by Janie Marie
The crowd shouted for her, and she never lost concentration. She had him stretched across her as she shoved herself farther away. He had no choice but to break free from her now. And she clocked him right in the chin with her foot.
The boys cheered as she kicked him again, hitting him in the solar plexus. It was a good hit, and it knocked him back. She scrambled away while he caught his breath.
Then she was on him. Like a wild banshee, she latched onto his back, getting him in a rear naked choke faster than anyone had ever gotten one on him.
The hum of the crowd and his own blood pounding in his ears made him even more lightheaded as he tried to pry her legs and arm off. She had it locked in, though, her little arms an odd advantage.
He contemplated slamming her against the cage, but she reared back, cranking his neck as her legs squeezed the fuck out of him.
Logan tapped her leg repeatedly, dropping to his knees when she let go. He smiled, holding her to him. The roar of wolf whistles and howls were heaven, because she’d won. She’d beaten him fair and square.
The gate opened, but Logan held out a hand, stopping Ryder from taking her just yet.
“Come here, baby doll,” Logan said, pulling her around so she was in front of him. She smiled with tears on her cheeks, and he grinned before pulling her to him for a kiss. She didn’t jerk away, and he didn’t immediately get punched, so he kissed her longer, remembering the feel of her and the memories they’d shared.
Suddenly, her voice had sounded like music, even though her lips were still against his. “I, Jane Hasieran Mortaime, take thee, Jason Logan Winters, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part . . .”
Logan leaned away, confused as the rumble of celebration went silent. He stared at Janie, but she wasn’t exactly Janie. She was wearing a simple white wedding dress, her hair longer, her features still just slightly exotic but lovely, simple, beautiful—but she was different. Her hazel eyes were the same, though, and they burned right into him as she smiled and slid the gold band on his ring finger.
He felt himself smiling as his voice sounded. “My Janie.” Her name was Jane, but she was his Janie.
As the small crowd chuckled, she beamed, nodding, and corrected herself, “I do.” She giggled. “I mean, I, Janie Hasieran Mortaime, take thee Jason Logan Winters, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, till death do us part . . . forever.”
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. Jason, you may kiss your wife.”
Logan blinked as he felt himself pulling her to him, and the image of her in a wedding dress vanished. “What was that?”
She touched his cheek, and Logan saw that she had no idea what he’d just seen. But he knew what it was. He’d just glimpsed his life with her—there.
He glanced at Ryder, noticing Luc had him by the arm, keeping him where he was. Tears stung Logan’s eyes, and he focused on her again, smiling and cupping her face for one more kiss. “I love you.”
She smiled against his mouth, whispering, “I love you, Jason.”
Pain. Intense pain squeezed him. She hadn’t called him by his middle name in so long. He’d hated it for as long as he could remember, and now he knew why. Jason, her husband, had failed her.
Her arms came around his neck, but she ended their kiss. “You okay?”
He nodded, hugging her. He knew he couldn’t tell her what they’d really been. They weren’t the same as they’d been there, and he was staring at the man who really deserved her.
Logan dropped a kiss to her shoulder. “Let Ryder take care of you, okay?”
He felt her smile against his neck. “Thank you.”
Ryder came to claim her after Luc released him. “Since you’re in enough pain from my baby and whatever you just saw, I’ll save knocking your ass out for another day.” Ryder still smacked his head but gently lifted Janie. “Come here, babe. Let’s go wash your mouth with soap so I can kiss you all better.”
“Keep it to yourself,” Luc said, stopping in front of Logan as Ryder carried Janie away. “She’s not meant to know. Not yet.”
The memory slipped away just like she had, and Logan found himself staring at the girl of his dreams, of his past, as she entered the kitchen. She didn’t notice him; she went straight toward Arthur, greeting her stepfather with a kiss on the cheek.
“That boy of yours lets you sleep too late,” Arthur told her.
Sharp, jagged knives cut into Logan’s heart as he took in the smile on her face. She had her family here, supporting her the way they always should have. Arthur had one mission, her. And it showed whenever he smiled at her, whenever her brothers wrestled, including her in the melee and letting her pin them.
