Wow, thank you for the great reviews for the last chapter! I'm really glad you liked it! Lulu x
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Marshall, the butler assigned to the Echolls' suite, watched impassively as Aaron Echolls, A-list movie star and apparent asshole, flung his Italian-crystal highball glass at the wall. The mai tai trickled down the paintwork in orange and pale yellow sticky rivulets, soaking into the carpet below. Marshall sighed quietly waiting for Mr and Mrs Echolls to vacate the room so he could clean up the shattered pieces of glittering lead crystal, and wipe the wall down; he just hoped the cost of the ridiculously expensive glass didn't come out of his wages. If anything, their kid should probably foot the bill with what Marshall could understand from what he was hearing...
"Aaron, please," Lynn sighed heavily, rubbing her forehead with one hand, the other held out in a placating gesture.
"Don't!" Aaron shouted harshly, his voice practically rattling the walls. He picked up his Armani leather jacket and thrust it at her. "You see this? It's fucking ruined! So don't you dare expect me to calm down, Lynn!"
"Maybe we can get it treated," she suggested tentatively, "It's just orange juice-"
"Are you seriously that fucking dumb?" Aaron spat. Lynn stumbled backwards when he threw the garment at her with a force than nearly knocked her down. She righted herself and smoothed down her dress to hide the tremble in her hands, deliberately avoiding the ugly glare directed at her.
"That jacket was a gift from a very good friend of mine," Aaron hissed angrily, "and your son deliberately ruined it for me because he's an ungrateful, insolent little vindictive bastard who needs to learn some fucking respect! And he's going to learn, Lynn, if I have to beat him to within an inch of his worthless life!"
Lynn sucked in a breath at the venom in her husband's voice, a cold stab of fear for Logan twisting her stomach. Jesus Christ, it was just a jacket, one that Aaron got from the producer of one of his movies, a producer that hasn't been in contact with him since. A very good friend indeed, she thought sarcastically.
She didn't want to believe that Logan had deliberately spilled juice on the thing, but she unfortunately knew her son well. That didn't stop Lynn defending him, try and protect him.
"How could Logan have done that, he wasn't even here, Aaron," she pointed out hoping it would make Aaron at least think.
"Don't be so fucking naive, Lynn," he threw up his hands and pointed to the bar, "I put my jacket there last night. Logan had plenty of opportunity to ruin it!"
"So the jacket was over the bar next to the orange juice? Aaron, it must've been an accident-"
Aaron advanced on Lynn so quickly that her words stuck in her throat. "Are you saying this is my fault?" he asked dangerously.
Swallowing hard, Lynn shook her head. "N-no. No, of course not."
"You'd better not be," Aaron growled and backed away again.
"I'm just suggesting that maybe it's not Logan's fault either," Lynn said softly, closing her eyes when Aaron just shook his head.
"When I get hold of my son, he'll wish he'd never been born."
She'd failed.
Marshall stood silently in the shadows. Being invisible until he was needed was in his job description, and in his short career pandering to the rich and famous, he'd seen and heard a lot of things.
This however, ranked right up there with the most disturbing, and Marshall felt a pang of sympathy for the Echolls' son having such a man for a father.
But he knew his place and simply waited for the man and his wife to retreat to their bedroom to get ready for dinner, before quickly and quietly cleaning up the broken glass and sticky residue on the wall without comment.
On the private deck just outside the Echolls' suite, movement in the shadows went completely unnoticed as departing footsteps melted away with the ocean breeze.
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"I can't believe you seriously went out wearing that," Veronica shook her head as she and Keith walking into their cabin.
"Hey, I was trying to blend in," Keith defended with a pout, smoothing a hand over the palm tree prints. Veronica barked out an incredulous laugh.
"With what? A tropical beach?" She flopped down on the sofa and roughly rubbed her hands over her face. Keith joined her, one arm over her shoulders, squeezing slightly.
"I'm alright, honey," he told her again, for the tenth time. "Just a little misunderstanding and the boys down in security were very good about it."
"Yeah," Veronica sighed with a smile. He was right. When she met up with him, Keith was smiling and chatting amiably with one of the uniformed security personnel, like they were old friends. He explained that he'd been seen walking up and down the deck like he was following someone, but when pressed for details, the witness was too drunk to actually remember anything other than the very loud and distinctive shirt Keith was wearing.
Needless to say the incident was dismissed and Keith had been asked to stay while he received an official apology from the Neptune Princess Security.
"You had me worried for a moment though, dad, and I don't want to be worried like that again, okay?" Veronica added a minute later hugging her father. Keith returned the hug and kissed her hair.
