AN: Thanks to my betas, afan, Kyre, and Alaidh. You guys are the best.
A special thanks goes to Star24 who consistently helps me on track. She may not have all the commas, but she knows Logan and Max better than most and is a good friend
Chapter 4 Dancing in the Moonlight
~ She doesn't love you, she never did. You're human, how could she love that? She just used you. She played you. She doesn't love you she never did. ~ The thoughts ran through his mind over and over. He kept fighting them, but they kept coming back. He was drifting again as the drugs overtook him. "Oh God, Max Please help me."
~~~~
"Max... hey Max," Logan called. He walked into the bedroom and looked around. She wasn't there. Realizing she wasn't home, Logan stripped off his sweats and hopped into the shower. He turned on the hot water and let it cascade over his shoulders and back. The investigation into the new drug on the street, Prazenadrine, was going well, but there was one thing nagging him and he couldn't put his finger on it. Before he could grasp what was bothering him a pair of warm hands slid around his waist and he felt lips kissing along his spine until they reached the very sensitive skin around the scar on his back.
Logan reached around and pulled Max into an embrace. "Do I know you?" he laughed.
"I'm the cleaning lady and I think you need a good cleaning. Are you up for the occasion?" Max laughed as she looked up at Logan.
Logan grinned, his eyes sparkling, and said, "I think I can rise to it."
"Ummm, I think you all ready have." Max pulled Logan's head down and began kissing him, tenderly at first then with increasing passion. Her hands began rubbing along the flat planes of his chest and abdomen. Logan groaned softly and responded enthusiastically to Max. His hands began exploring her, finding the places he knew would drive her wild. As the shower rained water on the two, hands slid over soap-slicked skin and steam began to cloud the shower as they gave into the passion that engulfed them.
~~~
~ "Logan, why couldn't you help her? I thought you loved her?" James Cale looked at him sadly, then turned and walked away.
"Dad, don't go please! I did love her. I tried my best. I tried. Oh God, Dad don't go please... I need you." Logan whispered to the retreating form of his father. ~
"Oh God, stop! Please stop!" Logan pulled futilely against the shackles that held him. He watched as the needle came again. He was unable to stop its progress. The needle slipped into his arm sending him into hell again. ~You didn't help her you couldn't. You're weak, not good enough. She died because of you. He hated you for it. You don't deserve a name. ~"It's not true, it's not true," he whispered through dry broken lips, then he sunk again into the miasma of the drugs. He pulled against the bonds that held him and whispered unintelligibly, beads of sweat covering his forehead.
"How long do you plan to keep this up?" Kyle Gentry said.
"I want him broken by the end of the week. This has been very enjoyable, but it's time for the game to end." I'm surprised he's lasted so long. He's stronger than I would have thought." Ames White looked down on the restless form of Logan Cale and smiled. He turned to Gentry and said, "Do whatever you need."
~~~
"Logan," Max called. She came out of the bedroom unsurprised to find him engrossed in the computer. "Earth to Logan! Logan...Hey!"
He looked up from his computer at Max. She was standing, head tilted, hand on hip, looking at him with amusement and exasperation. She was dressed in low cut jeans and a dark red sweater that just covered her midriff. When she moved the sweater shifted to expose a bit of golden skin. He grinned like the Cheshire cat. "Come here," he said suggestively.
"No way!" Max laughed. "I know you. I walk over there, you'll start kissing me, then I'll start kissing you then the whole evening is shot. We promised Original Cindy we would meet her at Crash, and that is what we're going to do."
"Aww, " Logan pretended to be disappointed. He stood and Max looked him over and smiled. He was dressed in jeans and a tan shirt over a blue t- shirt. He ambled over to where Max was standing. "We'd better go then." He gestured for her to walk before him. He grabbed his keys and together they went out the door.
"Max?" Lagan said, "I'm worried about the drug scam. Something's not adding up. Can't quite put my finger on it, but I have a bad feeling about it."
"What's the dealio? Are you saying we shouldn't do the recon?"
"No, I'm not saying that. I just need a few more days to make sure. It's almost too easy."
"Ok do all the research you need, but tonight is for fun and beer. Logan must have fun; it's an order." Max mock-frowned at Logan as the elevator stopped on the garage level.
Logan grinned at Max and said, "Yes ma'am." He beeped open the door to the car, a new Mercedes SUV with class two body armor.
Max cocked her head to the side. "You know I really miss Bessie," she said wistfully. "I miss the way it used to be sometimes, you know just you and me fighting the good fight." She turned and looked up at Logan.
Logan bent down and kissed Max on the forehead and drew her to him. "Nothing ever stays the same, Max. We can't go back to where we were. We're different people now. But one thing you can always count on, I love you Max Cale. I will always love you. Nothing will ever change that."
