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  “You were just a kid too, Hannah.” Logan felt compelled to move his chair a bit closer, and he placed his hand on hers. “I know he probably said a lot of things at the end, but he loved you.”

  “Thanks.” She wiped her eyes. “I won’t keep you. But please, if you hear anything, please let me know. And look, I know Bay is your friend, but be careful. Tad had been clean for two years when Bay came back into his life, and the next thing I know, he’s wrapped up tight in this mess. And the fucker didn’t even show up here to pay his last respects. What kind of asshole does that?”

  “Well, I will agree with you there, Hannah,” Finn said. “Bay can be an asshole at times.” He pushed back his chair and got to his feet. “If I hear anything, I’ll let you know. And Logan, I’ll come by and talk to you about that work.”

  “Sounds good, man. Thanks so much.” Logan shook his hand, and Finn gave a final nod to Hannah before walking away.

  “I hope I didn’t offend him over Bay,” she said.

  “He’s no closer to Bay than I am, and I’m not offended. You have a point, and much of what you’re saying makes sense, but I don’t think Bay killed Tad. He usually likes to keep his nose clean.” He didn’t want to go into it too much, but he knew she was on a dangerous path.

  “I hate to keep you, but I appreciate you talking to me. I feel so alone in the world right now. Some of the nurses at work have stopped talking to me because of the whole pedophile thing. It doesn’t matter that my brother was a victim. They see him as a killer and a pervert. I feel like that stigma is going to follow me for the rest of my life, and I don’t have anyone to talk to about it.”

  He felt so sorry for her and hated that she was so wrapped up in it all. He stroked her hand with his thumb. “You can talk to me, Hannah. As a matter of fact, I insist you call me if you’re ever in need of anything. Even if it’s just someone to listen, I’m here.”

  “Careful, you give me an inch, and I’ll take a mile.” She looked right into his eyes, and her smile was so sexy, even without trying, that he felt his pulse quicken wondering what it would be like to kiss her.

  He’d only been with women over forty-five for as long as he could remember, and his new infatuation with Hannah surprised him. “Seriously, anytime. I’m here for you.”

  They stood, and she quickly hugged him, her arms coming around him tightly, her breasts pressing against his chest, and her scent filling his nose. She smelled like heaven in springtime—whatever that meant—but he wanted to hold her close, and not because she smelled like his mother. Wasn’t the day full of surprises?

  4

  Logan

  The next day, after eating the last of his spicy donuts, Logan grabbed his coat and took the half empty box out to the car with him. He knew he was in the doghouse with Lidia and hoped she was in a better mood today.

  It was all he could do to peel himself away from Hannah the day before, but when they finally had said their goodbyes, he realized he was way late to check on Lidia. When he called to tell her he’d be late, she had told him not to come at all.

  He drove across town and into her gated community. The house her husband left her sat amongst the wealthy neighbors like a great, white mountain. He pulled into the circle driveway and left his car out front with hers as he went to the door and inserted his key.

  “Honey, I’m home.” He gave his usual announcement and walked through the house, expecting to find her in the kitchen or on the back patio.

  “Did you bring my money?” she asked.

  He turned as she came down the stairs. “Yes, in fact, I did, and there are some glazed donuts for you, too. They’re good.”

  She walked up with her long silk robe flowing out behind her, longer than her gown which stopped just at the knees and showed off her gorgeous legs. For a woman of fifty-eight, she looked about ten years younger, but on this particular morning, he could see the fine lines around her eyes which were accentuated by dark shadows below them.

  She grimaced. “Great, stale donuts. Just what I always wanted.”

  He held out the envelope with the check and offered his best apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, love. I really wanted to see you yesterday, but I got caught up with the guy’s family at the funeral, and I couldn’t rush off. It’s what most everyone else did, and besides, his sister was really upset.”

  Her eyes narrowed as she snatched the envelope from him and held his gaze with a hard look. “His sister? And how old is this sister of his?”

