Chapter 16
Revelations and Risks
Logan’s POV
The cool night air does nothing to soothe the fire raging inside me.Julia’s words echo in my head, a low hum beneath the roaring storm of emotions threatening to consume me. She’s my daughter.
Lily is mine. I have a daughter. Flesh and blood.
Six years Julia kept this from me. Six years I could have known her, watched her grow, been there for her first steps, her first words— been her father.
Every piece of the puzzle suddenly locks into place, sharp and unforgiving. The way she looks at me, the way she carries herself—the fire in her little eyes. My eyes.
I’ve been walking around blind all this time, and Julia— Julia kept it from me.
I feel like I’ve been gutted.
I stumble to my truck, gripping the doorframe like it’s the only thing keeping me upright. My stomach twists violently.
I think I’m going to be sick.
I squeeze my eyes shut, taking deep, ragged breaths, but it doesn’t help. Nothing does.
She’s yours, Logan.
The words replay in my head over and over again.
I should be inside, demanding to know everything — what Lily’s like, what she loves, what she hates, what makes her laugh—but right now, I can’t even think straight.
Right now, I just need to breathe.
I brace my hands against the truck, head hanging low, forcing air into my lungs.
Minutes pass. Maybe hours.
Finally, I straighten, running a shaking hand over my face.
I don’t know how to process this. I don’t know how to forgive her.
The betrayal is like a knife twisting in my gut, but before I can let the full weight of it knock me down, another instinct kicks in—the one that’s always guided me when the world turns to chaos.
Protect.
I need to protect my daughter.
And nothing—not even Julia’s secrets—is going to stop me from that.
I head straight to the station. I grip the edge of my desk, my pulse steady but my mind racing. The weight of what Julia told me yesterday, it still sits heavy on my chest, but there’s no time to process it. Not yet.
My phone vibrates on the desk. Frank.
I swipe to answer. "Tell me you have something."
"I do. And you’re not gonna like it." His voice is rough, edged with the same urgency pressing into my gut. "I’ve been digging through the system, looking for any gaps in our files. Turns out, there are plenty."
I glance at Julia, who watches me with wary eyes, arms wrapped around herself. I turn away before I let my emotions get the better of me. "How far back does it go?"
"Years, Logan. Before Julia even came back. Someone’s been covering for Mac a long time. And here’s the kicker—I found a deleted report. Took some work, but I recovered it."
"What was in it?" I force myself to breathe evenly, even as my hands curl into fists.
"An offshore account. Money moving in and out. The last transfer? It was big, Logan. And the name attached to it…" He pauses, and I hear the hesitation in his breath.
"Spit it out."
"Councilman Jameson."
The name slams into me like a freight train. I take a step back, my mind pulling up every interaction I’ve had with the man. Jameson has been around for years, always involved in town affairs, always friendly, always present. Too present.
"Are you sure about this?" My voice is low, lethal.
"Yeah. And it gets worse." Frank sighs. "I found security footage—grainy as hell—but it shows Mac meeting someone near the docks. Looks like an exchange. Can’t make out a face, but based on the timeframe…"
"It’s him." I run a hand down my face. "Goddamn it."
"And Logan? There’s one more thing. I think Mac’s planning something big. Something soon."
My grip tightens on my weapon. "What makes you say that?"
"Because I just got an alert. There was an attempt to access the case files you locked down. Someone’s trying to erase the trail before we find it."
Everything inside me goes cold. "Then we’re out of time."
I hang up and grab my keys. My heart pounds, but it’s not from fear. It’s from something deeper. Something primal.
Because if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that Julia and Lily are now in more danger than ever before.
And nothing —nothing—comes before their safety.
Julia stands in the doorway, her face pale, her lips pressed into a tight line. Her hands tremble slightly where they grip the frame, but she doesn’t look away.
She’s bracing for my reaction.
Hell, I don’t even know what my reaction is yet.
My chest feels too tight, my breath coming in ragged bursts as I stare at her.
At the woman who’s been lying to me for six goddamn years.
And yet, I can’t focus on the betrayal—not completely.
Because the truth is pounding in my skull louder than anything else.
I have a daughter.
Lily.
