Caveat Lector: Real life took a huge toll on me, but I'm back. I'm so so so sorry I haven't been updating as regularly as I try to. Here's to hoping I can stay inspired and don't have to take another long leave again, guys! To make up for my absence, this chapter is broken down into two parts, this is the first part.
Oh my god, you have no idea how much I love that you enjoy Logan as much as I do, my anonymous reviewer! I'll share them because frankly, they need a lot of love because the IIC of writing and storylines royally screwed up with Logan. He definitely should have had a better run on paper than he did. I was so pissed when they just killed him off. There was potential there! Also, yeah I lowkey rooted for Diego and Georgie too, tbh.
Simon raised his hand to knock on the door to Lola's suite in the hotel, almost certain that she'd never hear him over the sounds of Ice Nine Kills being blasted from within the suite.
From behind him, a throat cleared.
Simon turned, a brow raised at the sight of Logan, the PCPD officer he'd spoken to about being bodyguard to Lola as Logan stood there gazing at him. Simon couldn't help but get the feeling as Logan watched him that he was most certainly being sized up. As a result, when Simon spoke up, "Officer... what brings you here at this time of night?" his tone was nothing if not edgy, defensive.
Logan rubbed his chin in thought as he gazed at Lola's manager. Something about the man just rubbed Logan all sorts of wrong but he'd yet to put a finger on exactly why. When Simon asked why he was there, he shrugged because truth be told, he was only there on a gut feeling.
After all, the man had hired him to do a job. Might as well do it right.
"My spidey senses were tingling. Mind if I ask you the same question, Simon?" Logan asked, gazing at the other man as he went silent, waiting on an answer. When Simon fidgeted a little and fumbled around for words for a minute or two, Logan's 'bad feeling' only grew a little more. He smirked to himself as he stepped past Simon and knocked on Lola's door, loudly enough he knew he'd be heard over the screaming of the heavy metal band she was listening to.
It took a few seconds but finally, the door to the suite opened and Lola leaned against it's frame, a towel wrapped around her body and some sort of green facial mask spread over her skin as she looked back and forth from man to man. She gave Logan an almost playful wink as she smiled.
Simon, Logan couldn't help but notice, didn't get the same treatment. She scowled as her eyes settled on Simon. "I'm not going to the opening. I don't have to be there. Just so you know before you start all that nagging at me, Simon. C'mon, we've talked about this. I need time to recharge my people battery, alright?"
"This appearance could be a big deal for you, Ms. Casteel." Simon pinched the bridge of his nose and rolled his eyes as he grew frustrated. Desperate.
Because if he didn't get her down to the opening of this new nightclub in town, he was going to miss a major opportunity for publicity -among other things, and just the thought of another failure to report back to his own boss had him starting to panic more than a little. She expected results and she expected them soon and if she didn't get them, Simon was worried about how he'd manage to evade her a little longer and ultimately, save his own skin.
,, It appears I'm just going to have to get creative in my attempts now. Since apparently the madame is going to put a deadline on the task she hired me to do years ago. The task I've already failed at more than three times now." the thought came and Simon grumbled to himself for a moment, and then he tried another tac. "This appearance is part of your upcoming work with that cosmetics company that's hired you to be their face. If you don't go, you'll be in breach of contract, I'm afraid."
Lola raised a brow at Simon. She'd read -and re read, the contract she signed with this cosmetics company at least ten times and nowhere in the contract did it say she was obligated to be present at events such as this one. She was getting a nagging feeling in her gut and she truly didn't like it, either. In the back of her mind, she found herself remembering the last time Simon dragged her out to a big event like a proper show pony and she eyed the man warily as soon as she realized that the last time Simon pulled something similar, she nearly died and wound up with a concussion. And the bodyguard she had at the time, -also her lover, Adam, wound up dying because he took a bullet clearly meant for her.
,, Maybe tonight I can catch him at whatever he's obviously up to. Maybe I need to have a better talk with my bodyguard. Warn him what I think is happening and who I think is behind it." but this thought was closely followed with, "But I know exactly who I think might be putting Simon up to this and if I want to get my revenge on her... Telling Logan what I feel is happening means I have to tell him everything and honestly, I don't know that I can do that."
Logan glanced at the man standing next to him as he found himself wondering why exactly Simon seemed to want Lola to show up at the club opening so badly. The gut feeling that led him to drive to the Metro Court and check in with Lola Casteel only grew more powerful and this led Logan to clear his throat. "How long does she have to stay?"
Simon mulled it over. An hour was enough time for him to find someone to do what needed to be done on both fronts. Two hours would give him a little wiggle room and hopefully, enough time to cover his own ass. "At least two hours. And you must walk the red carpet."
Lola grumbled and rolled her eyes in annoyance, blowing at dark strands as she gazed up at Logan. "How fast can you get yourself a suit, meatball?"
Logan chuckled and bit his lip as he thought it over. "I can try to borrow one. Let me text a friend."
Lola glared at Simon as he gave her a smug look and nodded to the open doorway she stood in and tapped his wrist, expectantly. "You're in danger of going beyond the fashionably late precedent you've set for these events, Ms. Casteel. I'd advise you to hurry."
"I'd advise you to fuck off but I doubt it'd do me any good." Lola grumbled to herself as she sighed in irritation. All she wanted to do tonight was be alone. Lounge around in her favorite tee shirt with a pint or two of ice cream of her choosing and vegetate with some Sons of Anarchy reruns. Apparently, she wasn't allowed to have even an ounce of normal, ever. At any point in her life.
