Back in Bliss

Chapter Fifteen

Logan reached for her hand as he opened the door and led Georgia out of the bathroom. She was dressed again, and that was a complete shame. He didn’t think he would ever forget how she’d tossed her clothes off and boldly told him that she was his chocolate ice cream. She’d been everything he needed her to be in that moment. She’d been his woman.

She’d given him the strength to understand once and for all that he had to figure this out.

She was almost at the door, but he tugged on her hand and drew her back. Now that he’d given in, he couldn’t seem to stop kissing her. He’d kissed her during their long shower, crowding her in the small space and running his hands over every inch of her.

“Are you going back home?” Logan asked. Somehow his damn uniform didn’t seem so confining anymore.

She tilted her head, golden-blonde hair flowing around her shoulders. “Yes. I have a party to plan and dinner to cook.”

Apparently she’d invited most of the women of Bliss out to the cabin for a makeover party that included a metric shit ton of wine and a bunch of appetizers he wouldn’t mind trying out for himself. His girl knew how to throw a party.

“And you need to rest, girl, because I bet Seth and I will have plans for you.” He leaned down and kissed that cute little nose. God, she scared the holy crap out of him, but he couldn’t turn away. He fucking needed her.

And that meant he needed to sort his shit out. God, he was going to have to talk to them both. Seth and Georgia. He had to get it all out. He had to tell them about what happened at Hell on Wheels. And he had to talk to Jen and Stef and Holly. He had to admit what he’d done. Nearly done. Maybe the nearly part would save him.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Georgia’s hands were suddenly on his face, her eyes searching as though she could see the hurt and wanted to wipe it clean.

He shook it off. He had to find a little faith. Maybe his momma had been right. Maybe a single incident shouldn’t erase years of being loved. “Nothing, baby. I still have things to tell you, but you’re going to be okay with it, aren’t you? Even if it’s bad.”

She nodded, her eyes a little teary. “I’m going to be okay with anything you say to me as long as you don’t say good-bye.”

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a bear hug. He didn’t know why the universe had opened up and given him this woman, but he was so damn glad it had. She would make him stronger. He would never be weak the way he’d been before. Not as long as he had Georgia.

And Seth.

One more squeeze and he set her on her feet.

She reached over and grabbed the stapler. She’d rearranged Nate’s desk to perfect order after she’d gotten dressed. “I’m throwing this out.”

She didn’t have to. It wouldn’t bother him again. It was a freaking stapler. It wasn’t evil. Luka had been an evil prick, but he was gone and Georgia was here and Logan was here and it was all good.

But Georgia wanted it gone, so it was gone.

He opened the door and Nate and Gemma were standing at her desk, both of them staring. Gemma had a smirk on her face and held up a sign that gave him a nine point eight.

That was totally wrong because that had been a perfect ten on the fuck scale.

Nate frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “What the hell is wrong with everyone today? First, I practically have to pry Max off Rachel because she got a pair of fuck-me heels stuck in Max’s belt loop in a closet at the art gallery, and they were still managing to go at it when I got the door unlocked. I don’t think that position was covered in the Kama Sutra. I might have gone a little blind. And now I can’t even go into my own office because you defiled it.”

Nate sounded so prim and proper. Logan couldn’t help but laugh. “Dude, I found your stash of condoms and lube, and you can’t possibly tell me that the mirror is there so you can check your hair.”

Nate flushed just slightly. “Gemma, we’re going to need to run a 1220.”

“I’ll get the Lysol, Sheriff, but you’re going to do the cleaning. I’ve been very good. I only have sex on my own desk.” Gemma turned and disappeared into the kitchen.

“I already cleaned.” Georgia was a pretty shade of pink.

“He’s being a dick, baby. Don’t worry about him.”

Nate finally smiled. “Hello, Miss Dawson. It’s damn good to see you again. You got him in there?”

“She did, Nate,” Logan replied. “I’m good. I’m really good, but I have to talk to her and Seth. They need to know some things.”