Logan smiled to himself. Though every time he saw her now, it felt the same way it did when he lost her all those years ago.
“You didn’t have to come so early,” she told Arthur, hugging him tightly, as if she feared he would leave.
The reason for Arthur’s presence at the Godson mansion at eight in the morning was purely to do with the fact Janie was returning to school today. She’d been cooped up inside since coming home, except for heavily guarded trips to the horse stables, but now she was going public. To school, where she had enemies disguised as teenage girls, and where the monster would be watching.
“I’m gonna be fine,” she murmured, resting her head against Arthur’s shoulder.
Arthur kissed her head before sliding her a plate of food. “Eat. We’ll get there early. I’m speaking with your teachers. Nick has arranged for them to be there. I will tolerate none of the nonsense you had before.”
She pouted but did as she was told. “I wanted to make a show of going in. Trevor might be watching.”
Logan stared at her, silent like everyone else.
“He won’t be there.” Ryder entered, heading to the refrigerator. “But he’ll hear about it. Babe, do you need a drink?”
“Yeah,” she answered.
Logan watched Ryder carrying out all the duties a husband would as he gathered her medications and her preferred drink. The pain surrounding Logan’s heart lessened as he caught sight of Janie watching her boyfriend search through the vitamins for kids to find the flavors she liked most. Ryder was her match.
He chose right then to focus on her happiness, and not his heartache. The better man had come into her life, like he must’ve always done so, and Logan felt determined to see Ryder put as many smiles on her face as possible. To do that, he had to do his part to see her safe from his monster of a cousin and Kevin. “Baby doll?”
She smiled over at him. “Yes, pumpkin?”
Ryder chuckled, knocking Logan’s shoulder as he passed him.
Logan rolled his eyes at Janie’s comment instead of rising to Ryder’s bump; the bastard was going to fuck with him because of that kiss. Janie’s teasing, however, Logan would not ignore. Ever since a picture of him in a pumpkin costume when he was two years old surfaced, she’d been a little demon out to humiliate him. She kept daring him to dress up as a pumpkin this Halloween. Lykos did what big brothers do; he texted every Wolf, Godson, and Knight the picture, and they all saved it as either their backgrounds or with his contact number.
“You know not to mess around,” he told her seriously. “The whole point is only to make it seem like we’ve let our guard down. There’s no need to tie a bullseye around your neck.”
She bobbed her head. “Yeah, I know. I’m all healed up though. It’s time to taunt him.”
Ryder sat beside her, tugging her closer as he poured her drink and medicine out for her. “She won’t be out of my sight,” he said. “Nick put all our classes together, and the teachers know not to expect her to be without me or the boys. I’m all for hiding her away, but then they’ll still be loose. Then they’ll really come for her or even the others when we’re not expecting it. And neither wi
ll do a sniper shot on her. They’ll want to get their hands on her.” Ryder watched Janie, the love in his eyes eclipsing the empty tone he spoke with. He was so afraid for her.
Ryder looked away, smirking as Lykos entered. “I warned you, pup—you’re no match for me.”
“Don’t call me pup.” Lykos stomped past Logan to get a plate.
Janie stifled her laugh by kissing Ryder’s cheek, but Ryder snagged her chin to kiss her properly.
Which must’ve been why Arthur got up and left. Her stepfather might accept Ryder, but he wasn’t a fan of watching them make out.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” came Gareth’s cry. “I just wanted to get some food. Not watch my baby sister conceive on the kitchen table.”
Ryder leaned away from Janie, laughing. “I promised I’d wait until my home was empty of Knights before putting a baby in her.”
Janie covered her red face. “I wish I was a boy.”
“I don’t,” Ryder muttered. “I’d miss your tits and your—”
Janie covered his mouth as Gawain entered, covering his ears.
Lykos came up beside Logan, eating while watching the Knights bicker with Ryder. “She’ll be fine,” he whispered.
