Logan: Chosen Champions Book One, page 8
“You can’t what right now?” Logan asked.
9
Logan
Even from across the yard, Logan couldn’t focus on anything other than Bailey. When he scented the sharpness of anger, the alpha in him had to fight back a snarl. He crossed the yard, only to hear Bailey say, “After all this is settled, ask me again. I can’t right now.”
“You can’t what right now?” Logan asked.
“Bails?” Ashley called from the porch. “Can you come here?”
Bailey glanced nervously at Logan before hurrying toward her. Once Bailey was with his friend, Logan turned his attention to the other wolf. He managed to hold back a growl, but only because the others approached. Randy’s partner was already giving Logan dirty looks. He really didn’t need the cop to hear him growl.
Randy and his partner separated Bailey’s friends, and they each took one aside to question. It left Will standing at the edge of the sidewalk with Logan while he waited for his turn.
“This is scary shit.”
Logan wasn’t great at comforting people. At all. Instead of trying, he nodded and crossed his arms over his chest, trying to listen in on the questions Detective Alfred was asking Bailey.
“Glaring isn’t going to help,” Will said. “It’s not like you can actually hear them. And they aren’t facing you, so you aren’t reading lips. So you’re glaring. Like a creep.”
Of course, Will didn’t know Logan actually could hear every question the detective asked. Not that anything new had come up in the discussion. “Glaring always helps.”
Will’s mouth fell open in surprise. Then he laughed, one loud sharp one before he covered his mouth in horror. “You look like that and you’re funny? Bailey’s doomed.”
“I look like what?”
Will rolled his eyes. “Like a freaking superhero cop model or whatever. Come on. Hollywood would eat you up.”
“Uh-huh. Are you done trying to distract me now?”
The guilty expression proved Logan’s hunch correct. Bailey’s friends were very protective of him, and it hadn’t taken much for Logan to realize they weren’t happy with Bailey’s interest in Logan.
“Look, Bailey is special to us. He’s kind of an idiot about it, but we love him anyway. And the way he looks at you… well, we’re concerned.”
“We?” Logan asked, even though he already knew the answer.
“Me, Joey, and Heather.”
Logan glanced over at Bailey’s friends, who were still in the process of being questioned. “Mostly Heather,” Logan guessed.
“Mostly Heather,” Will conceded. “But he’s not the kind of guy who—”
“He’s heading this way,” Logan said quickly.
Will snapped his mouth shut and turned to smile at Bailey. It quickly fell when he saw the expression on Bailey’s face. He looked crushed, and glancing toward the porch, so did Ashley.
Without hesitating, Will rushed toward Bailey and tugged him into a hug. It almost pulled another growl from Logan, but Bailey looked at him over Will’s shoulders, his eyes begging for Logan’s help. He wanted Logan to catch the person who’d hurt Ashley and Rebecca, the other victim from the previous night’s attack.
“My peeps,” Bailey said, his voice strained, “we need to go to Ashley.”
Without another word, the group of friends went onto the porch and gathered Ashley in a group hug. Detective Alfred walked down to Logan, his face pinched.
“It never gets easier.”
“The day it gets easier to deal with victims is the day you turn in your badge,” Logan said.
“I thought I was almost done with all this,” James confessed softly. “I could have gone back to the fae realm and resumed my role as one of the queen’s warriors.”
Logan couldn’t begin to understand what it would be like to be stuck in a different realm. He’d never left the human one, and quite frankly, never planned on it. Others of their kind were more into that kind of thing. Packs tended to be separate from other creatures and lived more insulated lives. Until he’d begun working with the oracle, Logan hadn’t really interacted in a significant way with any shifters other than wolves.
Of course, all of that had changed over the last few months. The oracle hadn’t seen Logan’s lack of experience as an obstacle. Although they hadn’t said as much, Logan got the impression he’d been selected to lead the oracle’s team because he didn’t have a lot of preconceived notions about others of their kind.
Dragons, griffins, vampires, fae… he couldn’t care less. The oracle had let him draw his own conclusions, and it had served the team well. He went with his instincts, and not on ideas of what anyone should be.
“What’s next?” Logan asked.
James pasted his neutral mask back on his face and nodded grimly. “Now I compile witness statements and see if I can find this fucker before it hurts someone else.”
“You’ll let me know if we can help?”
James gave him a look.
“Listen, you and I both know this thing isn’t going to play by human rules. You may need an other-than-human response for it.”
“Understood. I’ll let you know if it comes to that.”
Logan nodded. “You’ve got my number.”
After James and the other cops left, Bailey, Joey, and Will came down off the porch, leaving Ashley and Heather standing there together. “They’re closing the sorority house to anyone who isn’t one of the sisters,” Bailey explained. “They’re letting Heather stay with Ashley, though, under the circumstances.”
“Good. Does Heather need any of her stuff?”
“We’re going to pack a bag for her,” Will said. “Well, Bailey’s going to. We’ll stand there and look stupid while trying to be helpful.”
Bailey gave him another of those pleading, fix-this looks. Logan’s wolf wanted to howl at the sadness he could see in the expression. He found himself wanting to fix everything, to see that smiling, laughing face that had caught his eye the night before at the bar.