Nate reached a hand out. Logan clasped it in his own. “If they’re going to be your family, then they need to know everything, son. Your family will understand. Your family will forgive you.”

Like Nate had forgiven him. Nate should have fired him, but he’d just talked to Stef about getting Logan help.

“Speaking of family,” Nate continued. “There’s a shark running up and down Main Street screaming for his baby sister. Six foot six, killer suit, practically shoots laser beams from his eyes.”

Georgia’s mouth dropped open. “Win. OMG. What the hell? I have to find him before he goes after Seth again.” She gave Logan a quick kiss. “See you at home.”

Home. God, he’d come home, and he just might manage to stay here if he was lucky.

Georgia ran out the door, and he was left alone with Nate.

A well of emotion ran through Logan as he looked at Nate. Damn, what had that girl done to him? He’d felt dead inside for so fucking long. Anger and fear had been all he could feel, but then Georgia walked through the door and he came alive again. He suddenly had the feeling he needed to talk to a whole lot of people, starting with Nate Wright.

“You should have fired me.” He’d been a nutbag shithead for the last year. He’d pulled crap that should have gotten his badge taken away about ten times, and nothing had been worse than what happened at Hell on Wheels.

Nate put a hand on his shoulder. “That wouldn’t have solved a damn thing. It would have pushed you further into that world. And you got yourself out, Logan. I don’t know everything that happened, but I do know that I never once thought you wouldn’t make it.”

“I did some things I’m not proud of,” Logan admitted.

“And you made them right. You know just before you left for Dallas, a guy named Bernie came in and turned himself in. I don’t usually have dealers who turn themselves in. He said he needed a fresh start and that he knew he couldn’t do it on his own.”

That had been more about Hope than him. Sweet Hope had convinced his idiot dealer to turn his own ass in. He’d taken the ten grand Logan owed him and started a new life. Hope told him the worst Bernie did now was have the occasional beer at Hell on Wheels.

God, Nate knew. He’d known and he’d never said a word. “I heard that.”

“I wish I could have shut down that bar.”

“Sawyer’s not bad.” Sawyer had taken over Hell on Wheels a year and a half before, after his grandfather died. Nate had it out for him, but Logan owed the man. “Nate, Sawyer saved my life. He and Hope did. There wasn’t a big bar fight where I broke up the place. Sawyer made that story up because I’d gotten myself in trouble.”

Nate held up a hand. “I don’t need to know anything else. And my trouble with Sawyer comes from that MC tat he used to wear on his arm.”

Sawyer’s left bicep was now a mass of pure black ink, but at one time he’d belonged to the Colorado Horde, an outlaw biker club. Nate and Zane had worked for the DEA before coming to Bliss and had their fill of “one percenters,” as they called themselves. “I just want you to know that I don’t bear any ill will toward the man. I’m grateful to him.”

He was shocked to find out he was grateful to a lot of people. He felt a little like the Grinch in that story his ma would read to him every Christmas. Somehow, his heart had grown back to its original size—or bigger, and he felt the need to share it.

“You know you’re meant for bigger things than this, Logan Green.” Nate nodded as he spoke as though this was something he’d been thinking about for a while. “You need to get out into the world, see what you can be.”

See the world and not because he didn’t want to be at home, but simply because the world was such a thing to see. And he could see it with his best friend and his girl. Their woman. “I’ve been thinking about that, but I have things I need to do first.”

“Yeah, you take care of what you need to,” Nate said. “You always have a job here, Logan. But I think you’re going to find something better.”

“There’s no place better than here.” Gemma was smiling as she walked out of the break room. She had a spray bottle of Lysol and a roll of paper towels. “We have everything here. We have nudists and actors and protesters and vegans and aliens and whatever the hell Henry is. But seriously, everyone should see New York and Paris and London. Go see them and then you come back here and happily live in Bliss.”

“Whatever the hell Henry is?” Logan asked.

