by Sophia Peony
He didn’t linger on watching Dez take Mia, instead he turned to look at Joel who now had a bloody nose, probably thanks to Frank. In just a short time, Frank had the man bloodied and kneeling in pain.
“I really thought you’d be a bigger challenge Joel, but you made this all really easy for me.”
“Fuck you.” Joel spit blood on the ground.
Frank punched him on the side, probably his kidney.
“Your own men opened the door for me.”
“Those were Ray’s men. They weren’t loyal,” Joel spewed.
“Yeah, about that. Too bad you killed the only loyal man to you.”
“How’d you do it?”
“Mia was just the perfect little helper. We laughed about you after I fucked you out of her mind.”
“I HAD THAT BITCH FIRST! FUCKING BITCH! YOU’RE NOTHING! NOTHING! LIKE THAT STUPID BITCH!”
This time it was Logan who delivered the pain. A kick to Joel’s face with just enough force to break his nose and send him sprawling on his back.
“You already took all the money and more. What else do you want?”
“See, if this was just about the money, you might have lived. I’d have just charged you interest, but you fucked with my business, my men, and family. Did you really think I would let you get away with killing my friend?”
“That wasn’t me! That was Ray.”
“Sure, it was, Joel. I’ve got something for you though.” Logan turned and headed toward the living room, where he knew Joel’s money and the drugs they’d taken was now sitting, waiting for the grand finale. Everything Joel had, sitting there just out of reach. Logan didn’t want free money. He took Joel’s money to make him suffer. People would probably think he’s crazy for doing this, but his principles tell him it needs to be done. So, he had his men bring everything they’d taken from Joel for this little show. Once the house was clear, he ordered his men to bring all of Joel’s pride and joy into the living room for the grand finale.
A signal from one of his men confirmed the mansion was now empty, and the fire and sprinkler system disabled. Frank pushed Joel several feet away from the pile.
At Logan’s order, Damon poured gasoline on the rugs and money. The distinctive odor is strong as the clear liquid splashed on its targets. Taking the second jug of gasoline next to Damon, Logan carried the content over to Joel, tipping it over to spill its content on the sniveling man. Logan could drown Joel in gasoline, but it wouldn’t be as fun. He dumped every last drop, making sure that Joel was soaked from head to toe. He was going to burn with money.
Stepping back to avoid setting himself on fire, Logan lit a lighter and held it up for Joel to see.
“What are you doing?”
“Who do I burn, Joel? You or the money?”
“You don’t need to burn anything.” The crazed look in Joel’s eyes told Logan he already got what he wanted.
Knowing both would burn, he tossed the lighter on the pile of money and drugs soaked in gasoline.
“No, no, no, no!” Joel cried as his life and glory burned before his eyes. He tries to throw himself onto the fire, like he’d be able to stop it, but Frank just kicked him away from it.
“No, no, no, Joel,” Logan said back. “I want you to watch it burn.” Joel wasn’t listening; he tried to reach for the burning pile again. This time, Logan didn’t wait for Frank to kick him back again. Taking out the gun from the back of his pants where he’d tucked it, Logan fired.
First time, for Matt. Second shot for Makayla. Three for Paige. Fourth for Mia.
Four holes. One Man. Joel deserved a hell of a lot more bullets, but Logan was only collecting payback for the four people that mattered to him.
Four shots—one on each thigh, one on the right arm, and another where his liver was located.
Joel’s howl of pain sounded animalistic. No one would come. No one would help. The city knows there was only one winner in this war. Rolling in his blood, Joel wasn’t giving up on his money. This time, Logan let him go. He’d taken his revenge, he’d taken payment, and soon, Joel would cease to exist. Dragging his mess of a body toward the spreading fire, Logan knew where this would lead. It didn’t take long for Joel to ignite.
Just one touch started the fire. Logan had expected it. The smell of burning flesh, the scream of agony, the trashing of a body trying to find relief from the fire, wasn’t new to him. They’d seen this in war enough times to not flinch.