  He shrugged. “She’s a couple of years older than him. Nice girl.”

  “Is she beautiful?”

  “You saw Tad. Do you really think there’s an ugly gene in that family?” He wasn’t going to lie to her, especially on the off-chance that she saw the woman and accused him of lying. “Why do her looks matter? Or her age, when you know that’s not my type?” He walked over and put his arms around her, reaching up and stroking her long, blond hair. “I missed my sexy lady.” He planted a kiss on her lips, but she pulled away.

  She walked over to the sofa and sat, her robe fanning out around her and taking up half of the space on each side of her. She pulled the check out of the envelope, took a pen from the dish on the coffee table, and signed her name. “Will you deposit this in my account?”

  His heart sank. She wasn’t going to give him a dime. “All of it?”

  “Why, did you need something? Because if you need something, I’ll buy it.” She got this way from time to time, when on most occasions, she couldn’t hand him enough money. This was her way of controlling where he spent his money and another way to keep tabs on him.

  “It’s just nice to have some cash on hand. You know, when things come up.”

  She pulled her lips in tight and then forced a smile. “What could possibly come up? You have the credit card I pay for, don’t you?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “But what?” She gave him a pointed look, and he had no good response.

  He waved his hand dismissively. “It’s fine. I’m meeting with a friend soon about a job anyway.”

  “Oh? And what kind of job would that be?” She laughed and looked down her nose at him. “An art project?”

  “It’s for a friend who works in Hollywood. He’s looking to commission some art for a new production.” Logan was really excited about the opportunity. He hoped he would be able to make enough to be independent for a while, especially if she was going to continue to act this way.

  She turned and gave a pouty look. “Sounds like you’ll be busy.”

  “I’m never too busy for you, sweetheart. You know that.” He moved her robe and sat down next to her. “Didn’t you miss me last night? Just a little bit?” He moved in for a kiss.

  She turned her head. “Did you hear that? I think someone’s here.” She got up and headed for the window as Logan got to his feet. Peeking out, she cursed.

  “Who is it?”

  “You’ll have to go upstairs for a while. It’s my son Roland.” She shooed Logan away, and he gave her a quick kiss.

  “I’ll be upstairs, waiting in your bed.”

  She gave him a sly smile and swatted his backside before she hurried to the front door.

  He was halfway up to her room when he heard the door open in the front entry and Roland’s voice sounded out. “Is that Logan’s car?”

  Logan let the voices fade into the distance, knowing Lidia would defend him to her only son, who hated his guts. Roland still hadn’t accepted that his mother had a thing for men younger than him, and he had accused Logan of being a gold digger on more than one occasion.

  The truth was, he was with Lidia long before he knew for sure she had any money. They’d met at a party and hooked up in cheap motels for months before she let him know just how wealthy she was. It was just a lucky break for him that she was looking for a man to spoil.

  He’d fallen for her quickly, and she was obsessed with the way he worshiped her breasts during sex. Having had a short battle with breast cancer,
which she’d survived by having a lumpectomy and a round of chemo, she wanted someone who would pay special attention to her breasts, which had been so important to her that she wouldn’t allow a complete mastectomy. She had a couple of tiny scars, but that was it, and her breasts were still magnificent.

  Her husband had always appreciated them and told her they were his favorite. So, three years after his death, when she thought she might lose them, she insisted on keeping them if at all possible.

  Logan was all about it and had a fetish for big breasts, so the two were a match made in heaven.

  He thought of Hannah’s rack and how perfect her body was, but before he got too lost in thought, his phone buzzed. He looked down to find a text message from his mother and dropped the phone like it was on fire.

  The last thing he needed was another naggy, old woman in his life. He and his mother had once been close, but when she’d started dating again, that was all over. Logan remembered the first man she’d brought home and how he’d humiliated him.