"So, when are you gonna show me?"
"Show you what?" She sat up and looked puzzled for a second before a huge grin stretched across her mouth. Keith raised his brows and nodded.
"I'm sure you mentioned something about a money shot..."
"And boy, do I have it!" she said jumping up.
Veronica disappeared into her bedroom for a second before returning with her laptop, already open and firing up. She sat back down next to Keith, dumped her bag on his knee and pulled out the digital camera, from which she took the SD card and loaded it into the laptop. Clicking on the folder to open it, she quickly scanned through the dozens of images she had of Mr Martin and his boyfriend, until the last set.
Keith's eyes nearly bugged. "Holy cow, you did it," he said staring at the picture filling her screen of the two men kissing. He mentally counted how many photographs she'd taken of them whilst they were very intimate and blew out an impressed breath.
"Am I good, or what?" she preened.
"You're good. You're very good, but then you are my daughter," Keith grinned. "It's all in the genes..."
Laughing, Veronica stood up again and took off her cotton shirt and canvas shoes leaving her dad to look through the pictures.
"How on earth did you get these, honey?"
"Blind luck," she answered with a smile. Of course she'd had a little help, but her dad didn't need to know that she'd hung out with Logan Echolls nearly all day, and he certainly didn't need to know yet that something had happened between them, something exciting and wonderful and freaking scary at the same time. "I'm gonna take a shower, get ready for dinner, okay?"
"Yeah, okay, honey," Keith answered, still perusing the images with a satisfied smile. Job done!
In her bathroom, Veronica climbed out of the shower, wiped a hand through the condensation on the mirror above the sink and smiled at herself. She touched her fingers to her lips, stroking slowly, remembering the way Logan's felt when he kissed her; soft and warm. Her tongue followed imagining she could still taste him, salty and sweet.
Of all the things she imagined happening this weekend, making out with Logan Echolls didn't even make the list. Yet, right then, a world away from Neptune, Veronica couldn't have been happier.
She walked into the bedroom with a towel around her body, and took out her pretty print dress to wear, the one she discarded for the blue satin the previous night. It was simple and elegant, with pale coloured butterflies printed along one side of the cream material. Not exactly formal wear, but perfect for a fun relaxing dinner in the Coral Palace.
With a quick application of makeup and lip gloss, Veronica styled her hair loose and grabbed a tiny clutch bag, barely big enough for her cell phone and little else.
Her trusty taser sat idle in the top drawer, and Veronica closed it from sight deciding that with the Martin job in the bag, she had no need for it. She was now officially on vacation!
A mere twenty minutes had gone by before she finally came out of her room just in time to see her dad emerge from his too. They linked arms and headed happily towards the restaurants for dinner.
"Hey, you wanna try another place tonight?" Keith asked as they entered the elevator.
"You mean Nemo?" Veronica said wrinkling her nose. "I've been in there, dad, it's pretty stuffy. Plus, I don't think we're quite dressed for it."
"What? I don't look nice?" Keith glanced down at the very conservative sky blue shirt and navy pants he was wearing, and frowned.
"You look very handsome, dad, but you forgot your tie... and jacket... and shiny shoes," she grinned when Keith rolled his eyes. Her own outfit choice leaned more towards comfort rather than glitz.
"Yeah, okay, our favourite place it is then," Keith conceded with a very put-on sigh.
"Like you don't want to indulge in Chinese food again..." Veronica smirked stepping off the elevator. They could already hear the happy atmosphere through the large double doors of the restaurant.
"I might have something different, you know," Keith stated opening the door to let his daughter through.
Veronica inhaled deeply. "Hmmm... have whatever you want. I'm sticking with the tried and true."
Keith chuckled and led her to an empty table, pulling out her chair.
"Thank you kind sir," she smiled sitting down.
"Good evening. My name is Harvey and I'll be your waiter for tonight. Can I start you with a drink?"
The waiter had reeled off his introduction before Keith had even had the chance to sit down.
"Diet Pepsi, and my dad will have a beer," Veronica ordered picking up the menu. She waited a beat for Harvey to hurry away, and then stage whispered, "Dude's gonna earn his tip tonight!"
Nodding, Keith quickly looked over the menu and decided what he wanted just as Veronica had picked her choices too. Harvey returned with their drinks, and within moments, he'd taken their food order and had disappeared again.
"Wow, busy night!"
"Not surprised," Veronica said pointing over her right shoulder. Keith squinted at the large poster on the far wall, and a slow grin filled his face.
"You're kidding... Did you know?"
