoness?”
Mr. Prince was the one to speak. “Gather your things, Kylie.”
Nodding, Kylie ignored the whispers from her classmates and did as she was asked, casting a look toward Ryder.
Janie wasn’t in class, and it was clear Ryder was pissed. He hadn’t looked at Kylie once. In fact, all the Godsons were ignoring her. Occasionally, Tercero would mutter something to Ryder, and each time Ryder would nod, closing his eyes as his hand shook around his phone. For a single second, she wished any one of them would say something mean to her. At least then she would know they were watching her. It was a strange comfort to have them aware of her, but right now, she felt like nothing to them.
“Miss Hood,” Detective Kali Parvati greeted once Kylie made it out of class.
“Hello.” Kylie tried to smile, but she could barely stand under Kevin’s scrutinizing stare.
“I’m sorry we interrupted your lesson,” she said, gesturing toward the principal, blushing as she did so. “Mr. Prince assured us you will be given extended time for any assignments this interferes with.”
“It’s okay.” Kylie tightened her shaking hands around her binder as she glanced at the principal. “Thank you, Mr. Prince.”
He smiled, waving his hand as if to lead the way. “Of course. If you would come with us. Kevin, perhaps allow the young women some time before we start?”
Kevin sighed, walking toward the principal, giving Kylie and the detective a good twenty-foot buffer for them to follow behind.
Detective Parvati smiled at Kylie. “How has your day been so far?”
“Um.” Kylie clutched her binder. “Not so good, actually.”
“Really? Anything you’d like to share with me?”
Kylie shook her head. “Nothing important. I just had to deal with teenager things, I guess.”
“I see.” Kali gestured toward the lockers. “I heard you had to have your locker repainted. Kids can be cruel. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“Thanks.” Kylie ignored the sting in her eyes.
“Mr. Prince was informing us your boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, Miss Mortaime, had her locker vandalized today as well.”
She whipped her head around. “Really? Like mine?”
The detective pursed her lips. “Not quite. I’m afraid I can’t provide more information. I’ve been asked to focus on your case rather than Miss Mortaime’s incident, or even her history. I just assumed you might know about it.”
“Oh.” Kylie’s mind went to the letters Logan said Janie received. Was it something like that? No, she killed the guys she said raped her.
“Kevin informed us that you actually stayed with a friend last night,” Detective Parvati said, “but he couldn’t recall her name.”
“Well, he didn’t really have the chance to ask.” Kylie sighed, fearing what she was getting involved in. Was Janie going to get arrested? Was she already arrested, and that was why she was gone? Was Logan in trouble? Oh God. “And she’s not really a friend, but it was Janie I stayed with. She’s Logan’s friend.”
The detective gave her a sympathetic smile. “Yes, I am aware Miss Mortaime has quite the collection of male friends—Logan is right at the top, I think.”
Kylie nodded. “It’s kinda hard to deal with.”
“Oh, I doubt many women could like such a girl.” The detective wore an uncomfortable smile. “Not that there’s anything wrong with her. I just mean a girl who was your man’s past—a past he refuses to let go of.”
It was such a relief to hear someone else understand. “Thank you! God, I was starting to feel like I was in Hell with these people. They all treat her like she’s a goddess. I just want to have my boyfriend without all the drama. I didn’t even know about them being a couple until after she did what she did.”
“Really?” Detective Parvati stopped by one of the trophy cases and pointed to a large trophy with a photo. It was Logan.
“Oh my gosh.” She smiled, leaning forward, only to frown because Janie was right there, glued to his side and beaming up at him. He had a hand on her ass as he hoisted the big trophy above his head with his free hand. There was another picture by a smaller trophy. Again, Logan held a trophy with Janie and two other boys beside them. In this one, though, Logan was full-on kissing her. If it was possible to get stabbed in the heart and still live, she was now a walking corpse.
“They’re quite the legendary couple around here,” the detective murmured. “I suppose that’s to be expected with families like theirs.”
Kylie rubbed under her burning eyes to keep them from stinging. Did Logan look that happy when he kissed her? Probably not. “I can’t believe I never noticed these. Or that they’d even allow these kinds of photos in a school.”
“You’ll find more around town,” said Detective Parvati.
“What do you mean?” She looked away from the various record holdings with Logan’s name listed.
The detective gestured toward Mr. Prince and Kevin. “Well, I don’t think it’s surprising, really. You’re living in the most active fairytale town in the United States, with all four families currently residing in it.”
