Rush (Roam Series, Book Four) (21 page)

Stretching my legs out, I folded my arm behind my head. “Well, I already know where babies come from… I’m
putting
a ring on it… I’m working on a 401K… glad to be back… what more could we possibly have to talk about?”

He ran his hand over his inner arm, across the coordinates.

“You’re immortal now, so I’ll teach you about a new 401K
- later. You picked a nice ring… and… babies… you really need to talk to Violet.” He tipped the bottle to his mouth, taking a long drink. “As far as being glad to be back, that won’t last. When you actually wake up wishing you were back there again, give me a call, I’d be glad to listen.”

I reached for his pack of cigarettes, and he made no move to stop me.

“That will happen?”

“Yes.” He
held the lighter up, and I cupped my hand around the flame to block the warm, ocean wind. “As horrible as it was over there, it’ll happen.”

“
Why?” When he didn’t answer, I exhaled a puff of smoke slowly.
I’ll talk to Mr. Camden later.
“So, you want to talk about Violet?”

“
No, I want to talk about Roam.”

“
Roam.” I nodded once, brushing my fingers through my hair. “What now? Is she okay?”

He lowered his voice. “You sure this isn’t too- much?”

“Depends on what you have to say.”

He took a slow breath. “Has she ever asked you to… hurt her?”

“What…? Of course not.”

He tilted the bottle again. “After the castle.”
He continued to stare ahead, and I cringed.

What the fuck…?
“No.
Never
. If anything, she was afraid I
would
hurt her. When we… got too close.”

He nodded, finishing the last of his beer. “
Okay.”

Roam asked him to hurt her? Like,
S and M stuff? That’s not her.
“Maybe she just-…,”

“Never mind.” His cutting tone told me the conversation
was over, and I rolled my eyes.

I tossed the cigarette on the porch, stamping it out with my flip flop.
“Listen, I care about her, and-…,”

“And this is personal. I shouldn’t have brought it up.
She starts school again in the fall- it’ll take her mind off of-…,”

Giggles drew both of our attention toward the beach, and Jason and Morgan crested the dune. The moment we all saw each other, she squealed and scurried behind Jason. “Christ
, I’m buck naked!” She cried. A beach towel landed in my lap, and I looked up as West took my empty beer bottle.

“Want another?”

“Violet will kick my ass.”

He
smirked and moved back into the house, and I turned to Jason and Morgan.

“Toss it, Logan,” Jason called, and I sat back, smirking.

“Come and get it, Morgan May,” I teased, and she growled from behind Jason.

“Dude,” Jason warned with a smile, and I
threw the towel at him, grinning.

“What happened to your suit?” I asked as she wrapped the towel around her breasts. Jason swept her into his arms, and she laughed, winking in my direction.

“
What
suit?”

“
Shh
,” West chided them playfully as they hurried inside, returning to the picnic table. “You should get to bed. You’ve been traveling for two days. You’ll be exhausted tomorrow.”

“
Yep.” I stood and stretched, saluting him with two fingers. “Thanks for the beer.”

“Logan.”
I raised my eyes, and he stood, staring at me. “I never knew that you attacked him. The last time Roam and I talked about the castle… she told me how you tried to stop him.” He tucked his hands deep into the cargo pockets of his shorts, meeting my eyes. “Thank you. I should have been there for her. I should have handed Eva off to you and
stayed
. It
kills me
that you- both of you- had to go through what you did.”

“
He would have killed you.”

“He-…,”

“West.” I cut him off, pointing toward the house. “We all have to remember that
Eva
is the reason we’re here.
I
couldn’t have raised your kid for two and a half years. I couldn’t have been her father, and Troy
would
have killed you.
You made the right decision. Even if Roam… is what she… is. You will-…,”

“Hey,” Roam’s voice silenced us both
as she quietly closed the sliding glass door. “What are you guys doing? Isn’t there some kind of event tomorrow you should be getting some sleep for?”

West opened his arms to her, and she curled into them, pressing her face to his chest. I tried not to think of the conversation I’d jus
t had with West, but immediately thoughts of her tied to that giant, evil canopy bed in the castle burned my brain.
What did Troy really do to her?

Her long, dark hair blew across her wide eyes, and she brushed
the strands out of the way. “West, are you smoking again? Ohmygod
Logan
are you smoking?”

“Yes… Mom.”

I curled inward defensively and laughed as she fumed
, her fists clenching at her sides.

“Okay,” West caught her around the waist before she could attack, grinning and lowering his mouth to her
forehead. “Logan’s going to bed. Is Chris up, baby?”

“No, he slept through Morgan
shrieking
. But she woke Laurel up. She’s in the kitchen.”

“Oh good- Logan,” Laurel joined us on the patio, looking toward the cottage. “Is Violet awake? I need to check and make sure her gown-…,”

“She’s sleeping,” West answered for me. “Her gown is fine, Laurel. Her flowers are fine. You’re worrying too-…,”

“You have
no
idea how much goes into this, you just cut the checks,” she challenged, and I looked down to keep from grinning at her haughty response. My
actual
new mother-in-law stood with her hands on her hips, raising her eyes at her ex-husband with a confident huff.

“I know she needs to
sleep
,” West’s retort sent Roam’s fingers wringing over his.

“Okay, I think we all need some sleep.” Her soft voice and convincing smile sent everyone into
abrupt cooperation, and I gazed at her, amazed at her ability to always be so mature.