A slight nod told his men it’s time to go. The fire was spread fast, and as much as he wanted to watch Joel disintegrate to nothing, he had to leave.
His men filed out of the house, but he stood there for a moment, watching the end of an era. Joel had ruled this territory for several decades, surviving several mobs who’d wanted a piece of the glory. But his luck had run out, just like Logan’s would one day. Like Logan’s father’s had. This kind of life wasn’t kind to men; it made young widows and orphans.
Logan was the last to exit. It wouldn’t be long before the rest of the mansion went up in flames, and by the time the firemen would come, it’d be too late to save it or Joel. They’ll only be able to contain it, so it didn’t burn the surrounding area. There wasn’t much around, though, since Joel kept a large property away from neighbors to hide his unsavory activities.
As Logan and his men left the scene, Logan thought he ought to celebrate a job well done. He’d gotten payback and more; he now owned Joel’s territory, he’d sent an undeniable warning to anyone else who thought about messing with him, and his friend had been avenged. Yet he didn’t feel like celebrating.
He felt tired. Tired of violence and blood. His whole life had been nothing but war. War at home, war for his country, war for his reputation and business.
He pictured Mia, and her smart little girl who would have been reunited by now. Mia should be receiving the care she needed; she’ll be fine. Logan expected her to make a full recovery. Their deal was done. He’d send her to her new life with enough money to live comfortably for the rest of her life.
Logan turned to face Mia. She looked awful, bruised and broken, lying on the hospital bed. He’d shown Paige from a distance that he’d gotten her mother back but hadn’t wanted to frighten the child by letting her see Mia’s real condition. He promised Paige that her mom would be back with her in a couple of days, but for now, Mia had to stay at the hospital. She’ll probably look worse then, but at least, she’ll be feeling better when she faced Paige.
“Is it done?” Mia asked.
“Yes.” He didn’t have to ask what she meant.
“I’m free?”
“Forever.”
“What about you?” Her question was a bit muffled due to her swollen mouth.
“What about me?”
“Are you free?”
It took him a long moment to come up with an answer. “Not yet.”
“When you are, will you come find me?”
“I will.” He said the answer with conviction, but this would probably be the last time he’d see her. Beast will do him one more favor by settling Mia and Paige once they were ready.
“Come with us,” Mia told him.
He was tempted to. God, he wanted to. “I can’t.” For the first time in his life, he’s saying he couldn’t do something.
“You could try,” she suggested.
“Or you could stay.” He hated the idea as soon as he said it. This wasn’t what he wanted for Mia and Paige, just like it wasn’t what he had wanted for Natalie.
“You know I can’t.”
“I know.”
“If it were just me, I would. For you.” She’d stay for him, but not for Paige.
“I know,” he said as he reached to brush the hair back from her face. “The most important part of being a parent is putting your children’s wellbeing before yours.” Something his own parents never figured out. Something he wouldn’t let Mia do.
Chapter Fifteen
The morning sunlight peeked through her kitchen win
dow. She turned the coffee maker on and looked out of the window. This was her favorite part of the house because it had a clear view of the small lake behind her house with trees in varying shades of red, brown, and orange as a backdrop. The perfect autumn picture, in a quiet little town, away from the city life. Life as she had known it was gone. This was her new life—the life she wanted. Peaceful and happy. Though it wasn’t as complete as she would have liked, she was thankful for it. Logan had given this to her. Not the house itself, but he’d made it possible.
She just wished he wanted it too. But she couldn’t even think to fault him for anything when he’d given her and Paige the freedom and means to have this new life.
Speaking of Paige, she could hear her daughter moving around in her room. Six months ago, Paige wouldn’t have been invited to a classmate’s birthday party, let alone a sleepover. Hell, Mia wouldn’t have let her go.
