The Logan Brothers - Books 1-4: (EXPOSURE, CRASH, TWIN PASSIONS, and ADDICTED TO YOU)

by Shorter, L. A.

  Mr Logan leaned forward and took a glass from the table, sipping casually on his drink. It looked like whiskey. Oh how I wanted to sink one myself right now.

  “Yes, Mr Cooper. Terrible tragedy wasn't it.” He spoke almost with glee. “Such a shame you had to stumble upon an horrific scene like that.” There was a subtle sarcasm to his words.

  I nodded but said nothing, dropping my eyes to the floor under his stare.

  “I never liked the man,” he said after a brief pause. “He was so arrogant, so pompous and preachy. I've never have time for men like him.”

  “But, then again,” he continued, his mind turning back, “sometimes you have to tolerate people you don't like for mutual gain. Regrettably for Mr Cooper, his use had begun to wane.”

  My heartbeat missed.

  “Yes, I see it in your eye. The dawning of a realization. It's OK, you can ask me, I can see it on the edge of your tongue, just waiting to topple.”

  “You killed him?”

  A smile spread over his face. “If you knew me at all you wouldn't sound so surprised. Yes, I had him killed, but not by my hand. Those days are long behind me.”

  He casually reached for the bottle to refill his glass, letting his words sink in.

  “I suppose you're wondering why I'm telling you this Alice. In fact, you're probably wondering a few things right now. I don't like to play games, I don't have time for them. So, in the interest of being clear, let me tell you what's happening here.”

  I could hardly control my breathing now, my body throbbing all over, such was the force of the blood through my veins.

  “I am well aware that you've been in a relationship with my son Miss Newton.” His words were stiffening, growing more cold.

  “I hope you know how serious that is. I have reached the pinnacle of my world through a strict adherence to principles and rules. They are rules that, when broken, carry severe repercussions.”

  My heartbeat was now to the point of explosion.

  “I can see the fear in you Alice. It's not a look I enjoy, not on such a pretty face.” He stood and filled a second glass of whiskey. “Please, have a drink to settle your nerves.”

  He placed the drink at the end of the desk and ushered me forward. My legs felt like they were about to give way as I walked, my hand shaking violently as I reached for the glass.

  “Now, Alice, let me explain to you what is going to happen here. Your relationship with my son is going to end, immediately. He told me you wish to quit. Unfortunately, that is something I cannot allow. I've been receiving high praise for you, and I'm not willing to see that disappear quite yet. If you think that quitting will allow you to start a proper relationship with my son, you'd be wrong. There is no chance of that, ever.”

  I couldn't speak. I couldn't think. All I could do was listen as this man told me how my life would go.

  “If you think you'll go to the police, you'd be wrong. You'll find them very receptive to seeing you Alice. It would be great for them to catch Michael Cooper's murderer so easily, and so fast.”

  My eyes widened. “But I had nothing to do with it, you know that!”

  “Ah yes, that. I had another girl arrive just before you to do the job. I can quite easily make you that girl.”

  “No, how?” I was shaking my head. Jen had been right about this guy.

  “I can pay the concierge to say that it was you who arrived first. The camera's aren't detailed enough to pick up intricate facial features. The first girl and you, you could have easily been the same person. All it takes is a little bribery to see that the concierge plays his role accordingly. If he fails to fall to financial incentives, I have other routes I can take as well.”

  The tears were now welling in my eyes. I knew this man would not be moved by them.

  “Believe me Alice, I have no intention of carrying out this threat. All you have to do is comply.”

  “You did all of this just to punish me for seeing Kyle?” I croaked, my eyes streaming. “Why?”

  “Oh God no. I have long planned to end Mr Cooper's life. The opportunity presented itself when he came here on business. I think the phrase is killing two birds with one stone.”

  His face remained blank as he spoke. To him, this was all business. Killing a viral, setting me up as punishment for my relationship with Kyle, it was all nothing to him. To me, it would mean the end of my life. He held that power in his hand.

  “And where's Kyle?” I asked. “You got me here through his phone, what punishment will he get?”

  “Knowing you're still working for me, knowing he is unable to have you - that is punishment enough. But, if anything happens between you two again, you'll both find that I'm not so forgiving.”

  “Your son? You'd make those threats to your own son?”

  He stood up and leaned forward behind the desk. “You have no idea what I would do Alice. We all make our own choices in life. Anything that happens to Kyle will be down to his. I have no control over that.”

  The guy was sick. He'd created his own world of retribution like he was a Roman Emperor, the punishment more cruel and callous than the crime itself. If anyone stepped out of line, if anyone broke his rules, justice would be swift. He was judge and jury, and hired people to act as executioner. Even his own son wasn't free from his wrath.

  “So, Alice, do you agree to these terms?”

  I could feel my world sinking around me, the pit of my stomach filled with sand and stones, dragging me down with it.

  I didn't have a choice.

  Chapter 40

  The following days I felt like a ghost. I floated around campus from lecture to lecture, not talking to anyone for any length of time, not engaging in class. I spent my evenings at home, shut away in my dorm, trying to work, trying to put everything out of my mind.

