Page 48 of Don't Lie to Me

I should have been flattered by the comment, but instead I was scared. What did it mean for me now that Marcus was back in my life and knows about Logan? How would things change? Would this affect my relationship with Jack?

I looked up at Jack again and saw him eyeing Marcus’s reaction. There was a sadness in them, and I wished I could ask him what he was thinking. I didn’t want this to change anything, but I was terrified it was going to change everything.

“Can I meet him?”

I eyed him for just a second before I saw the innocent desire in his eyes.

I rubbed the back of my hand across my forehead. “I need to talk to Logan. Can you give me some time?”

Marcus nodded and looked to Jack. “You knew about Logan?”

Jack nodded and released his hands from my waist only to put them in his pockets. He straightened his entire body and glared at Marcus fiercely. “I’ve known Logan since before he was born, Marcus. I hired Emma when she was still sick from pregnancy and heartbroken over the guy who left her.”

My eyes widened. I wasn’t sure that last part was necessary, but then I realized this was Jack’s way of protecting me. In so many words, he was letting Marcus know that Logan and I were both his – and that he’d been the man taking care of us. It cut Marcus deep, I could tell from the sadness and regret in his eyes, but he simply nodded and pursed his lips before turning back to me.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t the man you needed me to be.” He flipped the picture around so I could see Logan’s face. “But I’d like to get to know him. More than anything, I want to know my son.”

I nodded slowly. “I’ll call you soon.”

He went to hand me back the photo of Logan but I waved him off. “You keep it,” I said softly and reached for Jack’s hand.

Marcus gently placed the photo in his wallet and smiled slightly. “Thank you,” he said and walked back to the ballroom leaving Jack and I standing there in completely silence.

“Let me take you home,” Jack whispered softly in my ear. My eyes were glued to Marcus as he walked away and took his seat at his table.

I nodded and let Jack quietly lead me down the hallway and out the door of the hotel to Shane and the waiting limo.

The ride back to my apartment felt like it took forever. Jack and I said nothing to one another as we entered my building.

I shrieked when I opened the door to the apartment and saw Tate and Macy making out on my couch like teenagers.

“Shit, guys!” I yelled as Jack muffled a laugh behind me.

Macy was shirtless and straddling Tate on my couch. As soon as I yelled, her face fell into Tate’s shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her, covering her back. He peeked his head around her shoulder and for the first time since I’d known him, he blushed a furious shade of hot pink.

“Sorry…..we didn’t think you’d be back so soon,” Tate said with a look on his face that he really wasn’t sorry at all.

I tossed my clutch bag and my keys on the entry table and walked into the kitchen so I didn’t have to look at my two half-naked friends sprawled out on my couch.

“Hey, man – it happens.” Jack laughed and followed me.

“That’s not helping. I’m going to have that image burned in my brain whenever I look at my couch now,” I scolded him as I reached for the wine bottle.

“You could have at least used my room!” I shouted to Macy while my back was turned away from them. I heard them rustling around in the living room – hopefully getting dressed.

“Do you mind if we go finish up in there then?” Tate asked while laughing.

“No!” Jack shouted. I looked at him with my mouth hanging open. “That’s our room and we’ll need it later.”

I laughed and took my first drink. “You think so?”

It sounded really good at the moment, and at least the images of Macy and Tate practically screwing on my couch relieved my stress and worry from my interactions with Marcus and his dad.

Jack was smiling a boyish grin while he poured himself a glass of wine. I didn’t see that look nearly enough and I didn’t want him to stop looking so happy, so I didn’t bring up what Marcus’s dad said. My lips lifted a bit when he winked at me. “I think you might need a stress reliever later.”

I agreed, and I knew he would too once I told him the rest of what happened.

Thankfully, Macy and Tate sauntered into the kitchen with sheepish smiles on their faces and I knew I could put it off a little bit longer.

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