Storm Damage - C.P. Smith Page 0,120
seconds to clear the bar, looking for the enemy. He was a bit overprotective these days since I was five and a half months pregnant. Antibiotics and birth control don’t mix apparently. We’re expecting a son in July. It’s just as well it’s not a little girl. I was used to the testosterone flooding my house. I wouldn’t know what to do with an estrogen-filled female.
“Oh my,” the woman mumbled, hand to her chest as she stared up at Logan.
I gave Max the hand signal for At Ease and he flopped at my feet but kept an eye on the couple. He’d been my constant companion since my attack. I wasn’t allowed to go to the grocery store to pick up the steak Logan insisted feeding him, at least once a day, without taking Max with me. Because of all the time we spent together, he sometimes disregarded Logan if he gave him a command. Especially if I was lounging on the couch with the war dog and Logan wanted to lie down in Max’s spot.
“Are you the police chief?” the woman breathed out on a sigh with dreamy eyes.
I tried to control my giggle, but Logan caught it and rolled his eyes. At least once a week, if not once a day, some female tourist would mosey into the bar looking for a cold beer and start drooling at the sight of Logan. And don’t get me started on the media. Once they found out the officer who caught Chance was a former Delta Force operator, who looked like an Adonis, he had to change his cell number.
“Logan Storm,” he answered, putting out his hand to shake hers and her husband’s. “Can I get you a cold one?”
The man seemed puzzled. “Is that even legal? That can’t be legal. If you’re on duty, you shouldn’t be serving alcohol with a gun on your person.”
“Might be, but I don’t care,” Logan stated, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. “Told’em they can have my badge anytime. If they want me in the position, then they have to take me as they get me. And I come with a gun. Always.”
You could take the sniper out of the army, but you couldn’t take a gun from the sniper.
_______________
One week later . . .
Logan stared up at Montana State Hospital. Chance Bear had asked to speak with Skylar, and she agreed, going against Logan’s fervent wish to keep her away from anything that could harm her or his son resting peacefully in her belly.
“He gets one chance, baby. The second he does or says anything I don’t like, we’re out of there. Understand?”
Josh and Jake supported Logan on this. After being held at knifepoint, they had no use for their half brother, but Skylar felt she owed it to her mother to visit him at least once. Sarah James had loved Chance until the day she died, and now that Skylar was heavy with Logan’s son, she understood the bond between mother and child.
Skylar squeezed his hand in understanding. “It’ll be fine. We all know the truth now. Even Chance. He’s guilty of many things, but Justice should take most of the blame. He turned his son into a killer after years of abuse. I think that deserves a little compassion.”
There was that soft side again. Skylar could forgive anyone, given enough time to calm down. Even a man who’d held a knife to her brother’s throat and shot the other in the arm.
“What about your man. Doesn’t he deserve a little compassion?”
She looked up at him with wide eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He folded her into his front then leaned down and nipped her bottom lip. “I was protecting you after what you went through. I didn’t want you to worry.”
She sniffed indignantly, then pushed out of his arms and grabbed his hand. “I’d never win an argument if I gave up my ace in the hole.”
He let her drag him toward the front door while he threw his head back and laughed, feeling at peace. It was an emotion he’d grown accustomed to in the past six months but would never take for granted. He still missed his brothers, but the sting of loss had begun to fade. And the guilt he’d carried for close to two years was completely gone. He’d found his joy and it had burned away the pain. His friends died protecting their country. Protecting innocents, like Skylar. They’d be proud of that. And so was Logan.
After filling out paperwork and going through the necessary procedure in order to visit Chance Bear, they were finally led to a room with windows. Chance sat in a chair with his head bowed. He didn’t look up until he heard the door open. Logan entered first to keep himself between Bear and Skylar. He didn’t react to Logan’s presence; he was too busy staring at Skylar with guilt masking his features.
A guard stood at his back and motioned for Logan and Skylar to sit. Logan pulled both chairs out and away from the table; far enough Bear couldn’t reach across it and touch his sister.
Skylar smirked at him but sat down and folded her arms across her growing midsection. Watching her, Logan felt his throat knot with emotion. She was his whole world. He’d gladly go to prison protecting her if Chance touched a hair on her head, so he turned dangerous eyes toward her brother and rumbled a warning not meant to mince words.
“You touch her, and I’ll end you. You upset her in any way, and we’re gone.”
Bear didn’t look smug. He looked small and weak as Logan spoke and he didn’t argue. He nodded his understanding, then he turned sad eyes to Skylar and simply said, “I’m sorry for everything. If I could take it back, I would. If you have it in you to help me, please tell me about our mother. I want to know the real Sarah James. Not Justice Bear’s version.”
The End
About the Author
Bestselling Author CP Smith lives in Oklahoma with her husband and five children. She loves football, reading, and card games. Writing for her is about escape. She writes what she loves to read and leaves the rest to those with better imaginations.
You can reach Ms. Smith at:
FB
Readers Group
Amazon
Titles by CP Smith
Reason Series
a reason to breathe
a reason to kill
a reason to live
Wallflowers Series
Wallflowers: Three of a Kind
Wallflowers: Double Trouble
Wallflowers: One Heart Remains
Standalones
Restoring Hope
Property Of
FRAMED
Happily Ever Alpha World
Until Susan
Until Joe
Big Sky series
Storm Damage
Acknowledgments
To my family. All of this is for you. Thank you for putting up with me!
Mayra Statham. I love you to the moon and back. You keep me sane! You’re my touchstone.
Deb Hawblitzel Schultz, I love you like a sister. COVID needs to take a hike so we can see each other.
My author friends: Mayra Statham, Mary B. Moore, Helena Hunting, Debra Anastasia, Aurora Rose Reynolds, Brynne Asher, Layla Frost, Freya Barker. A girl’s gotta have friends, and you ladies are as special as they come! Thanks for always having time for me.
Wallflowers Book Club: Carole Rockey-Noy, Audrey Wilkes Krofchick, Brandy Stapf, and Robin Mitnick, you ladies have been a light in a very uncertain time. You’ve cheered me on and helped me focus. Love all of you! Thanks for being my sounding board.
Michelle Reed, Nichole Hart, Gi Paar, Jane S. Wells, Angela Shue, Jamila Giel, and Victoria Dixon, Nineveh Gawrieh Blankenship, Carmen Lawter, and Sue Schwegman, Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to find my errors. It means a lot to me that you care as much as I do about these characters I bring to life.
Joanne Thompson and Karen Hrdlicka, you edit like rock stars, thank you for all your hard work and for the friendship that I treasure.
My Wallflowers, what can I say? #Crossfire You held me up through the most terrifying time in my life to date and I will NEVER forget that. Wallflowers never leave a woman behind, and you proved you’re Wallflowers through and through. I hope you’ll enjoy Logan and Skylar’s story just as much as those wacky Wallflowers.
Teeny’s Tarts, you’re the bomb. Thank you for all your help. I can’t express my appreciation enough that you would give up your spare time to help this Wallflower with her books! On to Montana!!!
And to my original Dream Team. I love you more than you know! ‘Thank you’ isn’t a big enough word. I’ll never forget where it all started. Who pushed me to take this step. I wish all of you nothing but love and happiness.