"Nope, but I'm sure it'll be a bitchin' show," she shrugged. Veronica had had enough of the cheesy renditions of eighties classics earlier, and couldn't imagine sitting through a Sixties & Seventies Revival evening. Besides, she'd secretly promised to meet up with Logan again.
"You don't want to stay for it?" Keith sounded disappointed. "It's okay, we can do something else."
"Don't be silly, dad," Veronica pulled a face, feeling guilty about leaving him alone, and lying about it. "I'm pretty beat. Busy day. I'm thinking I'll just head back early and go to bed. You enjoy the show."
"Are you sure, honey?" he asked as the food arrived; Chinese, of course, for him, and lasagne for Veronica. "This is our last night, and we have to celebrate a job well done."
"Yeah we do!" Veronica agreed heartily. "And there's no better way to celebrate success than with great food, right? Anyway," she continued, "You missed the cabaret, dad, you need to get the whole cruise experience, and that includes a show, right?"
"Well, if you're sure," Keith repeated reaching across and patting her hand.
Veronica smiled and nodded, "I'm sure. I was tortured to death with hits from the eighties at lunch. Really, it was horrible, dad. My ears were bleeding!" She shuddered dramatically and Keith chuckled. "Besides, once this place starts-a-rockin', you'll be so far gone, if you had worn a tie tonight, you'd probably tie it around your head and start jammin' on an air guitar!"
"If they play any Kansas, I'll be up on that stage jammin' with them, honey, tie or not," Keith waggled his eyebrows winked much to Veronica's horror.
"And with that frightening image now burned in my brain, I think I'm just gonna eat my lasagne, maybe indulge in desert, and then leave you to it, dad."
Chewing on a spare rib, Keith shook his head fondly. "So, tell me what you did today, besides being tortured. Anything fun, other than getting those fabulous money shots?"
"Ummm, sunbathed, relaxed, had coffee, relaxed some more," she told him, silently adding blackmailed someone, helped a friend, made out with him lots... as she grated a little parmesan cheese on her meal. "A little stalking, little photography, relaxing... I mentioned relaxing, right?"
"Sounds like you did have a busy day," he laughed. "No wonder you're pooped!"
They ate and chatted some more, until desert arrived and the show began with the infectious beat of Springsteen. Keith was in his element, much to Veronica's amusement, and soon she left him trying not to fear the reaper with the Blue Oyster Cult, gave him a kiss on his cheek and promised to see him later... much later.
Once the doors to the restaurant were closed, Veronica pulled out her cell and called the one she'd given Logan.
"This is Logan with today's inspirational message. Life is short. Break the Rules. Forgive quickly, kiss slowly. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that makes you smile. Mark Twain. Leave your own. Or don't. You're choice."
She scowled down at the phone and redialled, this time leaving a message when, once more, her call went straight through to voicemail.
"Hey, call me as soon as you get this, Logan."
Veronica stared back at the closed doors to the Coral Palace, her mind replaying Logan's words. Being her spare cell phone, the message was clearly meant for her... Life is short. Break the Rules. Forgive quickly, kiss slowly... She sighed softly as Logan's voice dipped on that last word... Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that makes you smile... He'd made her smile, and she found in her heart, that even if life back in Neptune brutally crushed what they had under the weight of an unforgiving reality that was cold and cruel, she'd never regret being with him for a few beautiful days in the middle of the ocean.
Biting her lip anxiously, the fact that Logan wasn't answering her calls though was starting to really worry Veronica, and she briefly debated going back into the restaurant and telling her father everything. She knew she couldn't though. She'd promised, and telling her dad that she was afraid for Logan meant that she'd have to tell him why.
Forcing herself to walk away from the Coral Palace, and her dad, Veronica tried Logan's cell again.
"Come on, answer the damn phone..." she muttered to herself listening to the ring tone, concern notching up to epic proportions with each passing second, her pace speeding up when his message started playing again.
"Fuck!" Veronica ended the call and nearly dropped her cell when it suddenly rang loudly in her grip.
"V'ronica?"
"Logan! What happened? You okay? You weren't answering your phone," she stopped mid stride and blew out the breath she didn't even realise she was holding. "Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, yeah... sorry. I was asleep."
Veronica heard him yawn over the phone and frowned. "Asleep. Where are you? In your suite?"
"Huh? Um... no, s'okay, you don't... I'll come to you. Where? Where, um, d'ya wanna meet?"
She rubbed her forehead and sighed in frustration at his broken speech. Logan sounded sleepy alright, sounded drunk too. She'd apparently worried for nothing. "Perhaps you'd better just stay where you are and sleep it off, Logan," she snipped coldly, her heart still beating a tattoo in her throat.
"What?"
