Chapter 26
Penelope
Logan’s not one minute late when I see a shadow pass through the frosted glass of his office door.
Most of my pink decorations have been moved to my work area, except for the flamingo bobblehead I got him that sits beside me on his desk.
I cross my legs, parting the dramatic slit of my skirt. The material shimmers in the dim lighting coming from the hall as excitement switches my pulse into overdrive.
The handle twists and the door slowly creaks open.
My hushed breaths grow louder as Logan steps inside the room. Devilishly sexy and swathed in shadows, his jaw clenches in the contrasting light as he fixates on my bare legs.
Slowly uncrossing them, I brace my toes on the arms of the chair in front of his desk. My knees widen, raising my skirt higher up my thighs.
“You look hungry,” I murmur huskily, reaching between my legs to part my lips.
“Starved,” he rasps as his molten gaze licks a trail up my center.
“Come here.” I dip a finger inside, teasing us both. “Let me feed you.”
The door snicks shut, and Logan strips out of his jacket as he strides across the room. My belly flips when he shoves the chair out of his way before falling to his knees in front of me.
I’m throbbing with need for him, and it mixes so decadently with the adrenaline from the night that my head falls back.
“Mmm,” Logan hums, fanning a warm breath over my fevered flesh. A soft, slick sound forms where he toys with my entrance. “Needy little thing, isn’t she?”
“Yes.”
I’m forced to lie back when his hands grip my hips and pull me partly off the desk. My skirt flutters to my sides, hiked high enough to expose my lower half completely, and I settle the balls of my feet on his strong shoulders.
“Almost too pretty to eat,” he muses, then buries his mouth and nose against me, swirling and stroking until my back bows.
The nerves in my clit flitter when he captures it between his teeth, then soothes the bite with a kiss, but he doesn’t stop there. He cups his mouth over as much of me as he can manage and utterly devours me.
“Yes, Logan. That feels so good.” The stubble on his chin and cheeks enhances the friction of every suck and pull from his lips.
My frail whimpers excite him, making his movements more precise and controlled, and my legs tremble with the intensity of a rising orgasm.
I cry out when he pulls away from me, trailing kisses down my thighs before he stands.
He tsks as if I’m a pitiful sight, writhing and grasping for him.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.” The embers he stoked between my legs threaten to burst into flames when he undoes his belt buckle with one hand. “But it won’t be long until someone notices we’re missing, and this tight little pussy is going to milk me dry long before then.”
Shirrrck. His belt whips off his waist, popping through each loop along the way, and he cages his body around me, splaying both hands beside my head.
I claw at his shoulders, fumbling a few buttons loose before reaching up and peppering frantic kisses across his chest. He parts me with the tip of his cock, and my calves hook behind his ass, welcoming him with ease as he glides forward.
My head thrashes, mouth parting with a strained, “Feels good.”
“Tell me,” he demands. “What feels good?”
“You, filling me up,” I gasp. “I’m so full, Logan.”
His eyes roll back with pleasure. “There’s no way I’m going to last. Fucking hell, the grip you’ve got on me…” He yanks my top down, spilling my breasts free so they bounce with every thrust. “Will you touch them for me?”
I lower my hand, squeezing them—soft and sensitive—before rolling my nipples between my fingers. “Like this?”
“Just like that. Do the other side… Yes. Fuck, you’re so sexy.”
The animalistic sounds coming from his chest make me dizzy with desire. I grip both breasts, kneading and playing with them while he watches, still pounding inside me.
“I don’t deserve this, Penelope. I don’t deserve your body or your heart, but I-I want them so badly.”
That euphoric wave begins to build, but he’s vulnerable, and I won’t give myself release with him criticizing himself. “Don’t talk like that. I’m giving myself to you because you do deserve them.”
Turning his face, I force his gaze to mine when he slows. I pick up where he left off, bucking my hips up and down his length, and both of our faces contort with a joint rush of ecstasy.
“We deserve this. Do you hear me?”
His head bobs between my hands, but I don’t stop. I’m on a mission now, and I won’t quit until we’re both past the breaking point.
