“I would love nothing else, but I have a meeting with an investor for a project my brother Lawrence and I have been trying to get off the ground for the past couple months. I can’t miss it.” His fingers stroked the area behind my knee.
“Okay,” I replied easily.
He smiled. “How did I get so lucky?”
Giggling, I kissed him again. “I was wondering the same thing.”
After I climbed off his lap, I grabbed my purse and began searching for my compact. “By the way, I like Laura,” I admitted. She was the perfect secretary: attractive but not flashing it, and appeared extremely professional.
Logan stood, tucking himself back in. “Is that so?” he asked, zipping his fly and closing his belt.
“It is.” I swiped on a streak of ChapStick while glancing at his reflection in the background of the tiny mirror. “But she should try harder to keep out the riffraff.”
Humor filled his expression as he spun me around and grabbed both ends of his tie that was still around my neck, gently drawing me closer. “Anyone in particular?”
My shoulders rose innocently. “No one you need to worry about. I’ll be sure to take care of it myself.”
He pulled on the tie again, bringing my lips to his. “Anything you say.”
“Anything?” I challenged.
The dirty path his mind was taking was evident in his eyes. “Anything.”
“Could you hand out some flyers for me?” I ducked under his arm, the tie sliding over my head. He slid it back around his neck, watching me as I picked up a handful of papers from the stack and held them out to him.
“Flyers? For what?” He took the smaller stack, and when he looked down at it, his entire mood shifted.
My expression melted into a somber one. “I know you said Jax was on it, but it’s been days and I can assure you Jax has been too occupied to properly search.”
“Cassandra…” His gaze lifted slowly from the photo of Scout up to me, his features softening.
“If you could just put some up around the office, or…maybe I could buy an ad! Isn’t that what clients do—buy a spot in the paper? How much is it for a small section?”
“Cassandra.”
Something was wrong. It was written all over his face and deep in his tone.
“What is it?”
“Sit down,” he said.
I shook my head. “No, just tell me. Did you already find him? Is he…”
Oh, God. I slumped down onto the seat. No—I was overreacting. I had to be.
“Logan?”
He set the papers on his desk and kneeled down in front of me, his hands taking mine. “Forgive me. I was only trying to protect you.”
I fought back the sting of tears. “Protect me from what?” My breathing grew harsher. Scout.
“You were so overwhelmed that day, and I didn’t want to add more stress to it.”
My pup, my Scout. What did Kurt do!? I trembled as I waited for him to continue.
“One of the officers found Scout by the back door. I didn’t know how to tell you. We were in the hall together when I saw the officer carrying him over. I directed him to go out front so you wouldn’t see.”
“He’s dead!” I shrieked, my hands flying up to cover my mouth as tears obliterated the dam.
“No, he’s going to be okay. Shit, I should have said that first, I’m sorry.” He cupped my face, his thumbs wiping away the wetness there. “He’s still at the vet, and should be able to go home soon.”
I released a breath. “You should have told me that first!” I slugged him lightly in the chest for causing me to panic. “You should have told me that day!”
His hands traveled down my arms, reclaiming mine. “I know. I struggled with it. When you told me to call Jax, I did. I went to check on Scout. He was in the back of a squad car, barely able to breathe. Jax came right over and took him to the animal hospital. I was told Kurt has a vicious bite on his ankle; Scout attacked him—probably when he first entered your home.” Logan’s slight smile was a proud one. “He’s a good dog. He was protecting you.”
“What did Kurt do to him?”
“We believe he kicked him. He has a couple broken ribs and a ruptured spleen, but he’s a fighter, just like you. Jax has been checking on him.”
I sighed, willing further tears away. “That’s why he didn’t want you to know he helped me make the flyers.”
Logan ran a hand down his face. “He made it clear he wasn’t going to be the one to tell you. My brother doesn’t do well with emotions.”
“Not surprising.” I rolled my eyes. “When can I see him? Scout, I mean.”
Logan stood, pulling me up. “Whenever you like. He’s at the vet around the corner. I’m sure he’d love to see you.”
I wrapped my arms around him, holding him close. “Thank you—for taking care of him, and me. You’re right…it probably wouldn’t have helped if I knew then.”
“Does that mean I’m forgiven?” he whispered.
“That means I understand and didn’t have enough time to get mad at you,” I clarified.
Laura’s voice rang through the intercom. “Mr. West? Lawrence West is on line one.”
“I’ll leave you to it,” I told him. “Good luck with the investor.”
“If you can wait to see him, I’ll take you first thing after work,” Logan offered.
“Thanks, but I want to go now. I need to see he’s really okay.”
“I understand.”
The kiss we shared when he snuggled me close in his arms left me breathless and swooning. But then again, his kisses always did.
“I’ll see you this afternoon,” he said, releasing me to return to his desk. I grabbed my coat and dumped the flyers in the recycling bin by his door. With his eyes on me, he lifted the phone.
“Lawrence, did you receive the fax yet?” he said into the receiver.
I blew him a kiss and walked out at a brisk pace, heading for Scout.
My visit with Scout was an emotional one. There was a bandage around his middle. The vet explained all the care he’d need to heal properly, and that I could take him home in the morning. After holding him on my lap for over an hour, thanking him for protecting me while simultaneously chastising him for not hiding from Kurt, I kissed the top of his head and promised to see him in the morning.
My walk from the vet to Haven was complete with damp eyes and shivering bones, but that wasn’t what gripped my attention.
It was the keen sense that I was being watched—followed. I’d felt it since I’d left the vet’s office, but didn’t focus on it until I’d walked over a block and still couldn’t shake it.
Stopping abruptly, I shot my gaze back, looking to see if it was paranoia or actual fear to confront only to find no one. I was alone on the sidewalk.
Pull it together! I reprimanded myself internally as I turned back and continued on.
Outside the front doors, I pulled off one glove and took out my phone, sending a text to Luke.
You busy for lunch? I’m outside Haven.
It took only a minute before he replied.
Can u deliver it to the office? I’m stuck here going over a case.