Chapter 13 #3
He grabbed his tux coat and followed Jezebel into the hospital corridor. Charlotte had asked for privacy, and being the gentleman that he clearly was, Logan had stepped out.
Jezebel was intent on leaving, but before she vanished, he intended to have a fast and furious one-on-one chat with her. Furious being the key word.
“How the hell did you know?” Logan demanded. Because this part was driving him crazy. He shouldered into the tux coat.
Jezebel raised her eyebrows at him. “I believe our discussion has concluded. I have additional business to handle.”
He moved into her path. The discussion had not concluded, not yet. “How did you know it would become personal for me?”
Her dark eyes gleamed.
“I could have just not given a shit,” he muttered.
“Told you that the prick could take Charlotte. That she could fend for herself. Or that her partner Jamar could just watch her back. I could have stayed the hell out of things.” His hands were loose at his sides, but he had to work extra hard to unclench his jaw.
“How did you know how far I would be willing to go?”
“Really? You think I didn’t do my research on you?” Her hand raised, and she motioned toward the scar on his cheek. “You didn’t have to get that, you know. But you let yourself be cut. You took the pain because you were working on a plan to save Simone from the bastard who wanted to use her.”
“I love Simone. She’s family.” Obviously, he’d do anything for her. But this case wasn’t about Simone. It was about Charlotte, and this was the part he didn’t understand. “How did you know—”
“That you would love Charlotte?”
He immediately looked toward Charlotte’s hospital room door. Still closed. Thankfully. “Lower your voice!”
“It was low. It was a whisper.”
His head turned. He glared at her.
“I didn’t know. Truly, I had no clue, not until this exact moment. What an interesting development.” An incline of her head. “When did that happen?”
He knew the exact damn moment when he’d handed Charlotte his heart. Not like he was going to tell Jezebel, though.
I fell for her when a pillow separated us in bed, and I gave Charlotte five minutes of brutal honestly.
Then she took my hand.
“I’m good at my job, but I’m certainly not psychic,” she muttered.
“How could I predict something like this? Granted, I realized that you did have a heart. I realized that back in London. You must possess one, with the way you cared for your grandmother and for Simone. So I realized you weren’t some soulless predator who would turn his back on a woman in need. ”
“Well, look at me. Not being soulless.”
“I’d hoped that you would assist Charlotte, but I didn’t know you’d go and fall for her.” Her eyes widened. “It’s been fast, too. Guess when you’re all in, you are really all in, aren’t you?”
“Don’t play with me.”
“I’m not. I’m counting on you.” Her expression was completely serious. “Two things to note in this conversation. One, you didn’t tell me I was wrong. I am standing in front of you, saying that you are in love with Charlotte, and you are not calling me a liar.”
No, he wasn’t.
And I haven’t even slept with the woman yet. What in the hell? What was up with him? Maybe it wasn’t love. Maybe he just…cared. Yes, could be.
Dammit.
What he felt for Charlotte was so much more than mere caring.
“You’re also not calling me a liar,” he snapped out. “When I said you wanted me to do the dirty work for you. You didn’t say, ‘Oh, no, Logan, you’re so wrong. I don’t want you to kill the bastard. Let’s arrest him like the good guys that we are.’”
They stared at each other.
Jezebel’s dark eyelashes flickered. “Jacqueline was my niece, but I loved her like a daughter. Tell me, Logan, what would you do if someone abducted your daughter, tortured her, and then left pieces of her for you to find?”
He sucked in a sharp breath. “Fuck.” Then, zero hesitation, “I’d leave him in pieces.”
She sent him a satisfied smile. “And that’s how I knew you were the right man for the job.”
The hospital room door wrenched open. Charlotte stood there, face too pale, lips void of color, eyes lined by shadows. And still wearing the paper-thin hospital gown. “Where in the hell are my clothes?” she demanded.
“Pretty sure they cut them off you when they were pumping your stomach.” By pretty sure, Logan meant he was one hundred percent certain.
Her jaw hardened. “I want out of here, now, but I can’t leave in this.”
“Sure you can.” He reached out. Scooped her into his arms. “I dare anyone to say a word to stop us.”
Jezebel eased back. Melted away.
And Logan just wrapped his arms around Charlotte and carried her through the hospital. A few nurses frowned. One security guard even took a step toward them.
But Logan’s hard glare stopped any comment or protest those people might have.
He kept carrying her until they reached the exit.
He took her straight toward the waiting limo.
If she wanted out of the hospital, he’d damn well get her out.
From this point forward, he would always give Charlotte exactly what she wanted. Because he was fucking in love with her.