Nate rolled his eyes. “Gemma’s become one of our premier conspiracy theorists. She believes Henry is hiding his background.”

“Caleb does, too. I’m not alone in this. We have our own club now. We both saw what he did to my needle-dicked ex.” Gemma turned to Logan. “You weren’t here for that party. Twelve-Second Patrick, I call him that because of how long he lasted during sex. He was my fiancé, and then he tried to kill me with strawberries and oops, suddenly he spends a little time with Henry Flanders in the woods and his head pops off. Oh, sure he was only internally decapitated, but he was decapitated all the same. Henry said he tripped. Yeah, like I’m buying that one.”

Nate patted her head. “Sure, vegan Henry Flanders is a super assassin.”

But Nate hadn’t met Henry before he’d gotten together with Nell. Logan had. Logan had just been a kid when Henry Flanders had first come to town, but he remembered being afraid of the man. His eyes had been cold, and he’d nearly killed Seth the first time they’d come in contact.

Seth. Seth had been in contact with Henry all these years. It was a weird relationship, but Henry was the man Seth was closest to after Logan. It hadn’t made sense then, but years and experience had lent a different light to Logan’s eyes.

Henry wasn’t what he said he was—or he wasn’t what he’d said he’d been. Gemma was right. Caleb was right. They were new eyes looking at something that seemed normal.

Seth knew. Damn it. Seth knew the truth. Seth had something to do with this. There was a cover-up, and Seth was right at the heart of it.

“Nate, I need a couple of hours.” This couldn’t wait. He needed to talk to Seth. He needed to figure out a whole bunch of things.

“Take the rest of the day.” Nate had a smile on his face. “We’ve had our crazy shit happen today. Max was damn near bent in two, I tell you. I have no idea how he kept a hard-on through that. And he just kept calling her ‘Rachel, Mistress of Pain’ through the whole episode. What’s wrong with them?”

Logan didn’t think there was a damn thing wrong with them. There was probably a Hurricane Rachel out there and Max loved the winds. It took a special kind of man to take that much woman, but he was up for the task. And he knew Seth was, too.

Logan hit the door at a run and went straight for his SUV. He had questions to ask and stories to tell.

Georgia ran from the station house, up Main and past Stella’s, and she caught sight of Win almost immediately. He stood out in any crowd, much less the jeans-loving, granola, cowboy crowd. He was still wearing his Armani suit and Louis Vuitton loafers even at nine thousand feet plus above sea level.

“Win!”

He stopped and turned, his whole being laser focused on her.

Win. So much of her life fell into place as he stalked toward her. She’d spent a lifetime depressed because her mommy and daddy didn’t love her. They’d been shitastic parents, but that didn’t matter. Biology didn’t mean anything in the end. It was a starting point, a place on the map, but in the end as long as the destination was reached, it didn’t matter which route a person took.

Love was the end all, be all of existence, and now that she looked back at her life, she’d had it in spades. It didn’t matter where it came from, only that she’d had it.

“Win!” She screamed his name, not to stop him from searching for her, but to let him know she saw him, wanted to be with him. Win. Her rock.

Win had a grim look on his face as he stalked toward her. Damn. She had some work to do, but now she was ready to do it and as a woman, not a girl.

She reached for him, her arms open, because no matter what happened, he was her big brother. “Win. It’s so good to see you.”

He enveloped her in a bear hug. “You, too, sis.” He pulled away, and his handsome face became a mask of implacable will. “You will get your things, and we’re heading to Colorado Springs and catching a plane.”

Oh, how she loved him. And she wasn’t about to tell him yes. “What’s wrong now?”

Win’s jaw clenched. “Logan Green. He’s not who he says he is.”

A deep serenity fell over Georgia. Of course. Win loved her. He’d been her everything for so long. He was just being the superhero he was. “He says he’s a fuckup who got into a shitload of trouble.”

Win’s eyes narrowed, a sure sign that she’d thrown him off. “He’s been in a lot of trouble.”

