by Janie Marie
Ryder started speaking again. “Remember what I said today. Don’t focus on how I said it. Sort yourself out. It’s okay not to be the only one.”
Logan looked between them. “What are you talking about?”
“It’s between her and me.” Ryder put on Logan’s sunglasses and fixed his hood. They did sort of pass for the other now that she saw them in each other’s clothes. “And if someone’s done nothing to wrong you, it’s stupid to hate them. They might be the person you can count on most. So think shit through.”
She didn’t know what to think or feel anymore, but she nodded to get him off her back.
“Good,” Ryder said as he nodded at Logan. “We’ll see you later.”
Logan nodded as he frowned at Janie. “I’ll do better, baby doll. I’ll tell her the truth, okay? I’m sorry.”
Janie finally looked up. “Just remember who you are, Logan.”
Ryder fixed the hoodie Janie was wearing and dragged her out the door.
Logan exhaled as the door shut and turned to her. “I have something to tell you.”
Thirteen
The Grimm Legacy
Kylie didn’t know what to expect. The whole day had taken a toll on her. She was ready to scream and run away. She was ready to pull her hood up, skip town, and never look back.
But that meant never seeing Logan again.
She watched him pace. He kept looking toward the door as if he was waiting for someone to come through, or maybe because he was thinking about Janie.
Why was it too much to want someone to only care about her? She wanted to be first.
But you’re not his first, a dark whisper reminded her. She’ll always be his first.
It was almost enough to make her scream, but she wanted Logan. She had to work this out if she was going to have anything with him.
She swore she saw her own face smiling evilly back at her. Even more alarming was the fact it was talking to her. You know what they’ll see.
Kylie squeezed her eyes shut. She wasn’t ready.
“Hood?” Logan touched her arm.
“I don’t know if I can take any more, Logan.” She slowly opened her eyes, relieved she no longer saw that wicked smile in her mind. “There’s been so much today—and I’ve missed you. And then I saw you with her.”
“When?”
Her mouth popped open in surprise. “That’s all you can say?”
He sighed, dragging her to a desk. “I was looking for you. Someone posted a sketch I did of her a long time ago, and I only saw it when we got here.”
“Well, you looked right in my direction,” she said bitterly, “then you kissed her and carried her into the office.”
“What?” He stared at her like she was crazy. “You have no idea what she was going through right then.”
“And I don’t care,” she snapped, unable to deal with him already defending Janie. “I’ve been miserable today. You didn’t even call me like you were supposed to, and then you said you were taking her out to breakfast. Everyone was talking about both of you. I don’t know how many guys talked about her ass and tattoos. Then how many girls talked about you.”
“Well, no one would have.” He glared at her but then turned away. “Sorry. It’s not your fault.”
Her heart felt like it was being stabbed and served to Janie. Everything Ryder had said was really hitting her, but believing and acting on it meant there was a high chance things wouldn’t be so happy for her. And she couldn’t see any other way of being happy other than having Logan all to herself.
“Baby, I know it’s been tough.” He didn’t look at her. “I hate it—I really do. And I’m sorry because none of this would be happening to you if it wasn’t for me.”
“Please don’t say you called Luc here.”
He finally looked at her. “I wanted to make sure you were safe.”
There it was. The truth. Ryder was always telling the truth.
She shook her head and asked, “So this was all for her?”
He frowned. “I just said I was trying to keep you safe.”
“But—” She squeezed her eyes shut. It was so hard to look at him. She loved the Logan who was cocky and sweet. She loved the Logan who made her forget everything wrong. The Logan who could frighten her enemies and show off that she was his girl. Now all she saw was Janie’s Logan.
“I’m trying to come clean,” he murmured. “I have to.”
“Because of her.” She opened her eyes but kept her gaze aimed at the wall.
“Dammit! For both of you.” He sighed, clenching his fist. “This has been killing me.”
She couldn’t stop herself from giving him a dirty look. “You know what? I don’t want to hear how more shit about her has been killing you. I just wish I could unsee how you were with her yesterday and thirty minutes ago. So just tell me what you were going to last night.”
His jaw clenched tightly, but he sat down in the desk beside her. “I’ll tell you what I can about the Grimm Legacy. I’m trying to be honest. I’m not lying when I say I want to fix things. I want us to work. We’re good together, and I want to see if we can be great. Just let me fix my mistakes. I fucked up so much. It’s not going to be easy to work out.”
This gave her hope. He was trying to be completely honest with her—about his mistakes.
What about your mistakes?
God, I’m losing my mind.
Logan started speaking again. “I’ve never been so afraid of losing someone as I was when Kevin called me that day. And when I talked to Ryder, I knew he wouldn’t help me. Or I believed he wouldn’t. He kept telling me you would be fine, but knowing you were going into a horror house was driving me nuts. I mean, I’d just found out how severe your abuse was, but you were so adamant about going back, about not getting help. I panicked.
“I had to pretend everything would be okay—for you. I just thought it was the only way for me to get to a place where I could give you the right protection.”
Kylie sighed and lowered her gaze to not see his handsome face. “There’s more?”