Max gulped and sniffed a little. "You know, Logan, I've thought a lot of things about you. You're the most stubborn and pigheaded man I know. You're ruthless, and single minded, but I never would have thought of you as a big pile of sentimental mush."
Logan looked at Max in mock horror. "Don't tell anyone. Can't have my reputation ruined. Tell you what, lets take your bike tonight. Forget the car." He shrugged and grinned. "It probably won't rain for at least another twenty minutes or so."
"You're on, hot shot." Max walked to her bike swaying as she went and Logan followed, smiling.
Logan climbed on the bike behind Max, put his hands around her waist and snuggled in close behind her.
"If you don't stop doing that, I'm gonna have to do something that you'll regret," Max threatened
"You promise?" Logan said, then grabbed on for dear life as Max roared out of the garage.
~~~
He was lost. He stood on the edge of a precipice, "Max, where are you? Max?"
~"She's not here," the whispered voice came again. "She's forgotten you. She doesn't love you. How could she? You're a poseur; you couldn't save her. You can't save yourself; you're weak. How could she love you? How could anyone love you? Give up. Forget...forget."
~~~
Max was watching Logan. He was playing pool with Sketchy and winning handily. Original Cindy smirked, handed Max a beer. and said. "Sister girl, that man has you so twisted around, you don't know what end's up. And here I was thinking that you was all strong. He just smiles at you and you melt into a puddle. Who'd o' thunk?"
"It's not like that," Max said, then she broke up laughing. "We're not like that, God how lame was that, anyway?
"Pretty damn lame, if you ask me," Cindy drawled, "Still Logan ain't half bad for being the wrong sex. If I swung that way, I would've made a play for him."
Max looked in astonishment at Original Cindy. She then started laughing realizing that Original Cindy was teasing.
Original Cindy put her hand on her hip and mock glared at Max. "Sugah, you may be hot, but you're not in the Original One's league." Unable to keep a straight face any longer, Cindy laughed and hugged Max. "We've got plenty of time to chill, boo. You better take that man home before you throw him on the pool table and start ripping his clothes off right here in Crash."
Max grinned. "I think I'll do that. I owe him." She walked over to Logan, who was watching Sketchy break. "Lets jet," she said seductively.
Logan grinned devilishly and looked over at Original Cindy and winked at her. He called the game, tossed some money on the pool table, grabbed Max's hand and, together, they headed for the stairs.
"Damn, than man could charm the panties off a lesbo," she said to herself as Sketchy walked up to the bar.
"What did you say?" he asked. "Logan dropped a cool Benjamin on the table, and he was up one game!"
"Good!" said Original Cindy tartly. "You know what that means."
"I'm buying."
"Damn straight."
~~~
Max was deceptively quiet on the way up to the penthouse. Logan tried to touch her on the way upstairs, but she effectively pinned his hands with hers.
"Max!" he pleaded.
She just smiled. She let his hands go when they got to the apartment door so he could unlock the door. The minute the door closed, Max was all over Logan. She pulled the tan shirt down to his elbows, making his hands immobile. "Think you're going to tease me and get away with it? Think again." She shoved Logan against a wall and ripped the t-shirt he was wearing exposing his sculpted chest. Her hands roamed up and down his chest, followed by her tongue. She teased Logan's nipples with her tongue and teeth. She could feel him getting hard. He was moaning with desire and struggling to get his arms free.
"Are you going tease me that way again?" she asked between kisses and nibbles.
"Oh yes, God yes," he moaned.
"Good!" she said releasing his arms.
Logan wasted no time. He picked Max up and carried her to the bedroom where it was his turn. Expertly he stripped Max out of her clothes and took off his own. He then took his time with his mouth and tongue bringing her close to orgasm time and again. Finally when she was at the peak Logan slipped into her. She gasped and arched her back and together they began to move in unison. She came with a small scream followed closely by Logan. He groaned as he let himself go both physically and emotionally. He had never allowed himself to be vulnerable to anyone in his life, at least not since his childhood, but Max was able to breach his carefully constructed walls with nothing more than a simple look or touch. Despite that, he knew that his heart was safe in her keeping, safe in those delicate yet strong hands that could kill a man so effortlessly. Sex with Max was so much more than the physical. Each time they came together it was a celebration of the triumph of their love over the seemingly impassable obstacles that had been between them for so long.
~~~
"NO! You're wrong. She does love me... she does. He whispered it over and over. "She does love me."
~ He stood on the precipice again. It would be so easy to step off, to fall into the oblivion. He turned to make the step, but a voice called to him bringing him back. "Logan, don't leave me. I love you." He turned and saw a pair of brown eyes calling him back from the dark. He stepped away one more time. "I love you Max." ~
White looked at Logan. "You're losing, nobody. You can't hold on forever you won't remember who you were and you will truly be mine." He turned and left the small room that held his prisoner, smiling as he went.