Don’t engage with the Neanderthal. It was a lot like the granola except with fangs and claws. “He’s so sweet. Did you see our cabin? Ten thousand square feet of paradise.”

She didn’t mention the moose. It would only throw Win off. Then he would be worried about her being killed by a moose.

“I don’t care about the cabin, Georgie. And that’s Seth doing.”

So Seth was good and Logan was bad. It was good to know the score. “It’s so beautiful, and you should see the closet.”

Win looked down, catching sight of her feet. “What the hell? I haven’t seen you out of heels since you were sixteen.”

She’d been trying to fit in with the upper classman. So much time spent trying to get to a place that she didn’t even like. “I let a friend borrow my shoes. It’s totally reminding me of what it means to walk without pain. Maybe that’s why I’ve been so grumpy the last couple of years. My feet always hurt.”

Win shook his head. “You’re not doing this to me. Do you think I don’t know all your moves? I’m not going to let you distract me.”

“I really wish you would.” By this point in the conversation, Ben would have handed her a credit card. Chase would have been fixated on something shiny. Mark and Drew would just be scratching their heads wondering how to get the conversation back on track, but Win never got the chance to play it dumb. He couldn’t.

“Not happening. Now let’s go to this amazing cabin and grab your things.” He glanced down at his watch. “If we hurry, we can make it to Colorado Springs before dark.”

She reached out and took his hand, leading him to the bench that sat right outside of something called Blissful Art. There were lovely pots and ceramic work in the window front along with a bunch of flyers someone had taped on the “public forum” section of the store. From the words “tofu sit-in,” “cruelty-free,” and “fair wages,” she was betting on Nell.

“Georgie, we don’t have time for this. I have a meeting in the morning.”

Of course Win had a meeting, but he’d made time to ride to her rescue because that was just what he did. “I’m not going home with you, brother.”

His jaw tightened, a sure sign that he wasn’t happy with the way things were going. “I don’t want to have to tell you this, but Seth’s gotten you involved with a rather unsavory character.”

Logan was totally savory. He was a big old gorgeous hunk of man meat, but she thought pointing that out to her brother might not be the best way to go. “I was involved with Logan before I ever met Seth.”

“Did you know he’s been involved with drugs?” Win asked the question with the gravity of a man dropping a hammer, about to shatter her life.

She wasn’t that fragile. And Win’s statement didn’t surprise her. After what he’d gone through, she was surprised Logan wasn’t still involved with them. “He’s perfectly sober now.”

If she didn’t count the tequila incident.

“I don’t care. He was apparently in to a drug dealer for ten thousand dollars.”

She felt her eyes widen. “Seriously? Damn. Well, Seth can cover it.”

“From what I can tell, he already did. Not that he knew it. Your friend lied.”

“My boyfriend lied,” she corrected. So much of what Win was telling her didn’t make sense. She’d known Logan back in Texas, and he’d been a solid guy then. “And this incident was a while back, wasn’t it?”

Win frowned. “It was last year, yes, but people don’t change. If he was an addict once, he’s always going to be one.”

She reached out and put her hand in his. “Oh, Win. We’re all addicted to something.” She’d been addicted to fitting in rather than making a place for herself. Seth was addicted to plotting and being the king of the mountain, and Logan’s real addiction for the past year had been his own misery. “It’s how we handle it that makes us who we are. It’s really easy to get addicted to being the victim, you know.”

He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about Logan. He was brutalized, and I think it was probably the first time he’d had something really bad happen to him so he decided the world was a piece of crap for a while, but he’s strong. He’s going to come out of it.” He’d started today. By the time they were done, he’d been relaxed and happy, as though something had settled deep inside. “I’m also talking about me, though. Logan hasn’t been able to let go of what happened to him, but I’ve been the same way all my life.”

Win leaned in. “What happened to you?”

“Mom happened. Dad happened.” Vitriolic mother and cold, distant dad hadn’t made for the best childhood. “But you happened, too, Winter.”

“What are you trying to say?”