Logan took a hold of her hand. “Yes. My family . . . we’re not regular people.”
Oh, great. Is this where he says he’s a werewolf?
“We do the horrible things Ryder and his family stop—and commit the crimes the Knight family punishes.”
“What?” She would have been more prepared for him being a mythical creature. She had no idea what he meant.
“The fairy tales—they’re real.” He watched her. “The Grimms were chosen to fulfill a duty in this world. The only problem was, as time passed, many strayed from the path they were told to follow.”
She didn’t want to insult him, but she was ready to roll her eyes because this was the stupidest thing she’d ever heard. “So what’s this duty?”
He swallowed, his hand tensing around hers. “Grimms are hunters. The world, as we see it, is full of the evilest souls to ever exist. They all have choices to make, and many choose to stay in the dark. Then there are some so innocent, they’re in danger of the wicked. So us Grimms and the other families protect the innocent, and give those seeking redemption a chance. It just shifted to a darker path when the source of good stayed away.”
“And what’s the source of good? Jesus?”
He chuckled, rubbing his face. “Um, no. Well, yeah, God is always that, but for our world and those who know what it is, it’s the moon. You know, like the story. The moon used to always be a New Moon—dark—until about eighteen years ago, right? Well, it’s like that. They were waiting for the moon to glow.”
She looked away from him. She hated The Little Moon. “The moon’s always been there though. Scientists even say there are stories about a full moon, so it was in view before, too. They said it was probably a meteor crash like the one that knocked it back around that made it stop.”
“Yeah, I know,” he said. “But our families believe those stories only exist because they did for the Creator—when this world was
created to mirror the real Earth.”
“There is no other Earth.” She couldn’t believe he was this dumb. “That’s just ridiculous.”
“I know it sounds that way.” He smiled nervously. “I’m just telling you how the Grimm Legacy works. They started turning into something dark. Hunting the wicked became hunting for profit. The moon gave them hope, but it never glowed. They felt abandoned.”
She stared at him, trying to wrap her mind around everything without smacking him for being stupid. “So the Grimms turned into hitmen because of the way the moon orbited the Earth?”
He nodded. “Most of them stuck with hits on bad people. Murderers, rapists, kidnappers, molesters. . . . But they’d do it for money instead of stopping them from hurting an innocent. Some were really picky, and they’d only kill murderers. But it just depends. When they go too far, they’re considered rogues. They’re hunted down and stopped, but it’s not easy to do. This is gonna sound dumb, but it’s because they’re very good at what they do. Super good. It even gets to the point where we can’t tell who they are. They vanish.”
And they called her crazy? She wanted to laugh in his face, but she tried to stay relaxed. “So you have superpowers?”
“No.” He chuckled, raising her hand to kiss it. “It’s just in our blood to be good at this kind of stuff. Like athletes will have generations of star athletes—good genes, you know? I mean, baby, I’m undefeated. I’ve only lost a fight to Ryder, and he’s on a whole other level of legacies. I’ve been good at everything I’ve tried. So was my dad and my brother.”
“This is stupid.” She let go of his hand and held her head. “Fairy tales are just stories.”
“They’re stories passed down by generations,” he said, “written in a fantastical way to deliver lessons or warnings. They start off innocent and unsuspecting, or they’re so alluring you want to read more, but it’s a trap. Most people won’t listen to warnings. That’s why everything is so out there. It’s magic to show you the truth. But every story starts from something real.”
“You believe this nonsense?”
He tapped his fingers on the desk, nodding. “I fought it for a long time, and I wasn’t raised to join the legacy, but I can’t deny our families are unique.”
“Is this why your dad was in prison?”
Logan shook his head and took a hold of her hands. “My dad was in prison for rape.”
Her eyes went wide. “Rape? He’s like a rogue, then?”
“He was innocent,” Logan rushed. “I didn’t want to believe it—but I do now. You’ll meet him when I can figure out a way. But that’s what Janie meant when she said rape is such a big deal for me. My dad was in prison for it, then she was raped. It feels like a curse because I denied the truth each time something like that happened.”
Her eyes burned as pressure squeezed her chest. “Have they figured out anything about the evidence they got?”
With a sigh, he leaned back. “They found out there are separate recordings overlapping each other. None of the women have admitted to it being them. Whoever pretended to be you is probably out for both of us. I think they’ll have you make a recording so they can confirm which voice is really yours. I can only assume someone recorded us at my apartment. My room was checked for bugs, and they found one in my vent.”
Her hands started trembling. “You think they’re out to get me, too?”
“Well, you wouldn’t really be at fault for being raped, Hood. But Than thinks it’s suspicious it would be you. Any girl could’ve accused me of forcing her. But they chose you.”
A sick feeling stirred in her stomach. “Was the guy’s voice yours?”
He grimaced, nodding. “It sounds like me. I wasn’t really talking, but you know. I don’t recall it, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m not saying anything mean. It’s shit I’ve said to just about every girl.”
Kylie looked away from him again. Her thoughts flickered with images of him and Janie. They hadn’t looked too uncomfortable about admitting they’d been naked together. It was a reminder Logan had been with numerous women, but infuriating that she could only care about the one he had never had sex with. Her heart was breaking, fearful Logan would wish to have that chance even more now.