~~~
In another room in another city, Max awakened with a start, "Logan?"
A special thanks goes to Star24 who consistently helps me on track. She may not have all the commas, but she knows Logan and Max better than most and is a good friend
Chapter 4 Dancing in the Moonlight
~ She doesn't love you, she never did. You're human, how could she love that? She just used you. She played you. She doesn't love you she never did. ~ The thoughts ran through his mind over and over. He kept fighting them, but they kept coming back. He was drifting again as the drugs overtook him. "Oh God, Max Please help me."
~~~~
"Max... hey Max," Logan called. He walked into the bedroom and looked around. She wasn't there. Realizing she wasn't home, Logan stripped off his sweats and hopped into the shower. He turned on the hot water and let it cascade over his shoulders and back. The investigation into the new drug on the street, Prazenadrine, was going well, but there was one thing nagging him and he couldn't put his finger on it. Before he could grasp what was bothering him a pair of warm hands slid around his waist and he felt lips kissing along his spine until they reached the very sensitive skin around the scar on his back.
Logan reached around and pulled Max into an embrace. "Do I know you?" he laughed.
"I'm the cleaning lady and I think you need a good cleaning. Are you up for the occasion?" Max laughed as she looked up at Logan.
Logan grinned, his eyes sparkling, and said, "I think I can rise to it."
"Ummm, I think you all ready have." Max pulled Logan's head down and began kissing him, tenderly at first then with increasing passion. Her hands began rubbing along the flat planes of his chest and abdomen. Logan groaned softly and responded enthusiastically to Max. His hands began exploring her, finding the places he knew would drive her wild. As the shower rained water on the two, hands slid over soap-slicked skin and steam began to cloud the shower as they gave into the passion that engulfed them.
~~~
~ "Logan, why couldn't you help her? I thought you loved her?" James Cale looked at him sadly, then turned and walked away.
"Dad, don't go please! I did love her. I tried my best. I tried. Oh God, Dad don't go please... I need you." Logan whispered to the retreating form of his father. ~
"Oh God, stop! Please stop!" Logan pulled futilely against the shackles that held him. He watched as the needle came again. He was unable to stop its progress. The needle slipped into his arm sending him into hell again. ~You didn't help her you couldn't. You're weak, not good enough. She died because of you. He hated you for it. You don't deserve a name. ~"It's not true, it's not true," he whispered through dry broken lips, then he sunk again into the miasma of the drugs. He pulled against the bonds that held him and whispered unintelligibly, beads of sweat covering his forehead.
"How long do you plan to keep this up?" Kyle Gentry said.
"I want him broken by the end of the week. This has been very enjoyable, but it's time for the game to end." I'm surprised he's lasted so long. He's stronger than I would have thought." Ames White looked down on the restless form of Logan Cale and smiled. He turned to Gentry and said, "Do whatever you need."
~~~
"Logan," Max called. She came out of the bedroom unsurprised to find him engrossed in the computer. "Earth to Logan! Logan...Hey!"
He looked up from his computer at Max. She was standing, head tilted, hand on hip, looking at him with amusement and exasperation. She was dressed in low cut jeans and a dark red sweater that just covered her midriff. When she moved the sweater shifted to expose a bit of golden skin. He grinned like the Cheshire cat. "Come here," he said suggestively.
"No way!" Max laughed. "I know you. I walk over there, you'll start kissing me, then I'll start kissing you then the whole evening is shot. We promised Original Cindy we would meet her at Crash, and that is what we're going to do."
"Aww, " Logan pretended to be disappointed. He stood and Max looked him over and smiled. He was dressed in jeans and a tan shirt over a blue t- shirt. He ambled over to where Max was standing. "We'd better go then." He gestured for her to walk before him. He grabbed his keys and together they went out the door.
"Max?" Lagan said, "I'm worried about the drug scam. Something's not adding up. Can't quite put my finger on it, but I have a bad feeling about it."
"What's the dealio? Are you saying we shouldn't do the recon?"
"No, I'm not saying that. I just need a few more days to make sure. It's almost too easy."
"Ok do all the research you need, but tonight is for fun and beer. Logan must have fun; it's an order." Max mock-frowned at Logan as the elevator stopped on the garage level.
Logan grinned at Max and said, "Yes ma'am." He beeped open the door to the car, a new Mercedes SUV with class two body armor.
Max cocked her head to the side. "You know I really miss Bessie," she said wistfully. "I miss the way it used to be sometimes, you know just you and me fighting the good fight." She turned and looked up at Logan.
Logan bent down and kissed Max on the forehead and drew her to him. "Nothing ever stays the same, Max. We can't go back to where we were. We're different people now. But one thing you can always count on, I love you Max Cale. I will always love you. Nothing will ever change that."