Things were different here. No one here knew who she was, or that Paige was a gangster’s daughter. Though she knew people wondered, no one had actually asked them directly about Paige’s father, at least Paige hadn’t said so. They agreed to say Paige’s father had died from an accident and to leave it at that. Besides the money, Logan had given them new identities— same first names, different last name.
“I can’t find my purple sweater,” Paige’s concern was yelled down the hallway as she rushed around to prepare her slumber party bag.
“It’s in the dryer. I washed it last night,” Mia answered as she turned to make coffee. She wouldn’t let Paige know, but she’d be worrying about her all night until she came home tomorrow morning.
The doorbell rang.
“Oh my, God! They’re already here!” Paige cried as she ran back to her room. For an eight-year-old, her daughter was acting like a pre-teen already. Mia headed to the door, expecting Jill’s mother, Carly, to be on the other side. She was a little early but the super mom was driving around picking up four girls from their homes to take them to the family ranch, where they’ll be riding horses. Mia put a smile on her face — one that was real because she did like Carly — as she opened the door.
“Good morn—” Her greeting was cut as she stood frozen, staring at a different guest.
“Logan?” Mia whispered, so surprised to find him at her doorstep.
“You forget me already?” He’s even more handsome than she remembered. Six months and her heart still managed to skip a beat at that dimpled smile.
“Wha-how…wha?” She was so surprised to see she couldn’t even finish a thought.
“You going to invite me in?”
“Yes, of course. I-I’m just surprised to see you.” She moved aside to let him in, just as Paige came barreling down the hallway with a backpack.
“Not them yet?” Paige asked as she peeked around Mia to see who was there. “Logan!” Paige dropped her backpack on the floor, ran to Logan, and flung herself at him. Logan, just as shocked as Mia at Paige’s enthusiastic greeting, managed to catch her.
“Hey, wow, you’ve gotten so big.” Logan sounded strange as he greeted Paige.
“Are you staying? Did you come to see my mom? I have to go to a birthday party, and we get to ride horses. Are you going to be here when I come back?” Paige talked nonstop as Logan put her back on her feet. She continued to chatter away, asking questions, telling him about their new life, not giving him a chance to reply.
Mia was glad when she saw Carly’s SUV drive up in front of the house. She needed to talk to Logan, and she couldn’t do it with Paige there.
“Paige, they’re here,” Mia reminded her as she waved at Carly through the open doorway.
“Will you be here when I come back tomorrow?” Paige asked.
“I hope so,” Logan answered.
“Okay! I will see you tomorrow. Don’t leave yet, okay?”
“I just need to talk to her friend’s mom for a moment,” Mia explained as she and Paige headed out to meet Carly and Jill. Mia talked to Carly as quickly as possible without sounding rude, just to confirm Carly had all of her contact information and when to expect Paige home, before she waved the three of them goodbye. Hurrying back inside, she closed the door and leaned on it as she stared at Logan.
She missed him more than she’d like to admit.
“Is it bad?” she asked.
“Bad?”
“Yeah, bad? Should I have made Paige stay?”
“What? No?” Logan was confused.
“Why are you here?”
“Well, I was hoping for a better greeting, for starters.”
“I’m sorry, I’m just-I’m just worried.”
“You don’t have to be. You know Joel’s gone…and I took care of anyone who might retaliate.”
“I’m sorry. I just never thought I’d see you again.”
“Did you not want to?”
“No. I mean, I want to, I just didn’t think I would…”
“You wanted to see me again?” Logan asked. His body language changed. His body softened, as if relieved at her words.
“Of course, I did. I do. I just didn’t think I would…I didn’t think you’d ever leave that…life.”
“And you wanted no part of it,” he finished her statement.
“I can’t.”
“I know…and I wouldn’t want you to. I didn’t ask you to stay six months ago because you and that little girl deserve more than that life.”
“When I asked you to come, you said you couldn’t.”
“Yeah, I thought I couldn’t. I couldn’t even fathom doing anything else. Then the month of cleansing followed. I had to make sure there was no more enemies, no more threats. And as I washed away the blood every night, I kept trying to see what my end game was.”
