Unmistakably Us (Imagine Ink Book 5)

by Verlene Landon

  Walker interrupted him. “You mean, how do you fight fair and not see her as your enemy?” Logan was right, Walker did understand.

  “Yeah.” That was all he could manage. He didn’t need to elaborate. Besides, as unified as Logan felt with these men right now, this still wasn’t a comfortable place for him to be. As much as he wanted to be entrenched in this family, and he genuinely did, he would never be a super touchy-feely person with everyone. It wasn’t who he was.

  “I had the same concern when I finally had a shot with Erika. Hell, I treated her like the enemy after the very first thing she told me that I didn’t like. I didn’t let her explain, and I immediately went into combat mode. I wanted to destroy her, and I said something that damn near cost me everything.” Walker paused, and Logan stole a glance through the small opening of the hood behind the hinge.

  Walker looked broken, like the memory of it brought back more than he could bear. But with a sigh, a small smile teased his face.

  “Anyway, you’ve already heard the public results of that, but I made a lot of personal changes in the way I view things and my behavior with how I react. It’s not a miracle cure or a one-and-done type thing. It’s like an ongoing work in progress. I work at it everyday. I just don’t have to work as hard as time goes on. It’s becoming my new normal. However…” Walker trailed off as he grabbed another non-alcoholic beer.

  Instead of returning to the other side of the garage where Frank and Dax stood quietly listening to what Walker had to say, Walker leaned on the fender closest to Logan and finished, “In the mean time, just get naked.”

  “Fuck,” Logan cursed when his head contacted the hood. Walker’s words caused him to lean up faster than he should have.

  Logan looked toward Frank and Dax as they exploded in laughter. Judging from their reactions, this wasn’t unexpected. Walker joined with a chuckle of his own as he pointed his green bottle toward Logan.

  “That’s the key. Get naked. It was a bit of advice given to me at a time and place I didn’t need it.” Walker dramatically shuddered.

  “Hey,” Frank broke in, “you walked in and asked what was going on. What were we supposed to say?” Walker effectively ended further explanation with a shake of his head and a gagging motion.

  “Like I said, time and place I didn’t need it, but there came a time when I did. Thanks to that traumatic childhood experience, unconventional Gus, and the love of a good woman, we’ve turned it into a sure-fire way to soothe my temper and keep Erika from bolting from an argument like she tends to do.”

  Walker took another swig with certain smugness. The “I’m a fucking genius” look was lost on Logan.

  “What does fucking have to do with my problem?” He directed his question to Walker, but his commentary toward the others. “Someone’s not firing on all cylinders.” Logan relaxed a little when his statement amused even Walker. It made him feel a little more a part of this group.

  “You’re a thick one, and I thought the big fucker over there was bad. Naked isn’t synonymous with fucking…exactly. What I mean is, before a confrontation of any kind, get naked, both of you. It kind of levels the playing field. It’s a vulnerability thing, I guess. I don't fucking know, but it works. She can’t storm off, and I don’t feel like she is an enemy. Besides, who wouldn’t want to look at his woman all flushed and—”

  “We get it already, we don’t need to hear the details,” Dax cut in.

  “Like I would fucking share those with the likes of you, anyway,” Walker quipped. “Bonus, she’s already naked when you admit that you’re wrong and the apologizing can start immediately.”

  “We could’ve lived without that eyebrow waggle, but that bald fucker might be on to something,” Devil Kip spoke and Devil Gene nodded in accordance. Apparently, they were best fucking friends now.

  Yep, crazy as fuck.

  After Gus arrived, the conversation in the kitchen turned to small talk about the weather and recipe hacks. Francis had a lot to say about both.

  Something had passed between Francis and January. Something…motherly. Francis seemed to even look at her differently, the way she looked at everyone else, even Logan, who always held himself off on the fringes.

  The difference was, when Francis looked at all the other people she considered her kids, there was nothing but love and concern. With Logan, there was always a bit of something else. It made January think of longing.

  Boy, can I relate. Trying to get Logan to let her in had been like attempting to covertly breach Fort Knox with a bad case of vocal Tourette’s and a circus elephant in tow. It seemed Francis longed for a connection to him too.

  That was a great thing in January’s book. After she left, Logan would have the family he deserved, and who knows, maybe he’ll get a girlfriend Francis can adopt, too.

  As much as the thought of Logan belonging made her ecstatic, the thought of him moving on flayed her heart. She didn’t begrudge him happiness, but it was a razor sharp pill to swallow that it couldn’t be with her.

  She could find help for Logan all around. Right next door and down the road. Help that would all be gathered around tomorrow for a Reid Family Feast.

  She’d never wanted anything more in her life than to just go to Andy and Stacy and expose her parents and prove their contracts had zero legal power—well, all but one, that is.

  It wasn’t the legal validity that terrified her; it was that invisible control that froze the blood in her veins and stopped her from asking for help. It was that control that would propel her down the aisle to marry a man she could never love. Mindlessly chopping carrots, she allowed her gaze to drift off to observe Gus and Francis.

  Both were dicing and rolling and chatting. Her sister looked at peace. A look she had never witnessed growing up with Gus. Hindsight being perfect, she could identify it now, a way she never could before.