“Four?”
“The Grimms, Godsons, Knights, and Princes.”
Her mouth
popped open. “Mr. Prince? They said something about Prince, but I didn’t think of him.”
The detective blushed. “He’s more than just a handsome principal.”
Kylie almost laughed. “You’re saying he’s a handsome prince?”
Just then, Mr. Prince bent over to pick up a piece of trash.
“Oh, my.” Detective Parvati fanned herself, then covered her mouth. “Excuse me. That was very unprofessional of me.”
Kylie was sure her eyes were wide as saucers. Mr. Prince had a nice ass. “Is he like a real prince?”
Kali chuckled. “They’re just fairy tales.”
“They don’t act like it,” Kylie said. “I have a feeling my boyfriend’s already found his princess, and she isn’t me.”
“Yes, well, I suppose if you’re a member of any of those families, fairy tales take on a whole new meaning. And, unfortunately, we don’t all get our prince.” Kali smiled sadly. “Sometimes duty gets in the way. Sometimes fairy tales blind us—or we’re so tied to fate, we can’t escape no matter how badly we want to.”
“You mean the police chief?”
Detective Parvati jerked her head around to face her. “What?”
“He was staring at your chest when you talked to me before, and he grabbed your butt.”
The detective’s jaw dropped.
“I won’t say anything,” Kylie rushed, unsure if that was something she wasn’t supposed to see. Maybe they weren’t allowed to date.
“Yes, thank you.” Kali adjusted her suit. “I’ll have to speak to Than about his behavior.”
Kylie grinned. “He seemed to really like you, and he’s super cute. For an older guy, I mean.”
“There are a lot of cute guys, sweetheart. Especially in this town.” Kali glanced at Mr. Prince. “I hope you see that there’s a lot more to the world than Logan Grimm. I know Than Messor is one of a kind, too, but he certainly puts duty before love. I think these boys are waiting for their fairy tale to come true. So be careful with your heart. Logan Grimm isn’t your everyday boy—none of them are.”
Kylie ignored the bit about Logan—he was the best. “You like Mr. Prince?”
“Oh, he’s just nice to look at. He was in some of those photos back there, too. So was your stepfather. Did you not notice him?”
“No.” Kylie turned her head. “They both went to school here?”
“Yes. I think Kevin was the gentleman of his day, but I believe Nick was close to Logan’s father and others like him. A bunch of wolves.”
“Wolves?”
Detective Parvati pursed her lips. “I think you’ll find out what I mean very soon.”
“I’m so tired of being clueless,” Kylie muttered as they entered the office.
Mr. Prince was standing beside his office door, holding it open.
“Believe me,” Detective Parvati said, “these boys are not the kind to get mixed up with. If you want to learn more about them, there’s a price.”
“Oh, but the tale is such an adventure, dear goddess,” Mr. Prince said, winking at Detective Parvati.
The detective tried to hide her smile. “Mr. Prince, I do believe you have a fiancée. Should you be flirting?”
His tone lowered and dripped with a huskiness that made Kylie tingle in a place it shouldn’t with him. “You will know if I flirt with you, dear. But yes, I have a woman waiting. Perhaps if you see her, you’ll praise my faithfulness, for I must endure the presence of more than one goddess daily, and I keep my hands and thoughts to myself.”
Detective Parvati looked ready to faint. “After you, Kylie.”
Mr. Prince smiled and nodded for her to enter. “It’s okay, Kylie. You’re going to be fine. I promise.”
She smiled nervously, her anxiety returning as she spotted Kevin sitting in a chair. Besides the principal’s chair behind the desk, there were two empty seats. Detective Parvati took the one farthest from Kevin, leaving her no choice but to sit six inches from him.
He barely acknowledged her, and he looked livid.
“Well,” Detective Parvati said, pulling out a folder and placing it on the desk. “Kylie, I avoided bringing up why I’m here, but I’m afraid I have some rather unpleasant information to discuss.”
“Oh.” Kylie kept her binder in front of her, guarding herself. “Is this about the fight between Maura and Janie?”
“No.” Detective Parvati smiled sadly. “In fact, the Knight family has already reached settlements with each family, including yours. I’m sure if you ask your guardians, they can fill in the details. You, I promise, have nothing to worry about. Miss Mortaime’s attorney was very thorough, and you were absolved of all claims against you. Mr. Prince here has even arranged for disciplinary action for all girls involved, except you.”
