Mine: A Romantic Suspense Thriller (A Back to Me Series Book 2)

by Brittany Taylor

  He keeps his arms wrapped around me as I turn around. Lifting the lid with my fingers, I toss it aside and look at what’s inside. A brand-new laptop.

  “Logan,” I gasp, my eyes growing wide. “You didn’t.” I bend down, pulling it out of the box. I run my hand over the smooth white top.

  He unravels his arms around me and I immediately feel their absence. I turn around, my jaw still dropped in shock.

  He shrugs. “I figured since you were juggling more clients and the job at the law firm that you needed a new laptop. It has double the storage of your other one.”

  I look over my shoulder as tears begin to line my eyes. It’s the laptop I had told Logan I wanted a few months back. At the time, I didn’t want to spend the money on it, figuring I would wait until I drummed up more clients in my graphic design business. I gaze at the laptop then turn back to him, already feeling a warm tear spill down my cheek. “I love it. Thank you.”

  “I love that you love it.” He lifts his hand, cupping my cheek in his large palm. His fingers are covered in memories of old cuts and burns. A necessary evil in his profession.

  I tilt my face into his hand, placing my lips against the scar on the inside of his wrist. I can’t remember if it’s a scar from his work, or if it’s one of the many he has from the night Julian nearly killed him.

  He slides his hand farther across my cheek, tangling his long fingers in my hair. Gripping the back of my head, he quickly draws me in, slamming my body against his.

  I moan against his mouth, my heart skipping a beat with the sudden shift between us. There’s fire burning between our chests. Without realizing it, I’ve started stepping forward, backing him against the wall. My hands are frenzied as I pull at the bottom of his shirt, untucking it from his black pants.

  I’ve started unbuttoning them, still unwilling to break our kiss. Logan tips his head back, resting it against the wall.

  “Oh, fuck, yes,” he hisses.

  His eyes are half closed, willing to let me continue. His words are words of affirmation. My thighs tense and my mouth turns dry, wanting to feel him everywhere. I need his hands on me. I need his mouth on me.

  Tugging down his pants, I free his hardened erection. I grab his length in my hand, moving it back and forth. He groans, breathing heavily as he looks up to the ceiling.

  “Fuck,” he grits out. “I don’t want this to end.” Before I’ve had the chance to move any further, Logan grips the back of my head, spinning me around. This time he’s the one pinning me to the wall. I press my back farther against the wall, lifting my hands under his shirt. My nails scrape against the hard ridges of his torso, the muscles flexing as he leans forward, his mouth finding mine once again. He slides his lips across my mouth, frantically kissing my neck then collarbone.

  I’m still wearing the same dress I had on for work. Noticing the stretchy red fabric, Logan pulls the bottom of the V-neck down, exposing my breasts. I’m wearing a simple sheer bra, one without any wire. Logan hisses, my nipples poking through the translucent fabric. He cups my breast in the palm of his hand, massaging it with his fingers. I tilt my head back, swiping my tongue across my bottom lip. With his other hand, he slides it between my thighs, his fingers grazing my skin.

  My hips immediately press into his body the moment his hand meets my core. I’m already soaked, ready for Logan. I decided against wearing any panties today, figuring I’d be more comfortable that way.

  “Shit, Lena.” He pulls his head back, his eyes spread wide. There’s a fire raging behind them and I breathe in a sharp breath, his fingers already making circles on my sensitive flesh. “I wasn’t expecting that.” He smirks.

  The delight in his face is enough to push me over the edge. While still moving his hand between my legs, he slides the other one from my breast to my back, pulling me against him. He lifts me in one move, pushing his body against mine to keep me pinned against the wall. My chest is now in line with his body. I look down, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. He looks up, staring into my eyes. I swallow, my heart pounding with his stare. He places his lips to my chest, gently pressing his teeth into my breast. I moan, the feeling shooting straight to my core. My thighs tense around his waist, feeling my release coming.

