PROLOGUE – LOGAN
"Dude," Dick knocked into the hammock with his knee.
"Dick, you're going to wake up Wyatt." Veronica was right; he really was just a big dopey puppy; lovable and loyal, but completely untrainable.
He lowered his voice, "dude."
Logan smirked, "yeah I got that part already Dick."
"Uh, your sister's here."
"Quit fucking with me and go away."
"Logan?" The way she called his name was enough to tell him that this wasn't just Dick's idea of a bad joke. He didn't know how she did it, but with the right inflection she could make his name mean anything she wanted. Most times he read her mood, angry, exasperated, teasing, flustered, excited, or satisfied, by the way she uttered those two syllables, Logan. His favorite was satisfied, when it sounded like a soft sigh.
Even with his eyes shut, he knew she was getting closer. He always knew where she was in relation to him. He was like a ship navigating by the stars and Veronica was true north. Having a daughter has made you downright mushy, Echolls. The minute she reached his side, Logan opened his eyes. "Just write her a check and make her go away."
Veronica frowned at him. "She wants to see you and she hasn't met her…" The look of disgust on his face made her words falter, "Wyatt. She hasn't met Wyatt."
Logan protectively cupped the back of his daughter's tiny head. Trina would meet Wyatt when hell froze over. "Tell her now's not a good time. See if, uh, never works for her."
A slight tilt to her head, "for me?"
With a sigh, he leveraged himself out of the hammock. "We really need to discuss how many times you get to use that phrase." He kissed her nose and started to pass her Wyatt. Veronica shook her head. She liked to believe she was inscrutable, but Logan knew exactly why she wanted him to keep holding the baby. Daddy Logan was calm and reasonable Logan. He headed for the house.
"Baby bro." Trina's hair was dyed such an awful shade of black it looked fake. Fake, like the rest of her. Otherwise, she was still the same, only older, but probably not any wiser.
"How ever did you find us here so far away from your home planet?"
She ignored the jibe. "Do I get to hold my niece?"
His jaw clenched. "I don't think you get how this works for one to have a niece they first need to have a sibling."
"Logan." Ah, Veronica's warning tone. He gave her his best, don't worry I'll play nice, smirk.
"What do you want Trina?"
"Can't a sister just come visit her brother without the third degree?"
He opened his mouth and Veronica grabbed his hand, "why don't we go put Wyatt down?" She started tugging him toward the back of the house.
"Wyatt?" Logan turned back with a cold stare silencing whatever Trina was about to say.
Veronica's grip on his hand was cutting off his circulation. He gave up and let her lead him down the hall. Once they were in the nursery, Veronica closed the door behind them and turned off the baby monitor. "Talk."
Logan settled Wyatt in her crib and leaned his forearms on the rails to watch her sleep. "Not here." He didn't want to bring the ugliness of the Echolls family drama into his daughter's room. We should've named her Wyatt Leigh Mars. Veronica opened the connecting door to their room. He could feel her behind him waiting. He straightened, gave Wyatt one last look and headed for his interrogation. "Should I wait for the bright light to be shined in my face and you to break out the rubber hoses or are we just going right to the questions?"
"Logan." That was one he hadn't heard in a while. The, you're being a real jackass, tone. He knew he was being a dick and he knew she didn't deserve it, but he was angry. Seeing Trina made him feel like his old self and not in a good way.
"Ten years Veronica. Ten fucking years and she picks today to stroll back in like nothing's wrong?" He started to pace. "Do you know what she told me when I testified at Aaron's trial? You remember him right, Saint Aaron? Loved and adored by millions. She told me I was dead to her. She told me if I testified against our father," he spit the word, "daddy, that she would never speak to me again." He wanted to hit someone or break something.
Veronica left the bed and approached him. There was no hesitation, no caution, to her movements. She could see how angry he was, but there was no fear in her gaze, only concern. Complete trust that he would never hurt her. She laid her hand against his chest and his anger started to ebb. It was humbling to him that someone like her could possibly love someone like him. He gently toyed with a strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear. "She's not just here to catch up is she?"
