39- Are you crazy?

Logan jiggled the handle on Bryce’s back door. Locked.

He pushed it but the door didn't nudge making him frown and trying harder.

He wondered what the hell Bryce had as a door that made it so difficult for it to move.

Stifling a curse, he edged his way along the exterior wall. Upon landing in Zurich, Charlie had gone straight to the authorities, but Logan hadn’t been able to wait around. He hadn’t even needed to tell Charlie where he was headed; he went without saying a word about I.

Logan kept edging around the house, trying windows as he went. No luck anywhere.

He started to step into the front yard, but stopped at the sight of a car in the driveway that hadn’t been there a minute before. Crouching low, he watched the vehicle from behind a bush. It was empty.

He started to straighten up, and noticed the front door open. Not only that, but voices drifted out from the house. A man and a woman.

It happened so fast Logan barely registered it. It certainly seemed he wasn’t in control of his body. Pushing past the bushes, he jumped onto the porch and sidestepped up to the door.

Back pressed against the boards, he leaned around just enough to see into the house. What was going on in there made him choke on air.

Terri stood in the kitchen, one hand raised and a metal dragon in the other arm. Logan recognized the back turned to him. Bryce.

“Put it down,” Bryce told her. He gestured at the floor with a handgun.

“And then what?” Terri lifted her chin, defiant, but her voice shook.

“You don’t have a choice.”

“You mean I’m dead either way. My brother knows I’m here.” Keep him talking, Terri.

Logan wasn’t stealthy. He wasn’t good at being quiet. Which meant he had to be fast. He took a deep breath before looking around the room and taking a first and quick step.

He rushed Bryce, arms outstretched. The man started to turn, but Logan had already tackled him. They hit the floor in a jumble, the gun going off and its noise reverberating across the house.

Bryce lifted the gun again, ready to shoot, but Logan grabbed his wrist and cranked it painfully to the side. The gun fell from his hand as Logan nailed a punch to his face. They tussled, Bryce landing a punch in Logan’s gut that pushed all the air from his lungs. Logan grabbed his arm and twisted it, but Bryce got him with a kick to the leg.

“Stop!” Terri stood over them, gun pointed at Bryce. Her eyes were steel, her hand steady.

The men slowly got to their feet, Bryce raising his hands.

“Are you okay?” Logan rushed to Terri’s side and skimmed his palms over her face and shoulders.

“Yeah.” She remained focused on Bryce. “I am.”

“Logan,” Bryce spat. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Logan looked him straight in his eyes and without sugar coating anything, he blurted the words.

“Something I should have done years ago. Cut ties with you.”

Bryce laughed dryly, but the fear in his eyes was evident. “Whatever you think you have on me, you don’t. I have the best lawyers.”

Cars pulling into the driveway caught Logan’s eye. “Yeah, well, I have the best brother-sister duo on my side. Can’t top that.”

Bryce didn’t even get the chance to respond. The Swiss police rushed the house, Charlie right on their heels. The room was a cacophony of shouting.

Terri placed the gun on the floor as the police cuffed Bryce.

The next hour became a blur as Terri and Charlie were reunited and statements were given, with Terri producing the photos she’d found as evidence. Bryce was taken to a holding cell in the city, with Charlie making plans to stay in Zurich and oversee his transport back to Chicago.

After what felt like forever, Logan and Terri sat in the waiting room of the police station, steaming cups of coffee in their hands while they waited for Charlie to emerge from the back rooms.

“I can’t believe you did that,” Logan murmured. “Actually, no. I can.”

She shook her head, face determined. “I had to.”

A lump formed in his throat. He put down his coffee, meaning to touch her face, but hesitated. Just because they’d successfully had Bryce arrested didn’t mean everything was magically better. The divide between the two of them remained.

“I want to chastise you for doing it on your own,” he started.

“I wasn’t going to ask for your help.” Her lips twitched.

“You could have. Terri, I messed up.”

She tilted her head, waiting for more.

“I should have told you about my connection to Bryce.”

“Tell me more.”

He rubbed his palms on his thighs, nerves getting the best of him. If he did this wrong, he could lose her forever.

“What I told you about those stocks is true. I should have told you sooner, though.”

She gulped. “Logan, I wanted to trust you. I wanted…” She looked away.

“No.” He grabbed her hand. “Look at me. What is it you want?”

“You,” she said in a pained whisper.

His grip tightened. “You can have me. I’m right here.”

She turned her face back to his. “Is that really true?”

“Yes.”

“Because I need full disclosure. Real honesty.”

“I understand.” He nodded. “And I’m going to work on that. I started changing when I met you, Terri. I didn’t even know it was happening at first, but… You make me want to be a better man.”

Tears filled her eyes. “I thought you were working with Bryce.”

“What?” He could have sworn he’d just been stabbed in the heart, the pain her words brought was so intense. “Why?”

“What evidence did you give me that said otherwise?”

His head dropped. Damn. She was right.

“But then,” she said. “You showed up at his house and you risked your life to help me.”

Hopeful, he lifted his head. “It’s not something I had to plan. When I found out you went to Zurich alone, I almost died of panic. I would be broken if I lost you, Terri.”

A tear rolled down her cheek. “You mean that?”

“Yes. One hundred percent.” He cupped her face. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she sniffled.