Page 325 of The Daddy P.I. Casefiles: The Second Collection
“I seriously wanted to punch Mad Bob’s lights out for stealing from you, but this was the right way to do it. I’m just sorry I didn’t get the ones that he’d put up on the walls.”
I trace the laugh line that runs from his nose to the corner of his mouth. He has a tiny mole that disappears into the line when he laughs. It looks like it’s winking at me.
“I can redo a couple of sketches, Sir. It was just the idea of redoing hundreds that got on top of me. Thank you for talking me down. Or, um, spanking me down.”
“Happy to spank you down anytime, girl?—”
We both look up as the hallway door cracks open. Mac doesn’t even bother to tuck himself away but puts his arm around me and draws me close, so my lady parts are concealedagainst his body. When Logan pokes his head around the door, Mac relaxes his hold.
“Can I borrow Bren for a few minutes?”
“As long as you return her in the same condition,” Mac says. There’s an undercurrent there I don’t quite understand, but it’s reinforced when Mac slips his shirt around me and buttons up the front before sending me Logan’s way with a swat on my ass.
“Ouch, Sir.”
“Rule thirteen, girl.”
“Haven’t signed the contract yet, Sir.”
Mac growls and I beat a hasty retreat, following Logan into his office.
My spine stiffens as Logan shuts the door behind me. Mac might have complete faith in both of us, but I know Logan doesn’t like me. Whatever he’s going to say is not going to be good.
“Sit,” he says, pointing those two fingers toward the long, leather couch across from the cold fireplace. I fold down onto it with a wince because, damn, my ass is sore. Mac’s killing me. I expect Logan to sit at his desk. Instead, he sits at the other end of the couch, crosses his long legs, and levels me with that dark, Dom glare.
I push my shoulders back and fold my hands in my lap. I haven’t done a damn thing wrong. Even if I had, if anyone’s going to reprimand me, it should be Mac.
“Sir?” I say, trying to keep it respectful without showing throat.
“I want to talk with you about Mac.”
I swallow hard while I parse that through. He wants to talkwithme, not to me. Big difference. And about Mac, not about whatever he imagines I’ve done wrong.
“Yes, sir?”
“What’re you doing with him?”
Man, there are so many ways I could take that question.
“He collared me and offered me a contract,” I say.
Logan waves that aside. “What are your intentions?”
He sounds like one of the dukes in Emily’s books—and yes, of course, I’ve read them, although I’ll deny it to my grave—asking me whether I intend to dishonor his daughter.
“Um, I’m not sure what you’re asking, sir.”
Logan rubs his hand over the arm rest and grips it, his knuckles blanching white. “Never thought I’d say this,” he mutters, before clearing his throat. “You’re good for him, Bren. Coming out of the service the way he has, I’m not sure it’s something you can understand unless you’ve been through it. He dedicated his whole life to serving his country and now it’s over. There’s no reason for him to get up in the morning. He’s adrift.”
Is he? I feel a hard clench in my gut at Mac hiding something so deep from me. Then I remember his easy comradery with the bikers. His desire for another brotherhood. He hasn’t hidden it from me. He’s shown me. And he gave up a chance at that brotherhood for me.
“I think he’s looking for something to replace that, sir, but I’m good with being his anchor in the meanwhile,” I offer.
Logan’s gaze sharpens. “Is this temporary for you?”
“That’s not what I meant. I know he’s looking for another band of brothers—” Wasn’t that a movie? I’m definitely not saying this right. “Er, brotherhood. Until he finds it, if he needs a reason to get up in the morning, I’ll be that for him. He’s good for me, too, sir.”
Logan puts his head down and stares at his knees. “Mac’s the best man I’ve ever known. I trust him with my life. Emily’s life. He will do the right thing no matter what the cost to himself. When I realized hurting my lovers got me off, I fell apart. It brought back a lot of feelings I couldn’t handle. Mac helped me accept my sadism and understand that I could still be a goodperson.” He lets out a long breath and I realize this is the most vulnerable I’ve ever seen Logan. I knew they were close, but I had no idea the depth of his feelings about Mac. “Don’t fuck him over, Bren. His wife?—”
