Valerie fought the urge to gag.
She’d been waiting for over an hour for Logan to return from giving his statement to the police officer outside, but she hadn’t been able to stand it any longer. As if staring at the red puddle on the floor hadn’t been bad enough, dragging a wet mop through it and smearing it around only made it a whole lot worse. But she couldn’t just sit there and do nothing. Not after a man nearly died in front of her.
Paul had bled profusely as they’d waited for the paramedics to arrive. Thankfully, when they got there, they’d managed to get him stabilized and transported him to the nearest hospital, where they said it was likely he would undergo emergency surgery to remove the glass from his side and repair the damage.
Since the fire marshal had cleared the place due to overcapacity, the bar had emptied out pretty fast. The police officers on the scene had briefly interviewed each of the staff members before allowing Logan to send them all home. All there was left to do was clean up the aftermath.
Demolished tables. Splintered chairs. Broken glass. All of which had been stained with Paul’s blood. Though he was a jackass, Valerie prayed that he would be okay. No one deserved to die for having a shitty personality. Even him.
Valerie shoved the mop around again in a circle on the crimson-stained floor and then lifted it into the bucket. Blood dripped from the cotton strands, staining the water. Her throat went dry, and her hands shook. God. What if it had been Logan who’d gotten injured?
She barely heard the sound of the bar door opening, but seconds later, Logan’s hands were taking the mop handle from her and guiding her toward a vinyl-covered stool at the bar. “I’ll take care of it. I don’t want you cleaning that up.”
“I’m fine,” she whispered, but her fingers wouldn’t stop trembling so she sat down.
His hands rubbed at her shoulders from behind. “Are you sure? I hated being outside so long but they wouldn’t let me come back in until they’d asked me the rest of their questions. I was worried about you though.”
“I…I’m fine.”
“You sure? Because it’s all right if you’re not. You just watched a man bleed out on the floor in front of you and almost die. It’s okay to not be okay.”
“No. Seriously. I—I’m fine.” But her voice cracked, damn it.
“Valerie. You just said you were fine three times in a row. You’re not fine.”
A tear rolled down her cheek, and she dashed it away. “I’m trying to be, okay?”
Logan kissed the top of her head. “I know you are. But you can lean on me. That’s what I’m here for. I’m sorry you had to witness all of that.”
“You don’t have to apologize. It wasn’t like it was your fault.”
“Well, I did punch him first. So yeah, it’s basically on me. Especially since I was the one who threw him onto the table with all the glasses and beer bottles.”
She turned around in her seat and gazed up at him. “No, you tried to put a stop to the fight when I asked you to. He came after you when you turned your back, and you were only protecting yourself.”
“No, I wasn’t. I was protecting you.” He shrugged. “But it doesn’t matter. I’m still the reason he’s in the hospital.”
“So the police think it’s your fault that he—”
“No.” He shook his head. “They didn’t think it would be a problem. There are too many witnesses who saw Paul grab you first, and they’ve already told the cops that I was defending you. Yes, I punched first, but it’s not like I purposely cut him with something. It was unfortunate that it ended the way it did.”
She glanced back over at the mess. “What about all the damage?”
“The bar has insurance that will take care of all of that, as well as Paul’s medical expenses.”
“I’m sorry you had to close down early on a Saturday night. That revenue would’ve been a big help toward helping to get your mom’s home out of foreclosure.”
“Yeah, I know. But I have almost all of the money I need. Even if we have fairly slow nights the rest of this week, I should still have enough to reinstate her mortgage by Friday. It’ll be fine.”
Valerie breathed a sigh of relief. She hated that his mom was going through such a hard time right now and hoped that everything worked out for her. Mrs. Mathis deserved to keep her home.
She stood and wrapped her arms around Logan’s neck. “I’m so glad to hear that. I know it means a lot to you that you can help her.”
“Well, it’s about time I did something right in my life. I damn sure haven’t done right by you.”
Her brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“Look, I’m trying my damndest not to be anything like my dad. I know I don’t deserve you, but I’m too much of a selfish bastard to let you go…just like him.”
“I don’t get why you keep saying that. Especially when it’s not true.”
Logan rolled his eyes. “It’s true, Valerie. You do deserve someone better than me.”
“Okay, then answer this question for me,” she told him. “What is it that you deserve?”
Her question must’ve disarmed him because he blinked rapidly. “I…don’t know.”
“Then maybe I’m exactly what you deserve.”
His fingers threaded into her hair, and he pulled her gently toward him. “You don’t know how much I wish that were true.”
“I know it’s true. And if you can’t believe that, then I’ll believe it enough for the both of us.”
