Perfect Storm Page 12

  “It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks of Logan, but you.” Cupid’s tone is harsh. “If you wish to defeat Catherine, you’re going to have to consider how badly you want to do that.”

  It feels like an impossible choice. I can forgive Logan for not being ready to be mine before if he is now, but I don’t know that he’s ready. I know none of my men will like it, and they matter more to me than anything. I groan, slumping onto the bed.

  “A Goddess must make difficult decisions,” Cupid tells me, his voice softening. “But choosing who to love should not be one of them. You either need him in your heart, or you don’t. Be honest with yourself and you’ll know.”

  I lie down and close my eyes. I know what I want and what I need. Admitting it isn’t going to be easy. It’s going to hurt, but if I don’t do it, I’m not being true to myself. And that’s the only thing that has gotten me through all the pain of this process.

  I need to stop worrying about what everyone thinks. I need to take what’s mine. Whatever the consequences are, I’ll deal with them afterwards.

  I sit back up, opening my eyes. Cupid is gone. I take a breath before I go downstairs. Nick and Eli are going to have to just understand. I’m doing what needs to be done.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Eli

  The tension in the room is thick. As soon as Fred and Eden blinked out of existence, I got up and Lawson told me to calm down, that they had just gone upstairs to talk in private. I found myself pacing around. I’d find no calm until Catherine was dealt with. It didn’t relax me to know Eden’s guide might be helping her find a way out of this mess. Until the murderous dark forces Goddess was mortal or dead, I wasn’t going to be capable of relaxing.

  “Sit down, you’re making me nervous,” Skyler says, frowning at me. Her arms are crossed and her frown has only deepened since her friend teleported out of the room in front of us.

  “I’ll sit when Eden is back.”

  “They’re only upstairs,” Lawson reminds, hugging Sky.

  “What does he have to tell her that we can’t be allowed to hear?” It’s not good enough. I hate being out of the damned loop.

  Lawson shrugs. “He’s blocking me from the conversation. It’s probably nothing.”

  I take in a few deep breaths and walk to the window. The security Eden has out there is beginning to worry me. Catherine could use them against us. They have guns.

  “I’ll sense it if either of them are being taken over,” Lawson says, causing me to turn toward him.

  “What do you mean?” I’m ignoring the fact that he casually read my thoughts, for now.

  “I know they’re not safe from Catherine. I’m keeping an eye on what’s going on inside their heads.”

  Logan snorts next to me. He gazes outside and I wonder how vehement Eden’s going to be when I eventually have to arrest him. When it comes down to it, he killed Blake. No court on the planet will believe someone controlled him to do it, and even if they did, he’d still get time.

  “I think you should be more worried about that guy,” Logan mutters, glancing Lawson’s way.

  I’m not worried about Lawson now that I know what’s really going on, but I get the feeling Logan means something else. I know Eden’s not interested in him so I’m not going to dwell on the little spike of possessiveness the thought sparks in me. He has Sky. He’s not interested in Eden.

  Eden comes down the stairs, heading toward us with purpose in her stride. She stops at the back of the couch and glances down at Nick before she turns her gaze on me.

  “I need to speak with Logan,” she tells me. “Bring him into the dining room.”

  “You can’t,” I tell her, wondering what her guide told her. “It’s not safe for you to be alone with him.”

  “That’s why you’re bringing him.”

  There’s a deep scarlet flush to her cheeks that I’m confused by. Eden usually only blushes when she’s being teased about something sexual.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Just bring him, you can keep him cuffed. We don’t have time to waste.”

  Logan raises his eyebrows when I look his way. Eden’s already retreated to the dining room.

  “You agree that this isn’t safe, right?” I direct the question at Lawson.

  “Oh, come on,” Sky says. “Logan’s been at Eden’s side for years. He’s not going to do anything to hurt her on purpose.”

  “You should probably keep me chained up,” Logan says. “Fuck knows what I might do if you leave me alone with your woman.”

