Page 7 of Twisted Fate

“I was never snobby to you.” Keily protested immediately, her eyebrows up.

“No, but you weren’t exactly Miss Congeniality at work for a while. With everyone but me.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Keily admitted. “But I just wanted to focus on doing a good job.”

“Hey, you don’t have to tell me, I get it. Others might have taken it for snotty superiority, but I know it was just your defense mechanism.” Rosa held up her hands and leaned into Keily. “That you don’t need anymore.

“No, I don’t. And it seems I have my sister back at last, too.” Keily smiled and looked over at her sister. “I’m so happy you stopped by.”

“I am too. Now, what kind of food do they make here? I’m starving.” Violet laughed as Keily handed over the menu. Keily felt herself blushing but didn’t care. Something had finally gone right and nothing could take away her smile.

4

Logan

December was a shitty month as far as Logan was concerned, even during the good years. This year it was downright atrocious. Sure, things were looking up in California, the business was doing well, despite the major loss he’d suffered because of the earthquake, and he was helping his employees to stay on their feet. But, and it was a big but, December still sucked.

Mainly because he still missed that fucking woman.

Happy couples with families at their sides jostled everywhere in their best winter garb, looking like they were ready for an Instagram shoot while he was alone, miserable, and now back in South Carolina. He had a court date, one he couldn’t miss, the prosecuting attorney informed him. So there he was, walking into a courthouse full of miserable people, whether they were there to work or were part of a court case. He was just waiting for this day to be over so he could get back to his house.

He wondered if he’d see Keily today, knew she’d been subpoenaed, so he likely would. His brain was split in half again, happy at the thought of seeing her and depressed because he’d see her and wouldn’t be able to talk to her. Then there was the whole Joe thing. The guy who assaulted him, tore his pants off and branded his ass with a butterfly keychain, and then had the compunction to assault him again.

Logan let Joe get away with the first assault all those years ago. Not because he was afraid of the guy, or his moronic friends. No, he’d let him get away with it because all he wanted to do was get out of town and get on with the rest of his life. He’d put all of that behind him. All of it but the nightmares, that is.

They’d been even worse last night. He knew he had to get up and fly to South Carolina, and the reason why, and his brain had tortured him all night. He relived that night over and over again, until he finally jumped out of bed and gave up on sleep. Today was going to be bad, he knew it, for far too many reasons.

Logan spotted the prosecuting attorney and walked over to him. “Good morning.”

“Hey, Logan, good to see you. Flight okay?” Felix asked, his eyes bright and intelligent. He was obviously a morning person. Which was probably for the best because Logan wasn’t.

“Yeah, I’m good, flight was fine. Ready to get this over with.” Logan grumbled, not daring to look at anyone but Felix. He didn’t know when Keily would show up but if he didn’t see her, he didn’t have to think about her, did he?

He knew he was only delaying the inevitable, but he didn’t care. He just wanted all of this to be done and over with. Maybe then the nightmares would go away too.

“Right, we’re up first so let’s get in there and get this started. His lawyer is out of continuances, unless something drastic has happened and from what I understand, today is the day. We’ll get this done and over with for you, buddy.”

“Glad to hear it,” Logan muttered, head high, black wool coat buttoned up to keep the chill away. He unbuttoned the coat as he got into the courtroom and sat behind Felix on the first bench in the row behind the prosecuting attorney’s table on the right.

He didn’t look around, but he did rise when the judge finally came in, and sat down when so ordered. The judge droned on, a few defense attorneys had some business to attend to with him, and people came and went around his bench. Logan tuned it all out until he heard his name called. It was Felix, trying to get his attention.

“Come up here and sit with me until you’re called to the stand, Logan.”

Logan realized then the trial had already started, he’d just been too lost in his own world to notice. He pulled off his coat, put it on the back of the chair at the table, and sat down. The judge read over the docket and then gave the floor to the defense attorney first. Logan didn’t care which of them went first, as long as it was under way, at last.

The defense attorney tried for one more continuance, but the judge wasn’t having it. Logan could tell the defense attorney didn’t think he’d get it, by the way he sighed and shrugged. Oh well.

Logan glanced behind him when he heard the door to the courthouse open, an automatic action, not one he’d planned at all. His eyes felt as if they would bulge out of his head when he saw who had walked in.

Keily. Beautiful, breathtaking, life-altering Keily.

Also, a very, very pregnant Keily.

How could she be that damn pregnant, he wondered with a frown as she found a seat and sat down, Rosa at her side. She hadn’t even looked in his direction as she came in or when she found a place to sit, but he’d seen her.

“Fuck.” Logan mumbled under his breath and turned back around.

“What’s the matter?” Felix leaned over to whisper while Joe’s lawyer called him to the stand.