My hips swirl, taking him deeper, and when his eyes slam shut, I know he’s close.
“Come for me, Logan. Please. I need you to.”
“Pen. Ah… fuck.”
“Yes, that’s it,” I pant, breathless with the sight of him towering over me while I spear myself on his length.
“I’ll pull out,” he grits, placing one hand on the side of my neck. “As much as I’d love to mark you, we still have hours left of this night.”
My heart swells at his thoughtfulness as I inch closer to that beckoning release. “Okay, I’m right there. Let me have you.”
He hauls me against his chest with one arm, grinding into me, getting as deep as he can, and a rippling orgasm tears through my body. “Logan!”
With my ass firmly planted on the desk, he pulls out, stroking his cock as he coats my clit and upper thighs with white, hot spurts.
His hand is shaking when he wrings the last drop from the tip. Head falling back, he sighs a contented, “Thank you.”
I kiss his shoulder, neck, and cheeks as he takes his time cleaning me with tissues before discarding the evidence.
He helps me right my top, and once I’m fully dressed, I help him button his.
“Thank you,” I whisper when he brushes his lips against mine, kissing me tenderly.
“You’re welcome, sunshine.”
Three knocks tap the frosted glass of Logan’s office door, and neither of us moves an inch.
“Expecting company?” I ask nervously, but his concern courses icy dread through my veins.
“Logan,” a deep voice calls from the hall before jiggling the handle. “Are you in there?”
Silas.
“Fuck.” He swallows, staring at the door while gripping me painfully tight.
“What is he doing here?” I whisper.
“I don’t know.” Terror leaches the blood from his face, making my heart rate skyrocket.
His eyes dart around the room as he helps me to my feet, but there’s nowhere for either of us to escape.
“What do we do?” I ask at the same time his gaze lands on his desk.
“Hide.”
Unthinking, and in a panic, I gather my skirt and round the corner. Thin, scratchy carpet bites at my knees when I crouch on all fours while Logan quickly helps me duck into the cramped area.
I tuck as much of my dress as I can out of sight, but my heart leaps to my throat when his eyes meet mine for a fleeting moment. They’re filled with remorse and anguish, making my stomach pitch, but when Silas knocks again, all he manages to say is, “I’m sorry.”
A moment later, the door creaks open, and tension knots my shoulders as I pull my knees to my chin, hiding my breaths in the soft material of my gown.
“Dad,” Logan greets him, his voice unnaturally calm. “What are you doing here?”
Silas’s shoes snick softly across the office floor, bringing me near hyperventilation. All at once, I’m eighteen again, watching the smoke curl from his cigarettes—crying as I watched Logan run lap after lap around the pasture every time I got him into trouble.
Cigarette smoke clogs the air, and I pray it’s potent enough to cover the scent of sex.
“What, a father can’t come support his only son?”
That condescending tone hasn’t changed a bit, but still, my stomach rolls with nausea for fear that he’ll punish him.
“Of course. I’m just surprised, is all,” Logan says. “I figured you’d still be handling business.”
“We finished earlier than expected, so I came by to check in and see how things were going.”
There’s no way Silas hasn’t spotted my space in the front corner of the room, with my obnoxious desk decor and fuzzy pink chair, but if he has, he doesn’t let on.
“It’s been great, honestly. Just needed a breather while everyone eats. I was going to head back down once the auction starts.”
“Ah.”
There’s some shuffling and a long beat of silence before Logan asks, “Is something wrong?”
“I just spoke with Nathan Reid,” Silas says guardedly, as if there’s more, but he wants Logan to sweat. “He mentioned you were talking with Ellen Mays before you left the party.”
Fear drenches my insides as I wait for him to dismantle everything we just worked for, and my apprehension only rises when Logan finally says, “He’s correct.”
I hear the telling sound of Silas inhaling before the burning scent of cigarette smoke thickens the air. “Did you two have a nice chat?”
“Dad,” Logan says, uneasy.
“It’s just a question, son.”
