Page 123 of Sapphire Sunset

“It was his idea of an apology.”

“So it was really shitty?”

“Basically, yeah,” Connor said. “He also wanted me to tellhim what my dad had said about him in that letter I told him about.”

“Did you?”

“You showed up to save the day before I had to.”

“Just doing my job, Mr. Harcourt.” Logan winked like he didthe night they met.

“He said something else. About you.”

Logan’s eyebrows went up.

“Were they writing you up before the raid?” Connor asked.

Logan nodded.

“Well, the plan was to drive you out. Buddy wanted you gonelast year, but Rodney wouldn’t do it.”

“I figured.”

“But that’s not all he said, mister.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah. He said he thought you wouldn’t break down the doorif I didn’t answer because you were more of a hit it and quit it kind of guy.”

Logan closed the distance between them. It was obvious he wantedto draw Connor into his arms but given thelookie-loospeering out from the lobby, he didn’t want to risk another on-camera incident.

“Well, he’s right. Because if he goes anywhere near you again,I’m going to hit him until he’s quit. For good.”

“That’s so hot,” Connor whispered.

“You like the whole bathroom thing?”

“I like how it ended.”

“Good. Why don’t I take you upstairs so I can give you thehug I’ve wanted to give you since I sent that bastard to his knees?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

They couldn’t stay the night in the penthouse suite. Notuntil it got a new door. Logan’s rescue had left a man-sized splintered hole init.

After they moved their things into the adjoining room,Connor spent several minutes showering off his uncle’s stench, refusing to letthe brown marble and honey-colored light and brass fixtures remind him of thetime he’d spent prisoner in the bathroom next door.

He toweled himself, put on some fresh boxers and a T-shirt,and found Logan sitting at the compact desk in their new room tapping out textmessages, probably to Gloria and the rest of the department heads, advising themof the incident before they saw it on the news. Then Connor called his mother.He managed to keep his voice from shaking for the first part of the conversation,but the more upset she got, the harder the fight became. First, she demanded heleave the hotel at once. Then she insisted on coming to the hotel herself.Finally, once he described Logan’s heroic actions in detail, she calmed down, andby the end of the call she was calling him her baby and her precious darlingboy.

After he hung up, Connor sank to the foot of the bed. Hethought all he needed to do was catch his breath. But Logan, apparently, couldsense it coming, could feel the eruption before it blew. He took Connor intohis arms right as days’ worth of exhaustion and stress caught up to him, ridingthe freight train of fear and violation he’d felt while being held hostage.

But Logan’s embrace reminded him of how it all ended, saved.

And for the second time that night, he fell asleep inLogan’s arms.

21

“Connor Harcourt.” Janice shoved therestaurant’s drinks menu in her son’s face. “I hereby sentence you to acocktail.”

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