“I saw them. The photo beside your bed?”
“My mom.” The idea of Kutcher tracking her through a picture of the woman she loved most in the world made her feel sick. “I brought it.”
“I need two things, and you’re not going to like either.”
He sounded like her mother’s oncologist the day he told her and her mother that her mother had cancer. She clutched his arm, needing his strength once again.
“I need your permission to go into your apartment and check out those things, and I need your permission to take your picture.”
“Yes, you can go into my apartment. My keys are in my purse—but take my picture?”
He gave a single curt nod with a stone face.
If he was right about Kutcher, then she owed him a hell of a lot more than a picture.
“Fine. Why?”
He took out his cell phone before she could change her mind and snapped a picture. “Because if you won’t tell me who you are, I need to figure it out myself.”
“Is there anything you can’t figure out?”
“Let’s hope not.” His brows knitted together. “Stormy, if there’s anything else you can tell me that might help keep him in jail, please tell me.”
“He was a big coke dealer, but I don’t know much about how he did it except that he had other guys working for him and he sold to really wealthy clients.” Revealing the secret that had nearly gotten her killed made her feel lighter, like she’d been carrying around a bowling ball on her chest for the past few months and she could finally take a deep breath.
He cupped her cheek. “Thank you for trusting me.”
She did trust him. Completely. And as good as that felt, it also scared her, because even though she knew he wasn’t anything like Kutcher, once upon a time she’d trusted Kutcher, too.
He pulled the door open. “Shall we?”
“What are you going to do, sit and babysit me all day?”
“No.” He waved to Dylan behind the bar.
Dylan smiled. “Logan.” He shook his head, like he should have known Logan would show up with her. “How’re you doing, Stormy?”
“Fine.” She saw the look of approval Dylan gave Logan.
Was this all a big joke? They’d probably placed bets on whether he’d get laid last night. Dylan hadn’t struck her as that type of guy, and unless her judgment was way off base, Logan was anything but that kind of guy. If he were just out to get laid, he would have taken off last night and never shown his face again. Instead, he was going to try to help her with Kutcher. Not that she thought anyone could do a damn thing where Kutcher was concerned, but she liked feeling as if she wasn’t in this alone.
She went into the office to clock in. She turned and Logan was right there.
“Hi, darlin’,” he said quietly.
“H-hi. I…um…have to get to work.” Why did he have to be so good-looking? So kind? So in control and confident? So damn big? She sighed inside, adding a great lover to the most ridiculous list of woes she’d ever made. A big, protective, good-looking, great lover who took the time to walk her to work and beat the snot out of some drunk guy who was harassing her. Even now, when she wasn’t in imminent danger, she felt safe with him. That was why he was there, wasn’t it? The big broody soldier helping the damsel in distress?
God, she hated that idea almost as much as she hated Kutcher for making her feel that way.
“I’ll be back to take you home after your shift.”
“Logan.” She gave him a deadpan stare, sort of hoping it might dissuade him and sort of hoping it wouldn’t.
“Stormy.” He smiled, and she noticed a scar at the edge of his jaw that she hadn’t noticed before.
Without thinking, she reached up and touched the bare spot in his stubble.
“How did you get that?” She remembered the pain she’d seen in his eyes last night when she’d felt like he was opening his soul by sharing his secrets.
He shrugged. “Don’t remember.” He brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them. “I paid a visit to that guy from last night. He shouldn’t bother you anymore.”
“You…How? When?” The guy from last night? But Logan was gone only a few hours. How could he possibly have tracked the guy down so fast? And why would he?
He touched her elbow. “The best kind of stalker, remember? Only I’m not a stalker at all.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek, then turned to leave.
“Where are you going?” She didn’t want him to go. Even the few steps away that he’d just taken made her feel vulnerable. She was being stupid. She had handled life before him. Certainly one night of amazing sex and a few sweet gestures couldn’t make her into a needy girl.
“To do important PI stuff.” He blew her a kiss and disappeared, leaving her feeling like she’d just met the Lone Ranger.
Chapter Seven