  But I couldn't. It was all I could think about.

  I didn't care that I was being forced to keep working. I'd never had a problem with that. I cared that I hadn't seen or heard from Kyle since he'd walked out of the Grange Hotel. I cared that I wouldn't be able to touch him any more, feel his lips on mine, his hands to my body. Above all else, that's what I wanted.

  I disappeared into my shell, the world closing in around me. I was ordered to dance for a new client, but it didn't feel natural any more, I didn't enjoy it. The feeling of sexual empowerment and liberation I'd felt before was stunted. It all felt so empty now, so pointless. I had no passion for it, no desire. That had all been sapped, taken by Kyle, a man I could no longer have.

  He was my muse, the one I thought of when I danced. Now it had become painful, the idea that I couldn't be with him numbing me.

  I still did the job. I had to, there was no other choice on the table for me to consider. I knew I'd get complaints if I didn't perform well. I knew that a complaint was as bad as me not dancing in the first place, as bad as me walking out on my client before finishing the job. I knew, now, that Mr Logan wouldn't tolerate such things, that he'd see his threats realized should I fail to live up to my end of the bargain.

  I pulled myself together and played the character I'd been building for months: the stripper, the girl with confidence and immeasurable sexual power. A girl able to make men quiver, make them crumble before her eyes. I disconnected her from my real life, stepped into her shoes and out of them at a whim. It was the only way.

  As the weeks began to pass and the memory of Kyle's touch to my skin began to fade, I managed to refocus on college. I became a robot, working all day, my mind set on my exams, and performing when called upon at night. The money still rolled in. Mr Logan hadn't taken that privilege away, so at least my forced efforts were well compensated.

  Yet still, there remained a gaping hole, one that only Kyle could fill.

  Chapt
er 41

  I looked down at the exam paper and sighed deeply.

  Done. All of them. Done.

  The last week had been intense, with several exams spread across it. I'd managed to do my best, put thought to paper as well as I could. Exams had never phased me in the past. In fact, I'd relished them. I was never one of these people to get stressed about them, to fall apart as soon as the paper was placed under my nose. No, I usually stood up to the task and performed under pressure. It was a trait I'd used well in my new line of work.

  I quickly checked over the paper and a smile - one of my first genuine smiles in weeks - creased my face. I was happy with the work, happy with the effort. Despite all of the shit that was going on in my life, I'd managed to get it done. If only I could talk about it, someone might be proud of me.

  There was talk among my classmates of going for some drinks to celebrate. Tess, as she often did, led the charge. She hadn't asked me about my dancing, my stripping, recently, keeping to her word. I dunno, right now it might be nice to vent.

  I hadn't told her about the Michael Cooper murder. I hadn't told her about my run in with Mr Logan. I hadn't told her about the fact that I hadn't seen Kyle for over a month. Maybe I never would.

  I had spoke to Lexi and she said she'd seen Kyle around the club, so at least that put my mind to rest that he hadn't been hurt, or worse. She told me he'd looked glum, his face a picture of fucking depression, or so she said. It probably mirrored my own.

  Tess was leading the discussions outside the exam hall about what to do to celebrate. I stood towards the back of the group, not giving my opinion. I didn't really have one anyway.

  A drink, though, I could certainly use a fucking drink. Or two, or three, or ten. However many it takes me to forget all this shit for a night.

  “Alice.” I looked up to see Tess, and the entire group, looking at me. “What do you think? Painters?” Painters was a club in town, great for cheesy music and cheap drinks. Very popular among the local students.

  “Sure,” I said, “sounds perfect.”

  Tess smiled at my approval. It was sweet that she was actively trying to include me in the discussion. She wasn't to know that I didn't really care where we went.

  “Great, Painters it is!” she exclaimed to a small cheer from the group. “Lets all meet at that cocktail bar across...”

  “Sexy Martini!”

  “Yes, thank you Brian. Let's all meet at Sexy Martini at 8 and go from there. All good?”

  There was a general rumble of agreement before everyone began dispersing, disappearing off in their own little groups.

  “You OK with that babe...Sexy Martini?”

  “Yeah, cocktails sound very appealing tonight,” I said. The more alcohol in the drink, the better.

  Her face lit up. “Great, let's go try outfits on!”

  ....

  We'd spent a good couple of hours trying on clothes and listening to music before we jumped in a cab and headed out.

  Tess had seemingly been on something of a shopping spree recently, the amount of new clothes she had stacked up in her room. “Retail therapy,” she said. “I was really upset when we weren't friends.”

  She put on that puppydog expression with pouting lips that she used so well and gave me a hug. It was good to have her back.

  “So what do you think the chances are of Tom being there?” She bit her lip suddenly as soon as she said his name. “Oh, sorry, I forgot about him and that night and...all that. Forget I said anything.”

  “Tess, it's all right hun. That's long in the past. Anyway, I actually ran into him a while back and he was pretty cool about it. He actually acted like a grown up for once. It was kind of jarring actually.”

  “Oh, cool. Yeah, so do you think he'll be there?” I got the impression that she'd volunteered Painters because it was where he'd most likely be on a Friday night.