Ignoring the genuine confusion in his voice, Veronica turned around and headed back to the restaurant. "You've obviously been drinking. What? Can't go a few hours without a hit?" She was angry and disappointed. "We had plans, Logan..."
"Wait a minute, I haven't been... I'm not drunk, Veronica," Logan told her, a slight edge in his voice. "I took some more Percocet. Okay? My ribs ached and I just wanted to fucking relax."
She stopped walking and leaned wearily against the wall. God, she'd done it again. Immediately assumed the worst and jumped to the wrong conclusion. "I'm sorry."
"Yeah, me too," he said dully, and then after a beat, "So, you finished having dinner with your dad?"
"Yeah," Veronica answered turning around again and heading away from the Coral Palace. "Meet me at the indoor pool?"
"I'm on my way."
Ending the call, Veronica shoved the cell into her small purse and picked up her pace. The decks were eerily quiet as the majority of the passengers were at dinner, and she made it to the indoor pool within ten minutes thinking she'd beat Logan, assuming he'd have to walk all the way from his executive suite. But he was already there, leaning against the wall waiting, thumbs looped casually in the waistband of his shorts, sole of one foot pressed against the paintwork. He greeted her with a hesitant smile, and Veronica's heart sped up a little in relief when she finally saw he was okay.
"I was worried when you didn't answer my calls."
Her admission was whispered and shook slightly with an edge of fear, and Logan searched her face, wishing he could turn back the time. Erase everything she knew about him, if only to stop her eyes clouding with the worry and concern she felt for him. He couldn't stand knowing that it hurt her when all he wanted to do was make her happy.
"I'm sor-"
"No, don't," Veronica quickly interrupted placing her fingers against his mouth. She didn't want his apology; there was nothing for him to apologise for. Logan had done nothing wrong... she'd been the one to jump to the wrong conclusion and let it cloud her mind. She looked into his eyes and silently offered her own apology with a soft smile, and Logan pulled his hands from his pockets and gently brushed the hair from her face, tucking it behind her ears. Veronica lowered her own hand, resting it against his chest and sighed when Logan smiled back.
"You look beautiful," he whispered softly kissing her forehead.
Veronica's smile widened, her lips sliding into an amused grin when she glanced up at the cap on his head. "Rocking that tourist look there," she said, wanting, needing to move on. Logan's eyes crossed as he glanced up before yanking it off his head and roughly running his fingers through his hair.
"My cunning disguise," he told her examining the cap, glad of the change of subject.
"Cunning indeed." Veronica stepped forward into his space, took the cap from his fingers, and pressed up on her tiptoes, lips millimetres from his, "So, what does a girl have to do to get a kiss on this boat?"
Logan circled her waist with his hands and smirked down at her. "Hmm, tiny red string bikinis and chocolate sauce suddenly come to mi-"
Lips sealed together as Veronica shut him up. Logan moaned softly and very quickly got with the program, sliding his hands up her back and into her hair as she tilted her head and opened her mouth for him. He kissed her slowly, deeply, tasting the lingering sweetness of strawberry ice cream on her tongue as it lazily stroked against his, and he gasped into her mouth when Veronica murmured his name and slipped one hand under his shirt, her warm fingers splaying across the skin of his lower back. He answered her by spinning them around and through the doors to the indoor pool, ignoring the closed for cleaning sign barely blocking their path.
Veronica opened her eyes and twisted in his arms, blinking into the semi darkness of the huge room, the only light source from the pool, bathing the whole place in a shimmering seductive blue hue, and couldn't help a breathy wow slipping past her lips.
"Hey. Wanna cross skinny dipping off your Bucket List?" Logan murmured suggestively into her ear. Veronica shook her head and laughed.
"And how do you know I haven't done that already?" She turned again and grinned up at him. Logan curled her hair around one ear, and then lightly kissed her nose.
"You gonna kiss and tell?"
"I'm thinking the kissing's a dead cert," she said dropping Logan's souvenir cap on the floor and looping her arms around his neck, "As for the telling? Girl's gotta have her secrets!"
"Hmm, I think you're way behind me in the secret sharing thing, Veronica," Logan said rubbing his hands tenderly down her back before coming to rest on her hips. His eyes gazed into hers, the soft blue light casting half his face into shadow, but she could still see his warm, open expression.
"Yeah," she agreed and tightened her hold a little when the images of his abused body flashed in her head. Logan immediately sensed her unease and quickly tried to lighten the mood again.
"So, fair's fair," he smirked. "Skinny dipping. Tell me every little detail."
