To Make You Feel My Love

by Tina Rose

  During the next intermission, Alana left the dance floor to grab everyone fresh cold beers as Logan made his way to the restroom.

  While waiting for the bartender to finish taking orders at the other end of the bar, Alana felt someone press against her back.

  “Hey sexy lady.” A warm breath reeking of alcohol drifted by her nose, as tan arms hemmed her in on both sides, trapping her against the bar.

  “Matt,” she sighed. “What are you doing?”

  “Listening to the band. They’re pretty good, huh?”

  “No, I mean what are you doing?” she asked, looking down at his arms caging her in.

  “I’m just here to say hey, Alana. You didn’t seem to mind contact before your new boyfriend came to town,” he grinned cockily.

  “You’re drunk Matt. Let me go and move out of my way.”

  “I’m not drunk,” he insisted. “Come on, Alana, let me buy you a drink to apologize for riling up your man.”

  “You didn’t rile him up, you pissed him off. And me too, for that matter. What were you thinking anyway?”

  “I’m sorry, really I am. Hell, I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone. You never mentioned it.”

  “Does it matter? I’m seeing someone now. So, if you’ll excuse me,” she tried moving past his muscular arm.

  “Not until you forgive me,” he said smugly.

  “Get you fucking hands off her!” Logan’s voice thundered behind them. “I told you not to ever put your fucking hands back on her!”

  Matt’s head snapped around, releasing Alana, as Logan strode up to them. Before Matt could respond, Logan spun him around in a choke hold, shoving his knees out from under him. He threw him to the ground, pinning Matt to the floor.

  “You son-son-of-a-bitch! Let go of him!” Not realizing Matt’s friend was standing there, he smashed a beer bottle over Logan’s head. Alana screamed. Logan grabbed his head, releasing Matt. Blood drops trickled over Logan’s temple, down the right side of face. “You little fucker!” Logan barked. Jumping up to his feet, he swung at the tow headed man holding the broken beer bottle. A deep rumble came from deep in Logan’s chest, as he swung a fist at the man’s face, connecting with a loud thud.

  Managing to get to his feet, Matt shoved Logan from behind, setting him off balance as he lunged forward, landing hard on his knee. A cracking sound shot through the air. Clutching his leg, he cried out in pain.

  “Oh god, Logan!” Alana tried making her way to him, but a man held her back by her shoulders.

  “Let me go asshole!” she screamed.

  Barreling through the crowd, Dusty grabbed Matt and slung him to the floor. “What the fuck man!” he yelled.

  When the burly security guard from earlier finally arrived, all hell had broken loose. Alana and Becky held tight to each other as tables and chairs were slung all over the place, making screeching noises on the wooden ground. Broken shards of glass from broken beer bottles were sparkling on the floor, and droplets of blood were sprinkled on the wood planks of the deck. Chaos! That’s what it was, sheer chaos.

  Two hours later, the girls were surprised that there had been no arrests made. Emerging from the building was Dusty, none the worse for wear, supporting Logan as he limped toward them.

  “Oh my God! How are you not in the back of a police cruiser right now?” Alana stammered through tears as she buried her face in his chest, hugging him tight around the waist.

  “Made a few calls to some VIP’s. It helps to know people.” Logan winked, although he flinched with pain as he let go of Dusty to hug her back.

  “We need to get you to the ER to have that knee looked at,” Becky stated, pointing to his swollen knee.

  “I told the asshole that.” Dusty huffed. “He doesn’t think he needs to.”

  “Well, if the swelling is any indication of the damage, you need an ice pack and some x-rays at least. Isn’t that the same leg you hurt in the accident?” she asked.

  “One in the same,” he answered. “I don’t need a doctor to tell me that my knee hurts,” he said as he grimaced.

  “Logan, you’ve got to let us take you to the ER,” Alana begged.

  “Jackass, you know you need to go!” Dusty pushed.

  “Fine!” Logan bit out.