“Are you sure?” Logan kept his eyes on Janie.
“Well, he won’t be leaving her side today,” Lykos said. “So relax. You’ll make her more afraid than she already is.”
Logan tried to be calm, but after that vision, whatever it was, he was worried. He wanted to talk to his dad about it, but Lance had stayed at the treatment center’s base to monitor the girls.
“You’re making that face,” Lykos muttered, stuffing food in his mouth.
“I saw something yesterday.” He instantly regretted opening his mouth. Lykos was a firm believer Janie was meant to be with him, and he wanted Kylie locked up far away. If he told him he’d seen that Janie was his wife in the first world, it would fuel Lykos’ pressuring to see them back together.
Lykos continued eating, but he asked, “Was her face painted gold?”
He frowned, not expecting a relevant question. “No.”
Lykos smirked, eating a bite of his biscuit. “The fact you kissed her, twice—or was it three times”—he chuckled—“I’m going to guess she was naked, then.”
Logan shoved his shoulder. “She wasn’t naked.”
“Ah.” Lykos licked his fingers, reminding Logan his brother was very much a Wolf as he seemed to consider licking his plate. “Just Jane then.”
Jane . . .
“I was marrying her,” he whispered, watching Ryder scold Janie about something.
Lykos sucked in a sharp breath. “I kinda hoped she would find out before you.”
“You knew?” Logan darted his eyes to his brother.
“I suspected it. I heard Luc talking to Damon once, mentioning you both, and a pair of gold rings. When Luc ordered Damon to lock them up with the rest of the relics, I thought they might be wedding rings since they were a pair. We all know her marrying Ryder is out of the question, but I thought she wasn’t married there. But when I realized it was you, I’ve been waiting to see if she’d ever learn about it. Or like Dad says, wake. Then she’d want to be with you again. It makes me wonder what else is kept from us.”
No wonder Lykos thought they should be together now. Logan closed his eyes, remembering the face he’d seen yesterday. She looked almost just how he envisioned the Little Moon when he was a boy. The only difference was in this vision she had no paint or scars, and she wasn’t wearing battle armor while leading an army of her own. She was just a woman he loved; he’d felt that love. There was something else—something invisible—and it called him to her. It was powerful. Like dark and light were fighting for dominance. They were right; she was always more than a mere girl.
“If I cared for your feelings, I’d feel bad for you right now.” Lykos was worse than Ryder with his brutal honesty.
“Thanks, brother.” He opened his eyes, shaking his head upon seeing the evil grin his brother wore. “Asshole.”
“You could always pounce when Ryder leaves her,” Lykos muttered.
“He’s not leaving her.” Logan wouldn’t allow it. No matter what their legacy said about Ryder, the bastard was staying with her until the end of time.
Lykos shrugged off his comment. Clearly, his own beliefs wouldn’t sway by normal laws humans lived by. “I heard from Father—your blonde finally moved into the family suite with Maura and Lorelei.”
Logan snapped his attention to his brother, ready to concentrate on something other than his vision. Not that thinking about Kylie was any easier than thinking about Janie. It was worse, actually. He missed her. And he felt conflicted as hell about it. “Really?”
Lykos bobbed his head. “She hadn’t wanted to leave the intake room. Dad didn’t want you to know. I guess Janie had recommended she stay in the Red Riding Hood room. She gave Damon letters she’d written in therapy. She said they were always meant for her—whatever that means. I’m sure it’s to do with her legacy.”
Logan focused on Janie. How come she hadn’t told him? Any of this?
“The blonde didn’t want you to know—because it was stalkerish.” Lykos grinned evilly. “Her words to Father, not mine.”
“Stop calling her the blonde. You sound like Ryder.” Logan set his cup down. “And don’t call her the wolf, either. She’s not the wolf in the story.” He knew it was true—for Janie at least. She was Janie’s greatest enemy in the first world, the one who destroyed her soul, but he didn’t want to call Kylie that. She had stayed at the center, after all. She had many faults, but she wasn’t the monster from the first world. She was a victim, a survivor.