  “Could be, yeah. It's student night Friday so I wouldn't bet against it. Why don't you just text him and say we'll be there.”

  “Cringe. No way. I've never asked a boy out in my life.”

  “Tess,” I laughed, “you're not asking him out. You're just telling him we're all going out. It's a friendly group hang.”

  She had this coy look on her face like she wanted to do it but couldn't. “No, I can't, you do it.”

  “All right, fine, I will.”

  She looked at me in some kind of wonder as I took out my phone and typed up the text.

  “There you go, done,” I said, hitting send.

  “My hero,” she said, jumping on me with open arms and laughing. I could tell her tone was mocking but there was a truth to her words.

  In any case, I knew for a fact that Tom didn't like her in that way and probably never would. I'd just never had the heart to tell her.

  After a short ride in the cab we stepped out onto the street to the bright lights of Sexy Martini. I'd forgotten it when I'd agreed on where to go but the Globe Hotel was only a couple of streets away. I hadn't been this close for weeks.

  I could see a few of our classmates inside already, large jugs of cocktails on a table between them. Their faces were all as lit as the bright neon lights on the outside of the bar. It was nice to see everyone so happy and relieved to have finished the exams. I felt the same.

  Over the next hour we sank cocktails together, everyone so relaxed and having a good time. The atmosphere was palpable, a river of relief rushing through our group. The rate at which everyone was drinking - even those not prone to fall victim to the lure of alcohol too often - was setting the foundations for a storied night.

  By 10 PM everyone had enjoyed their fair share of half price cocktails and we relocated over the street to Painters. The queue was already beginning to form outside - typical for a Friday night - so we all gravitated towards the back.

  Tess, being Tess, however, had other ideas. I saw her walk over the bouncers, flirt her ass off, and then wave her hand to usher us over and to the front of the queue.

  “What was that?” I asked as we passed by the grumbling crowd of students still standing motionless outside the club.

  “Oh, nothing. I just said we'd finished our exams today and are on for a big night, that's all. Alice, you of all people know how to use your tits to get what you want. Well, nowadays at least.”

  It was a slightly crude way to make the point, but she certainly had one.

  I'd been to the club a lot before, mainly back when I first started at college and life was a lot more simple. Back then uni work was easy and less time consuming, I was working several nights a week in a bar, with weekends at a clothes shop, and I was just living a standard college existence. Only less than two years later and my life had been turned on its head.

  As with most clubs, the atmosphere and decor inside was hugely different to the cocktail bar we'd just been at. In Painters it was almost unnecessarily dark. I mean, I knew that clubs were always darker than bars, but this place took it to another level. As I pushed through the dancefloor towards the bar I could hardly tell where I was. But for the flashing lights above me I'd be lost.

  The place was big and pulsing with students, all looking to see themselves into the weekend as only they know how. As far as I knew, lots of different courses had had important exams today, something I could tell from the drunken, happy look in people's eyes.

  It must have been about midnight when I bumped into Tom. He told me he'd been coming down anyway but my text message only spurred him on. He had a lustful look in his eye, his irises swimming in beer, as he sat me down in a booth over at one side of the club, away from my classmates and Tess.

  When he spoke his words were slurring slightly. At any party or night out I don't think I'd ever seen him in complete control of his tongue by th
is point of the evening. His words, too, were far more loose and less reserved than last I'd seen him.

  “Why are you always so stand-offish with me when we're out Alice?” he asked, his expression somewhat hurt.

  “I'm not Tom,” I said, “I'm always friendly to you.”

  He nodded his head excessively. “Yeah, friendly. Exactly, friendly.”

  I was getting tipsy but this still confused me. “Friendly, yeah,” I laughed. “What, do you want me to be unfriendly?”

  “I like you Alice, for fuck safe. Why are you the only girl who doesn't want to go out with me?”

  Tom had come onto me a few times before, so this was nothing new. Usually he was more aggressive though, more physical. This time he genuinely seemed aggrieved.

  “I dunno, I just don't see you like that. You're a great guy Tom, just not my type.”

  “Your type. So what is your type.”

  I didn't have a answer. “I don't have a specific type really...”

  “Aha! Then how do you know I'm not your type.”

  “Because you're always such a dick!” I shouted over the music, a smile on my face. I didn't mean it seriously, but the look on his face told me he seemed to take it as such.

  “A dick. You think I'm a dick?”

  “Well, you know what I mean. You're a jock, a football guy. Until the other day I only saw you as that. Anyway, trust me, you wouldn't want to date me anyway. I'd only get in the way. A guy like you Tom, you're better off single.”

  I patted his arm consolingly as his eyes dropped. Damn he was being sensitive. Maybe he really did like me.

  “It gets old sometimes - being single. I've never had anything more really. I'd kinda like that.”

  “Well that's great, that is. But I don't think I'm the girl.”

  If he'd been this guy all along, the guy who offered me a lift home a few weeks ago, the guy sitting with me now, maybe I'd have liked him. In fact I probably would. There was no doubt be was gorgeous, and he had this kind of misunderstood vibe going on. I have to admit it was attractive.