“What did you picture?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?” she asked. She thought for a moment he’d say something romantic…like her. She hid her disappointment.
“Nothing, but death…and then I realized, I didn’t want that.”
She kept quiet as she watched him pace back and forward in her living room. Any decision he made, had to be completely up to him. She didn’t want to influence him or have him feel any misguided guilt toward her. He’d given her enough.
“I don’t want to spend the rest of my life filled with violence. I don’t want to turn into my father.”
“You are not your father or anything like Joel and their kind. You’re better and stronger.” Mia wanted him to see himself the way she saw him. Her hero.
“I know I’m stronger. But am I better? Maybe. Yeah. But I didn’t want it anymore. I don’t want to keep worrying about someone doing to me what I did to Joel or any of the others. I don’t want to have the constant threat hanging over my head.”
“So, you came here?” she asked. Hopeful.
“I came here.”
“Why?”
“Because, I wanted to see if I could be a better man.”
“You are.”
“A better man that you and Paige deserve. That my mother should have had. That my sister should have.”
“I’d say you already are.”
He didn’t see it, but he was better than the men in his world. Those men only cared about themselves. Those men were filled with greed. Logan cared enough to change, and most of all, he cared about people. Yes, he did things to enrich himself, but he didn’t do it at the cost of innocent lives.
“So, why are you here?”
“Because I want you.”
She rolled her eyes at him. That was romantic.
He came closer, trapping her between him and the door. One hand rested on the door by her head, while the other caressed her face. “Because before you, I never thought there was another life out there for me.”
She leaned into his hand. She missed his touch. His scent. His taste.
“Because you and Paige make me want to be a better man.” He leaned in to kiss her, and she welcomed him. The kiss was deep, firm, and soul-consuming. It was the
kind of kiss that made promises she hoped for. He picked her up, and her legs wrapped around his waist.
Logan thought he had it all until Mia. He might have been a king on the streets, a king to his people, a king by name, but he didn’t feel it. A king was someone to be loved, and Mia still believed in fairy tales. He knew that Mia was looking for her happily ever after, it’s why he’d been so sure she’d help him. She likes to fool herself into believing she didn’t need any of that, but Logan saw the truth because a part of him wanted it too. Mia still had hoped for a Prince Charming. Logan’s no Prince. He’s a mother fucking King. Her King. Her Warrior, protecting her from anything that dares to ruin her new kingdom. Her Magician, sharing his experience to keep her from making the same mistakes. He had a chance to live a quiet and better life outside of crime when he’d gotten rid of Luther Slade, instead he became like his father. He’ll do whatever it takes to keep Mia away from that life. Finally, he’ll be her Lover, in ever sense of the word.
He carried her to her room, barely stopping their kiss to see where he was headed. He entered the first room, which thankfully was hers. He gently laid her on the bed without breaking their kiss, his body positioned over hers. Her hands reached for the hem of his shirt, lifting it, savoring the feel of hard muscles underneath. He pulled away to rip his shirt off, and then quickly reached for hers, pulling it over her head and discarding it. His hand reached behind her to expertly unhook her bra, freeing her breasts.
He stopped long enough to admire them before taking one in his mouth. Sucking on the plump flesh and nipping at her skin, savoring the taste. He missed her taste, and how soft she always felt. He made his way down, trailing kisses down her navel until he reached the top of her pelvis. Hooking his fingers on the bands of the pants and underwear, he pulled them down, sliding them off. Not giving her time to be shy, he settled between her legs, angling her legs over his shoulder as he inhaled her scent.
He’s fucking starving for her.
His tongue swiped down her slit as his fingers tested her. Her moan and writhing body told him exactly what she needed. Running his tongue over her clit one last time before he moved up, he quickly discarded his clothes, settled his body between her long legs, and slid home. Wrapped around him tight, it felt like fucking coming home.