Billionaire Bodyguard 1 : Billionaire Bodyguard(11)

A brooding light flickered in Rick's eyes. "You wanted proof. I have it."

Warning prickled over Logan's scalp. "Concerning … "

"Who else?" Rick scoffed.

Logan braced himself. "What about her?"

"Not here." Rick shook his head, his expression almost gloating. Like a gambler with an ace up his sleeve. "Get her to leave. Then we'll talk."

"Can't do that. She came with me."

Rick mumbled something about the biggest idiot on the planet. If Rick thought he could he could force Logan's hand, he had another thing coming.

"Can't you act like normal people, and leave work at the office?"

Rick shot back, "Hey, I'm just following your lead."

Zing . That bullet grazed its mark. Lately, Logan hadn't been true to his own vow to separate work from pleasure. The thing that had ended his military career. But when it came to verbal warfare, he had his own arsenal and history with his brother-in-arms. "What's the matter, Rick? Bitter everyone else is having fun and getting laid except you?"

"If your idea of fun is getting screwed over , I'm all for Camp Celibacy."

"How morally superior."

Hostility sizzled in the air. "You know, 'shallow' doesn't wear well on you-like it used to."

"You win. 'Power trip' looks better than ever on you."

"I'd rather look good in that than 'horny stupidity' any day."

"I want her. I admit it. Happy?"

"Not until that woman is history."

Logan dug into the trenches. "Allison is the reason we're straddling the billion-dollar mark. I went against your judgment and hired her. She translated our system into six languages. We have the global advantage over every other system. She's to thank."

"And thanks to her it's like you're one step away from leaping out of a plane without a parachute."

"Jealous?"

Rick revealed a dimly amused grin. "A little."

"Let it go."

"Can't."

"Then for God's sake, shut up."

"Can't do that either. I have as much at stake in this company as you. I'm the dude waving the glow wands on the runway, as you're trying to land in the dark."

No getting around that analogy. "Thanks for the pep talk, Captain Invincible."

"Now you're just flattering me." Rick's expression fluctuated between amused, frustrated and pitying. Typical married guy, four kids, retired from the military-and worth hearing out, as he harped on his usual cautionary tale. They used to goad each other like this all the time. Their friendly hostility reminded him of old times. He had to admit, if Rick's attack wasn't founded on truth he wouldn't be fighting so hard.




 



Rick said low, "She's not Stephanie."

Logan's fists clenched. "You think I need someone to tell me that?"

Despite the antagonistic words, images flashed in his mind of his sister Stephanie's outcome. She'd been horrifically brutalized. Logan had taken time off base, his first year in the military, to answer his sister's frantic call for help. It wasn't Stephanie, whose asshole quarterback high school boyfriend beat her up. It was Sarah, their youngest sister, who'd called him sobbing, begging for his help. Steph had been too damn proud to ask for help or speak out against the abusive bastard who kept her trapped.

"My sister has nothing to do with this," Logan said, his voice allowing no secondary questions.

Logan needed tonight to make a lasting impression, like Allison had made on him. Even though she seemed to have forgotten, or ignored, how great their chemistry was. The way his touch compelled her surrender, how his mouth had made her cry out his name. How her touch reduced him to a madman who'd defy any risk to claim her. He wanted to remind her that what they'd shared, one night, they'd have again. If only she'd let down her guard.

He wasn't backing down. "Bring me that dose of reality tomorrow," he told Rick. "Tonight, I want what's mine."

"Sure she's worth it?"

Remembering the way Allison tasted on his tongue, Logan shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I want her anyway."

Rick's eyebrows rose. "I'm not changing my mind."

"Neither am I."

"We'll see about that tomorrow."

"So you say."

"Remember something, Stone. After the military you decided to go into the security business, and I was with you every step. From the back of a warehouse in the ghetto, to owning half a city block, we've built a fine company with an unmatched reputation. We made this a success." Rick's jaw tightened. "I won't watch you waste that over a woman."

Logan's eyes slitted. "You think I'd sacrifice Stone Security to repeat the past?"

Rick's silence said everything.