  My breaths increase, not wanting this to end before I’ve even had Logan inside me. As if he can read my thoughts, he pulls back, finding my entrance. Pushing into me, I gasp, feeling his length fill me. His entire body is pressing against mine as he pulls back then slams into me again. Then again. He hasn’t moved his hand from my core, his circles growing more intense.

  With his mouth pressed against mine, he pushes into me one last time before I come undone around him. My body vibrates against the wall as Logan finishes. He groans, keeping himself inside me. Afterward, he loosens his grip around my waist, slowly sliding me down the wall. My toes land against the carpet softly, my thighs still vibrating from having Logan between them.

  He rests his head on my shoulder, his hot breaths beating against my dampened skin.

  He begins to laugh under his breath, his shoulders quaking. I pull back and duck my head to see his face, confused as to why he’s laughing.

  Slowly, he looks up. The corner of his mouth curls as his hand finds my face. The pad of his thumb traces a line across my cheekbone. “If I knew buying you a laptop would lead to sex like that, I’d buy you a million.”

  I roll my eyes, feeling my cheeks warm, blushing even more than they already were. “You’re ridiculous.”

  His smile fades, his smooth lips moving back in their natural place. He leans forward, kissing me again. “Happy Anniversary, Lena.”

  I smile. “Happy Anniversary.”

  Eighteen

  Lena

  Logan took a shower before heading out to the hotel. He needed to be there a few hours early to finish setting up and to ensure the food was properly prepared before cooking it. I was both nervous and happy for him all at the same time.

  This was a big night for him and the restaurant. Even if Logan didn’t own Bistro 59, he played just as big of a role in this night as Max did.

  I’m sitting on the couch when Abby knocks on the door. It’s been a while since we’ve spent time together outside of our respective jobs. I hadn’t been back to her office to see how the remodel had been progressing, but she assured me that every day crews were in there, turning it into the space she had imagined. I was excited when she had told me that she finally ordered the signs with my logo design. I couldn’t wait to see it. The feeling of pride when seeing my designs being used by my clients never grew old. Abby’s was a unique circumstance considering she was my best friend.

  A piece of me is relieved to know I wouldn’t be spending tonight alone. I still didn’t enjoy being in the house alone and with Logan constantly working nights, I spent most of them still worried Julian was watching me. With Abby here, I knew I would feel safe.

  Standing up from the couch, I let Abby in. She immediately steps inside, wrapping her arms around me. “Hey,” she says, her chin pressing against my shoulder.

  “Hey, Abby.” I return her hug.

  She’s holding a bottle of wine and a bag of my favorite popcorn.

  “Thanks for bringing the wine and snacks.”

  “Yeah,” she groans, sliding off her jacket and handing it to me. “I’m so relieved to be away from the remodel for a little while.”

  “That busy, huh?” I hang her jacket on the hook by the door.

  “I didn’t realize it would be this difficult, you know?” She leaves me and heads for the kitchen.

  “Do you have a corkscrew?” she yells, glancing over her shoulder. She disappears behind the wall and I return to my spot on the couch, pulling my legs under me, crossing them.

  “Second drawer on the left. Next to the silverware.” I yell back. I pick up the remote, searching through Netflix for a movie. “Starting a business is no joke.”

  “What?” I can hear her opening cabinets followed by her opening the b
ottle of wine, the cork making a loud pop.

  “You were talking about how you didn’t realize how much work it was going to be starting your business.” I say, continuing our conversation. “Mine was hard and I didn’t even open my own office space. You’ll get there and it’ll all be worth it in the end.”

  “I sure hope so.” Abby emerges from the kitchen, two full glasses in her hands. She hands me one then sits down beside me on the couch, a cushion between us.

  I smile, bringing the thin glass to my lips and taking a sip. The red liquid pours down my throat, leaving a warm path down to my stomach.

  “How are things with Logan?” She sets her wine glass down on the coffee table. She sits back on the couch, making herself comfortable.

  “Honestly,” I start, remembering this afternoon. “We’ve never been better. I don’t know what it is, but I feel like we’re in the best place we’ve ever been.”

