Blow

I looked down at the note on the floor. I had a gut feeling he wasn’t. This wasn’t something he’d send someone else to do. This was something he’d take too much pleasure in doing himself. “Maybe he is,” I said to help calm her nerves, “But someone arranged to deliver that note to this room, and I’m going to find who it was.”

“Logan, no.” She reached for me as I slid my feet into my shoes.

I had to shrug away from her.

I had to do this.

On my way to the door, I stopped for just a single moment to look at her. In that moment there was nothing more I wanted than to feel her arms around me, press my body to hers, look into her eyes and tell her we were going to be just fine.

But that would be a lie.

And I wasn’t going to lie to her.

Not about this.

“Logan,” she pleaded.

I heard the pain in her voice and my heart stopped. Still, I kept moving. I had to do this—for her. The door closed behind me and I heard the latch.

She’d be safe in there until I returned or . . .

My despair was immediately replaced with rage as my eyes fell on the white jacket of the guy who had delivered the note. Unable to control myself, I rushed for him, but came to an abrupt stop when I got a little closer. He was standing in the hallway with his back to me, kissing a girl, also in uniform. I waited. She giggled, gave him a wave, and then walked down the hall. As soon as he entered the waiting elevator it started to close, and I darted for it.

My hands jammed between the panels and the doors flew open.

There he stood.

Lipstick on his lips.

Smiling.

Like he didn’t have a care in the fucking world.

He couldn’t have been more wrong.

I lunged for him.

Had his lipstick-stained collar in my hands so fast, I could barely see the fear in his eyes. “Who put that note on the food cart?” I hissed.

He was shaking. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

With a tug, my grip tightened. “I’m not going to ask you twice. Who put the note on the food cart?”

There was a dripping sound on the elevator floor. I think he pissed his pants. “Some dude paid me fifty bucks to slip it onto your tray. He said it was a joke between you and him.”

I slammed him against the wall. “What did he look like?”

Mumbling, words barely coherent, he answered, “Short, brown hair, piercings, and he had a limp.”

Tommy.

“Where is he now?”

“I don’t know.”

“Where is he?” I said through gritted teeth.

The guy was crying. “I don’t know.”

I loosened my grip. “Where did you leave him?”

He crumbled against the wall. “Outside the kitchen door.”

I hit the service level. “Scan your card. Show me.”

Shaking, he nodded. “Look, mister, I didn’t mean to cause any trouble. He said it was a joke. I believed him.”

My body went rigid.

A joke!

When I slipped my hand in my pocket, he raised his palms. “Don’t hurt me. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Ignoring him, I pulled out my money and handed him a fifty. “Just show me where you saw him last. I’m not going to hurt you.”

Visibly relaxing, he sca

Within minutes we were just outside the kitchen.

With a shaky finger he pointed. “He was standing right there when he approached me, but once he gave me the note, he headed for the stairs.”

“Where do they lead?”

“To the lobby.”

I gave him a nod. “Thanks, man. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

His laugh was more like a cry. “Nah, I wasn’t really worried,” he said.

That was a lie.

Taking the stairs two at a time, I pushed open the door and hit the service hallway. Once inside the Mandarin lobby, I sca

That didn’t mean shit.

Chapter 2

ELLE

Emotion rushed through me.

I wasn’t going to cry.

My clothes were scattered and I busied myself dressing.

Seconds passed.

Minutes passed.

Pacing, counting steps, back and forth from the door to the window, I wore a path into the carpet.

Finally, I couldn’t take the monotony and flopped on the bed. Unsure of what to do, my thoughts started to wander.

My defense mechanisms weakened with each additional tick of the clock and soon I found myself swallowing against the knot that was lodged in my throat, but I could do nothing about the sting of tears behind my closed eyes.

Logan and I had come so far, so fast.

Neither of us had expected to meet in my brother-in-law’s law office less than eight days ago, neither had expected to run into each other at Molly’s Pub later that night, and certainly neither of us meant to have this intense co

It was all so surreal.

Somehow we’d become entangled in a drug war brewing amid the Irish mob here in Boston, and we weren’t the only ones.

There was my missing sister. I had no idea how i

And me? I just wanted to keep my niece, Clementine, safe. And if things went well, have Logan be a part of my life.

The odds were against us.

Was this a sign? Was this fate telling me I should have known better than to think I could belong to him?

I refused to let my thoughts go down that road.

Logan was different.

This was going to work out.

Pushing my issues and insecurities aside, I had to believe that with me by his side, Logan would be strong enough to fight his demons. It was just a note. It didn’t scare me. It really didn’t. And I was certain it wouldn’t scare him. Besides, by all accounts, if the news was correct, Tommy was in jail and no longer a threat to us, or me.

I pressed my lips together, keenly aware of the passage of time.

My attention went to the TV, where the Cha

“More breaking news,” the TV correspondent a

I crossed my arms, fighting off the chill that had seeped into my bones. There, before my eyes, was a picture of Tommy Fla

Knock. Knock.

I jumped, startled out of my own skin.

My heart started to race.

My pulse thundered.

Fear set in.

It wasn’t like me to be afraid.

I was strong.

I was resilient.

I’d been through a lot in my life and I’d come out on the other side.

Hardened.

Determined.

Immune.

What had changed?

“Elle, it’s me—open up.” His voice was husky, commanding.

Relief washed through me. “Logan!” I rushed to the door and threw it open.