I can sense the internal battle he’s waging when he clears his throat. “After careful consideration for my vision, I decided she was the best fit for the job.”
“Yet you didn’t consult the person funding Summit Estates and all its operations beforehand?”
“I… No. I didn’t.” I hate that his voice has weakened, and I’d bet money he’s fidgeting with something, looking anywhere but his father’s domineering stare. “You told me to pitch to potential investors, and Mays is who I want backing this project.”
“No.” Sharp and unyielding, Silas’s tone raises an involuntary shiver from me. “I gave you a direct order to speak with Reid, and you disobeyed me. We don’t need a damn thing from that hippie woman for our move into Anchorage Harbor.”
Ourmove.
Wait… He told his dad about our plans?
My breathing sounds unnaturally loud in the confined space, but I can’t understand why he would tell him, knowing what the harbor means to us.
“I told you I was working to get Reid on board. Why would you mess this up for us?”
“You’re letting his wealth blind you,” Logan tries to argue. “I’ve done my research on Nathan Reid, and he’s been caught in the same schemes that brought us to Topica Bay to begin with. I’m surprised you’d want the Anderson name associated with a reputation like his.”
There’s a thump on top of the desk, and through the small gap along the bottom, I see Silas’s shoes. Sweat builds along my temples and at the base of my skull as I tuck myself into a tighter ball.
“I know you and Mays don’t see eye to eye, but if we continue putting up condos at the rate we’re going, we’ll drive up property taxes, displace more local families, and destroy everything unique about Topica Bay that attracts our customers to begin with. We’ll be inhibiting the natural growth of the island, instead of helping it flourish.”
Yes!
“Are you suggesting we stop expansion? That we let our competitors take what could rightfully be ours?” Silas’s tone is pure, restrained fury, but still, Logan tries to reason with him.
“No, but don’t you think we have enough? If you’re wanting a larger profit, then tearing down more homes and businesses may not be the answer… Not when we can narrow our focus on enhancing the properties we already own or focus on areas in need instead.”
“You act as though I’m ripping food from people’s mouths,” he says defensively.
“No, Dad. You’re not even listening to what I’m saying. I’m trying to present a broader view of how quickly you’re expanding and the potential impact it could have on these communities.”
“That bleeding heart of yours is exactly why I haven’t given you full range to make decisions for this company.” Silas sighs, long and deep. “These homes and businesses are paid handsomely to relocate, and in all this time, not a single one has refused.”
“Yeah, but do they really have a choice?”
The room turns eerily quiet, and I have to clamp my hand over my mouth to keep from being heard when he says, “She put you up to this, didn’t she?”
“Who are you talking about?”
“Penelope Vance.”
My heart pumps with such force that it rocks my entire body, and all I can think is, Please, don’t hurt him.
“I saw the two of you before I spoke with Reid.”
With no sense in denying it, Logan’s words are rough, barely audible when he finally speaks. “She has nothing to do with this.”
I wait for him to tell me to come out. To let me stand with him against Silas and not let him back us into a corner. But he doesn’t say a word, so beneath his desk I remain.
“I’ve been getting suspicious of your defiance lately. You’ve been questioning me, acting distracted, and the moment I saw her, I knew she was the culprit.” There’s no remorse, just cold disappointment when he adds, “I should have tried harder to keep her away from you when she came sniffing around all those years ago.”
Logan doesn’t waste time acting surprised. “You mean, after you blocked any contact I had with her for years?”
Silas grunts a humorless laugh. “I’m not surprised she wants you to believe that I’m at fault here. Manipulation is in her blood, after all.”
“That wasn’t your decision to make,” he says, but I’m worried by how defeated he sounds. How he’s already crumbling beneath the pressure Silas is inflicting on him.
“I did what I had to do to protect you, and if that makes me the bad guy, then so be it. I love you, son, but this is our legacy, our future. I couldn’t let you throw that all away for a summer fling, and I’m damn sure not going to let you do it now.”
Fucking bastard. I’m just waiting for Silas’s face to pop into view and shout, gotcha!