  I will never be the one who erases that look from her face. It would destroy her to know they are using her contracts and personal history to gain my control. I can’t ever let her know, even if it could free—

  “Fuck!” January shouted, dropping the knife as the carrot stub shot across the kitchen. Back peddling, she tripped on her own feet and wind-milled to the ground. The hand she caught her weight with radiated pain instantly.

  Francis and Gus were rapid-firing questions and concerns while helping her to her feet. “Shit, my wrist,” she mumbled, but it sounded like she was underwater. The pain was pretty intense.

  Francis touched it with gentle fingers. “Probably just a sprain, but let’s get you down to county for an x-ray, just to be cautious,” Francis stated as she took charge.

  Once January’s initial shock wore off, it didn’t seem so bad. An ace bandage and an anti-inflammatory and she’d be good as new. She wouldn’t be gripping the pole or pulling back the clutch for a few days, but that wasn’t a big deal, either. She had already given her notice at Pole Position; she only had two more shifts to work, anyway. As far as Demon went—the sound of an engine interrupted her thoughts.

  There’s the solution to that.

  Stacy approached the car as January was settling in for the ten-minute ride to the ER. “Oh, Stacy, I’m glad you’re here, but I was expecting Tori and Erika by now. Not that I’m not grateful, but what brings you by?”

  Gus eyed Stacy suspiciously, especially the envelope in Stacy's hands.

  Not wanting to put her in the position to lie for her, January chimed in before Stacy could answer. “Oh, she’s here for me, some vehicle paperwork and whatnot.” January extended her non-injured hand to accept the papers. Those papers were her small way of giving something to Logan.

  With a smirk, Stacy spoke, “I’ll just drop these in your room for you, looks like you have your hands full.” She turned toward the other two women who were opening the front doors of Gus’ crossover. “Tori and Erika are right behind me. I just came early to drop these off. What can I do to help?”

  “The crust I was working on needs to
go into the refrigerator and you can finish cutting the veggies this one was working on when she tripped over her own two feet. We should be back in a flash, but you know Jan, center of attention and all that,” Gus joked.

  “Hardee-har-har, very funny, sis. Could you have a little sympathy? I was avoiding losing a finger, for your information. Tripping was preferable to being maimed.” January indicated her wrist.

  “Child, please. It’s a boo-boo. You won’t die from it,” Francis said humorously. “However, I have been meaning to talk to you about possibly getting you a giant bubble.” With that, everyone seemed to be having a grand old time at her expense. It didn’t really bother her; she was an accident looking for a place to happen.

  “I know, for someone with the grace of a swan when she’s dancing, she sure can’t walk and chew gum at the same time when she’s not.” Gus got into the car and started it up. They watched Stacy disappear inside as they backed out of the drive. “This is your what, fourth trip to the ER in as many months?”

  “Five, but who’s counting. Most of it has been minor, you know, tripping on air and spraining something.” Gus and Francis exchanged a look, and it gave January pause. “Wait, there isn’t a betting pool on me getting hurt, is there?” It hadn’t taken much time with the Reids for her to realize they bet on absolutely everything. So it wouldn’t surprise her.

  “Of course not, dear. That would be cruel and in poor taste. Betting on someone getting hurt, pish-posh.” Francis tried to sound offended, but that wasn’t exactly the vibe she was getting.

  “However,” her sister added, “buying a block of next general, but minor, trip to the county wouldn’t be.” Gus snickered and cast a sneaky glance in the rearview.

  “Wow, just…wow.” It didn’t really bother her even if it were true, which she was sure it wasn’t. January was confident Francis would draw the line at that.

  “Gus, cut it out,” Francis admonished. “We would never do that, dear, but you have to admit, a lot of money would exchange hands because you are always hurting yourself.”

  January tried to pout and seem irritated, but she wasn’t. It was who she had always been. Nothing about it had ever bothered her before, but the thought of it being used against her had been eating away at her.

  It was an overheard conversation she had tossed out as a worry for another time, but now, she realized it could be a worry as early as next week.

  She remembered her mother had been drinking, alone, in her father’s office for a few hours and fielding phone calls.

  January didn’t have a clue who she was on the phone with, but she assumed it was one of Chadwick’s parents based on the one side of the conversation she’d heard. Her loving mother mentioned if he needed to keep January in line here and there, it wouldn’t be a problem since the whole world knows how accident-prone she was and that her ER record would remove any suspicion from her devoted husband.

  January had stormed down the hall rather than stay and listen to more or confront her mother. That was a turning point for January. One of those moments she realized how truly horrible her parents really were.

  Her mother was perfectly fine with her being disciplined by her husband so long as it looked like just her normal clumsy self and didn’t reek of anything unsavory.

  That bitch didn’t care if it were in fact unsavory or illegal, as long as it didn’t appear to be. January would do her decade, but she’d be damned if she’d let him lay a hand on her. And she’d be double damned if she would have a child who would be in any of those people’s lives.

  It wouldn’t be a breach of the agreement if she couldn’t conceive. She would work out all those details later. Her concern for now was how to exit, stage right, without hurting Logan or this family.

