Page 121 of When He Lies
Simone curled one arm around his neck. Truth be told, she didn’t give a damn about the proposal. All she cared about was the man holding her. “I’m so glad you’re not dead.”
“Told you once before, I’d kill for you a million times over, but there is no way I’m dying. I’ve got too much to live for.” His gaze held hers. “I have a life with you waiting.”
“I’m…sorry.” Logan stared at the floor, broad shoulders sagging. “I betrayed you, Simone. I put your life on the line, and I know that you fucking hate me. I fucking hate myself.”
She gave her new lucky cat a long stroke and then let her sweet baby bound off through the hotel suite. Not the same hotel, thank goodness. They’d switched to a new location once the insane scene with Konstantin had finally ended. At the new place, they were on the top floor. She had a killer view. And while the last hotel had gone heavy on the blues, this place was all about white and gold and she loved it.
What she didn’t love? The way Logan couldn’t seem to look her in the eyes. “I understand.”
“Understanding doesn’t make shit right,” he rasped. A bandage covered his cheek. He’d gotten seven stitches in that cheek. She knew because Jezebel had told her. Jezebel had taken a very strong interest in Logan.
Something that couldn’t be good.
“I love you both,” he said, voice gruff. “You and my grandmother are more important to me than anything else. I love you both,” he repeated. “Always have, always will. I was planning to kill Konstantin. I just was waiting for the best moment.”
She shook her head. “You couldn’t kill him when his goons were with Nana.”
“I’m flying back to see her. As soon as Jezebel and your CIA boyfriend give me the all clear. She has to be scared to death.” A ragged sigh. His hands fisted in front of him. “I’m so fucking sorry.”
She paced toward him. Her hand rose and cupped his cheek. The one that wasn’t currently sporting seven stitches. “Logan.”
His jaw clenched.
“Logan, look at me.”
Slowly, his gaze found hers.
“Hi, there,” she whispered to him. “Remember me? The girl you saved when she was a kid? The one who didn’t have a real home, not until you came along?”
“You had a home. They were taken from you.”
“Just like your parents were taken from you.” Two lonely kids. They’d become a family. “You think I don’t know you, deep inside? You think I don’t forgive you? Screw it. I do. I love you, Logan.”
The suite’s door opened. Her gaze automatically darted that way even as she kept her hand on Logan’s cheek.
Ryan frowned as he stood on the threshold, clutching a white bag. “I know I shouldn’t be jealous…” he began.
Logan stepped away from her.
Her hand slid to her side. Her gaze had slipped down and just gotten fixated on the bag. A bakery?
“I know she loves you like a brother. I’m just an asshole, that’s all.” Ryan exhaled on a rough sigh. “I will work on the jealousy. It’s on my to-do list.”
“You want to take another swing at me, don’t you?” Logan asked.
Her attention shifted away from the bag and back to Ryan’s face. His slow smile was the answer to Logan’s question.
“Do it,” Logan invited.
“Trying to make that guilt you feel go away, huh? Me beating the hell out of you won’t make you feel better. But, just so we are clear.” Ryan’s smile fled. “You ever fucking put Simone in danger that way again, and you won’t need to worry about me taking a swing at you. I’ll bury your ass. No one will ever find you. When I want to make someone vanish, they vanish. It’s a fun CIA trick.” His stare swept toward Simone. “Hello, sweetheart.”
“Hi,” she whispered.
“Konstantin has been handled,” he said, and she could imagine what sort of “handling” the CIA had done with the criminal mastermind. Probably the kind that meant he would vanish into a black site for the rest of his days.
A shiver skated down her spine.
“And I brought you a present.” Ryan walked right past Logan. He lifted the bag toward Simone.