The moment he traced his mouth over hers, warmth spread in her chest. Her hands traveled up his back, clutching him to her and feeling the muscles tighten beneath her fingertips. This was what she needed. To forget this horrible night and move on. And he had the power to do that for her. “I need you,” she whispered between kisses.
He breathed out. “I know, baby. I want you too. We can go back to my place and—”
“No. Right now.” She pulled back, her eyes meeting his. “I need you inside me, taking me, making me forget…everything.”
“Here?”
She nodded. “Here.”
Logan backed her against the bar and trapped her between his biceps. “You don’t know how many times I thought about sitting you on top of this bar, spreading those legs, and having my way with you.”
“Then show me what you want.”
He bent his head and slid his tongue over her bottom lip. His large hand started at her knee and moved higher and higher until it was on her upper thigh and just about to strike gold. But a sound came from behind them and they broke apart, both of them spinning toward the door.
“What the hell do you think you’re—” Brett stood there motionless, staring at them until realization dawned and rage surfaced in his eyes. “Oh my God. You’re fucking my sister?”
* * *
Logan slid his arm around Valerie and eased her out of the line of fire. If someone was going to get hit again tonight, it damn sure wasn’t going to be her. Even by accident. “Stay out of this, okay?”
“No.” She started to move toward her brother.
Logan clasped his hands around her waist and set her back behind him again. “I’m not kidding. If he comes at me, I don’t want you to be in the way. Just stay here and let me handle it. Promise me.”
“Logan.”
“It’ll be fine. I just want you safe.”
When she sighed and crossed her arms, indicating that she was reluctantly agreeing to stay there, Logan spun around to face Brett like a man. He rubbed one hand over his face and approached him slowly. “Look, I can explain—”
The two-handed shove came out of nowhere. Well, actually it came from Brett. But either way, Logan hadn’t expected it and wobbled back, a little off-center. He thought for sure he’d be able to get at least a sentence out before the violence started.
“Just listen to me for a sec—”
A sharp right jab caught Logan in the nose, stunning him. He winced at the pain, and his eyes watered instantly. He wiped at his nostrils and checked his hand for a sign of blood. There was a little, but nothing worth crying over. “Fine. Damn it. I deserved that one.”
“Oh, you deserve a hell of a lot more where that came from,” her brother sneered, rolling up his sleeves.
Logan shook his head. “I’m not going to fight you, Brett.”
“Then you’re going to stand there and get your ass kicked. Either way works just fine for me.”
Logan sighed. “Damn it. We were going to tell you.”
Brett threw another punch but it only grazed Logan’s jaw since he dodged to the side to keep it from connecting with his face. That only seemed to piss Valerie’s brother off more. “Stay still, you little punk.”
“This is stupid. Would you just stop and listen?”
“No.” Brett threw another punch.
Unfortunately, Logan couldn’t get out of the way fast enough. He took the full brunt of that forceful blow in his face and stumbled back. White-hot pain lashed through his cheek, making his entire face hurt. He shook his head to clear his vision. “Goddamn it. Knock it off already.”
“Make me.”
Logan groaned. Again? Seriously? First Max, then Paul, and now Brett. Why the hell were all these grown-ass men still using the make me line? They weren’t kids, for Christ’s sakes. “Brett, stop and listen. This wasn’t just some fling…for either of us. You know I wouldn’t take advantage of your sister like that.”
“Yet you still did,” he said, coming toward Logan again.
“It wasn’t like that. I wasn’t using her for sex, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
Brett paused. “So then you were only sleeping with her because you needed a fucking bartender? That’s even worse.”
Before Logan could even answer Brett’s question, the guy’s short fuse detonated again. He let out a fierce growl and lunged for Logan, knocking him back into the dance floor’s wooden banister before driving a hard fist into his stomach. The breath whooshed from Logan’s lungs, and he winced at the ache in his back. Christ. He was going to have one hell of a bruise tomorrow.
Brett had a short, compact body but he was lightning fast and could be as mean as a snake when he wanted to be. Most guys took one look at his bulky frame and got the hell out of the way. Apparently, they were the smart ones.
“Brett, stop it right now!” Valerie yelled, coming closer.
Logan shook his head and held up a hand to stop her forward motion. “No. Get back.”
Brett grasped on to the collar of Logan’s shirt and came nose-to-nose with him. “Don’t tell my sister what to do, asshole.”
“She’s my girlfriend. I’ll tell her whatever the hell I want.”
“Wanna bet?” Brett held him up against the dance floor banister and landed another hit.