A six-year-old little girl who’s been living right here in Seaside Bluff. A child with my blood, my DNA, my features, and I had no damn idea.
A part of me wants to lash out, demand why Julia didn’t tell me sooner, but I can see the fear in her eyes. Not fear of me, but fear that I’ll walk away.
That I’ll reject our daughter.
Like hell that’s going to happen.
I drag in a slow breath, trying to keep the storm raging inside me contained. “Where is she?” My voice comes out rough, barely above a whisper.
Julia swallows. “She’s inside. Eating breakfast.”
I glance past her into the house, but I can’t see much from here. My hands curl into fists at my sides as I take a slow, measured step forward. “I want to see her.”
Julia hesitates. “Logan, I—”
“I want to see my daughter, Julia.”
She flinches at the possessiveness in my tone, and something flickers in her eyes. Guilt. Regret. But also — relief?
She nods once, then steps aside, opening the door wider.
My heart pounds as I step inside, every nerve in my body tight as a wire.
And then I see her.
Sitting at the small kitchen table, swinging her feet, oblivious to the fact that her world—and mine—has just changed forever.
She’s small, delicate, with golden-brown hair that curls around her cheeks. When she turns her head, I get my first full look at her, and my breath catches in my throat.
Jesus Christ.
She looks just like me.
The same piercing green eyes. The same stubborn tilt to her chin.
She’s mine.
Something inside me fractures. Why didn’t I see this before.
I’ve been in firefights. I’ve seen combat. I’ve faced down men with loaded weapons, knowing any second could be my last. But nothing—nothing—has ever shaken me like this moment.
Lily looks up at me, a piece of toast clutched in her tiny hand. “Logan, are we going to the fair?”
My chest tightens.
Julia swallows hard. “Sweetheart.” She takes a shaky breath. “We have to tell you something, Logan is… he’s your daddy.”
The words send a tremor through my body.
Lily blinks at me, then back at Julia. “Oh.”
Oh?
That’s it?
I don’t even know what the hell I expected—a dramatic gasp? A freak-out?
But she just… takes it in stride.
Her small fingers reach for a slice of apple on her plate. “Okay.”
I stare at her.
Okay?
That’s all she has to say?
Julia lets out a nervous laugh, and I realize she’s just as stunned as I am.
Lily chews her apple thoughtfully, then looks at me again. “Do you like dinosaurs?”
It takes me a second to process the question.
I clear my throat. “Uh… yeah. Dinosaurs are cool.”
She nods, satisfied. “Mommy doesn’t like them. She says they’re scary, but they’re not.”
A strangled laugh escapes Julia, and she rubs her forehead. “We talked about this, Lily. I just don’t want to step on any more tiny toy dinosaurs in the middle of the night.”
Lily grins. “Then you should watch where you’re going.”
Something inside me shifts.
The tension in my chest, the anger, the betrayal —all of it fades just a little.
Because right now, all I can see is her.
My daughter.
And I don’t care how much Julia hurt me—I will never let anyone hurt Lily.
Which means I need to catch Mac and put an end to all of this..
I drag my gaze back to Julia. “We need to talk.”
She nods. “I know.”
I look at Lily one last time, then step away. Julia follows me into the other room, and as soon as we’re out of earshot, I exhale a sharp breath.
But I can’t focus on my own anger right now. Because if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that Julia and Lily are now in more danger than ever before.
I force my voice to stay calm, steady. “What matters is Lily. And keeping Mac from getting his hands on her."
I step forward, grabbing her chin. “I’m going to keep you both safe.”
"Mac isn’t alone in this. He never was. And Jameson— he’s been keeping us off Mac’s trail for years. Probably tipped him off the second you got back into town."
Her face pales. "You think he knows about Lily?"
My stomach tightens. "I don’t know. But if he does, it means Mac does too."
Julia presses a hand to her mouth, fear flashing in her eyes. "Oh my God."
I close the distance between us, gripping her arms. "Listen to me. We’re not gonna let them near you or Lily. Do you understand?"
She nods, but I see the tears threatening to spill. "I should have told you sooner," she whispers. "Maybe then— "
"No." My voice is firm. "You did what you thought was right. But now? Now we fight back."