She looked at her big brother. He’d been twelve when she’d been born, and from what she could tell, he’d already been looking out for their brothers, keeping them together when all the odds had been against them. “Why didn’t you move out when Dad cut you off? Why did you stay and pay him rent?”

Win turned his head, staring off into the distance. “My trust kicked in at eighteen. I had plenty of money, and I was comfortable staying where I was.”

“No, you weren’t. You could have gone to college anywhere in the world. You could have walked right out of that house and had your own place. You could have partied like a rock star.”

“I was never a big partier.”

Because he’d had a family to raise. Georgia turned her face up to the sun, letting it warm her as much as the truth warmed her. It was so easy to see now. She’d wasted years playing at being the poor little rich girl when she’d been given everything she’d needed. It hadn’t come in a perfect package, but her family had been there all the same. “I’ve spent years being angry that I didn’t have a dad. I need to apologize for that.”

Win sighed. “Georgie, we were all in the same boat. Dad was a bastard. You have nothing to apologize for.”

“Oh, yes, I do because never once did I acknowledge just how well I was raised. You were the best dad I could have hoped for, Win. I love you so much.”

He could have walked away and no one would have blamed him. He’d been a child trying to fill a man’s shoes and doing the best he could. He’d been the one to keep his brothers in line. He’d been the one to make sure they had the things they needed. Win had taught her what it really meant to love someone. It meant standing with them, fighting beside them—sometimes even fighting them. Win had done the one thing a true father always did—he’d stayed. He’d done whatever he had to do to stay involved in her life.

Her brother squeezed her hand, his face flushed. She’d never seen him so emotional, but he was Win and it was gone in a flash, replaced with pure Dawson calculation. “I love you, too, Georgie. That’s why I’m taking you home with me.”

She stood up, a sense of peace invading her bones. If Logan had lied to Seth, then he’d had a reason. He’d very likely been ashamed, but the time for that was over. They were going to be a family, and there was no room for secrets or anything so useless as shame. He’d made a mistake. He’d cleaned up his act. They were moving on.

“I’m sorry, Win, but I’m not a kid anymore. I’m staying here and I’m fighting for what I want. I love Logan. I love Seth. This is my life, and I’m taking charge of it. No more calls to you or Ben. No more screwing up to get attention. No more throwing fits. I’m going to make you proud of me and that starts by telling you that if you try to come between me and my men, we’re going to have trouble. This is my relationship and my life and I want you in it more than anything, but Logan Green is my Dom and he’s going to be my husband whether he knows it or not. Because I’m a Dawson and we fight for the people we love. We never give up. My big brother taught me that.”

“Georgia, are you sure?”

She’d never been more sure of anything. She’d loved Logan Green from the moment she saw him, and whatever he was going through, they would get through it together—with Seth. “Promise you’ll give me away at my wedding.”

Win reached for her hand, squeezing it tight. “He better be worthy of you. If he’s not, if either one of them steps out of line, they should know that you have five brothers willing to kill them. And by kill, I mean take the maximum amount of pain before they’re no longer breathing.”

“He’s already been there, Win. He’s tougher than he thinks, and he’s going to pull through. We’re going to be a family, and I think that means spending a lot of time here.” It wasn’t so bad. She was starting to become rather attached to the community. “I hope you’ll visit. Whether it’s New York or here or California, I’m always going to want to see my big brother.”

Win turned, not watching her, but keeping his eyes on the road. “Ben and Chase are happy. Now you’re happy, too. I think Mark and Drew are just going to form a ménage with their assault rifles and live happily ever after that way. I’ll be honest, Georgie, I’m not sure what to do. This has been my life for so long.”

“You’re going to find a new one, and our brothers and I will stand right beside you.” She couldn’t think of anyone who deserved a happy ending more than Win. She felt her face light up because she’d just had the absolute best idea ever.

“Oh, god. What are you going to do?” Win practically backed off the bench. “That is the scariest look I’ve ever seen on your face.”