“I didn’t talk to you about this because I wanted to give you an opportunity to prove you could handle business… But I think it’s time I move you back to Tauntuma and take over Summit myself.”
Sheer panic coats his voice, stabbing the center of my chest when he begs, “No, Dad. Please. We’re just fucking, it’s as simple as that.”
“That much is obvious by the state of this place and the lipstick on your neck.” I quietly gather my skirt, preparing to finally show myself. “Where is she?”
“Gone. She left just before you showed up.” I pause, brows scrunched as he lies so easily. “I don’t care about her.”
Silas makes a muffled sound, as if doubtful.
My pulse beats so fast it blots out my hearing. I can accept that he’s lying to convince Silas that we’re not together, but it’s increasingly difficult to accept that he’d rather hide our relationship than fight for it.
Because if he loved me as much as he says he does, then I wouldn’t be stuffed under here like his dirty little secret.
“I gave you Summit Estates because you were finally showing true respect and interest in this company, and honest to god, I was excited to see what you could do with it. But you’ve gone against a direct order by involving Mays, proving to me that you’re just not mature enough to make these kinds of decisions.”
“Dad—”
There’s a rustling sound, like papers being unrolled before Silas speaks again. “These are the details that have been approved for the project. You said you wanted your name on the contract, and now it is. As long as we hold the highest bid, the council will accept our advancement first thing Monday morning.” A thud on top of the desk makes me jump. “But let me be clear… If I catch you with Patrick’s daughter, or speaking with Ellen Mays again, all my funding, investments, and support in Summit Estates will be pulled.”
Logan’s quiet for so long that I start silently begging him to speak. To stand up for himself for once, and to stand up for me.
“Understood.”
A sob hitches in my chest, my body boiling hot from the inside out in this suffocating space.
“I’ll be downstairs doing damage control before the auction starts. When you’re decent, meet me in the ballroom.”
Their footsteps fade as they cross for the door, and after several agonizing minutes, it finally clicks shut.
“You can come out now,” Logan says tightly.
Grabbing the lip of the desk, I slowly rise. Strands of hair stick to my sweaty face, and a painful knot builds in my throat when our gazes clash.
“Tell me you know I didn’t mean those things,” he says brokenly.
“That you were planning on helping him take over the strip, or that I’m just your fuck buddy?”
When his eyes snap to the papers his father left behind, I snatch them up before he can so much as take a step.
“Pen,” he weakly protests.
Grasping the contract, I read through it, line by line. My trembling fingers pause at the address listed beneath the demolition date and my vision tunnels. Hot tears prick at the corners of my eyes when I recall how strange Dorthea was acting the other night at dinner.
“They’re foreclosing?”
I’m astonished that she wouldn’t tell me. Betrayed, even though I know my friend would never intentionally hurt me, but this… This is too much.
“What?” Logan asks, as if he doesn’t already know.
He takes the contract before flipping through the pages, and his body goes stock still. The horror on his face is evident, but no less damning.
“He’s buying out the plot of houses where the group home is located.” My voice shakes.
Dropping the document, he rounds the edge of the desk. But when he reaches for me, I step back. “You knew about this, and you didn’t tell me?”
“I didn’t know he bid on those homes, Pen. I promise you.”
“He said you asked for this.” I point at the scattered papers. “Your name’s right there on the front page.”
“As far as I was told, he had his sights on a single building, but I didn’t know where because he kept me in the dark.” I hate that his genuine concern cuts through my vibrating rage. “And it didn’t matter, anyway, because I told him I wanted the project for myself. Something I could make my own without him shadowing me. More than that, something I could share with you.”
I wish I believed he was lying, but deep down, I know he’s not.
“I’ll talk to him once this all settles. Get him to understand where I’m coming from, so he’ll just be in the background when we move forward.”
“In the background?” I stare at him, absolutely amazed that he could be so blind. “You can’t honestly believe after all that, Silas is just going to hand you the strip? Open your eyes, Logan. He’s already sunk his claws into it.”