  Fortunately, Alana and Becky were able to push Logan through the ER triage quickly. He was examined, iced down and x-rays taken. When he refused to be admitted, the doctor discharged him against medical advice, giving him a strong prescription for pain as a favor to the girls, and told him to contact his therapist immediately.

  “You really should listen to the doctor Logan. He says you may need surgery.” Alana frowned, as they climbed into Dusty’s truck.

  “I’m not spending one damn minute of our time left in a fucking hospital!” he exclaimed.

  “Besides, I’ve already got the best nurse, right here.” Pulling her closer for a kiss, he said “This ain’t my first rodeo, sweetheart. I’ll be okay. I’ll call the doctor in the morning, and make an appointment. But, I’m not wasting our time together, okay?” It was a heartfelt plea that pulled at Alana’s heartstrings.

  “Okay, Logan. I just hope you haven’t caused more damage.”

  “You’ll take care of me, right?” Yeah, she’d take care of him alright.

  * * * * * * * *

  After filling Logan’s prescriptions, Alana, Dusty and Becky settled him down in the bed of her tiny apartment.

  “Are you gonna be okay by yourself?” Becky asked as Alana walked them to the door.

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine. He should be out for the night with the percocet. Dusty, will you come and sit with him in the morning while Becky and I go do some shopping?”

  “Whatever you need, babydoll. Just take care of my brother in there, okay?”

  “Don’t worry, tough guy, he’s in good hands.” Becky gently took his hand, kissing his knuckles.

  “Alright, I’ll see you guys in the morning.”

  Closing the door, Alana took a deep breath. She couldn’t believe the events of the night. Shelby Lynn’s declaration still drifted through her mind. Trying to recall Logan’s exact words to her, Alana recollected their conversation. “I let it go further than it should have that time, I kissed her before coming to my senses and telling her to go home” “she’s my best friend’s baby sister, that’s it.” Believing with all her heart that Logan wouldn’t lie to her or Dusty, she brushed her teeth, put on a t-shirt and climbed in the bed next to Logan, doing her best to fall into a peaceful sleep. Peace did not find her.

  As promised, the next morning Dusty came to sit with Logan while the girls ran to Wal-Mart for a few snacks and drinks. Since Alana lived alone, there wasn’t a lot to eat in her little fridge, besides ice cream and Diet Coke.

  On their way back to the apartment, Alana saw an ambulance at the hotel’s office. Before the car came to a complete stop, Alana jumped out, running toward the office door. As she reached the glass door, the EMT’s were pulling a gurney with Uncle James unconscious body lying on it. Aunt Penny was following closely behind, hysterical in tears. When she finally noticed Alana, she ran to her, throwing her arms around her small frame and leaning on her for support. Through tears and garbled words, Alana came to realize they thought her beloved uncle was having a heart attack.

  “It’s alright Aunt Penny. We’ll get him through this, I promise,” Alana said, as she helped her aunt into the back of the ambulance. “I’ll be right behind you, okay?” Penny shook her head as the EMT shut the ambulance door.

  Looking at Becky, Alana tossed her the apartment key. “Will y’all take care of Logan for me? Tell him what happened. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “You don’t even have to ask girl! Now, get on out of here. We’ve got this. I’ll be
by later to check on you.”

  “Just take care of Logan.”

  “You got it!”

  Running to her car, Alana pushed the button on the key fob to unlock the doors, put on her emergency flashers and followed the ambulance to the hospital. She prayed all the way to the hospital. “Please God, don’t let him die. I swear I’ll give up everything if you just let him live.”

  Uncle James was taken directly to a room in the emergency department. He was hooked up to an EKG machine, blood work run to check his cardiac enzymes, and given all the appropriate medicine to stabilize his condition. Although Alana knew most of the emergency department nurses, she also knew she was driving them crazy, just as the beeping sound of the heart monitor was driving her. She just wanted someone to tell her he was going to be alright. She and Penny paced the floor for what seemed like eternity, until he returned from the CT scan.