  His name was Hank, and he’d called Logan a mama’s boy and told her she needed to toughen him up. “It’s time to cut those apron strings, Nina. He’s such a little mama’s boy that I bet he’d still suck a tit if you let him.”

  Logan’s mother had laughed at Hank and then pointed out that Logan had indeed breastfed until he was six. She, of course, defended the action, saying it was healthy for him, but Hank had a field day with it and never let him live it down.

  Things changed then, especially when he walked in and caught the man fucking his mom against the kitchen table. Not only did Hank go to him later and explain that he was the man of the house, but his mother got onto him for walking into the kitchen for a snack, like it was all his fault for seeing her that way. She’d stopped letting him sleep in the bed with her, and Hank moved in permanently.

  He decided to look at the text, but it was just a picture of his mother on the beach with her latest boyfriend and a quick message: It’s beautiful in the Bahamas. His jaw clenched so tightly he thought he might crack a tooth.

  Lidia waltzed into the bedroom. “Sorry about that, baby. I forgot he said he was coming by.” She walked over and laid on the bed next to him. “What’s the matter?”

  He looked at her; her blond hair was just like his mother’s. “I just missed you.”

  “Who was that on the phone?”

  “Oh, here, take a look.” He had always been open with her about his issues with his mother, and she had been most understanding.

  “Wow, she looks happy. How nice of her to send you a photo.” She undid her top, and her breasts spilled out, bouncing in front of him like a temptation.

  He took one in his hand and slowly leaned in to take the nipple between his lips. He kneaded her flesh with his fingers as he pressed his body against hers. He closed his eyes, grinding his hard cock into her stroking hand.

  She undid his pants and took out his cock, caressing his hot flesh. Logan slipped his hand between her legs and found her wet and ready. Then, he pushed her gown up over her waist and moved on top of her, nestling his cock between her legs. He pushed himself into her slick channel hard and fast and closed his eyes, thinking of all the times his mother had humiliated him in front of one her boyfriends. As the memories played through his head, he thrust harder, punishing Lidia’s pussy until he came hard inside of her.

  Lidia stroked his hair. “Such a filthy, greedy, little boy, coming so quickly like that. Now, get down there, clean up that mess, and give me my pleasure.”

  He pulled his mouth from her nipple and brought it down between her legs. It was exactly what he needed to hear. No one understood his needs like Lidia.

  5

  Darek

  Darek followed Bay into the boardroom where Megan and her lawyer waited for their meeting to begin. He couldn’t believe he was going to have to sit across from her for the next hour, although he was pleasantly surprised that she hadn’t brought her father.

  Her attorney nodded at them as they walked in. “Good morning, gentleman. I’m Henry Morris. It’s nice to finally meet you, Darek. And Bay, a pleasure as always.”

  Darek shook the man’s hand as did Bay, but Bay held it a little longer and met the other attorney’s eyes dead on. “Morris, I remember you from Judge Howell’s Christmas party.”

  The man’s eyes widened, and Darek wondered what Bay had on the man. Had he gotten drunk and left with someone other than his wife? Had he exposed himself and stuck a Roman candle up his ass? Whatever it was, the man tugged at his collar and pulled his hand away.

  “Let’s have a seat, shall we?” Morris took his chair next to Megan and opened his briefcase. “My client has a list of property which she’s entitled to, including the house, which I am aware is your biggest issue. She’s willing to settle with you for this amount.” He scribbled onto a legal pad and turned it around. “We think it’s a fair settlement, considering the value of the home.”

  Darek scowled. “A home which I bought long before I married her,”

  Bay held up a hand. “Easy, Darek. I asked you to let me do the talking for you.”

  Darek turned to look at Bay as if he couldn’t believe the man wasn’t going to stand up for him when the evidence of his rights was so clear.

  Bay smiled like a snake and looked her lawyer right in the eyes. “We aren’t bargaining on the house. I’m afraid that this is one time in life, Ms. Howard will not be getting her way.”