Chuckling, Veronica pulled him down so she could kiss him. Logan snickered softly into her mouth and let her have control for a few seconds before pulling back.
"Ah ah ah... you're not gonna distract me that easy. I still want to know all about your first skinny dip experience."
"Well, one day you just might," Veronica grinned licking her lips, and Logan's eyes widened in realisation.
"Hmm, little minx. You almost had me believing you," he smirked kissing her cheek. Leaning back, he waggled his eyebrows and added, "So, how about it? There's no one around. We could do it right now..."
"Whoa cowboy, hold your horses," she laughed at his sudden childlike enthusiasm. As much as she liked being with this version of Logan, Veronica was still painfully aware of his darker, crueller side, and was definitely not ready to strip down naked and go swimming with him. "I'm not-"
A noise from the far end of the pool startled her silent, and they both stiffened and looked up.
"What-"
"Shh," Logan whispered carefully manoeuvring them out of sight beside a row of lockers. He hid her body with his own, smiling down at her when she looked up. "You okay?"
"Feel like a sardine, but yeah. What was it? Can you see anything?"
Logan leaned to the side a fraction, reporting softly, "it's just pool staff taking water readings."
A sudden urge to laugh bubbled up inside Veronica and she started shaking. Alarmed, Logan frowned at her until she glanced up, lips held tight between her teeth, desperately trying not to giggle.
"Seriously?" Logan hissed and slapped his hand over her mouth, but her hot breath on his palm made him moan, and Veronica almost squeaked when he whipped his hand away and replaced it with his lips, hot and wild, and he swallowed her breathy little gasps in a fierce kiss.
"Okay, coast's clear," he panted a minute later, smiling down at the glassy look in Veronica's eyes. She blinked up at him, licking her lips, and cleared her throat.
"Huh?"
"Fry a few brain cells, did I?" Logan teased gently into her ear.
His words jumbled into incoherent rumblings and Veronica shuddered helplessly when the warm, moist breath hit her skin.
Chuckling, Logan stroked his hands gently down her face and cupped her cheeks, smiling warmly, "You're so cute."
"Huh?" Veronica shook herself, blinking a couple of times as her faculties all came back, and rolled her eyes at Logan when he started laughing.
"I'll take a sound you make when you've had your brain cells fried by a Logan Echolls Special for five hundred please, Alex."
"Huh?" Veronica pulled a face and playfully shoved him when Logan drew a number one in the air with one finger and cheekily winked. She then smiled, "definitely a Logan Echolls Special."
Rubbing his palms down her back and pulling her close, his fingers bunching the cream material of her dress, Logan pressed a kiss into her hair, before looking at her, "So, how about that swim?"
"That's not gonna happen, Echolls," Veronica stated with a grin. "Anyway, have you even eaten yet? You're not dressed for dinner, you're still dressed the same as when I left you."
Logan let her go, unconsciously smoothing down the front of his orange shirt before shoving his hands into his pockets and leaning casually against the lockers. "Yeah. Didn't fancy dinner so I grabbed a bite by the pool up top. Why?" It wasn't exactly a lie.
"No reason. Just wondered if you'd seen your dad," she said quietly, adding in a whisper, "I was really worried when you didn't answer my call, Logan. I'm just glad you're okay."
Pushing off the lockers, Logan stood in her personal space, "Hmm... déjà vu. Haven't we already done this today, Veronica? Look, there's no need to be worried for me. In fact, don't worry about me at all. I've survived my father's-" he stopped and glanced away for a second not wanting to say the word abuse, to give it anymore credence. "I've survived this long. I can endure another year or so. Aaron's not that tough."
Veronica shook her head, "Not that tough? Tell that to your ribs, Logan."
"I mean I'm tougher. He'll never break me. He'll never win," Logan stated firmly and Veronica slipped her arms around his waist and hugged him. He reciprocated with a warm sigh.
"Damn right you're tougher," she whispered into his chest, "Don't you forget that."
It was hard to make himself believe what he said, but Logan was determined to be strong for Veronica. She'd given him another excuse to wake up every day, another reason to live. She was the light at the end of his tunnel, his haven, his warm blanket, his living, breathing ocean.
Someone in his corner.
They stood for a few moments just holding each other, enjoying the closeness and warmth together in the silence and soothing blue reflection of the pool shimmering in the semi darkness. Eventually though, Veronica sighed. "You wanna go get a coffee or something?" she mumbled into his chest.
"Or something," he answered nuzzling her hair. Veronica smiled and looked up. Logan raised his eyebrows questioningly.
"Or... we can take a romantic walk in the moonlight, maybe drop by the jazz club?" Veronica suggested. A memory of her with Lyndon playing the perfect gentleman, (until the bastard drugged and raped her that was), at the club had Logan quickly shaking his head.