A flash of pain exploded in Logan’s jaw as the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth, and his gut rolled with nausea. Sonofabitch, that hurt.
“No, stop it!” Valerie shouted, her voice straining. Ignoring Logan’s request for her to stay away, she ran over and grabbed Brett’s bicep, yanking as hard as she could. “That’s enough. This is stupid.”
Logan glared at her. “Damn it, Valerie. I told you to stay out of it. This is between me and your brother.”
“What the fuck did I just tell you? Don’t talk to my sister like that.”
Valerie pushed against her brother’s shoulder. “Leave him alone, Brett. He’s your friend. And he didn’t do anything wrong.”
He rolled his eyes. “Oh sure. Stick up for your lover boy.”
“I’m not. I just want you to stop being ridiculous before someone gets hurts.”
Logan groaned under his breath. If the tenderness in his face and the soreness in his body were any indication, it was a little too late for that suggestion.
Brett reared back to hit him again, but Valerie squeezed in between them. “Move,” he ordered.
“No. This is done. If you want to hit him, then you’re going to have to go through me.”
Logan couldn’t believe she was blocking him with her body. “Jesus Christ, Valerie. Just fucking move and let him hit me again.”
That comment had Brett blinking. “You really are a stupid bastard if you’re wanting me to hit you again.”
“I’m protecting her, you dick.”
Brett glanced around the room. “From who? There’s no one else here.”
“God, you’re an idiot. I’m trying to protect her from you.”
Brett shook his head furiously. “I’d never hurt my sister, jackass.” He hesitated for a moment, but then let go of Logan and stepped back. The anger twisting his features didn’t subside though. “This is over as of right now. Do you hear me? You’re done seeing Valerie.”
“I’m old enough to make my own decisions,” she told him. “That includes who I want to be with…and I want to be with Logan.”
“Damn it, Val. He’s not the right guy for you.”
She thrust her hands onto her hips. “Why? Because you say so? Who the hell made you God?”
“You don’t know the kind of shit he’s done in the past. He’s not the guy you think he is.”
“I do know. He’s told me what kind of trouble he’s gotten into over the years. And none of that matters to me. I need him, Brett. He’s the one for me.”
“You’re not thinking clearly.”
“I need her too,” Logan said.
Brett glared at Logan. “I’m not playing, man. From now on, you’re going to stay the hell away from my sister.”
“I can’t do that,” Logan said. “I’ve tried. For years I’ve tried. It’s no longer possible. I’m sorry.” Then Logan glanced at Valerie, who was standing there with tears clinging to her lashes. And he couldn’t end things on that note. “No. You know what? I’m not fucking sorry.” He looked his best friend square in the eyes and breathed out a hard breath. “I’m in love with her, Brett.”
“The fuck you are.”
“I am. I don’t give a shit if you believe it or not. But she needs to know how I feel.” He glanced at her. “I’m in love with you, baby.”
She sniffled and wiped at a lone tear trailing down her cheek. “Good. Because I love you too.”
Brett threw his hands in the air. “Well, that’s just fucking great,” he said, pacing in a circle. Then he stopped and glared at his sister. “You’re in love with a fucking coward. He didn’t even have the balls to tell me that he wanted you. He had to sneak behind my back to do it.”
Logan shifted his weight against the wooden banister. “It wasn’t like that. My relationship with Valerie has nothing to do with my friendship with you.”
“The hell it doesn’t. Did you really think we would still be friends after you stabbed me in the back like this? Don’t think so, buddy. You made your choice the moment you betrayed me. I hope the sex was worth it, asshole.”
Without looking back, Brett stormed out the door.
Fuck. They’d obviously handled all of this really badly, and Logan didn’t have a clue what to do. He gazed up at Valerie. “Are you okay?”
“Me? You’re the one who’s hurt.” She helped him over to the nearest chair and looked over his injuries. “Do you need to see a doctor?”
“No, I’m fine. Just a few bruises. I’ll live.” He glanced toward the door and then back to her. “I’m more worried about your brother. He’s upset and pissed off, which isn’t a good combination.”
Valerie’s lips trembled. “He’s just hurting right now. I’m sure after a few days of cooling off, this will all blow over, and he’ll come around.”
Logan rubbed his sore jaw and sighed. They both knew Brett well enough to know that this wasn’t going to blow over in a couple of days…and that he’d probably never calm down. There was only one thing Logan knew for certain right now and that was that he just lost his best friend. Forever.
“It doesn’t matter, Val. Even if he never forgives me, there’s at least one good thing that came out of him catching us together. Everything is now out in the open, and there won’t be any more lies.”