  Megan wasn’t about to sit quietly. “That house is mine, and while you two lawyers are busy with your little pissing match, let me just tell you, Mr. Collins. You might be The Slayer in the courtroom, but I’m not impressed, and I’m not scared of you.”

  Bay turned his eyes to hers. “There will be no house for you, princess. Not a shingle, not a nail, or so much as a scrap of lumber. You can hand it over now and agree to our terms, or you can both be humiliated in the courtroom. Either way, I don’t lose.”

  Megan clapped. “Very impressive, but this princess happens to have a trophy case full of crowns because guess what? I don’t lose either.” She stormed out of the conference room, and her lawyer was left looking like someone had just pointed a loaded gun at his head.

  “I’m terribly sorry for that. She’s been a bit emotional.” He gathered his things, and Bay eased back his chair to stand.

  “So, how is Mrs. Morris these days?” Bay asked. “I heard you welcomed baby number four to the world, like what, two months ago?”

  The man nodded. “Yes. A beautiful, healthy little girl. We’re very proud.”

  “I bet you are, Morris. I bet you are. Little girls are certainly something to be proud of.”

  The other attorney’s face tightened with barely restrained rage, but he said nothing. Bay motioned for Darek to come along. He got up and headed out behind him.

  “What was that shit?” Darek whispered heatedly. “Is this how you win your cases? By threatening people?” Darek raked his hand through his long hair. “I can’t believe you.”

  He knew in his gut he wasn’t getting that house. He might as well drive over, get on his knees, and kiss the fucking thing goodbye.

  “You need to learn to trust me, Darek.”

  They walked out into the sun, and Bay picked up his pace as they headed across the lot to his car. He unlocked the door, and Darek slid onto the pale leather, which was the same fucking color as Bay’s platinum hair. Bay slid into the driver’s seat beside him and slammed his door.

  “Why didn’t you fucking stop him?” Darek asked.

  Bay’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. “Who, Morris? Stop him from doing what? Shitting himself? Because I’m pretty sure he headed straight to the toilet to drop a fucking deuce.”

  Darek shook his head. “No, I’m talking about Tad.”

  “Oh. I should be asking you that, Darek. I clearly remember calling you to go check on him. And you did. You were in the fucking room with him. I can’t help it if you didn’t stop him. Tell me, what were his
last words?”

  Darek met his eyes directly. “He said, ‘tell Bay I said to fuck off.’”

  Bay grinned. “Funny. But seriously, is that what’s got you so shaken up?”

  “It’s not every day I see a friend jump from a fucking twelve-story window.” Darek turned and looked out the window beside him.

  “Oh, so you were friends now? Tell me, friend of Tad Halston, where were you when I pulled the little shit off his knees and out of the gutter? Did you call him to see if he was keeping his nose clean? Did you go out for lunch?”

  “It only takes kindness to another to be a friend,” Darek said. “We may not have kept in touch through the years, and I don’t even want to know how you found him on his knees in the first place, but we were friends. I cared if he lived or died, which is a fucking lot more than you. I tried to help him, but maybe you were the one who really could have.”

  “But I did help him, Darek. I mean, it’s all perspective, you know?”

  Darek felt his stomach turn. He looked at Bay, who seemed unfazed. “You’re sick.”

  Bay belted out a wicked laugh. “I’m the sanest one of us all, and that’s what scares you. You like a little insanity. Besides, I did help us all. I stopped the police from breathing down our necks. At least, for a while.”

  “Wrong. Hannah Halston isn’t letting Tad’s death go. She’s talking about fucking Camp Victory by name to anyone who will listen, and my partner is all ears.”

  “I’ll handle Hannah. Just leave it to me.”

  Cold chills shuddered down Darek’s spine. “You stay the fuck away from her, do you hear me?”

  Bay threw his head back and laughed. “Wow, you think I’m quite the villain.”