Page 78 of Sapphire Sunset

Taken aback by the look in Connor’s eyes, the lawyer gentlygripped Rodney’s elbow and tried to pull him away, a sign his commitment to thisscene was wavering. If it had ever been much to begin with. “All right, Rodney.Why don’t we let them have some—”

“Fuck that! I’m not going anywhere.” Rodney shook his lawyer’sarm off. “You think you’re going to litigate our family’s dirty laundry in thepress? You think that’s how the hotel game works, kid? How about I walk outthere right now and tell them what your dad said to me when he found out youwere gay? That he felt like he’d been kicked in the teeth and wished he’d had adaughter instead.”

Connor felt like he’d been slapped. “Go ahead. I’ll take themic right after you and read the letter my father wrote me before he died. Theone where he explained why he andyourdad had to rewrite the trustbecause they were afraid one day your criminal behavior was going to run thisplace into the ground.”

At first, Connor thought the sudden pressure at his chestwas a new surge of anxiety. Then he realized it was coming from Rodney’s hand.His uncle had grabbed the lapels of his jacket with enough force to knock himoff balance. Rodney’s heaving breaths were whiskey rancid.

The cameraman backed up to get a better angle on them both, butthe center of Connor’s world had become his uncle’s bulging eyes. Over and overagain the lawyer said Rodney’s name, but Rodney didn’t seem to hear that, or anythingelse. He was deafened by his own rage.

“I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, you littlefaggot, but if you don’t—”

And then Rodney was gone.

He’d been whipped away. There were no other words for it. Thetension at Connor’s chest was also gone.

An impact shook the floor and rattled the vases of flowerson the console table nearby. That’s when Connor saw that Rodney had been slammedinto the nearest wall by a tidal wave of force. A tidal wave of force namedLogan Murdoch.

The breath went out of Rodney in a stuttering series ofgasps. Logan gripped the man’s throat in one hand with a force that renderedRodney’s limbs limp and useless. To top it all off, Logan didn’t even lookwinded by his efforts.

“You ever put a hand on Connor again and I’ll break it,”Logan said in a voice like low thunder. “And you ever call him a name like thatagain, I’ll knock you into next week and wear the assault charge like a badge.”

Rodney responded with a wheeze.

“You’ve got two choices, Mr. Harcourt. There’s not a third.You can hold your chin up, walk out of this hotel and straight past thosereporters without saying a damn word. Or I can throw you out so you land flaton your face and give them all the photo op they’re waiting for. You’vegot tenseconds to pick. Or I do. And Igottabe honest, I’m leaning toward face plant.”

Logan released Rodney’s throat, giving him a second toregain his balance.

Pale and breathless, Rodney stumbled forward from the wall,avoiding the stunned stares of everyone in the lobby. Including Connor’s. Thecamera swung to follow him as he shuffled through the lobby doors.

The lawyer turned toward Logan, his lips parted. Theexpression on Logan’s face made the lawyer blink several times, turn, and followhis client out of the lobby.

Outside, Rodney took option one. Even as they advanced onhim, he didn’t raise his head or say a word to the cameras. He must haverealized the terrible mistake he’d made, dragging a reporter into the hotel tofilm him acting like the very villain Connor had described at the pressconference the day before.

“Would you like to set up an interview with Connor later?”Connor heard Gloria say to the reporter.

“You know, I think we might have everything we need,” thereporter said. “Thanks.”

But their voices seemed far away.

All Connor saw was Logan. Big, beautiful Logan who’dunleashed a display of swift and focused power. And he’d done it without knockinga single hair of his own out of place. Gloria asked Connor if he was all right,maybe because he looked like he was in shock. He was in a way. But not fromRodney’s outburst. From what Logan had done. Grabbing a force for malevolencein Connor’s life and silencing it with one hand and a solid wall and threats he’duttered with cool confidence.

Their noses were almost touching.

Logan’s fingers were at Connor’s neck, grazing his skin.

“I should probably get a closer look at this,” he said. “Seeif there’s a bruise.”

“Yeah, totally,” Connor whispered.

Connor wasn’t bruised. Physically, anyway. But right now,being alone with Logan seemed like the treatment for every ailment he mightever have.

“My office.” Someone else said these words, not Connor.

They walked together, side by side. Like coworkers. Likeprofessionals. But all Connor heard were Logan’s footfalls next to his, ametronome for his wild, uncontrollable desire.

When they reached their destination, Connor stepped insidefirst.

He turned, half expecting to see a puzzled or remote look onLogan’s face that said Connor had imagined the rivers of pure desire flowingbetween them after Rodney stumbled out of the lobby. Instead, he saw fire in Logan’seyes, saw Logan reach behind him and slam the office door with one powerfularm, lock the deadbolt with a swipe of one fist. Saw Logan advance on him, thefocused fury with which he’d incapacitated Connor’s uncle turning into ferallust. A hunger that drove Connor’s back to the wall as Logan advanced, ready toclaim the territory he’d just defended.

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