His older brother, Hunter, hadn’t even greeted him before Logan started in. “Question.”
“Shoot.”
Sighing in agitation, Logan paced across the floor again, from the St. Andrew’s Cross against the wall, past the spanking bench, to the padded table in the corner. God damn it, Tara should be here, strapped down, taking him in every way he needed. That she needed. She was a fever, boiling him up from the inside, and he’d be damned before he gave her up. No Dom was better equipped to train her for this mission—for her life. No man could love her the way he did.
And after this afternoon, Logan had no doubt whatsoever that he still loved her every bit as much as he had at sixteen. Maybe more. She felt something for him, too. In order to exploit that, keep her safe and make her his, he had to overcome a few obstacles.
“I don’t have time for the long explanation now, so I’ll give you the CliffsNotes. I saw Tara today.” Logan struggled to get his breathing back under control as memories bombarded him.
“You said her name. That’s progress. Congratulations!”
“Save it. She wants nothing to do with me. For her, the past isn’t dead and buried.”
“The way you broke up with her was ugly. You knew it was permanent.”
“I hated every f**king second that I hurt her. Because of me, she transferred to that prissy private girls’ academy the very next day. I rarely saw her after that.” Other than the Christmas he’d gone to see her, and she’d slammed the door in his face. “But I dealt because it kept her safe.”
“With Mom’s murder unsolved and the sick bastard having Tara on his radar, you didn’t have a choice.”
“I still don’t understand the killer’s motives. Why come between me and Tara?” Logan shook his head. “That isn’t the issue right now. It’s her safety. Since the case has never been solved, we have to assume Mom’s killer is still on the loose. He hasn’t threatened me since I broke up with Tara. It’s been a dozen years. You think it’s safe for me to pursue her now?”
“One chance meeting, and you’re ready to chase this girl again?”
Since their breakup, Logan had hoped that Cherry was happy. She’d gone to college, gotten a great job, and as much as it bugged the shit out of him, she’d gotten engaged. As long as he’d believed all was right for her, he’d been able to cope with the gaping hole in his heart. After all, she wouldn’t be able to handle his needs—or so he’d believed. When he’d kissed her today, touched and restrained her, he’d figured out real quick that Tara’s nature ran sweetly submissive.
And the way she’d responded to him . . . That kiss hadn’t come from a woman happily in love with her fiancé, but a hungry female craving the satisfaction she needed and wasn’t getting. Logan would move heaven and earth to give it to her.
“Yes.” Logan didn’t hesitate. “I want to make her mine. Forever.”
“Hell, I shouldn’t be surprised. You never got over her. Maybe she’s what you need.”
“I’m working on a plan, but I can’t execute it if I’d be putting her in danger.”
“What do you think?”
Logan sighed. “Right now, I’m not doing a good job of thinking past my dick.”
Hunter’s deep laugh resounded in his ear. “If you’re ready to f**k her and end this crazy five year abstinence, I’m definitely in favor.”
He only said that because he could barely stand to leave the bed he shared with his wife.
“But what about Tara?” Logan prodded. “I won’t put her in danger.”
“It’s been a dozen years. I don’t think you can answer that question without going for it and seeing what happens. If you don’t, you’ll be one miserable bastard, always wondering ‘what if.’ ”
Shit, Hunter was right. Agitation stabbed Logan. He didn’t like unnecessary risk of any kind, but like his missions as a SEAL, he couldn’t predict the exact outcome before putting forth the effort. Planning, keeping calm, paying attention to detail—those things gave him an edge. When he did them right, he succeeded.
He paced back to the St. Andrew’s Cross, imagining Tara there. She would look amazing, bound and bare, wet and begging for him.
That fantasy wasn’t helping him think clearly.
He let out a pent-up breath. At sixteen, Logan hadn’t had the first clue how to protect Tara. Today, he was an adult, a highly trained operator. He could—and had—killed enemy combatants in seconds with his bare hands. He’d do anything to keep her from harm’s way.
“You’re right. If anyone threatens her, I’ll tear out their motherfucking throat and spit in the empty hole.”
“That’s the Logan I know and love. I’ll help you, by the way. Go after her.”
Just one small problem . . . “She said her safe word. Thorpe won’t let me near her now.”