Chapter 15

Aimee

Watching Logan confront Mara and Lucas is nothing short of magical. It’s as though I’m finally getting to see him in his natural element.

The real Logan Atwood.

He handles the entire situation with a grace and ease that I couldn’t manage on my best day. There have been a few times I wanted to throw Mara off the balcony. I only managed to keep my thoughts to myself because Logan had such control of the situation.

After our mind blowing quickie in the study he ran off to meet with Gervas. I spent the free hour lounging in my room and making sure I had all of my things together. I wanted to look nice for our last evening together but the only outfit I had was the same one I wore to the banquet earlier in the day. I put it on, hoping he wouldn’t mind seeing me in the same thing.

Logan also found the time to change while he met with Gervas. I found him on the master terrace wearing a new white, linen shirt with nice khakis. It doesn’t really matter what he’s wearing—he always manages to look sexy as hell.

I didn’t have any idea what to expect when I found him overlooking the sound. He just said he wanted me to be here with him when he finally confronted Mara. I didn’t like the idea of spending our last bit of time together with Mara around, but after watching how he composes himself, the only thing I can think about is ripping his pants off and mounting his massive cock right here and now. I wouldn’t even care if Mara and Lucas stick around to watch. Everything about him turns me on in ways I never expected.

“I think Lucas will find that I have a much better plan in mind…”

Logan has something up his sleeve, but I have no idea what it is. Lucas shoots a quick look at Mara before responding. Is he actually deferring to her?

“What do you have in mind?” Lucas asks.

Instead of answering the question, Logan turns to me. He looks me dead in the eye and winks, as though to say he knows what he’s doing. Having his attention on me in front of everyone like that sends heat rushing to my cheeks. Finally, he turns back to Lucas.

“I’m backing out of the deal,” he says. “I’m calling the whole thing off.”

Lucas looks stunned.

“Are you insane?” Mara screeches, losing all semblance of self-control. “Do you know how much money we’ll lose?”

“We?” Logan glares at her. “We aren’t going to lose any money. I’m the one that fronted everything.”

“How dare you? We’ve both invested in our own ways.”

Logan lets out a laugh.

“Yes, I suppose we have…”

Mara’s eyes narrow, suspiciously, as though she’s trying to figure out what he meant by that. Lucas turns to her. For the first time tonight, there’s a huge smile on his face.

“Amara, what’s the problem? This is exactly what we wanted…”

It’s weird hearing him call her that. How long has it been since she’s gone by that name?

“This isn’t exactly what we wanted,” she shrieks at him. “What we wanted was for Logan to be out!”

Lucas makes a placating gesture with his hand. 

“Don’t you see? This is even better… Now we can do what needs to be done with the company to get it turned around. It’s exactly what I’ve been hoping for.”

Mara’s eyes widen and she gives him a disgusted look. 

“How stupid are you?” she says. “I don’t give two shits about your pathetic company. I was just going to carve it up and sell it off, anyway. Your company is nothing compared to his.”

The smile on Lucas’s face fades.

“I don’t understand. I thought we were committed to the same thing…”

She rolls her eyes.

“You always were a bleeding-heart idealist. How could I be so stupid to think you might actually grow up and see the world for what it is?”

In an instant everything clicks into place. I couldn’t have been more wrong about Mara being in love with Lucas. It’s the other way around…

Lucas is in love with Mara!

This explains the way he acted on our walk, when he said he understood what it was like to have feelings for someone. Once you experience real love, it’s impossible to forget. He fell in love with Mara all those years ago and never got over her…

Logan isn’t even trying to hide how amused he is by their exchange. Somehow I get the feeling that he figured everything out before I did.

“Lucas, I never answered your question,” Logan says, interrupting them. “I’m guessing Mara never told you how she planned to take control of my company?”

Lucas gives him a stern look before shaking his head.

“I’ve never wanted anything to do with your company. My only concern has been for mine.”

“I can appreciate that,” Logan says, a sly grin spreading across his face as he turns his attention to Mara. “It turns out our dear Mara has been involved in some… extracurricular activities.”

Mara’s back stiffens. It’s slight, and it’s the only indication that she knows where Logan is going with this.

She gives him a flat look. 

“You wouldn’t fly that helicopter of yours without an insurance policy… it’s just good business.”

“It is good business. However, what you’re doing has the added bonus of being against the law.”

Lucas suddenly looks very alarmed.

“Against the law? What are you two talking about?”

Logan’s smile widens.

“It turns out, Mara has been secretly recording the private affairs of her business partners so that she can blackmail them.”

Her eyes widen, as if she’s actually surprised by the accusation.

“That’s simply not true,” she says, dismissively.

Logan goes on, ignoring her denial.

“I first became suspicious when you left that recording for Aimee. I probably would have figured it out sooner but I’ve been a bit… distracted… this weekend.” He glances at me, sending an excited rush through my body. “But when Aimee told me she overheard the two of you in the sauna, things started falling into place.”

Mara raises her brow.

“The sauna? I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

Logan rolls his eyes.

“I never took you for the type to play dumb,” he says, twisting her earlier jab back on her.

Mara shifts, composing herself just a bit. 

“Regardless, do you expect us to actually believe this crazy narrative you’ve concocted?”

“You can believe what you want,” Logan says. “Personally, I’m just going to let the evidence speak for itself…”

“Evidence?”

The look on Logan’s face is one of victory.

“We found the recordings you keep on your hidden server, Mara. We’ve got them all.”

For the first time, Mara actually looks concerned.

“That’s impossible,” she says.

It’s almost impossible to believe, but everything about the way she’s holding herself right now is confirming what Logan is saying. I’m not sure whose eyes bulge more: mine or Lucas’s.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t find out you were using my own staff against me? Once we figured out who you were working with, it didn’t take much to convince him that it was in his own best interests to turn everything over to us.”

Mara stares at him, offering no response. I never thought I’d see the day that she was completely speechless.

“So, it’s true then?” Lucas asks. She remains silent. “Are there videos of me?”

“Yes,” Logan says. “There are files on you in addition to a number of other players that Mara has been keeping tabs on.”

Lucas’s eyes widen as he stares at her.

“I can’t believe you. We go back so far… I thought we had something special.”

The pain in his voice makes my stomach twist. Mara rolls her eyes.

“Don’t be so naive. It’s always been strictly business.”

His face scrunches in pain for a moment before he gets control of himself.

“I’ve always known you are ambitious. I just never imagined it was more important to you than me.”

She rolls her eyes again before returning to Logan.

“I suppose this means you will want to work out some kind of new arrangement?” she says.

Logan shakes his head.

“No, I’m done with… this.” He gestures a finger between the two of them. “I’m looking forward to taking a nice vacation from the crazy life I’ve been leading.”

Her brow knits together.

“So… we just part ways?”

He lets out a laugh.

“I guess you could say that. Though, you have a long road in front of you… As we speak the files we found are being sent over to my lawyers in New York. They have explicit instructions to catalogue them before passing them on to a friend of mine in the F.B.I.”

Mara’s eyes look like they’re going to bulge out of her head. 

“I see,” she says, after finally getting her whits about her. “In that case, there are things that need my attention.”

“I thought there might be,” Logan says. Mara turns to make her way back into the mansion. “Oh, and Mara…” Logan calls out. She glances over her shoulder. “Please leave any company equipment with Gervas. You’re fired.”

Mara looks him up and down one more time before turning away. Without a word, she disappears into the mansion. If I ever see her again it will be too soon.