  All thoughts of her mother and Chadwick and leaving fled as they arrived at county. “A place where everyone knows me by name,” she mumbled. Once inside, Francis took command and was fierce in her protective actions.

  Somehow, January needed to amend her exit strategy. She not only needed to be concerned with Logan finding someone, and Gus never finding out how little her parents cared for her, but she couldn’t damage this family on the way out. Geez, if leaving weren’t already damn near impossible, this is seemingly more and more complicated.

  Eleven

  After the whole naked fighting thing, which Logan had to admit was genius, the conversation turned. The subject matter was still heavy, at least to Logan, but the atmosphere was lighter.

  He found himself eager to try naked fighting with January. Fighting was an evil, vile thing to him, a thing he was forced to participate in his early life. A thing he dreaded in his later years. It always meant someone won and someone lost. He was always the loser when he was younger, and he went out of his way as an adult to always—always—be the victor.

  But fighting with January? That, he had a new outlook about it. The way he saw it, there would be no losers if they were both naked and working through problems like a normal couple.

  The way he had started interacting with the men was more easy, relaxed. Logan had always felt like an outsider, even with these men. He was starting to realize that, in this case at least, it was more his perception than their actions that fueled those feelings.

  He knew that wasn’t the case with past family, past girlfriends, but it certainly seemed it was here.

  Dax talked about Stacy and how he had damn near given up on ever having a relationship with her but this family has set him on the right path. After botching it with matchmaking efforts, that is. According to everyone, Francis knew and finally squashed the efforts, and the rest, as they say, was history.

  Walker gave all the credit to Gus and Andy. It was those two who kept his relationship with Erika alive when they were both too stubborn and childish to see what they needed.

  Frank boasted about how he helped Michael see the light. Of course, true to his Vegas garage rule, he didn’t spill details without him here to approve it.

  The general consensus of the garage was to credit Francis for bringing John around. Of course, no one here knew any details because Francis wouldn’t dare talk about it, and John was about as tight-lipped as anyone.

  Logan did know a little about that particular situation, though, but like the rest of the Reid clan, he wouldn’t tell.

  John himself had shared some details with him. Of all the people around him and January, John seemed to be the first to readily accept a him and January thing. Although, he knew John had information that he pointedly refused to share. That bothered Logan. He knew if John was being open-ish with him but holding something back, it was not going to be something Logan would like at all.

  For a few minutes, he just took in the atmosphere around him and let his mind wander down a road of hopes and dreams he hadn’t let it travel before. Frank joined him, abandoning Dax and Walker, who had taken up tossing dice for each other’s betting blocks. This family gambles more than old ladies in Biloxi. They bet on everything, but it was all in fun.

  Logan had even gotten in a few. He never won, but he rather enjoyed being included. The more he looked back on it, the more he realized the Reids had included him from day one. They never treated him as a lessor or an outsider.

  A memory came rushing back to Logan of John and Michael in the hangar. They were betting on January and me already. That’s what they were talking about.

  “Son.”

  Logan gave Frank a sharp look at the word.

  “Sorry, you don’t mind, do you?” When Logan failed to answer, Frank continued. “Right, Logan it is. Logan—”

  He finally found his voice. It was scratchy and rough. Logan wanted to say son was fine and mean it, but there was a still a part of him that couldn’t trust it. He wanted to, but he had lived decades this way so he couldn’t be expected to change overnight. “You can call me son, if you want to.”

  He spoke with an air of casualty, like it was a sacrifice he was making for the older man, but in truth, it felt nice
to be wanted.

  “Okay, son, I can tell there is something heavy squatting on your heart like an elephant. Why don’t you run it by us and see if maybe we could help? I know my lady would whoop my ass all the way to the state line if I let you leave with that burden of yours.” Of course, it’s all about Francis, not me being i… “Not to mention it would tear me up, too.”

  That was the exact right thing to say. Logan was ready to drop the bomb. Even if it cost him this new family and January and…everything, he wanted to be a better person. These people brought that out in him. Even if my secret ends all of this the minute it’s revealed, it will be worth it to be the man they all think I am. The man I want to be.

  “Really, Vegas?” Logan needed verification. Obviously, he planned on telling Michael who he was, but he wanted to be the one to do it. He didn’t want his brother to come by that information any other way.

  “Right down to the gambling.” Frank chuckled. “I have to add, that doesn’t mean we’d keep something illegal or harmful or whatnot secret for long. Long enough to get you the representation or the help you needed, but yes, Vegas.”

  It came rushing out in a tidal wave. “Michael is my half-brother. I came here to spy on him or maybe even make him pay or something. I don’t really know what I wanted.” The rest of the garage went dead quiet. Logan continued vomiting words.

  “I didn’t come here wanting to be a part of this family or his. I didn’t want a girl or a relationship, and I damn sure never wanted to be standing in a garage with a bunch of dudes talking about fucking feelings.” Sucking in a quick breath so as not to chicken out, Logan just kept heaving words at his audience, an audience that had now closed in on him to hear every fucking syllable. Mouths agape, they all wore a similar shocked expression.