“Sounds good.” West agreed, taking her hands into his.

“Goodnight,” I started to turn, but Roam ran toward me. I caught her as she wrapped her arms around me.

“
I’m so glad you’re home,
” she hushed before turning back to West.

The moonlight
trailed silver on the sand as I made my way back to the cottage. I slipped into the bed next to Violet, trying my best to keep my hands from roving over her naked body.
She needs to sleep. You need to sleep.
Her hair pooled around her face like a white-blonde halo, and I pulled one ringlet round my finger again and again until I finally found sleep.

Sometime in the middle of the night, I was thrown into a dark, rainy forest
…

I
n France.

“
Where is he now, mademoiselle?
”
His voice, echoing in my thoughts.

Gunshots.

Muslim prayer; screaming soldiers in the castle as I picked them off, one by one.

Troy.

“Logan?” Violet’s voice, her fingers on my face, her lips on my mouth. “Are you okay? Can you hear me?”

I blinked, turning my eyes down to face her. I stood in a bathroom, Violet in front of me, both of us stark naked.

“Where are we?” I turned to the shower, focusing on the marble tile.

“In the bathroom
… of the cottage.”

“
What year?
”

“2015.
Where’d you go? It’s three in the morning,” she said softly, wrapping her arms around me. “You were just… standing here. You wouldn’t answer me.”

“Sorry,” I ran my hand over my hair, glad it was finally growing back. I blinked, reaching for her. “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?” She shook her head, her face softening. I recognized the naughty glimmer in her eyes. “Since you’re awake, and we’re already in the bathroom… how about another shower?”

She gasped as I attacked suddenly, sweeping her into my arms. Giving her the widest Big Bad Wolf leer that I had, I reached for the faucet. “Listen, I’m getting married tomorrow, so my wife can’t know about this.”

She closed her teeth over her bottom lip as I set her to her feet, cocking one eyebrow as she slid her fingers over my hips in the hot water stream. “The stupid bitch shouldn’t have let you out of her sight.”

I grinned as she kissed her way down to her knees.

Violet

“What
is
that?” I stirred at Logan’s voice and the distant sound of the unfamiliar doorbell, warming as he rolled over me and buried his face into my bare chest. “Ugh
- it’s… only… five… o’clock
,” he groaned, his smothered words muffled between my breasts. I laughed, pushing at him.

“It’s our wedding day, Rush, and we have a million things to do!”

“Vi! GET UP!”

Eva’s voice sent Logan flying from the bed, disappearing into the bathroom. I rolled my eyes, gathering the sheet around my chest.

“The door’s locked. She’s just so
loud
,” I made my way to the front door of the cottage, turning the lock.

Eva stood before me, her arms crossed over her chest, tapping her foot animatedly on the ground.
Her current favorite dress, a navy blue and white ruffled halter, was adorned with way too many multi-colored necklaces from her jewelry box. Headphones hung around her neck, and the outline of her iPod showed through the pocket of her dress.

She glanced at the
too-big, military-style watch on her wrist. “We have to get our
hairs
done.
You’re late.
Where are your
clothes
?”

“
Where is your
mom?
”

“She’s in the house with Aunt Morgan. Where’s Logan?” She demanded.

“He’s in the bathroom.”

“Did he sleep in the
same bed
with you?”

Biting my tongue, I searched the yard for
…
anyone
. “Go find Dad, Eva.” She raised an eyebrow, planting her hands on her little hips. Her missing front tooth, I realized, had begun to descend, and now there was a gaping hole right next to it. “Did you lose another tooth?” I squatted before her, and she beamed.

“Yes! I got twenty dollars from the Tooth Fairy.”

“Are you freaking kidding me?” I cringed.
West, you’re creating a monster.
“Okay, listen, I’ll get dressed really fast and meet you all in a few minutes, okay?”

“The limo is taking us to get our hairs done, right?”

“Right,” I promised, tugging at a long, red tendril. “
Hair
. But only if you behave.”

“
I’m a princess. I don’t have to listen to you.” She retorted, flipping her hair over shoulder and stalking away haughtily.

Grinning, I sighed, soaking up the first of the warm sunlight peeking through the dawn. When Logan’s arms
wrapped around me, I leaned back, tilting my face to catch his lips in mine.

“I guess I should get over to the house. My dad texted me and said all the guys are going to breakfast. But all I want to do,” he turned me around, sliding his fingers through my hair, “is get lost in you. All day. You think they’ll come back if we reschedule for tomorrow?”

His deep, brown eyes, till puffy from sleep, coaxed an amused smirk from my lips. “Logan Rush, did you not have enough of me to last you through the day?”

“Absolutely not,” he gathered the sheet into his fist, his breath warm against the crown of my head. “In fact, let’s have a wedding night drill. I’ll need to know the exact plan of attack.”

I burst out laughing, shaking my head. “You’re silly.” After a moment, I stiffened.
“You’re not at all worried about Cole Mathison, are you?”

He shrugged his shoulders.
“I’ve fought- and beaten- worse. If he really thinks I’m some kind of evil
being
, then he’s just fighting for the wrong reasons. Misinformed.”

“I’m still worried.”

“I can think of a few ways to distract you.” He tugged me against his chest, and I reached for his shoulders, sighing into his kiss.