She shook her head, "she says she's in trouble." Her arms encircled his waist and she laid her head on his chest.
"The needs to borrow money kind of trouble or the, I'm going to jail for the rest of my life kind of trouble?" Knowing his sister it was probably both and it probably had to do with a man.
"I don't know. I came to get you." Veronica Mars actually held off her curiosity long enough to check with him first, will wonders never cease? Logan kissed the top of her head.
"And she wants your help right?" An almost imperceptible nod. "At the risk of starting an argument, you and I had a deal."
Veronica let her arms fall back to her side and took a step away. "No. We were negotiating a deal."
"Po-tay-toe, po-tah-toe."
"You know the next line of that song right? Let's call the whole thing off."
His heart stopped and he experienced a moment of sheer panic. Your deal Logan, not your relationship. The thought didn't calm him; he needed to hear her say it. "You mean our deal?"
She lightly touched his cheek. "Logan, I love you. I'm not going anywhere." He bent his head to kiss her. It was only supposed to be a gentle I love you too kiss, but the moment their lips met his intent changed. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Logan cupped her face, his mouth not leaving hers, and slowly spun her around so that he was closer to the bed. He fell back on the mattress, pulling her down with him. He couldn't get enough of her. Her taste, her smell, the feel of her skin. I need more hands. He pulled her shirt off and started reaching for the button on her jeans when she stopped him. "We have a house full of people."
"And they all know where babies come from."
"Yes, but I don't think they expect to listen to us make the next one."
Logan grinned, "the next one?"
Her blush deepened from the delightful shade of turned on pink to a deep rosy hue. "You know what I meant."
"Yes." He rolled them over with his knee between her legs and pinned her to the mattress. "You meant," he kissed her neck, "that you," another kiss at the base of her throat, "want to make." Logan let her hands go as his mouth closed over her breast. She buried her fingers in his hair and arched her back. He glanced up at her face while he gently sucked. God, he loved watching her. He pulled back, "more babies," and softly blew across her nipple, "with me." He feathered kisses down her belly. With each kiss he could feel her quiver.
Veronica rolled on to her stomach. "Go away," her voice was strained.
He grinned. "Interesting choice Veronica. I can work with this." Logan grabbed her thighs and lifted her legs into a kneeling position. "Is it my birthday?"
"Logan!"
"Hmm, I like it when you say my name." She scrambled across the bed and dropped to the floor on the other side.
"This bed isn't big enough to keep me away from you." He put a knee on the bed and made a move toward her.
Veronica pointed at him, "You just stay over there where I can keep my eyes on you."
"Your eyes aren't what I want on me." At his words, those blue eyes flared and Logan grinned.
She fixed her bra. Note to self; first thing tomorrow send a million dollar check to the genius who invented the easy access nursing bra. Veronica tugged her shirt on. Logan didn't miss the slight tremor in her fingers. "Now I'm going to go back to our party and you are going to stay right there."
"But we weren't done negotiating."
"Is that what you call this?"
"No. I call this hot." She made a break for the door and he beat her to it. The reason for their initial escape into the bedroom came back to him. He sighed. "Remind me again why there have to be other people in the world?"
"You could always buy us a deserted island."
He wrapped her in his arms, "you want to help her don't you?"
"She's…" Her words trailed off.
Logan rested his head on hers, "go ahead say it."
"She's your sister, Wyatt's aunt." Parker almost killed her and Wyatt. Not once, but twice. If the baby monitor hadn't been there and Veronica walked into Dick's house with Parker holding that gun, he could've lost them.
Nobody told Veronica what to do. He'd tried that once and it wasn't pretty. He could ask her. He wasn't above getting down on his knees and begging her not to do it. But this was the Veronica he was in love with. The feisty and independent Veronica who called him on his shit and challenged him. He let her go and planted a quick kiss on her forehead. "Go, go do your thing tiny blonde one."