"Hmm, okay," she continued pretending to think hard. "Nightclub? I have it on good authority that they serve great tequila..."
The twinkle in her eye told Logan she was teasing and he smirked, "Whoever told you that clearly doesn't know what they're talking about. You need to recheck your source, Nancy Drew, the tequila comes with a sour taste of duplicity."
"Oh, definitely not a favourite flavour of mine," Veronica mocked horrified. Logan chuckled.
"You have a favourite flavour of tequila?" he teased. "Veronica Mars, this is a side of you I think I like."
She yelped and laughed when he playfully nuzzled her neck, wet and sloppy. "Cut it out! Eww!"
Logan leaned back and grinned as Veronica wiped the back of her hand across her skin, a look of amusement shining in her eyes.
"God, you're as bad as Backup," she laughed. "And just for that, we're going to the Coral Palace, and I'm gonna make you endure an entire evening with my dad, and the headache inducing renditions of some of the finest hits the sixties and seventies unleashed upon this world!"
Raising one eyebrow and nodding his head, Logan glared at her. "Ye-ah," he smirked sarcastically, "Maybe when hell freezes over, Ronnikins." A night with her father and a load of eight-track wonders? Noooo thank you, Logan silently mused to himself. He grinned when he saw her smiling, and kissed her forehead as she hooked her arm through his and turned towards the exit.
"I take it a midnight skinny-dip is off the cards then?"
"I'm thinking a leisurely stroll to the stern instead," Veronica shrugged, and Logan sucked in a surprised but delighted little gasp when he felt her hand brush lightly over his ass.
"Veronica Mars. I do declare," he drawled walking her to the door and chuckling fondly when she blinked up at him innocently. "Hey, so, did you ream your dad out for being picked up wearing a loud shirt in a populated area?"
"We had words, yes," she rolled her eyes shaking her head. "I still can't believe he actually wore that thing. I don't know what he was thinking!"
"Trying to blend in with the natives?"
"Why are you defending him?!"
Logan stopped and turned at the underlying tremble in her voice. What had happened to Keith had clearly upset her. "Hey, your dad's okay, right?" he asked softly.
Veronica blew out a long breath and nodded. "Yeah, he's fine," she told him, and then added a touch too brightly, "Got himself a nice official apology to prove it, too."
"Come here," Logan murmured pulling her to his chest again. She sighed and closed her eyes as he pressed a warm kiss against her temple. "Are you okay?"
"Getting there," Veronica smiled.
"How does a macchiato with whipped cream sound?"
"Hmm, not as good as a hot chocolate and you."
Leaning back, Logan grinned at her, "I definitely think I can do that." He reached out to push open the door, "With those little marshmallows, too."
"Well, well, well. And oh my God, if it isn't the elusive Logan Echolls, with my girl on his arm."
Both Veronica and Logan stopped in their tracks at the sound of the clipped thick British accent echoing through the door. Lyndon, flanked by his similarly dressed cousin's, Noah and Eli, blocked the way with blank looks of contempt on their faces to match the black suits they were all wearing.
"Welcome to the Matrix," Logan muttered sardonically.
Lyndon stepped forward and crossed his arms over his chest, his jacket sleeves creasing unflatteringly around his almost nonexistent biceps. Logan quickly sensed the dangerous tension radiating off the Brit, and he pulled himself to his full height, his back stiffening, moving his body slightly in front of Veronica.
"Imagine my surprise after looking for you to see if you're up for a little-" Lyndon carried on with a meaningful wink, "muff diving-"
"What?" Logan grimaced at the obviously implied crude slang. The Brit ignored him.
"...To find you in the last place I'd expect. You're a hard man to track down, Logan."
"Not really. With a famous name like mine, my life is a fish bowl. How hard did you look?"
"Evidently not hard enough, because here you are... with her," Lyndon answered glaring at him, and then at Veronica. "Veronica, sweetheart, you're looking absolutely ravishing tonight. I little homey, but still, it really depends on what you're hiding under that virginal dress, doesn't it? Lacy thong, perhaps? Peek-a-boo bra?" Veronica's mouth fell open in disgust and she scowled hard at Lyndon as he flicked his eyes back to Logan's and winked, "It's always the quiet ones, right? You fucked her yet?"
"That's none of your fucking business," Logan grated out baring his teeth.
"Oh, so you have," Lyndon sneered, leering openly at Veronica. "Told you she was easy. You use my Special K?"