“You two handle it. I need Bailey’s help. You guys stick together, understood?”
“Whoa, Daddy,” Joey said with a grin. “Boss me around some more.”
Logan would have responded, but Bailey elbowed his friend in the ribs.
“Cut it out. This is serious, Joey. We don’t know who this person is, but we know what they’re capable of. We buddy up until this is over.”
“What about you, Bails? You live by yourself.”
“He won’t be alone,” Logan said.
Bailey shot him a startled look.
“Bailey and I are going to go through the security footage from the bar. I want you two available in case Heather and Ashley need anything.”
Will frowned. “Bails?”
“He’s right. Call some of the guys we know from theater, and maybe some of the frat guys you know. See if we can put together something on-campus to take care of each other until we find this asshole.”
“Okay, if you’re sure. But you know you can crash with us.”
Bailey nodded. “I know, but I want to help find who did this.”
After Will and Joey left, Bailey stood at the end of the sidewalk with Logan. Logan wanted nothing more than to pull him close, to hold him and make sure he knew that both Logan and his wolf would make sure he was safe.
“You don’t have to do this, you know,” Bailey said softly. “I’m fine.”
“I know. I do want you to go through the footage with me, though. But first, we need food. I’m starving.”
Bailey chewed his lip for a moment, but his gaze never left Logan’s. “Okay. Should I drive?”
“No, you don’t seem like you’re in the right headspace to be behind the wheel. I’ll have Aleron take your car back to your place. We can go in mine.”
The griffin appeared at his side and smiled at Bailey. “Happy to help.”
“You’re right.” Bailey sighed and handed over his keys. “I’m not in any shape to drive. I need to get my bag, though.”
Logan walked Bailey to the car, then waited while he grabbed his backpack. He ignored Aleron’s knowing look and then led Bailey to their SUV instead. He half expected some sort of awkward, stilted conversation in the car, but Bailey was obviously shaken by the events of the morning. He leaned against the window, staring at the passing landscape without saying a word.
The problem was, Logan could hear his heartbeat… and as calm as Bailey appeared on the outside, his heart raced in his chest. Without thinking, Logan reached over and took Bailey’s hand. “It’s going to be okay.”
Bailey stared down at their hands in confusion for a moment before he turned to Logan. His cheeks brightened with the slightest blush before he looked away. He didn’t let go of Logan’s hand, though.
“Are you sure about that?” Bailey mumbled.
“Yeah, I am. Because we’re going to catch the asshole who did this.”
Logan pulled into the parking lot of one of his favorite little bistros. He had a thing for soup, and this place had daily specials that never ceased to amaze him. It might be hot as blazes outside, but it was never too hot for a nice big bowl of soup.
“I’ve never been here. Is it good?”
Like Logan would take him someplace that wasn’t? “It’s really good.”
Bailey smiled, and although it wasn’t as bright as the one Logan had seen the night before, it sent a pleasant hum of satisfaction coursing through him. Logan shook his head as they climbed from the SUV, wondering what the hell had gotten into him. He was acting like a lovesick puppy, and he didn’t like it.
And yet…
All he wanted was to curl up with Bailey, feed him and cuddle him, and yeah, do some more filthy things too. Some really, really amazing dirty feel-good things that would have Bailey passed out in Logan’s bed with a smile on his face and come dripping out of his ass.
“Logan? You coming?”
Logan had to clear his throat so he could answer. Instead of risking it, he nodded and held the door open. Inside, he breathed in the amazing scents from the soups of the day. Ahh, French onion. His absolute favorite.
Bailey breathed in the aromas of the bistro as well and let out a very pleased sigh. “This place smells incredible.”
“Told ya so.”
Bailey looked up at him in surprise, then laughed. “You’re such a brat.”
No, Logan really wasn’t, but he wanted more than anything to see that smile back on Bailey’s face. What the hell had happened to him? Was he an alpha or a lovesick fool? Logan needed to get his shit together. He needed therapy. Or perhaps a good fuck. Maybe that’s what this was. He needed to get laid.
His wolf snarled inside him, protesting the direction of Logan’s thoughts. Whatever this was with Bailey, this powerful attraction that had him wanting—Logan pulled in a breath as they followed a server to a table in front of the windows—pack, would wane. He inhaled the heavenly scents of soups and bread… and Bailey.
Bailey sank into a chair and smiled at the server who handed him the printed paper with the day’s specials. Logan sat as well, then forced his attention to his copy of the menu.
“Soup,” Bailey mumbled. Logan glanced up, worried he’d misjudged, but Bailey looked up at him with wide eyes. “Soup.”
“I highly recommend the French onion. But the chicken tortilla is also amazing. Especially with a grilled cheese.”
“They make grilled cheese?”
“They do.”
“You’re a genius.”
Logan laughed. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
“Soup is the best comfort food. Fight me.”
“That wouldn’t really be a fair fight, though, would it?”
Bailey sniffed. “I’m scrappy. I could take ya.”
“Yeah,” Logan replied. “Yeah, you could.”