Kylie’s heart started hammering in her chest. She had been innocent, but it was incredible to see Maura’s lie handled so easily.
Mr. Prince leaned forward, clasping his big hands together. “Kylie, I want you to know something before Detective Parvati begins.”
“Okay.” She glanced at Kevin. He was still silent.
“You can refuse to answer anything asked of you at any time. And you can ask for your family to contact their lawyer to advise you on anything.”
“I’ve already contacted my attorney,” Kevin said. “But I’d like to see how much Kylie knows. You don’t have to be here though. This is a police matter, not a school issue.”
Mr. Prince had no difficulty staring Kevin down. “I didn’t ask for your permission to be here, Mr. Blackwood. I assure you, asking me to leave will only cause you trouble you can’t handle.”
Surprisingly, the detective stayed quiet—so did Kevin.
A gorgeous smile spread over Mr. Prince’s face as he focused on her again. “Now, Kylie, you’re welcome to ask myself or Detective Parvati for advice if you’re not comfortable speaking to your stepfather. The matters she’s about to discuss are sensitive topics, so just be aware you have options.”
Kevin glared at him but nodded. “Whatever you need, Kylie.”
Warning bells rung in her head. “I’m kinda freaking out now.”
Detective Parvati smiled. “You have nothing to worry about. You’re not in any trouble.”
“Okay.” She darted her eyes around, her breathing speeding up. God, they knew something.
“Now, everyone here is aware you are in a relationship with Logan Grimm.” Detective Parvati placed her phone on the desk, indicating she was recording. “Is that still correct?”
“Yes.” Her thoughts were spinning. What did Logan have to do with anything? “We haven’t been together very long though.”
“Would you mind telling me how you met?” the detective asked.
Kylie nodded. “I met him when I went to his apartment with Trevor Grimm. They live together. Trevor asked me to help him with a project, and he took me there. That’s when I met Logan.”
“Can you go into a little more detail?” asked Detective Parvati. “How did you go from helping Trevor to getting to know Logan more?”
“Well, he showed up after we got there. He introduced himself and found out I was helping Trevor. He got angry because Trevor ended up telling me he would have to leave me there so he could go do something.”
“He left you alone to do his project?” Detective Parvati asked, glancing at the principal.
“I don’t want to get him in trouble,” Kylie rushed. “He had a thing with a college scout, or something like that. He had no choice.”
Mr. Prince wrote something down as he messed with his phone.
Detective Parvati, however, continued, even though she looked displeased by her story. “Okay, so you were left alone with Logan—is that correct?”
“Yes.” She smiled sadly. “He told me I shouldn’t let myself get used, but I said I wouldn’t go back on my word to help Trevor. So he left me alone for a few hours.”
“Then?”
She shrugged, trying to remember what she'd told Kevin ab
out her helping Trevor that night. “And nothing. He was mad that Trevor left me there alone, then he came and helped me with the project.”
“Did you engage in any sexual acts with him that night?”
Kylie felt her face flush. “No. We only talked.”
Detective Parvati finally smiled. “Logan had a fight that night. Did you attend with him?”
She swallowed and figured this was the smallest of acts they’d done together. “I did. Like I said, he helped me with the project, and he told me that to pay him back, I was his date.”
“So he took you to the arena as he prepared for his fight. Did you immediately have a seat? Or did he take you somewhere else?”
Her hands started shaking. “We went in the back entrance, and his agent came over to talk to him. Logan introduced us, then Logan took me to his locker room.”
“Did his agent say anything strange regarding you being there?”
She was so embarrassed. “He asked why the kid was there, then he tried to tell him there was a group of women he’d like him to meet, but Logan told him to get rid of them. He explained I was his date, and he expected Chris to be responsible for me during the fight.”
Detective Parvati took a deep breath. “Okay, so you went to the locker room after this?”
“Yes. We hung out there until his coach showed up with the masseuse.” Kylie bristled a little, but she continued going over the encounter with as little details as possible, including being taken out to watch the fight with Chris.
“Then Logan won. Did you see him after his fight?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I left right as it was ending. I didn’t tell him goodbye. I just walked home.”
Kevin held up his hand, glaring at Kylie. “You said you were at the apartment and walked home from there. You had no business being at a fight, or walking home from there. That’s about a three-hour walk.”
Kylie’s heart was about to burst. “I like him. I didn’t want to get him in trouble with you.”
“We’ll discuss this later,” he said, leaning back against the chair.