Feeling Veronica suddenly suck in a breath behind him, Logan clenched his fists and took a threatening step forward, halting quickly when Noah and Eli both closed in, identical dirty smirks twisting their mouths.
"Oooooh, tut-tut, Logan. I'd have thought you of all people would've learned that violence doesn't really solve anything," Lyndon said condescendingly. "Just how often does your father have to teach you that lesson, huh? Because I really don't think it's sinking in."
He looked pointedly at Logan's hands, skin stretched white over his knuckles, and sniffed airily when Logan narrowed his eyes dangerously.
"What the fuck do you want, Price?"
"What do I want?" Lyndon blew out a heavy breath and feigned contemplation before smiling falsely, "World peace? An end to war? Veronica's hot little arse riding my prick?"
The air crackled with anger, and Veronica could feel it vibrating through Logan, like a snake ready to strike. She didn't know for sure how Lyndon found out about Aaron's 'lessons', but knowing they were neighbours on the ship, guessed it was a simple case of eavesdropping. It clearly didn't matter how to Logan, who was thrumming with rage now and seconds away from taking on Lyndon and his two ginger haired twin thugs.
And with Logan's current physical condition, Veronica was terrified that they'd kill him.
"We were just leaving, so if you don't mind?" she asked pointedly stepping beside Logan in the doorway, in an attempt to diffuse the situation – fast, and wishing that someone, anyone, preferably staff or, even better, security would come in and tell them all to be on their way.
"Oh, she speaks," Lyndon smiled coldly glancing over his shoulder at the two sneering twins. "And as a matter of fact, I do mind. Why didn't you answer my texts and my calls, Veronica? No, wait..." he slid his eyes to Logan and scoffed, "don't tell me it's because of him?"
"Look, Lyndon, I'm sorry I-"
"Did he tell you about the Special K he hustled me out of?" Lyndon carried on ignoring her. "I have to admit, he's pretty good with a pool cue. Won it fair and square. Good thing I brought extra, right?"
"Price," Logan growled in warning when the Brit moved closer to Veronica, who held her ground and stared defiantly at him.
"Did he use it on you? Bring you here to drug you and fuck you? Was he good?"
Deciding it was time to end this, Logan gently urged Veronica back the way they'd just come through the door and pushed his way quickly between her and Lyndon, raising his hands and shoving the Brit hard, causing him to stumble backwards into Eli and Noah.
"You shut the hell up, you bastard! It was you who was going to drug and rape Veronica," Logan shouted harshly, his finger stabbing accusingly. "I took that shit from you and dumped it over the side!"
"What the fuck?" Lyndon yelled back straightening his suit, fury bright in his eyes. "Why the hell would you waste it if you weren't going to fucking use it?"
"Because you're nothing but a lowlife raping motherfucker, and I wasn't going to let you drug Veronica, or anyone else, just because you can't get a girl to willingly sleep with your pathetic gay ass!"
"Well fuck. They should make you a saint, Mister High and fucking Mighty. Let's all humbly bow in the presence of the Saviour of Sluts and Easy Lays," Lyndon mocked, Eli and Noah snickering behind him. "And I'm not gay, just an FYI."
"Oh - and I mean this – so, so sorry. The guy-liner and lip gloss kinda threw me," Logan smirked maliciously, not sorry at all. "What flavour is it? Fudge?"
"Oy! He's actually metrosexual," Eli butted in, one tight fist angrily punching the air. Lyndon glared angrily at his cousin, who quickly frowned uncomfortably and looked away.
Sneering, Logan scoffed softly, "On the brink, then." He grinned, finger poised on his chin, "Hey, Lyndon, I know you British have a long sordid history of incest, so maybe you'd have better luck getting it on with your little ginger pugilist there."
Scowling, Eli snapped his eyes up. "Your fucking Yankee-arse had better fucking hope I never find out what that means, wanker!"
"Hey, Scarlet O'Shut-the-fuck-up," Logan smirked sarcastically, "Totally pissing in my britches here!"
Veronica's eyes flicked to Noah when the kid barked out a laugh, and the hostility levels rose. She'd quietly watched the scene play out between Logan and Lyndon and Eli, with slowly increasing fear. Learning that Lyndon had planned to drug and rape her had really struck a frightening chord, causing flashes of what had happened to her at Shelly Pomroy's party replaying like a flip show of images in her head to a soundtrack of silent screams. She now understood why Logan had been so against her seeing Lyndon, and would never forget that he'd tried to save her from it happening again.
Watching Lyndon grind his teeth and advance on them, Veronica realised the situation between them all had suddenly shifted gears into the danger zone, and found herself mentally wishing that the ocean liner security would suddenly appear like magic, and wishing she'd never set eyes on the cute Brit that first night.