“We’re leaving,” Ryder announced, lifting Janie up, smacking her ass and giving her a territorial kiss. “Tell your Wolves to follow, babe. I’ll meet you outside.” He lowered her to her feet before walking out.
Janie looked after him, her chest heaving. And it wasn’t from lust.
Logan walked over to her, pulling her into a hug. She was shaking. “Baby doll, you don’t have to go.”
She squeezed him tight. “I want them caught. I’ll be the bait.” She gasped. “Oh, God, what am I doing?”
“You’re being brave.” He didn’t want her to be brave—he wanted her safe and hidden. “You don’t have to be brave all the time.”
She took several deep breaths, her trembling easing as she loosened her hold on him. “I know. But they’ll expect me to slip up. Might as well provoke them on my terms.”
He caught sight of Luc standing near the doorway. If he was letting Janie do this, it had to be okay.
Logan leaned back, tilting her face up. “Please be careful.”
She made a circle around her head. “Queen. I do what I want.”
Luc pushed off the wall, walking toward her. “A queen allows her guards to do their job.”
Janie smiled, wiping a tear away. She did that a lot around Luc, attempting to show she was great; she didn’t realize she already was. “Yeah, yeah.”
“I’ll keep an eye out until you get inside,” Logan told her.
“I’ll be fine,” she promised, pushing up on her toes, a hint of a kiss on her lips.
Before she reached him, Logan stopped her, holding her face between his hands. “I love you. Be safe.”
“I love you,” she whispered, kissing his bruised chin. “See you for our session at five.”
He let her go, the tightness in his chest becoming unbearable. All of them felt this way, like keeping her between them was where she needed to stay for the rest of her life. That wasn’t Janie, though. She was a front-line kind of girl, always ready to bleed with her boys. “I’ll be here.”
She leaned over, kissing Lykos’ cheek. “Bye, handsome.”
Lykos smacked her butt. “Tell your boyfriend to stop joking about knocking you up. I’m breaking his arm if he does before putting a ring on your finger.”
She laughed, hooking her arm with Luc’s. “C
ome, my king. These Grimms are too sexy, and my hormones are going to get me into trouble. Oh, look,” she sang, spotting Tercero leaning against the doorway, “my anime version of Ryder. I only kid; I love you even if you didn’t look like him. You’re my sexy ninja.”
Tercero shook his head as a faint smile teased his lips. “I’m telling on you, cara.”
Logan chuckled as she hooked arms with Tercero. She was just trying to be brave. Her silliness helped her do that, and the Godsons knew it. The sillier she behaved, the more frightened she was.
“Please do,” she told Tercero as they disappeared around the corner, though her voice carried to him still. “Ryder likes to role play when I tell him you’re my anime boyfriend.”
“My queen,” Luc chided.
“Oh, don’t feel left out, Luc. He really gets into it when I tell him I dreamed you crowned me,” she said, giggling. “He goes Super Saiyan for me.”
✦✦✦
Logan scanned the students watching Janie walk hand in hand with Ryder as they trailed behind Arthur, Savaş, Tercero, and Archer. Kids were filming her, which she noticed, so before she entered the door being held open for her, she turned and bowed.
“All right.” Lykos started the car. “Trevor will definitely hear about that—and it’ll be clear Kylie’s not with her. And if he doubted Janie was really with Ryder, he’ll see the truth.”
“You think he’ll figure out where the others are?” Logan kept watching the kids. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but that meant nothing. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary with Kevin too.
“They’re guarded more heavily than Janie is,” Lykos said.
He sighed, relaxing when it seemed like nothing too intense was going to happen. Plus, Janie was with Ryder again—no one would make fun of her for being alone. “What do you think about Dad and Lorelei?”
Lykos shrugged. “Don’t give a fuck.”
Logan rubbed his tired eyes. Lykos hadn’t been close to their mom, and he didn’t concern himself with anything about their father. His reason for being here was Janie, and because he was ready to finish the job Logan had failed to. “Right.”
