Trust (Temptation #3)(7)

He was about to ask if there was any flavor in particular, but Cole had already hung up. Yeah, this is going to be ugly.

Somehow, Cole had found out about his little—okay, not so little—secret, and Logan knew there was absolutely no way to avoid talking to him about it.

Unless leaving the country was an option.





* * *



Tate heard Logan through the closed door as he snapped at his brother. He didn’t envy Logan’s position in that moment. He knew how it felt to have been keeping something from those you loved, and when they found out—well, you better be ready for the fallout, whether it was good or bad.

In Logan’s particular case, Tate wasn’t sure how Cole would react. But judging by the cool reception they’d been subjected to for the majority of last night, he assumed that it wasn’t going to be an easy conversation.

He walked over to the sink and turned the hot water on, letting the basin fill for his morning shave as he stared at his reflection in the mirror. There, looking back at him, was someone he was finally beginning to understand again. But it was also someone who had a long way to go.

For so long, he’d lived his life for those around him. Always doing what was expected of him. From a marriage that had been a young, dumb reaction to lust to staying in it because he’d thought it was the right thing for those involved—something he would never do again. He was determined not to make those same mistakes, especially with Logan.

The fact of the matter was that Logan Mitchell was an influential figure in the city of Chicago. As one of the partners in a prestigious law firm, he was wealthy, respected, and smart as hell, and when Tate thought about the things he could offer in return, he was realistic enough to realize that it wasn’t a whole fucking lot. So when Logan had suggested he move into his condo with him… Yeah, I freaked the hell out.

After he shut the water off and drew the razor down his cheek, there was a knock on the door, and Logan pushed it open. Tate’s eyes found his in the mirror, and he straightened, surprised to see Logan fully dressed in his clothes from the night before.

“No, don’t stop,” Logan said, running his eyes over Tate in a way that suggested he liked what he saw. “I just came to tell you I have to head out. Cole is on the warpath, and if I’m not there soon, he just might send someone to hand-deliver me.”

Tate turned to face him and leaned his ass up against the sink, the razor still in his hand. “Okay,” he said, and then he asked, “Do you want me to come with you?”

Logan shook his head as he walked over to him. “No, it’s okay. This is my bed of lies, and I have to crawl out of it. I should have a long time ago.”

Logan stopped when he was directly in front of him. Then he reached a finger up to run it over the skin he’d just shaved.

“Nice and smooth,” Logan commented and lowered his eyes over Tate’s naked chest. “Just like the rest of you.” He brushed a kiss across Tate’s lips. “Keep this razor on your face, got it? If these curls go anywhere, I can’t promise my reaction will be kind.”

As Logan lifted his head, Tate smiled at the shaving cream that was now clinging to his chin. He swiped it free with his thumb and scoffed. “You’re so bossy.”

Logan’s lip quirked, and as he headed out the door, he called over his shoulder, “And?”

And, Tate thought as he turned back to the mirror with a huge fucking grin, I love it.





Chapter Three





Logan walked down the hall to Cole’s condo like a man heading toward his execution. Apparently, Chris had decided that the best way to screw with him would be to inform Cole of their…what? Past relationship? No, he certainly wouldn’t call it that.

It didn’t really matter, though, what he did or didn’t call it. Chris had lined the target up, aimed, and fired. He’d hit, too. Cole had been frosty for the rest of the evening after he’d informed him that his ex was a “chatty bastard.”

Logan had been dreading this day—the day Cole finally found out about his extra involvement with Chris. And the worst part of it was that he still wasn’t exactly sure how much he knew.

So there he was, a bag of donuts in hand and a grimace across his face. Deciding that it was better to just get it the hell over with, Logan knocked and waited to see how this would unfold.

When the door opened, he expected to see Cole’s fulminating scowl. What he got was a wide-eyed Rachel. She didn’t bother saying a word as she reached for the white paper bag he held and opened it to take a deep inhale of the yeasty, sugary goodness.

“Oh. My. God. This is exactly what I wanted,” she moaned.