Backing up slowly when Lyndon and the twins finally walked through the door, Noah closing it behind them, Logan shielded Veronica with his body, warily watching them at the same time as trying to find another way out, but the nearest exit was across on the other side of the pool, too far away.
It was three against one and a half, and Logan was beginning to think that the odds were definitely not in their favour. Then he suddenly remembered Veronica using a taser on the magazine photographer earlier and threw a quick meaningful, hopeful look towards her, his stomach falling when, understanding dawning, she shook her head.
Damn her for actually thinking that her life could ever be problem free, Veronica thought dismally seeing the regret play on Logan's face. She should've known better. She should've brought a bigger bag! Gripping her small clutch purse, Veronica could feel the hard edges of her cell and closed her eyes briefly, mentally berating herself for not thinking of calling for help sooner.
"You know, real life isn't like the movies, man," Logan said, his voice echoing around the pool and dissolving in the blue hue that, once seductive, now hung in the air like a foreboding veil, casting eerie shadows that leeched into the stillness.
"Oh, right, of course. So says the son of the famous movie star, Aaron Echolls!" Lyndon snarled. "We should all cower in the presence of such greatness. What, did he win his Oscar for Father of the Year?"
Determined not to let the Brit get to him, Logan just grinned whilst behind him, Veronica carefully and slowly pulled out her cell and started to call her dad.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Noah suddenly said making Veronica jump. She stared at the kid hard, pulling her cell to her chest when he held his hand out in a demanding way.
"Who're you calling, Veronica?" Lyndon asked. He linked his fingers and frowned curiously at her, "Because a lot can happen in a matter of moments. Three to one, so think carefully, sweetheart."
Three to one? The threat was clear, if a little mathematically incorrect, and while Veronica knew she probably wouldn't inflict too much damage during a fight herself, Logan would definitely get in a few good shots. But she was afraid that, with the state of his ribs, he would be too badly hurt before her dad could get to them with help. In the end she reluctantly put her cell away again when Logan gave her a quick nod.
"On the floor, Veronica, and kick it to me," Lyndon instructed flatly, scowling at her when she carefully nudged her purse with her toe so it slid about three feet to rest on the floor next to the stacked loungers.
Thank God, Logan thought as he watched Veronica kick her purse away, the phone safely out of sight. He knew Lyndon was building up to a fight, but he wanted to take the focus off Veronica and try and give her the chance to get away before he took all three of them on. He didn't care about himself, he just wanted her safe first.
"Look, Price, this has nothing to do with Veronica," he said. "Let her go."
"I beg to differ," Lyndon shrugged checking out his manicure. "Because, the way I see it, Veronica here owes me a rain check. You, Logan, are just a non-entity. A pathetic loser with truly awful parents." He shook his head, "Seriously, your mother must have vodka running through her veins to be able to drink that much, and your father... well, now there's an all round swell guy, huh? Insincere and conceited, and just gosh darn arrogant to boot."
"Wow, you sure have my parents pegged, dude," Logan chuckled, swallowing down the urge to smash his fist into the smug bastard's face. "Can't say I disagree. And what about you? Your stuck up bitch mother actually managed a smile that didn't crack her face yet?"
"Fuck you!" Eli suddenly spat, his cutting expletive bouncing off the walls. Logan grinned darkly at him.
"Really? Hmmm, or what? You'll smite me down? Seriously, you bible bashers are all the same... Thus saith the Lord God; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot!" he preached, complete with actions.
Veronica's eyebrows hit her hairline when she heard Logan actually quote from the bible, but she kept her comments to herself as Noah surged forward, stopped abruptly with Lyndon's fist on his collar.
"I rest my case," Logan announced with mocking flare and a smug smirk, glaring at Lyndon and his cousins and leaning slightly on one hip, his demeanour cocky and arrogant. Inside though, he didn't feel the rush he normally felt when faced with a looming fight, his need to protect Veronica and get her away from the danger was interfering with his focus. Torn two ways; fight or flight, Logan mentally offered up a silent prayer that he'd be able to hold his own against his three opponents, and keep Veronica safe at the same time.
There was no way out of it though. No matter how hard Logan tried, he couldn't see another conclusion to their situation. By the hard, almost vicious expressions directed right at Logan and Veronica, a violent confrontation was inevitable, with blood, possibly broken bones too. Time was up; the chance for talking their way free was over, and Logan could start to feel his chest already tightening with the rapid beating of his heart, his mouth going dry, and the adrenalin rush numbing the pain in his ribs as his body instinctively prepared itself.