  Once the doctor felt Uncle James was stabilized, he was admitted into a room on the cardiac floor. The doctor explained to Alana and Penny that James was suffering from an aortic aneurysm, and would have to undergo surgery to repair the damage and prevent rupture. The procedure would take two to four hours, but the prognosis looked good. Since Alana dealt with these situations daily, she knew they were in for an uphill battle. Knowing Uncle James would not want to let the hotel go that long without him there, she was going to have to take time off from work to help. She would have to talk to human resources and make arrangements. But first, she needed to call Dusty and check on Logan.

  Becky came to check on Alana and her aunt once he was settled into his room.

  “He’s he doing?” she quietly asked.

  “They are going to have to do surgery. But, I think he’ll eventually be okay. How was Logan?”

  “They were watching a basketball game, he was fine.”

  “I think we can head home so I can take a shower. I’ll call on the way.”

  “I’ll drive you if you want.”

  “I’ll need my car so I can get back, but thanks.”

  “All right. I need to stop at home and grab some things before getting back. Will you let Dusty know?”

  “Sure will,” Alana said, hugging her friend good-bye.

  Surprisingly, Dusty answered the call after the first ring. She asked how Logan was doing.

  “He’s fine. We had a few beers, he took his meds, and he’s out like a brick,” he chuckled.

  “Dusty!” Alana yelled, “You know you didn’t give him alcohol with those pain meds!”

  “Chill lady. He’s fine. I left him sleeping on your couch.”

  “Ugh”, she groaned out. “I’m on my way home now anyway.”

  “Alright, I’ll see you then.”

  “Oh, hey Dusty?” she called before he hung up.

  “Yeah?”

  “Becky said she has to run by her house, she’ll see you soon.”

  “Alright, thanks.”

  Exhausted, Alana drove home in a fog, so thankful that her uncle had made it, but still concerned for his safety. Surgery would be hard on his body, and he would be in for a long recovery. She would have to run the hotel while he recuperated. Maybe then she would feel like she had actually paid him back for all the care he had given her over the years. God was good. He was giving them a second chance.

  Parking her car, she ran up the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. Turning the corner of the building to her apartment door, she saw Shelby Lynn closing the door behind her as she was leaving.

  “What in the hell are you doing in my fucking house?” she grated out.

  Shelby Lynn turned facing her, smiling like the cat that just ate the canary. Her red lipstick was smeared on her lips and her hair was mussed up with that just fucked look to it. Snickering, she answered, “What do you think I’m doing, hon’? I told you, when he calls, I come.” Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she strutted off.

  Alana felt the steam building within her. How could Logan let that whore into her home? She had opened it up to him. Shelby Lynn’s words from the night before came rushing to her mind as she walked in to her apartment. Slumped on her couch was one naked Logan Montgomery.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Tears stung her eyes as her heart felt like it stopped beating. Shelby Lynn’s red lipstick trailed from Logan’s face to his groin. There in the floor next to his feet was a used condom. Groaning, Logan rubbed his hands down his face, as his eyes focused on Alana’s tear soaked face.

  “Alana,” he said confused, trying to stand, “What’s wrong baby?”

  “Don’t you fucking dare call me baby!” She spat out. “Get out of my sight!”

  “What is wrong with you?”

  “I said get out!” she screamed again, passing him on her way to her bedroom. “I’ve had it! I’m not my mother, and I’m not doing this. You want a whore?” she said as she threw his clothes out her door, “You go fucking get her!”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Logan’s leg gave out as he tried to stand to get to her. Reaching behind him to catch his balance, he noticed his naked body. Seeing the red lipstick marks, he was more confused than ever. “What the hell?” he murmured as he tried to wipe the lipstick off his body.

  “Yeah, what the hell?” Alana said as the flood gates opened and she sobbed. “Get out Logan. I knew this was a mistake from the beginning. I don’t have time for these childish games. And I don’t want to play them.”