His shoulders hunch, making himself appear small, and it breaks my heart to see what Silas has done to him. “Don’t… Don’t make him a villain, okay?”
A warning voice whispers in my mind, rousing old doubts. We were forced apart once, and here we are, twelve years later, reliving that same heartache.
“Tell me you’re joking.”
“You heard what he said. I don’t have what it takes to do this on my own.”
“Bullshit.” I practically spit the word. “We’re the ones who made those connections tonight, not him. You came up with this plan, and you’re the one putting it into action.”
He rakes a hand through his hair, then scrubs it over his face while I stand here, helpless, feeling the full force of my fear of losing him again.
“I can’t do this without him. If he pulls funding from Summit, then we lose Seaside altogether. Is that what you want? Is this not the safest option?”
“I don’t care about being safe. I care about you. He’s manipulating you into thinking Summit is yours, just to expand his own agenda. You might think he’s looking out for you, but I see through him.”
He paces. “Just because he’s trying to teach me how to run a business doesn’t mean I’m being manipulated.”
The entire room smells like a sickening blend of cigarettes and desperation. I’m furious, yes, but more than anything, I’m devastated that after all this time, I’m still not enough.
“And what about us? He’s made his stance where I’m concerned pretty damn clear.”
Finally, he turns to me, but his hesitation speaks volumes for the words he can’t seem to find.
Dread plummets through my stomach as the reality of our situation sinks in. “You can’t keep me a secret forever, Logan, and you know that. How long have you been telling me not to be ashamed of who I am? Yet you’re the one who’s working the hardest to keep me hidden.”
“I’m not ashamed of you. Not in the fucking slightest. I love you. I’m trying to protect you.”
“I don’t want to be protected. I want to be defended and honored. I want all the things you tell me behind closed doors–that I’m your partner, lover, and friend. I want the future we only ever dreamed of. The one where we’re amazing parents to a bunch of bratty kids who look like you and act like me. Where we’re free to live, free to be, and free to not give a fuck what anyone else thinks, because for once, we’ll be happy. You made me believe that was possible, but I won’t have it if I have to hide it.”
“You don’t understand,” he whispers, his hands flexing as if he wants to haul me against him. And dammit, I want him to. “It’s not as simple as facing the world together. There are forces at play, forces I can’t control. Obligations and expectations that I can’t just turn my back on.”
At a loss for how to get through to him, I turn for the door. “You’re right. I don’t get it.”
“Where are you going?” he asks, panicked. “Penelope, please.”
He follows closely behind me, but I don’t stop until my hand grips the cool metal handle. When I whirl on him, I unleash my own torment. “Days ago, I would’ve run from something like this the first chance I got. But I’m done running. I’m ready to fight for you, but if you want me, and you want to take control of your future, then you’re going to have to make a choice.
“Your father stole twelve years of happiness from us, Logan, and I won’t let him have the group home, too. I’ll chain myself to the steps if I have to. I’ll scream, and kick, and when it comes down to it, you’llbe the one who’ll have to pry it from my bloody fingers.”
“You don’t know what you’re asking… We’re not kids who have the luxury of making rash decisions anymore. We could lose everything, Penelope.”
It’s amazing how fast I nearly fold. How close I am to saying it’ll be all right for the sake of protecting him. Because yes, it’s hard to fight the urge to put his hurts and needs above my own, but if I do that now, I’ll only hinder the two of us from the push we desperately need.
For years, I’ve wanted answers for why there never seemed to be a place where I belonged. But if I’ve learned anything over the last few weeks, it’s that while trying to find a place inside everyone else’s worlds, I’ve left mine barren and neglected. I’ve lived in fear that I was capable of nothing, but I’m capable of anything.
I just have to trust myself.
“Maybe we will lose everything…” I open the door, glancing back at him one last time, “but you’re worth the risk to me.”
His throat bobs when he grabs my arm, his touch searing its way through layer after layer of muscle. “Where will you go?”
If Logan won’t help me, then it’s time I swallow my pride, face my fears, and finally come clean.
With a sense of indefinable rightness, I say, “Home.”