  “You’re not going to like why she needs to speak to him,” Lawson begins, “but she knows what she’s doing. You have to trust her.”

  I was afraid that might be his response. Sighing, I uncuff Logan from the curtain pole.

  He smirks at me as he moves quickly. I grab his arm and put his hands behind his back, keeping a grip of the cuffs as we walk toward the dining room.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Logan

  I don’t know what’s going on, but the moment I realise I’m going back into that little windowless room with them both, my cock starts to twitch to life. Ever since Eden filled me with her light I can’t seem to control my desires. And those desires have gotten more and more twisted in the time between being rejected by Eden and now. I don’t even want to be alone with her. I want Eli there. I want him to watch me take her. Fuck. My jeans feel so tight I have to bite back a groan as I step into the room.

  Eli closes the door and Eden chews on her full bottom lip as she looks me over. She’s not sure about something. Her gaze drifts to my crotch and I can’t help the grin her little gasp pulls from me.

  “See something you like?”

  Eli shoves me into a chair and I sit awkwardly, leaning forward with my hands stuck behind my back. I thought I was close to creaming my jeans the first time, but this time I have to bite my damn tongue to force my attention away elsewhere.

  “What’s this about?” Eli’s tone is hushed as he asks Eden what’s going on.

  She swallows before she speaks. “Fred told me something that I couldn’t ignore.”

  Her gaze fixes on me even as she answers him.

  “What was it?”

  “Logan’s my fourth.” She winces a little as she turns her gaze to his face.

  His shock is obvious. “I thought Blake was.”

  “So did I. Apparently, it’s more complicated than that.” She takes a long, slow breath, making those big breasts of hers bob up and down. She’s the sexiest woman I’ve ever been around. It really doesn’t help my already dangerously salacious thoughts to see her like this.

  “What does it mean?” Eli’s still looking for answers. Somehow I don’t think he’s going to be happy with them.

  “I’m not going to lie. I was told if I take a fourth my powers will develop fully. There will be a way to take Catherine down if that happens. Right now, it’s our only hope.”

  I force myself to focus on her words. She said something important a minute ago. What was it?

  “Eden, he was in love with someone else. He hasn’t been loyal to you. And I don’t think he’s stable.”

  “I still love him,” she whispers, “and I know he still loves me.”

  “Don’t do this,” Eli says. “Please. There’s another way, there has to be.”

  “I don’t think there is,” she tells him.

  I’m her fourth. I was always meant to be hers. The thought fills me with hope, but it’s fleeting. She said something about having to do this. Like there’s no choice. It kills the sexual energy I’ve been flooded with. Eden doesn’t really want me. I don’t want to be a burden to her.

  “I’m not yours, Eden,” I say, breaking into their argument. “I love Diana. She was my everything.”

  She turns my way, shock in her gaze. “Logan, I didn’t mean...”

  “Nothing has changed. I don’t want to be one of four.” It hurts to watch my words attack her, but there’s no other way out
of this. I have to be vehement. Leave her no option. It closes the door on everything we should have had, but I won’t let fate force her to accept me when she doesn’t want to. I’ve hurt her enough already. “Your options don’t include making me yours.”

  Eli’s relief is stark. He hugs her in close and she gazes at me from his shoulder. My heart aches to be the one to comfort her, but I can’t. I just slammed the door on us. I’m a hollowed out shell once more. It’ll make it easier to take Catherine down, to sacrifice myself for that purpose.

  I’ve already worked out what I’m going to do this time. I’m going to put something through her brain and jam it there before I bury her again. There will be no chance in hell of her body repairing while something is skewered and locked in place through her head. She won’t wake back up. The job will be done.

  “We should take him back out, it’s not safe for you to be so close to him.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Eden

  I’m numb as I follow Eli back into the living room. All options have been explored, and none of them can be used. I wish I’d asked Cupid who my other potentials were. Then I watch Eli chain Logan back up to the curtain rail and I’m glad I didn’t. I was right to feel off about it the first time. It was the wrong way to take a lover. I can’t let duty force my hand. It’s not right. I don’t know what that leaves, but at least I can take some relief in knowing I didn’t have to do something that felt wrong.