Max gulped and sniffed a little. "You know, Logan, I've thought a lot of things about you. You're the most stubborn and pigheaded man I know. You're ruthless, and single minded, but I never would have thought of you as a big pile of sentimental mush."
Logan looked at Max in mock horror. "Don't tell anyone. Can't have my reputation ruined. Tell you what, lets take your bike tonight. Forget the car." He shrugged and grinned. "It probably won't rain for at least another twenty minutes or so."
"You're on, hot shot." Max walked to her bike swaying as she went and Logan followed, smiling.
Logan climbed on the bike behind Max, put his hands around her waist and snuggled in close behind her.
"If you don't stop doing that, I'm gonna have to do something that you'll regret," Max threatened
"You promise?" Logan said, then grabbed on for dear life as Max roared out of the garage.
~~~
He was lost. He stood on the edge of a precipice, "Max, where are you? Max?"
~"She's not here," the whispered voice came again. "She's forgotten you. She doesn't love you. How could she? You're a poseur; you couldn't save her. You can't save yourself; you're weak. How could she love you? How could anyone love you? Give up. Forget...forget."
~~~
Max was watching Logan. He was playing pool with Sketchy and winning handily. Original Cindy smirked, handed Max a beer. and said. "Sister girl, that man has you so twisted around, you don't know what end's up. And here I was thinking that you was all strong. He just smiles at you and you melt into a puddle. Who'd o' thunk?"
"It's not like that," Max said, then she broke up laughing. "We're not like that, God how lame was that, anyway?
"Pretty damn lame, if you ask me," Cindy drawled, "Still Logan ain't half bad for being the wrong sex. If I swung that way, I would've made a play for him."
Max looked in astonishment at Original Cindy. She then started laughing realizing that Original Cindy was teasing.
Original Cindy put her hand on her hip and mock glared at Max. "Sugah, you may be hot, but you're not in the Original One's league." Unable to keep a straight face any longer, Cindy laughed and hugged Max. "We've got plenty of time to chill, boo. You better take that man home before you throw him on the pool table and start ripping his clothes off right here in Crash."
Max grinned. "I think I'll do that. I owe him." She walked over to Logan, who was watching Sketchy break. "Lets jet," she said seductively.
Logan grinned devilishly and looked over at Original Cindy and winked at her. He called the game, tossed some money on the pool table, grabbed Max's hand and, together, they headed for the stairs.
"Damn, than man could charm the panties off a lesbo," she said to herself as Sketchy walked up to the bar.
"What did you say?" he asked. "Logan dropped a cool Benjamin on the table, and he was up one game!"
"Good!" said Original Cindy tartly. "You know what that means."
"I'm buying."
"Damn straight."
~~~
Max was deceptively quiet on the way up to the penthouse. Logan tried to touch her on the way upstairs, but she effectively pinned his hands with hers.
"Max!" he pleaded.
She just smiled. She let his hands go when they got to the apartment door so he could unlock the door. The minute the door closed, Max was all over Logan. She pulled the tan shirt down to his elbows, making his hands immobile. "Think you're going to tease me and get away with it? Think again." She shoved Logan against a wall and ripped the t-shirt he was wearing exposing his sculpted chest. Her hands roamed up and down his chest, followed by her tongue. She teased Logan's nipples with her tongue and teeth. She could feel him getting hard. He was moaning with desire and struggling to get his arms free.
"Are you going tease me that way again?" she asked between kisses and nibbles.
"Oh yes, God yes," he moaned.
"Good!" she said releasing his arms.
Logan wasted no time. He picked Max up and carried her to the bedroom where it was his turn. Expertly he stripped Max out of her clothes and took off his own. He then took his time with his mouth and tongue bringing her close to orgasm time and again. Finally when she was at the peak Logan slipped into her. She gasped and arched her back and together they began to move in unison. She came with a small scream followed closely by Logan. He groaned as he let himself go both physically and emotionally. He had never allowed himself to be vulnerable to anyone in his life, at least not since his childhood, but Max was able to breach his carefully constructed walls with nothing more than a simple look or touch. Despite that, he knew that his heart was safe in her keeping, safe in those delicate yet strong hands that could kill a man so effortlessly. Sex with Max was so much more than the physical. Each time they came together it was a celebration of the triumph of their love over the seemingly impassable obstacles that had been between them for so long.
~~~
"NO! You're wrong. She does love me... she does. He whispered it over and over. "She does love me."
~ He stood on the precipice again. It would be so easy to step off, to fall into the oblivion. He turned to make the step, but a voice called to him bringing him back. "Logan, don't leave me. I love you." He turned and saw a pair of brown eyes calling him back from the dark. He stepped away one more time. "I love you Max." ~
White looked at Logan. "You're losing, nobody. You can't hold on forever you won't remember who you were and you will truly be mine." He turned and left the small room that held his prisoner, smiling as he went.
~~~
In another room in another city, Max awakened with a start, "Logan?"