She just smiled and shook her head. “I’m going to make it my mission to find you a girl.”

“No. No. No. I can find my own sub. No. No. Georgia, if you ever loved me, don’t start setting me up.” He stood, holding his hands up. “I give up. I’ll take you to the cabin. I’ll pay for your wedding. Anything you want as long as you don’t start setting me up.”

It looked like everyone was a little afraid of her today, and that was a good thing. She gave him her most harmless smile because she was already thinking about who she could set him up with. Yes, this was a worthy project. “I will totally take a ride, but I make no promises.”

Only the best for her big brother. It was time she started to pay him back.

And it was definitely time to let her men know the score.

“My car’s in the parking lot.” He shook his head as he looked down at her and then ran a hand across her head the way he had when she was a kid. “You turned out okay, Georgie.”

He started walking, dragging her along because he was so damn tall. She had to admit that keeping up with him was easier when she wasn’t wearing five-inch heels. She just had to jog a little.

And he would look so good with Naomi. Georgia nearly sighed at the thought. Naomi had gorgeous coffee-colored skin and huge brown eyes. She was curvy just the way Win liked his women. Win never went for the skinny type. Oh no, he liked his women solid, and she’d heard him talking about his deep love for a truly curvy ass. Naomi’s had been round.

And they would have the most gorgeous biracial babies ever. She could already see her nieces and nephews. Oh, she would be such a good aunt.

“Georgia, seriously, you’re scaring me. No setups,” Win said as they rounded the corner.

“But I already have you married with two point three kids,” she admitted.

“No.” He started to say something else, but then a little pinging sound hit the air, and Georgia watched in complete horror as her brother’s perfectly white shirt bloomed with blood.

“Run, Georgia,” he managed to say.

“Win!”

He fell to his knees, his hand over his chest. Georgia dropped to the ground, trying to think of any way to save her brother. He couldn’t die. Win was too big to die, too strong and powerful.

God, he couldn’t die.

“I wouldn’t run if I were you, Miss Dawson.” A tall man in a dark suit stepped out from behind an SUV. He held a gun with a silencer on it. “I don’t think I got his heart. I could try again. I’m not the best shot in the world, but I doubt I would miss at this range.” He shrugged. “And if I do, my friends will be happy to fix the situation.”

She was suddenly surrounded by men. She counted seven of them and they all had weapons.

“I won’t run.” She wouldn’t leave her brother behind. “What do you want with me?”

His henchmen were rough looking, but this man oozed wealth. Even the gun in his hand looked oddly elegant. He was dressed beautifully, with blond hair and pale skin, but his crew was a motley mismatch of street thugs. “I don’t really want anything with you, dear, but I’ve found it’s always best to go into these situations with a little leverage. I believe Mr. Stark will begin to negotiate with me if I have his lover. You will come with me. You will come and then Mr. Stark and I will have a little chat about a man who my boss wishes to find.”

Georgia stood up, forcing herself to leave Win’s side. “I’ll come on one condition. You leave my brother here and you don’t shoot him again.”

“Or I could shoot him anyway. I would still have you.”

“You will find me very difficult to deal with if you touch him again. I don’t know why you’re here, but I will make your life a living hell, and don’t think I can’t do it. I’ll make damn sure you have to kill me, and then there won’t be anything on the earth that will make Seth give you what you want.” She’d been in this position before. She had to get through these few minutes and then she would start working on a way out. One step at a time.

“I believe you.” He looked to his men and said something in Spanish. They all moved back, one opening the door to a massive SUV and gesturing her inside.

She gave one last look at her brother, praying he would survive.

As they pulled out of the parking lot, she thought to ask one last question. “What do you want from Seth?”

The man with the easy smile turned, his eyes so cold she thought she would freeze. “John Bishop, of course.”

Well, of course. She wracked her brain but couldn’t come up with the answer to the one question now rolling through her head as the armed escort began to drive toward the cabin.

Who the hell was John Bishop?