  A slow smile spreads across Abby’s mouth. “That’s great.” She leans forward again, picking up her glass. She tilts it back, swallowing nearly half the glass in one gulp.

  “Between my new job in Tacoma and this fundraiser tonight, it feels as if everything is falling into place for us.”

  Abby’s violet eyes gaze into mine for a few moments. It’s hard to tell what she’s thinking. The silence swells inside the four walls surrounding us, the moonlight peeking through the living room curtains.

  She unravels her legs, sitting on the edge of the couch. The sudden and abrupt change in mood is palpable. I can taste her bitterness on my tongue. It fills the air, the energy quickly dwindling.

  “What’s wrong?” I lean forward, placing my hand on her back.

  She faces me, her full purple painted lips forming a smile. “Nothing,” she sighs, pulling herself to a stand. She walks over to the French doors leading to the back yard. She turns around, still grinning. “It’s such a beautiful night. We should sit around the fire like we did the first night I came over here.”

  I wince. “It’s kind of chilly tonight, isn’t it?”

  She rolls her eyes. She crosses the room, grabbing my hand, pulling me up. “That’s what the fire is for, Lena.”

  She laughs, releasing my hand.

  “I guess we could. Let me go grab a sweater.” I point to the upstairs as Abby heads back to grab her jacket. She slides it on quickly, heading toward the back door.

  “Okay. I’ll meet you outside.” She opens the door, disappearing into the moonlight.

  I head upstairs to my closet, grabbing the first sweater I can find. I still wasn’t able to find the maroon sweater Abby had given me. Guilt seeps into my chest, hoping Abby didn’t remember I had it, asking for it back.

  I shrug into my favorite black sweater and meet Abby outside.

  She’s sitting on the bench in front of our electric fire pit. She’s already turned it on, the warm orange flames reflecting across her face. A cigarette is perched between her fingers, a trail of smoke floating into the air, disappearing into the night. She lifts the cigarette, taking a drag then blows the cloud of smoke back out.

  The flames flicker on top of the shiny rock bed of the fire pit as I sit beside Abby. The bench isn’t as large as the couch so when I sit down, my thigh rests against Abby’s.

  “Do you know what I was thinking of the other day?” Abby asks.

  “What?”

  “I was thinking of the coffee shop in Providence. The one you and I would always go to down the street from campus.”

  I sigh, tilting my head. “The one with the bookshelves filled to the brim with old books. I loved that place.”

  “I can still smell the old books if I think about it.” Abby laughs under her breath.

  Memories Abby and I shared at the coffee shop come to mind. It was some of the only pleasant memories I have of that place.

  “You’re right, I can smell them.” I laugh again, enjoying this moment with Abby.

  The flames continue to flicker, warming the space in front of us. I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees and raise my hands to the heat.

  “We had a lot of fun times there, didn’t we?” Abby asks.

  I glance over my shoulder, catching her as her bottom lip pouts. She’s looking down at me, her eyes saddening. She misses Providence as I once did. But unlike Abby, for me, Providence holds more bad memories than good. Enough to make me never want to turn back the hands of time. I was only looking toward the future. A future with Logan.

  “We did.” I give her a reassuring smile. The moonlight reflects off the strands of her silver hair, her pale skin glistening from the heat of the flames.

  Abby finishes her cigarette, putting it out on the concrete patio. Afterward, we head back inside and watch a movie, digging into the popcorn she brought with her.

  Halfway through the movie, my eyes slowly close, whisking me away with sleep. Sometime later, I crack open my eyes. The movie is no longer playing, the home screen from our TV glowing through the dark space. My head is resting on Abby’s. I don‘t remember falling asleep on her. I must have scooted my way over to her side at some point and laid my head down on her.

  Her hand is on my head, threading her fingers through my hair. She stops, sensing I’m awake.

  I sit up, brushing the hair from my face. My head is heavier than it was before. I’m more tired than I was before I fell asleep on the couch beside Abby. I run my hand down my face, willing myself to fully wake up. I open my mouth, my tongue peels off the roof of my mouth. It feels like I’ve eaten a cotton ball. “I’m sorry,” I croak out. “I must have fallen asleep.”