Bailey swallowed, opened his mouth, then closed it again. “You’re… Are you actually flirting with me, or am I imagining things? Because, Logan, it’s been a really crappy day. Days? Last day. Whatever. I can’t think because you’ve got this twinkle in your eye, and then you licked your lips and my brain sort of imploded.”
Logan reached across the table and ran his thumb over Bailey’s bottom lip. “I’m a terrible flirt.”
“Good God, if this is you being terrible, I’m in big trouble.” Then Bailey nipped at Logan’s finger before pushing his hand away. “Now behave. I have to pick soup. This is a major life decision. I need to concentrate.”
Logan leaned back in his chair and smiled as the waiter dropped off glasses of iced water for them. Bailey didn’t even notice. He had his lip between his teeth again as he studied the menu.
“Do you need a few more minutes?”
Bailey looked up and shook his head. “No. But here’s the thing. I need to have a magical moment with a bowl of soup. Which one will give me that?”
“Any of them. And I’m not just saying that. But I’m a huge fan of the white chicken chili, and we have a chicken panini that pairs perfectly with it.”
“Sold,” Bailey said.
“You want the usual, Logan?”
He nodded, and the waiter left them.
“The usual? You come here so much you have a usual?”
“I can’t cook, but I like to eat. Ergo…”
Bailey shook his head. “It always makes me batty when people say they can’t cook. I just don’t get it. How do you afford to eat out every meal? I mean, that was rude… but you know what I mean!”
“I never learned. In the military, we had our meals prepared, and when I got out and started working, I was always too busy. These days, I never know when I’m going to get called to a job, so it makes it hard to plan.”
“Okay, now that’s a halfway decent excuse.”
“I’m good at other things,” Logan said.
Bailey grunted. “I just bet you are.”
“What? I’m trained in agility, hand-to-hand combat, marksmanship, surveillance, hostage negotiation, and recon. I’m good enough to have my own team that I train to handle difficult situations.”
Bailey narrowed his eyes. “So you aren’t actually a cop.”
Logan shook his head. “And I’ve said too much.”
“No, you haven’t said enough. What were you and your team doing at the bar last night, Logan? If you aren’t cops, why were you there, and who exactly are you?”
10
Bailey
Bailey wasn’t necessarily surprised by Logan’s list of skills, but apparently, based on the stunned expression on Logan’s face, he hadn’t been expecting Bailey’s question.
“Well?”
Logan leaned back in his chair, and his expression blanked. Bailey had been around enough actors in the past few years to recognize that whatever line he was about to be fed was full of crap.
“You know, I’ve lost my appetite. I’ll call the detective and go through the videos with him.” Bailey grabbed his bag and pushed away from the table.
“Bailey, wait.”
“Why should I? One of my best friends was attacked last night, Logan. She could be the one lying in the hospital. Rebecca was raped. You knew that, right? So you can be cute and flirty all you want, and I can think you’re hot all day long. But you can’t lie to me about who you are and why you were there.”
Logan reached out and took Bailey’s wrist in his hand. It was a loose grip, fortunately, because Bailey had no problems swinging his pack around and whacking Logan upside the head with it. Everyone always claimed it felt like he carried around a load of bricks anyway.
“I won’t lie.”
“But you won’t tell me the whole truth either.” Bailey stared down at him, ignoring the way the light glinted in Logan’s deep brown eyes.
“I can’t, but I won’t lie to you, Bailey. I promise you that. I was there to help. I am here to help. That’s the truth. I want to stop this person. I will stop them.”
Their waiter paused a few feet away with a tray of food and cleared his throat. “Everything okay?”
Bailey nodded and sat down again. He tucked his bag between his legs as the server placed their food on the table in front of them.
Logan didn’t make a move to eat, even after they were alone again. “You read people well,” Logan said after a long, uncomfortable silence.
Bailey thought back to the previous night, when his friends had basically informed him that they were actually his friends. He didn’t read people anywhere near as well as Logan thought. Which meant he probably shouldn’t trust Logan. He didn’t know this guy at all. He gave his soup a stir, mixing the cheese into the rest of the creamy chicken-and-bean-filled mixture.
“Bailey?”
He looked up. Logan still hadn’t leaned forward and hadn’t made a move to touch his food.
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
Logan grinned, but it had a sadness to it that Bailey couldn’t quite place. “For making you uncomfortable and for not stopping this jackass last night before someone got hurt.”
Bailey turned his attention back to the soup. “It’s not that I don’t think you’re hot,” Bailey said. “I’m confused at the moment. It’s not the right time to flirt with the super-hot guy I just met, you know? I feel guilty about that, and guilty that Ashley almost got hurt, and guilty that Rebecca did get hurt.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Bailey scoffed. “The logical side of me knows that. The rest of me feels like a giant piece of crap for even thinking about anything other than keeping my friends safe from this predator until they’re caught. But I know that isn’t going to help anything either, and I’m just going to end up a worried mess.”
“Then why don’t we enjoy our lunch and not think about it for a while. I’ll do my best not to flirt.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m irresistible. All the boys say so.”
Logan made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a growl. The light from the window turned his eyes blue again for a moment. Bailey wondered how exhausted he must be to keep imagining such a fanciful thing.