  “Alana, I’m not playing games. I don’t know what this is,” he said, trying to reach his clothes lying by the condom. “What the fuck is this?” Looking back and forth between Alana and the condom. His head hurt, his leg hurt and now his heart was breaking too. He didn’t know what was going on, he just knew by the broken, distant look in her eyes that it was not going to be an easy fix. “What is going on? Where were you?”

  “Logan, I’m telling you right now, get the fuck out or I swear I will call Lopez to have you escorted off this property.”

  “Call Lopez. Call whoever the fuck you want. I don’t know what happened here, Alana. I’m as confused as you are.” He slipped his athletic shorts up his muscled legs as he sat back down on the sofa.

  “You fucked Shelby Lynn. On my couch. In my home. Now, Get. The. Fuck. Out.” She opened her door to find Lopez standing there holding Logan’s belongings.

  “Misses Alana, are you okay? I find these outside your door,” he said in a thick accent.

  “Yes, Lopez, I’m fine. Mr. Montgomery will need you to escort him to his own room.”

  If she had slapped him across the face, she could not have shocked him more. Logan sat motionless on the edge of Alana’s soft, brown leather sofa, staring at her as if she had two heads. She thought he slept with Shelby Lynn? How could she think that? He didn’t care what the circumstances looked like, he did not slept with Shelby Lynn.

  Well screw this! “You want me gone, sweetheart? Well good fucking riddance. I need this shit like a need a hole in my head.” Finally managing to make it to the door, he snatched his clothes from Lopez’s hands, apologizing. “Excuse me sir, I’m sorry for the inconvenience.”

  A heart attack. That’s what he felt like he was having at that moment. The pain in his leg was a distant memory right now, as the pain in his chest overwhelmed him. Staggering to the elevator, he pushed the button leading to Dusty’s floor. How could this have happened? His mind was a garbled mess. Visions of blonde hair flashed through his mind as he wracked his brain trying to figure out what had happened. He recalled watching the basketball game with Dusty, and drinking a few beers, knowing the doctor specifically told him not to mix alcohol with the pain killers. That was it. That was his last recollection until he opened his eyes and saw the wounded look in Alana’s turquoise eyes.

  There was an explanation for this, and he was a
bout to find it. Beating on Dusty’s door, he yelled for someone to open the door.

  “What in the hell are you doing out walking around on that knee, boy?” Dusty said, as he grabbed Logan up under his arm.

  “Where is your sister? Shelby Lynn,” he called.

  “She’s in the shower,” now Dusty wore the same confused look. “What’s up with you? Where’s Alana? And why in the hell do you have red lipstick all over your ass?”

  “That’s what I want to ask your sister,” Logan ground out.

  “What does she have to do with this?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m about to find out.”

  Shelby Lynn picked that particular time to saunter out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a towel and a cynical smile.

  “Hello lover,” the words oozed from her lips.

  “What the fuck did you do Shelby Lynn?” Logan snarled.

  “What did I do?” she asked, shocked. “You called me to come to you. Don’t act like you don’t remember, darlin’,” she laughed. “I guess your little girlfriend wasn’t happy, huh?” As she turned to walk away, Logan grabbed her arm. “Ouch!” she cried out.

  “Tell me what you did Shelby. I’m not playing with you.”

  “Dude, let her go,” Dusty said to Logan, as the men stared each other down.

  “Not until she tells me what she did. Alana thinks we fucked.”

  Dusty rolled his eyes as he hissed his sister’s name. “Shelby Lynn.”

  “I didn’t do anything he didn’t want done. He called me, Dusty, I swear.”

  “Don’t Shelby Lynn. He was in no shape to call anyone. Hell, he didn’t even have a phone.” Rubbing his hand through his hair, he plopped down on the edge of the bed.

  “Well, you believe what you want, both of you. The proof is in the pudding, now ain’t it.” With a tilt of her head, she pointed to the lipstick marks still donning Logan’s body. “Logan, I’m tired of hiding our relationship from my brother. It’s time he knew the truth.”

  “The truth is you are deranged. You need help, Shelby Lynn. I told you that in Savannah.”