“I have!” I yelled, because yelling felt better than crying. “My point is that I have let it go because I love you!” I sagged with relief at saying the words. “As much as it scares the absolute shit out me, I love you more than I have ever loved anyone. I didn’t shut you out, Logan. I was just taking a moment. But this.” I gestured to him, feeling the sudden wetness on my cheeks. “This is shutting me out, and I’m scared shitless all over again.”
“Because you think I’m going to go off half-cocked and finish what I started with Ollie?” His eyes blazed with fury and confliction.
“No.” I shook my head. “You love Maia way too much to endanger your relationship with her. You would never damage that.”
His shoulders dropped and he stared at me wide-eyed. He looked so much like a little boy lost that my tears spilled faster for him. “You believe that?” he said hoarsely.
“I know it.”
Suddenly he was across the room and I was in his arms and he was kissing me hard, desperately. He pulled back, holding my head in his hands as he stared into my eyes with the fierceness that I loved. “I love you so much,” he said, voice gruff. “Don’t ever leave me, Grace. Don’t ever leave me.”
My lips trembled as I shook my head at the idea. “I won’t,” I cried softly. “I love you. You’re my family. I won’t leave,” I promised, and I knew then I never would. “I don’t want to be anywhere but here with you.”
He wrapped his arms around me tight, and I buried my head against his chest, soaking him in. “I nearly lost it,” he confessed. “I was in an already shitty mood because of our fight, and then seeing that letter… The audacity of that fucker to contact her… I had to walk around, had to walk it off and remind myself of everything I had to lose. He took so much from her, Grace, and he took two years from me and more. He doesn’t deserve to be walking free around the streets of Edinburgh.”
“I know,” I said, my fingers curling tighter into his T-shirt. “But he can’t do anything anymore. You have a life now. You have a daughter who adores you and a girlfriend who would do anything for you both.” His arms tightened at that. “And Shannon.” I laughed softly. “Oh my gosh, your sister is happier than most people ever dream of being. She has school and she has you and she has Cole. Ollie can’t take any of that away.”
“You’re right.” He gently moved me back so he could stare into my eyes. “I just wish the mere mention of him didn’t fuck with my head.”
I touched his cheek, brushing my thumb over the bristle of his short beard. “I’m discovering that these things are ingrained so deep in us that there’s a possibility they won’t ever really go away.” I gave him a sad smile and I knew he knew I wasn’t just talking about his demons. “I thought they would, but it seems it’s going to be a constant battle. Some days, some years even, will be better than others. But I’m here for you and you’re here for me, and that’s all we can ask for.”
His fingers curled into my waist, his grip almost bruising. “Does that mean you’re not going back to London?”
“No, I’m not. But” – I heaved a sigh – “I still need to talk to my father.”
Although Logan didn’t look too happy about that announcement, he said, “Just be careful.”
“Always.”
He kissed me softly, a kiss that was just growing in hunger when the doorbell rang seconds before we heard it open.
“Logan!” we heard Shannon yell.
We pulled back from the kiss. “Tonight,” he promised.
Anticipation zinged through me. “Can I be loud?”
His eyes flared with heat. “When Maia goes to sleep I’ll come over.”
“Logan!” Shannon sounded more frantic.
“We better get out there.”
Shannon and Cole were in the sitting room, and Cole gave us a knowing look when we appeared. I rolled my eyes at him and he grinned. His fiancée, on the other hand, flew at her brother, much like Maia had done earlier.
Logan hugged Shannon tight, whispering soothing words to her. She pulled back, swiping at her tears. “You had me so worried.” She punched him on the chest and walked back to Cole, burrowing into his side.
“I just had to walk it off,” Logan told her. “Sorry for worrying you.”
“Okay, I’m just jumping right into this,” Cole said. “This guy wants to meet with Shannon to apologize – that’s what his letter said. Well, we’re going to let him.”
“Are you out of your bloody mind!” I beat Logan to the punch.
Everyone stared at me in shock.
“Well?” I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest.
Cole raised an eyebrow at Logan. “So much for the quiet type.”
Logan smirked, a wicked glint in his eyes. “Oh, she knows when to yell at the appropriate times.”
Cole snorted while Shannon gagged.
“Can we get back to the matter at hand?” I said, gesturing to Cole. “You can’t seriously think it’s a good idea to put Shannon in that position.”
“I can speak for myself,” Shannon said, not unkindly. “Look, I don’t want to meet with him. I don’t want his apology. I’m not looking for closure from him. At. All. That’s his crap and he’s not forcing it on me. But Cole doesn’t think ignoring him will work.”
“Agreed,” Logan grunted.