Chapter 29

Logan had waited for his brother to leave with Julia before he took Kevin aside. He knew his type all too well: The man was looking for an opportunity to take what he felt was his, and the way he had treated Julia when he was married to her…well, he was a sneaky bastard, and Logan didn’t trust him one bit.

“Kevin, let me make something clear,” he said. “Julia is those girls’ custodial parent. You’re not. If you’re thinking of making trouble, think again. She has a lot of people in her corner, and I wonder if you can say the same.”

Kevin stood with his wife. His expression was all arrogance, but Logan could tell he made the man nervous. Kevin was good at hiding things, just not that good. “You’re not threatening me, are you?” Kevin asked.

Logan could tell the man knew how stupid it would be to get on his bad side. “I don’t make threats,” he said, “but Julia is a friend of mine. I won’t have her or her daughters hurt or threatened. I suggest you and your wife go on home.”

The redhead glanced up at Kevin and said, “Come on, honey, let’s go.”

Logan watched them leave. As Kevin walked away, he seemed to be thinking things over, because he stopped just inside the emergency room doors and looked at Logan long and hard. He said nothing, simply studying him as if trying to figure him out, and Logan realized Kevin was considering his options. He just hoped the man would come to his senses on the plane ride home, realizing what a mistake it would be to go up against Logan. Some people learned things the hard way, while others calculated their options—and Logan would bet anything that Kevin was the calculating type.

He shut his eyes for a second and just stood there, his head aching from the concussion and lack of sleep.

“You look like hell,” Rose said from behind him. She walked over, shaking her head. “I can’t believe something like this happened.”

“How’s Jordy doing, Rose?” he asked.

She inclined her head to the nurses’ station. “Demanding he be released,” she muttered.

Logan walked across the hall to where Jordy stood. He had a cast on one leg, his face colorful from all the bruising. The bridge of his nose had been taped over, obviously broken. One of his eyes was swollen shut.

“Jordy, take it easy,” he said. “I don’t think you’re ready to go home.”

Jordy looked up at Logan. “I thought it was him!” he snarled. “I can’t believe Brent Maloney took me out the way he did. He was just a schoolteacher.…”

“He wasn’t a schoolteacher,” someone interjected. Sheriff Wilcox had wandered in, holding a sheet of paper, Clinton behind him. “He’s wanted in Florida for stalking a woman, in Utah for stalking and uttering threats, and in California for stalking, harassment, and general nuisance. It seems he sets his sights on a woman and doesn’t stop, and he has several assumed names: Larry Holmes, Jerry Redfield, and Brent Maloney. Real name is Bobby Vergus. He was given a dishonorable discharge in the army for his conduct toward a female officer. The teaching certificate Sue was given was fake, but I guess he counted on a small county school not doing its due diligence.” He snapped the papers in his hand, looking from Logan to Clinton.

That was one thing that Logan was going to get on top of. “This school may be too lax for its own good. New procedures need to be put in place so this doesn’t ever happen again.”

“Jordy,” Clinton said, “Maloney worked you over pretty good.”

Jordy was what one might call a difficult patient, Logan thought, as the deputy limped off the wall and struggled to right himself.

“He wanted Julia,” Jordy said. “I don’t think he planned this, Sheriff. I was up there with him, and when I came to, I heard him. He scared that little girl. He was desperate. I don’t think he planned on getting rid of Trinity, but he sure had made plans to console Julia. I don’t think he planned it out very well. I got a jump on him, but my mistake was not realizing his strength and training. I was just sorry that little girl had to watch what he did to me.”

Logan patted his shoulder. “She’s going to be fine. You did a great job, Jordy. Do me a favor, though. I understand all too well that you want to leave, but stay here. Get better.”

Rose stepped around his other side, plumping a pillow behind him. “When the doctor says you can leave, you’re coming home with me and Fred,” she insisted.

Logan didn’t miss the panicked look on Jordy’s face. This time, he could laugh, because at least it wasn’t him.

He let Clinton drive him back to MacKay while Rose stayed at the hospital with Jordy, and the Feds showed up and took custody of Brent Maloney—or whoever he actually was. Kidnapping was a federal offense, and Logan was glad to hand him over. Right now, all he wanted to do was take Julia in his arms and hold her. He didn’t hesitate to ask Clinton to take him to Julia’s. For one, his brother was there, and he also needed to sort out his feelings with her, deciding where they would go from here.

As the sun came up, he walked up to the front door and knocked, realizing as he did so that he still had Julia’s keys. He searched out the key in his pocket and unlocked the door, and the first thing he saw was Julia, her wet hair slicked back, wearing a pale green satin housecoat that fell to her ankles. He could see her chest rise, the cut of cleavage and a hint of her small, creamy white breasts. Her eyes were deep green, tinged with hints of warm brown like rum. Logan could have gotten lost in those eyes.

She parted her lips, her tongue flicking over the bottom one lightly. Then she stepped toward him again, closer, and into his arms. He didn’t hesitate to take what she offered. She tasted so sweet and minty as he ran his lips over hers, shoving his hand in her short hair and angling her head, holding her so he could taste her. She didn’t stop there, pressing into him, sliding her arms around his neck and standing on her tiptoes.

Logan slid his hand down her back and around the curve of her bottom, feeling the roundness, the perfect curve of her firm ass. He wanted to spend time exploring her, running his tongue over every inch of her. His conscience had him pulling back, though he kept her in his arms.

“Where’s my brother?” he asked. Julia took in his face, his eyes and his lips, licking hers as if the taste of him was everything she needed.

“Asleep on the sofa,” she said. “The girls are in bed.”

Logan kept her against him, right where she was. “I’m getting you all dirty.”

Her eyes went right to his lips again. “I don’t care.”

“I have things I need to work through,” he said, and he waited, wondering whether she’d walk away, telling him again how dangerous he was.

But she just watched him. He could feel her, and this time there was no hesitation. She took him in with such openness and honesty. “And I’ll be right beside you,” she replied.

There was something magical about holding on to someone like this, so intimate and close, as if they’d just come through a storm and neither was willing to let go. Logan took a step and then another, waiting for her to say “No” or “Stop” or “It’s too soon”—but, hell, he didn’t want to wait. If she asked him to go now; it would probably kill him, but he would.

He set her down, and she took his hand and led him into her bedroom, closing the door.