“Go on,” I whisper, wondering if I could leave him even if I wanted to.
“They kept him in the county jail until his arraignment, and Fuzz got Ian in a room by himself and let me in the back. I spent a couple of hours in there, doling out what I thought was justice. I messed up his knee so bad that he had a permanent limp and he couldn’t hear out of his right ear. I lost count of the number of cuts I made on his body but to this day, I still remember his screams as I poured my pain into him.”
I’m frozen in his lap, trying to process what he just said and think of something to say in response. I’m bothered by just how much I don’t care. I should, right?
“Please say something, Ali,” he says, that fear in his voice again.
I meet his eyes and open my mouth but nothing comes out. I close it again and shake my head. “I know I should probably be repulsed by the things you’ve done and I’m trying to find even a shred of disgust, but I can’t. I know you, Logan. I know the man you are in here,” I say, placing my hand on his chest, over his heart. “I know that anything you did was for the ones that you love so how can I fault you for your total devotion to those lucky enough to find themselves in your heart?”
He glances up at me and swallows. “You don’t think I’m a monster?”
“I think under the right circumstances, anyone can temporarily become a monster but you have a good heart. I think the fact that you still feel this guilt over what you did means that you aren’t the monster you seem to think you are.”
“I would do it again. If I had to go back, I would do it all over again and probably finish the job this time.”
My fingers dig into his skin, and he hisses. “Are you trying to run me off?”
“No. I just need you to understand who I am.”
“Who you are is the man who threw himself into a situation that caused him immense pain to keep me safe. Who you are is a man who every day helps women escape a hell I can only imagine. Who you are is the man who I know would lay down his life to protect me, the man that I trust completely with every part of me. That’s who you are, Logan, and I love every piece of you. Even the ones you think are broken or damaged.”
“Have I mentioned that I fucking love the shit out of you, Kitten? You are everything that I ever wanted and all the things I didn’t even realize that I needed.”
I nod, leaning down and pressing my lips to his softly before pulling back just enough to let them brush against his as I speak. “I love you, too, Logan. Until the day I take my last breath.”
He hooks his hand around the back of my neck and pulls me onto his lips. I pull away when he wiggles underneath me, and when I look down, he’s holding out the engagement ring.
“I say it’s about time you put this on,” he says, and I grin as I hold my hand out. He slips the gorgeous antique ring on my finger before pulling it up and kissing it.
“It’s gorgeous,” I whisper, admiring it.
“It was my grandma’s, and I know that she’d be thrilled that I gave it to you.”
I beam at him, leaning down and kissing him before pulling back. I look at him and back down to the ring. “Wait. How does the story you told relate to me being safe now?”
He sucks in a breath and wraps his arms around my waist again like he’s trying to keep me from leaving. “It was Ian, Babe. He had a guy, his twin brother actually, following me, and when Ian saw the photos of you and I together the day we met, he set out to get his revenge. He knew doing all the same things that he did all those years ago would set me off, and he was right. It also led me right back to him.”
“Is he dead?” I ask, and he watches me for a moment before nodding slowly. “Good.”
“That day that I ran out of the clubhouse and told you to stay inside, I got a call from a friend of mine. He heard that Ian had hired someone to kill you, and when I went up to the prison, he confirmed it.”
“But, wait, if it’s the brother, how am I safe?” I look over my shoulder, panicking as I think about someone watching me again.
“Relax, Ali. Do you really think I’d bring you back here if you were in danger? Kodiak is out picking him up right now.”
“What are you going to do to him?” I ask, my heart pounding as I think about someone getting hurt because of me – even if they are a bad guy.
“That really depends on how reasonable he is.”
“What do you mean?”
He sighs. “Well, Streak thought that some of the letters sounded like he was really in love with you. It’s possible that he developed his own obsession as he started following you for his brother, and if that’s the case then we’ll end this.”
“And what if he’s not obsessed?”
“Then it will depend on how hell-bent he is for revenge for his brother’s death.”
I don’t like this one bit.
“I know you’re probably not comfortable with this, Baby, and trust me, we’re not too excited about the idea either, but if he’s obsessed or out for revenge, you know it’s gotta be this way.”
I watch him for a minute before letting out a breath and nodding. I hate it but he’s right. We can’t let him go if he’s going to be a threat to us or our life together.
“All right. You know how I feel about it but I know you won’t do this unless it’s your only option.”
“Hey, Kitten?” he says, and I arch a brow at him. “I can’t fucking wait to marry you.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Alison
“Kitten?” Logan calls out from the kitchen, and I look up from my book.
“Yeah?”
He walks into the living room and grins when he sees me curled up on the couch with a book. “You’re cute as shit with those glasses on, Baby.”
“Noted,” I say, laughing, and he sits down on the edge of the couch.
“So, my mom just called and she’s having some electrical issues over at her house. You good here if I run over there real quick?”
I nod, smiling at him. “I am. You should invite her over for dinner next weekend so she can meet me and you can tell her we’re getting married.”
“You got it, Baby,” he says, standing up and leaning over me, caging me in with his arms. He leans down and gently presses his lips to mine, kissing me with such tenderness that I just want to melt into the couch.
“The prospects are outside, just in case. Okay?” he says as he pulls away, and I shake my head.
“Logan, I’m safe now. I don’t need the bodyguard detail.”
He smirks and leans in again, hovering over my lips, and my eyes drift closed as I reach up for him. “Just humor me,” he whispers, his breath brushing over my parted lips.
Opening my eyes, I pin him with a glare. “Fine. But by the end of the week, I want them gone for good.”
He seals his lips to mine and strokes my cheek with his thumb before pulling away. He backs up and turns to head for the door before glancing over his shoulder at me. “We’ll discuss it.”
“Hell, no, we won’t discuss it. By the end of the week, Logan. I’m serious,” I call after him, and he just laughs as the front door opens.