“I’m sorry, Hood.” His soothing tone sounded so genuine. “I still mean it when I say I haven’t been with anyone since I first met you. I was worried about you that night of my fight. I was drunk, but I didn’t take a girl home, or fuck one anywhere else. There was a girl in my apartment that next morning, but I’d never seen her before. I threw her ass out.”
She was so not ready to think about him fucking some girl after she’d walked home that night. “So how do the Knights and Godsons factor in? They’re hitmen, too?”
He shook his head vigorously. “I can’t tell you much about them. I’ll just say they have their own duties, and Luc, he strayed from the family. He has control over all Grimms right now, and guys you’ll hopefully never meet. I vaguely recall meeting some when I was little, and my mom flipped when she heard them saying I was the Grimm they’d been waiting for. That’s when she begged Arthur to get my dad out for good.”
“That’s probably a good thing,” she said. “Minus the Knight involvement, right?”
He shrugged a shoulder. “Depends on how you look at it. She just wanted no heartache for me or herself. She took me and ran instead of letting fate run its course.”
“You believe in fate?” God, Ryder hadn’t been lying when he said she didn’t know what she was getting into with Logan.
“Yeah.” He frowned, staring down at the floor. “I kinda want to see what would’ve happened, but part of me doesn’t want to throw away what my mom was trying to do. I mean, my father always said she shouldn’t be here, that none of the women were meant to follow.” He seemed lost in thought, but then he continued. “Then again, I wonder if I would have made the mistakes I’ve made if she hadn’t done it.”
She was afraid to voice just how ridiculous all this sounded. So she asked him something as though she believed it all. “Have you killed anyone?”
“No.” He smiled. “But I’ve got a contract with Luc now. Janie’s fighting him on it, but I think that was his plan all along. She wants me to be a good person, and he’s going to dangle my soul in front of her to get what he wants. I can’t bring myself to make her stop trying to protect me though. If I do, she’ll be more reckless. I promise to get out if I get the chance. It’s possible to get out. My dad did before.”
“Ryder said Luc got your dad out of prison,” she told him, intrigued and annoyed that Janie ultimately had power because of Luc.
“Like I said, Luc can do just about anything. She offered him something to get my dad out. Of course, Dad won’t let her carry such a debt, so he lined up his own contract. A lifetime debt in exchange for removing anything she offered to help get him free.”
She rolled her eyes, and thankfully, Logan didn’t say anything. “Is your dad going to kill innocent people now?”
“I can’t tell you anything, Hood. My dad isn’t a bad person. I know he refused to kill innocents in the past, but I have no clue what he’ll be doing now.”
“He did this for Janie?”
“She means a lot to him.” He smiled. “He was curious about you. I showed him your picture.”
Nasty words flew out of her mouth as fire sung in her veins. “Was it in your album with Janie’s ass?”
He sighed, turning away. “Why are you focusing on the bad and not the good?”
“What about any of this is good?” she shouted.
“I don’t know . . . maybe that I’m not in jail for a rape charge? Or a prostitution and gambling charge?”
She scoffed. “You were innocent—you’d be fine.”
“Tell that to my father.” His glare was fierce. “He spent seven years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.”
She looked down, breathing harshly to hold her tongue. She just wanted him to get h
is head out of Janie’s ass, and she didn’t think he would after having it on him, after having his hands on it.
“Look, I’m trying,” he said softly but frustrated. “I never thought I’d have another girl to love. I love you.”
She looked up. “Really?”
“Yes.” He turned his desk so he could reach her. “Come here, baby.”
Finally, he was looking at her like she was special—how boyfriends should look at their girlfriends. She slid out of her seat and took his hand, smiling as he pulled her so she’d sit on the top of the desk with her legs spread so he was between them.
“You okay?” He rubbed her thighs. “You’re actually taking this better than I hoped.”
“Yeah.” She touched his cheek. God, he was so beautiful.
“You know, more than anything, I want you to know I’m doing things to make sure you’re happy. I want you to be safe, for Lorelei and Maura to pay for their crimes, for Kevin to realize he’s a piece of shit for turning a blind eye. I want everyone to know you’re my girl. My little hood.” He leaned down, kissing her legs as he rested his head there. “I’m not with her. I held her afterward as she cried because of what she was doing. I wanted to cry because I knew what it would do to you, and what it was doing to her and Ryder. I wanted him to come beat the shit out of me for you.”
She closed her eyes as she ran her fingers through his dark hair. “Ryder made it clear nothing’s for me.”
He held her hand to his cheek. “Well, Ryder isn’t your boyfriend. I am. Everything he does is for her, and I do everything for you.”
“I just wish it felt that way,” she muttered. “I wish I wasn’t being laughed at by girls. I wish I wasn’t being yelled at by Ryder because, to him, I’m evil incarnate and this is all my fault.”
“He said that?” He lifted his head, his eyes dark with fury.
“Well, he said it was your fault.” She was so glad to see him upset with the way she was being treated.