  “That’s okay.” Abby grins.

  “I missed the ending of the movie.” I pout, knowing it was a movie I’d waited to watch until Abby and I could see it together. Moisture has finally returned to my mouth making it easier to talk.

  She shrugs. “You didn’t miss much. It ended on a cliffhanger, but it didn’t even make sense.”

  I pick up my phone, reading a text from Logan saying he was about to finish up. It’s near midnight.

  “Logan should be home soon.” I give Abby a closed lip smile.

  “Okay, okay...” She sits up, sliding the blanket off her lap. “I can take a hint.”

  “That’s not what I meant, Abby. I’m sorry.”

  She spins around. “Don’t be sorry. I was joking, Lena.” She laughs, gently pushing my shoulder with her fingertips.

  “Oh.” I half-heartedly laugh.

  I walk Abby to the door. She gives me one last hug before saying goodnight.

  Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her in. Her hair is laced with the scent of the cigarette she had earlier. “Thank you for coming over tonight. It was fun.”

  “It was.” She presses her cheek to mine before pulling back. “I’ll see you later.”

  After Abby leaves, I set the alarm and double check to be sure it’s secure. I head upstairs to take a shower, knowing Logan should be finished with the fundraiser and heading home soon.

  I take my time in the shower, savoring the hot water raining against my skin. After I’m finished, I step out of the shower, anxious to check my phone and see if Logan is on his way home.

  I’ve wrapped the towel around me, tucking it in at my chest. My phone is at the foot of my bed, a green light blinking at the top, meaning I have a text.

  I unlock my phone and read a text from Logan telling me he’s on his way home. I sigh with relief. I toss my phone back onto the bed, walking over to my dresser to grab a pair of clean panties when my phone pings again.

  Crossing back to my phone, I pick it back up, unlocking the screen to a new email. It’s from the same anonymous address I’ve seen before. My throat closes, swelling as fear injects its way through my veins. Tears line my eyes, quickly threatening to spill over. I thought the emails were done. It’s been weeks since I’ve received one. Why now?

  My hand shakes as I press my thumb to open the email.

  Still think your husband is the perfect man he claims t
o be?

  Attached to the email is a file. I click on it, and immediately images of Logan and Natalie pop up.

  I clamp my hand over my mouth as tears spill down my cheeks, one after another. “No.” My lips move against my hand, muffling the cries laced in my voice.

  I frantically scroll through the photos. There are dozens. Logan and Natalie at the market. Logan and Natalie at work. Logan and Natalie walking together on the sidewalk. Logan and Natalie kissing.

  My heart stops and my chest is hollow. I inhale a sharp breath, my throat squeezing with every last breath. I fall to my knees, dropping my phone onto the floor.

  The picture of Logan and Natalie kissing is still glowing, staring me in the face. I study it, willing it to be a mistake. Maybe it was another couple who happened to look like Logan and Natalie. But when I spot Logan’s chef jacket, the silver stitching reflecting against the light, I know it’s him. Natalie’s leaning against him, pressing her lips to his. He’s kissing her back, his eyes closed.

  The photo is zoomed in, a close shot detailing every piece of their kiss. I quickly scramble to my feet, the towel around me unraveling and pooling at my feet. I run back to the bathroom, feeling my stomach churn and my heart nearly explode out of my chest.

  My husband was having an affair and I’ve been too busy burying my head in the sand to see it.

  Nineteen

  Logan

  The fundraiser was still in full swing but by midnight, Gavin had given us the clear to start packing up.

  Even as I was in the presence of some of the world’s most elite, I only thought of Lena. Lena had mentioned her boss was supposed to be here, but I had been too busy to seek her out and introduce myself. The enormous grand ballroom of the hotel was filled with politicians, entrepreneurs, and top scientists. Yet, I still only thought of Lena.

  The way her skin felt like touching raging flames, searing every inch of my skin. My lips memorized the way hers felt. My hands lived in the memory of what it felt like to hold her flesh, molding against her.