A sharp exhale shudders through her, but she straightens her spine. The fire I love in her returns. "Okay. What’s the plan?"
I release her, stepping back to grab my gun and holster it. "We stick to our trap. We let them think they’re ahead. But while they’re watching our every move, we’ll be watching them."
A cold dread washes over me. Mac is dangerous. A calculating son of a bitch who doesn’t leave loose ends. He knows about Lily, we’re past threats—we’re in life or death territory.
"We need to move fast," I say, gripping my gun holster instinctively. "I’ll put extra patrols around your place. And I want you to stay somewhere safe. You and Lily. Tonight."
She hesitates. "I can’t just run, Logan. We have lives here. Lily has school, the dance studio—"
"I don’t give a damn about the studio right now," I cut in, my voice rougher than I intend. "I care about you two staying alive."
She blinks at me, and for a moment, the air between us crackles with something unspoken. Fear. Tension. Maybe even something more. But we don’t have time for that now.
Later That Night
I pull up outside the safe house on the outskirts of town, headlights cutting through the thick fog rolling off the bay. The place isn’t much—an old cabin we use for witness protection when needed—but it’s secluded, secure, and, most importantly, under constant police surveillance.
Julia steps out of the car first, her arms wrapped protectively around Lily, who clings to her mother’s side. I step ahead of them, unlocking the door and scanning the space. It’s small but functional—just enough for them to stay out of sight until we figure out our next move.
"Officers will be circling the perimeter all night," I assure her, setting my gun on the table by the door. "Nobody’s getting near you two."
Julia exhales, nodding, but I see the exhaustion in her eyes. Lily yawns, rubbing her sleepy face against Julia’s shoulder.
"Get some rest. I’ll be back as soon as I have more answers." I hesitate, then place a hand on Lily’s head, my chest tightening. "Stay close to your mom, kid."
Lily looks up at me, her big, innocent eyes reflecting the trust she doesn’t even realize she’s placing in me. "Okay, Sheriff."
My throat tightens. I force myself to step back, pushing aside the fierce urge to stay. But I can’t. Not yet. Not until this fight is over.
I turn back toward the door, jaw set.
I have a trap to set. And a war to win.
The night is thick with tension as I drive through Seaside Bluff, scanning every shadow, every alleyway, every parked car that seems out of place. Mac is a ghost, but I know how men like him think. He’s been lurking, waiting. And if I were him, I’d already be closing in.
My phone buzzes, and I snatch it up. It’s Frank. "Got something," he says without preamble. "One of our informants down at the docks spotted someone matching Mac’s description."
I tighten my grip on the wheel. "You sure?"
"Hell yes. Scar on his left hand, wearing a dark coat, lurking near the old shipping containers. I’m sending over backup and I’ll meet you there."
The docks are eerily quiet when I pull up, the salty breeze cutting through the air. I step out, keeping my hand near my gun as I move between the rusted-out shipping containers. Every instinct in my body is screaming at me— he’s here.
A flicker of movement. A shadow slipping behind a stack of crates. My heart pounds, but my steps remain steady.
"Mac," I call out, my voice low, lethal. "Come out and let’s settle this."
Silence. Then a slow chuckle.
"Logan Carter," a voice sneers from the darkness. "Didn’t take you long, did it?"
I pivot toward the sound just as Mac steps into view. He looks exactly the same—cold, calculating, dangerous.
"You made a mistake coming back here," I growl.
Mac smirks. "Nah. I made a plan. And it’s already in motion."
A chill slithers down my spine. "What the hell does that mean?"
His grin widens. "Check your phone, Sheriff."
Dread tightens my chest as I yank my phone from my pocket. A new message. No number. Just one sentence.
Lily is mine now.
The world narrows to a single point of white-hot fury. My blood turns to fire. My grip on my gun tightens as I step toward Mac, rage surging through me like a violent storm.
"Where is she?!" I roar, my voice breaking with barely contained fury.
Mac just laughs. "You’re too late, Carter. You can’t stop what’s already happening."
The last thing I remember is slamming Mac against the metal crates, my fist connecting with his jaw, his smirk vanishing as the darkness consumes us both.