  “Back to square one,” I say when Lawson glances at me expectantly.

  He frowns at me, narrowing his eyes. I can tell he’s poking through my thoughts before he speaks inside my head. He lied to you.

  What’s that supposed to mean? I sigh and quickly add, No, don’t answer that. I don’t want to know. Not really.

  He’s still in love with you, Eden. He just doesn’t want to force your hand. Lawson seems determined to clear that up for me, though I’m not completely sure why.

  It doesn’t matter. It was all wrong. There must be another way.

  “So, there’s still a nasty old witch to take down and we don’t have a resolution?” Sky asks.

  “Pretty much,” I tell her. I haven’t even gotten the chance to enjoy the fact that she’s in the know with me now. I can talk to her about Goddess stuff. It’s going to make things so much easier. Not to mention she can see Cupid now, so I don’t have to act weird when he drops in and I’m around her. Which is going to be far more likely when we’re touring together. I smile. “On the up side, I’m saying yes to the tour.”

  She gapes at me and then squeals. “You’re serious? This is going to be amazing!”

  It really is. But first things first, we need to find a way to stop Catherine. A way that doesn’t involve me making a mess of my life by coercing Logan to say yes to being my fourth. It breaks my heart to admit it, but I know he isn’t the answer to this and he can’t be mine. Aside from the fact that we’ve been through so much already, and my other lovers hate him, he just lost the woman he loved. The one he was going to start a family with. It would be way too many shades of fucked up to try to drag him back to my side now. He’s grieving. He’ll regret any decisions made in haste.

  I lock eyes with Lawson. He already went after Catherine alone, but this time it’ll be different. I’ll be with him. We can’t waste another moment. It’s time to stop that bitch.

  “Don’t even say it, Eden,” Lawson murmurs.

  I have to. “Lawson, you need to come with me. It’s going to take all of our combined strength to bring this bitch down.”

  “Eden,” Eli starts, a warning tone to his voice.

  I turn to him, my gaze skimming over Logan on the way. “I need to do this, Eli. No one else can stop her and the longer we wait the more damage she’s out there causing.”

  He knows I’m right, but he doesn’t look happy about my decision. “I’m coming with you.”

  I shake my head. “I can’t risk that. She can’t use you, but she can kill you. It’s better if you all stay here. This should be me and Lawson alone.”

  If Asher were here, he’d be able to help. I kind of wish he was. This is going to be dicey. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. I can only take a wild instinctual stab in the dark when it comes down to it. My heart begins to pound like crazy in my chest. This is a fool’s move, but there’s no other choice.

  I can feel Logan’s intent stare on me and I turn to face him.

  “Take me with you,” he demands, his blue eyes full of fire. “She can try to use me, but it doesn’t matter if I wind up dead. She’ll want blood and it’ll be hard enough to fight her. Bring me as a distraction. It’ll help you get the job done.”

  I can feel pain and anger radiating off of him. Both run deep. He needs this.

  “Logan...” I shake my head.

  “If he goes, I go.” Eli’s deadly serious.

  “We should bring him,” Lawson says, “but Eli needs to stay here with Sky and Nick.”

  I wonder at Lawson’s thought process, but unfortunately I still can’t read his mind. Eli’s about to protest anew, when Lawson touches his wrist. I know he’s commanding him to stay without speaking aloud. I would complain about his treatment of my man if I wasn’t so keen to get this torturous day over with. Enough awful shit has happened. I need it to be over now.

  Logan raises an eyebrow as Eli uncuffs him. He follows us out when we leave, and Lawson hesitates before approaching the security guy at the front door. I watch him touch the guy and put him to sleep on the spot. He nods at me.

