Chapter 25
CHAPTER 25
LOGAN
Three weeks Later…
T hree weeks of longing, of dreaming, of waking in the middle of the night with a gasp, clawing my hand across the bed sheets as if I’m going to find my Piper there. Three weeks of trying to focus on work as I meet with the FBI.
Three weeks of hearing that there’s no sign of Sal.
Three weeks of not talking with Elliot. Of wondering if he wants us to pause our passion or never return to it.
I spend my time working. Or trying to. It isn’t easy knowing that Piper is a few floors beneath me, working on the copy for Forever Love, knowing that I could go down there and loop my arm around her hips, pull her against me, melt against her, and feel her heat.
The temptation is always there, so bad at times I have to squeeze my hands into tight fists to stop from giving into it. When that happens, I think about Elliot, filling my mind with memories from over the years, a thousand memories that stab me like knives.
At the end of the day, Agent Waller visits me. The older man looks serious as usual, brushing down the tie of his blue suit before he sits. “We’ve had an idea, Mr. Wolfe. Our investigation has led us to believe that the Mangano Family has largely disowned Sal. He’s getting desperate, and we believe we can take him off the street without concern of reprisal from the Family.”
“How can I help?” I ask. “I want him gone. I want to forget about the mob.”
“Would you be willing to meet with Sal?”
“Whatever it takes to get that scumbag off the streets,” I growl. “He was going to…” Hurt my woman , I almost say, before getting myself under control. “He was going to do terrible things, Agent Waller. If you need my help, I’ll offer it gladly.”
“We’ve formed a relationship with one man stupid enough to align himself with him,” Agent Waller says. “He’s realized that tying himself to Sal isn’t a good idea. But so far, we haven’t been able to lure Sal out of hiding. We think he may come out if he believes you’re willing to talk. In his mind, if he can get his hands on Do It All as he originally planned, he might regain favor in the Family.”
“Like I said, whatever it takes,” I say.
Agent Waller leans forward. “I must warn you; he’ll want to meet somewhere risky. We’ll cover you, of course, but I can’t say it’ll be completely safe. There’s a danger that he might do something unexpected.”
I feel my busted hand curling within the cast. I’ve had surgery on it since the kidnapping, resetting my bones and grafting skin where I scraped it off while slipping from my cuffs. It’s healing, but it’s not quite there yet.
“I’ll beat him to death with my cast if that’s what it takes,” I snarl.
Agent Waller looks impressed, but he hides it. “That won’t be necessary. Keep your phone on. We’ll need you to be ready soon.”
“Of course.”
After saying goodbye, I walk to the window, looking down on the city, wondering where that little rat is, pondering when this will end so I can finally be with my woman. But Sal isn’t the one standing between me and Piper. Elliot is, and so far, he’s said nothing about it.
Does he think we’ll forget about this relationship, or ‘fling,’ as he called it? Does he think the emotion is just going to leave me?
At my desk, I take out my phone. The temptation has ached in me every single moment since my last kiss with Piper. It’s even worse than during the three years since our first kiss. At least she was in a different city then.
Logan: Agent Waller visited me.
Her reply comes so quickly that I wonder if she’s been waiting for a message from me.
Piper: Have they caught Sal?
Logan: No, but they want to. With my help.
Piper: Is it safe? If anything happened to you, I wouldn’t be able to take it, Logan.
Logan: It’s as safe as it can be. Remember what Elliot said? He wanted us to pause our relationship until after the investigation.
Piper: I’ve been wondering if he meant that or if he hopes we’ll stop caring.
Logan: I’ve thought the same. But the opposite is true, my gorgeous, perfect woman. The more time we spend apart, the fiercer I want you. I’ve dreamed about you every night since we said goodbye. I’ve woken thinking you were with me, then felt like I was dying when I realized you weren’t.
Piper: You’re going to make me cry, Logan. I want you so badly. It hurts. And there’s something else.
Logan: Something else?
Piper: Yeah, and I know how this will sound. But it’s something I can’t tell you over a text. I’ve been trying to work up the courage to text for two days. I kept Ruby up half the night talking about it.
Logan: Ruby’s back in the city? What is it?
Piper: She came home a week ago. She and her mom have been staying with us. Elliot has apologized a hundred times for being a hypocrite, but he still doesn’t seem like he’s going to let up. What if he never does?
Logan: Once this crap with Sal is over, he’ll have to see how much we love each other.
Piper: LOVE? Do you mean that, Logan? Do you love me?
Before I can respond, another text comes through.
Piper: Because I love you. I love you so much, I barely understand it. I love how vulnerable you are with me in moments, then steely and strong the next. I love how dedicated you are. I love that I can imagine a future with you. A marriage, kids. Please stop me if I’m going too far. Tell me if I’m making you feel trapped.
Logan: No. I won’t stop you because you could never make me feel trapped. A marriage, kids, a future with you. It’s all I want. When I thought everything would end in that basement, I saw it all so clearly. I loved you the moment we kissed, Beautiful, and I’ve never stopped loving you since.
Piper: I love you so much.
She replies with a long line of heart emojis.
Piper:
Logan: What’s this big news you need to tell me?
Piper: I can’t over text. We need to meet. In person.
Logan: Elliot won’t be happy about that.
Piper: I know, but this is BIG. I need to see you.
Logan: Then we should do it soon. Tonight.
Piper: Why do we have to do it soon?
Logan: You seem eager to share the news.
Piper: Are you worried if we don’t do it soon, something terrible will happen with Sal? Are you worried you won’t be around to hear the news?
I swallow. Even in a text, she sees right through me. That is what I was thinking, but I don’t want to worry her. That presents an issue. I don’t want to lie to her, either.
Logan: I’m going to do whatever it takes to help the FBI get Sal. If that means putting myself in harm’s way again, then that’s what I’ll do. I know this isn’t what you want to hear.
Piper: Come by the apartment later. I need to see you, but if you come to the office, I won’t be able to work for the rest of the day. I’ll break down. You said you’ve been waking thinking I’m in bed with you. Well… ditto. But I’ve gone one step further. It’s pretty freaking sad. I’ve been hugging pillows, imagining they’re you.
My heart aches. And even now, as we get emotional, there’s an undercurrent of steaminess.
Logan: I’d imagine pillows are you. But I might end up doing some very strange things to said pillows.
She sends several laughing face emojis.
Piper:
Piper: I just laughed so loud; Milo thinks I’ve gone insane. I’ve been so miserable since I last saw you.
Logan: I’m not even kidding. I’ve missed your heart, your soul, your intellect, your perseverance. But I’d be the world’s biggest liar if I said I didn’t miss your perfect curviness, too.
She sends a sweaty emoji.
Piper:
Piper: Later, Logan. I’ll talk to Elliot.
I take a breath, knowing this could go terribly wrong. But what if something happens during the standoff with Sal? I need to know what Piper wants to tell me.
Plus, there’s the sheer fact that my body is burning with desire to see her, even if it’s only for a few minutes, even if it’ll make my best friend hate me more than he already does.