  “We can’t trust that she won’t use them. She can’t if they’re sleeping.” He makes a motion to signal us to wait for him, then disappears around the side of the house.

  Logan winces as he flexes his fingers. The bandage around his wrist is mostly crimson now. I should worry about him bleeding out, but considering he’s coming along to be cannon-fodder making a fuss over it seems silly. His gaze locks with mine when he straightens the sleeve of his leather jacket to cover the wound. There’s longing there, but I barely glimpse it before he turns away.

  “She’ll be at Diana’s house,” he tells me, sounding certain.

  “You’ve been thinking about it?”

  He nods slowly. “I can’t think of anywhere else she’d go in town.”

  Lawson appears. “Which car are we taking?”

  Logan heads down the steps. “Might as well take Diana’s.”

  “Give me the keys.” Lawson makes it a command.

  “They’re in the car.”

  He nods as we walk toward it. I wonder if I should be worried about Lawson’s slightly screwy behaviour. Then he opens the back door of the car for me and his hand lands on my lower back as get inside. A wash of desire pulses over me, a flash of light brightening the interior of the car.

  “You two need to kiss and make up,” Lawson murmurs, as Logan gets in back from the other side.

  Oh, Lawson is well and truly evil. I feel lightheaded, a little drunk. It’s his light inside of me that’s making me feel this way. Setting eyes on Logan doesn’t help. I don’t see the bloody T-shirt, or his wounded wrist. I just see those gorgeous clear blue eyes of his devouring my body ravenously.

  “I’ve missed you,” he whispers, pulling me into his arms.

  “Oh, Logan.” I’ve missed him too. He was a part of my life for so long. I can’t stand the thought of being separated from him again. I stroke the back of his head, the bristles of his short blonde hair are so soft against my fingertips. I ache to feel his lips on mine, his cock inside of me.

  “I’d do anything to be yours again, Eden,” he tells me, holding my face in his hands as he gazes at my lips. “Please forgive me for being an idiot.”

  “I forgive you, Logan. I love you.”

  And then his lips fall on mine and it feels so right I know I can’t deny my feelings for him a second longer. He’s mine, he’s always been mine, and I’m never going to let him go again.

  We move as the car begins to pull forwa
rd slowly. The back seat is roomy, the leather soft. He lays down on top of me as we make-out like love-starved teenagers in heat. I feel like I’m forgetting something. Something big. I sigh blissfully as his lips move to my collarbone.

  Oh, yeah, right. “Logan, wait.”

  He pulls back. “Something wrong?” The concern in his gaze is heavy.

  “I need to ask you something,” I begin, touching him with my light. “I want you back, but I can’t do this if you can’t handle that I have other lovers.”

  He smiles, all trace of worry erasing from his features. “Eden, I was being small-minded when you told me that before. I was jealous. Possessive. I wanted you to belong to me completely.”

  “So what changed?” I’m not totally convinced anything has, but tell that to the aching wet cleft between my legs. Even if I don’t get the answer I want, the thought of his huge cock pushing into me makes me tremble all over. I don’t think I could put on the brakes regardless of his answer.

  “I did.” He drops his gaze to my lips. “I didn’t know it was possible to love more than one person at once. Not until it happened to me. I understand now, Eden.”

  He’s telling the truth. He gets it now. Still, I remember the angry words he slung when I tried to explain before and my longing for his touch begins to fade a little.

  “You were an asshole, Logan. Why should I forgive that?”

  “Because I’m sorry. I hurt you and I don’t know how to make up for that, but I understand now and I’m willing to do anything to be given a second chance.” He licks his lips. “Please, let me be yours. I don’t care if it means watching you with your other men, waiting to get the chance to be in your bed. I’ll do whatever it takes, Eden. I’m yours. I always have been.”

  “Logan, I don’t know if you’ll like being with me,” I tell him, wondering how loving Diana could have changed him so deeply. I get that it allowed him to experience being in love with both of us at once, but it’s a little different to be in love with one person you can’t have and one you can.