,, you're the one who chose this life, girl. you're the one who wanted all the money and the material shit the money would get you. you're the one who is so desperate to make something of yourself to spite that old bitch Helena. And the family that most likely didn't want you." the thought came and Lola let herself have it, stepping out of the door as she looked at Simon and answered in a curt tone, "If you want me to go, you need to be getting somewhere to pick up an outfit, do you not? You know I hate this shopping bullshit. Go on now, find me a dress." she shooed the man away and he glared at her for a second or two before turning on his heels to walk away and get on the elevator. Lola called out to his turned back with a smirk, "It better not be any color other than black or red... Maybe a fun leopard print." and Simon had to stop himself from turning around and informing her that she'd take whatever dress he could find her and wear it.
Logan spoke up from the doorway as he stepped into and leaned against it's frame. "My buddy Dante is gonna bring me over one of his suits."
Lola smiled and nodded, stepping closer to him just a shade. Just enough that her body managed to brush softly right against him as she rose to tiptoe and fluffed at the front of his close cropped hair and smirked at him. "At least I'll have something nice to look at while I'm dealing with people."
The wrinkling of her nose as she said the last few words had Logan gazing at her with a brow raised. "Perks of being semi famous, huh?" he chuckled around the words as he shrugged at her.
"There are no perks to this shit, Logan. I've been doing this long enough to know that." Lola responded as she stepped away from him a little and started to cross the suite, stopping at the bathroom door and turning back to look at Logan.
Logan called out with a shrug, "You're the one who chose the path, darlin."
"And I have my own reasons. Just waiting on my big break. It'll happen any day now." Lola retorted before disappearing into the bathroom of the suite, leaving Logan to stand there and puzzle through the new things he'd just had revealed to him about Lola Casteel.
It was just another thing about her that didn't add up to him. And he hated the feeling that he'd gotten about her all along, that she was holding back some pretty major secrets.
Dante's throat cleared and Logan turned around, stepping all the way back out into the hall as he took the suit from his partner. "Thanks. Sorry it's so last minute."
Dante chuckled, but at the expression on his partner's face, he was prompted to ask what was going on. Logan filled him in and casually mentioned, "I just got a feeling man... If we were to run Simon's name, we'd find out a lot." Dante caught onto the hint Logan was dropping and he nodded thoughtfully as he shrugged. After a few seconds, he nodded to the closed door of the suite and teased his partner, "Is expectation living up to reality, man?"
Logan shrugged. " Ask me in another week. I'm still trying to figure her out. There's a strong feeling I'm getting about her, too. Not sure I like it because the last time I got this feeling my life got messy as all hell."
"I'll look into Simon. Might not hurt to look into her past bodyguards and agents too. Find out if there's anything there you need to know before this goes any further. Agents don't seek out bodyguards without a good reason, man." Dante mused as Logan nodded in agreement.
Lola cleared her throat from the doorway as she glanced from man to man, one hand on her hip and the other wound in long and dark waves. "There is a lot I haven't told you, actually. I barely know you."
"You heard us?"
"Mhm."
Logan gazed at her, waiting because it felt like she wanted to say something else, her mouth had opened and closed all over again. She remained silent for a few seconds as if she were thinking it over and then she added quietly, "We need to have a discussion. You can come in too. But we have to hurry before Simon gets back."
She stepped out of the door to let the two men into her suite and quickly, she closed the door behind her, locking all four locks as soon as the door was completely closed. Then she turned to the two men and motioned for them to sit on the couch. Logan flopped down and Dante took a seat in the chair near the door.
Lola wandered out of the room and Logan glanced over at Dante, who shrugged.
Lola came back into the main room with an arm full of thick folders which she sat on Logan's lap. "You'll need all of this to do your job properly." was pretty much the only thing she could say as she gave Logan the folders that contained everything about her past. Everything she went above and beyond to hide from most everyone else. And the entire time he was skimming over the contents of the first thick folder, her stomach churned nervously. Several times she almost said something to break the ice and her mouth would open, only to close all over again.
Logan scanned the contents of the first folder she'd handed him. Inside were documents that seemed to hint something that had him gaping at the words, blinking as if to see if he'd read them correctly the first time.
He could feel her staring at him. He glanced up and nodded to the folder spread across his lap. "This is a joke, right?"
Lola's blank facial expression and the shake of her head no had Logan gaping at her. Dante was curious, so he wandered over and sat next to Logan on the sectional sofa, looking at the papers that seemed to have Logan tensing up all over. And as soon as he caught sight of the photos on the top of the pile, he knew exactly why Logan was having the reaction he was having.
If the papers weren't forged, what they were reading meant something huge.
"How'd you find out all of this?"
" A birthday present. My grandmother used everything you're reading right now to make my father turn his back on me. To be fair, she wanted me dead from the second she realized that Father loved me more than he loved her."
"That's..." Logan trailed off, raising a hand to drag it through close cropped blond hair as Dante spoke up. "Father.."
"Stavros.. Or at least that's what I thought until my fifteenth birthday, when Grandmother gave all of that to him, thinking it would make him turn his back on me." Lola sighed and fidgeted momentarily, crossing one long and bare leg over the other as she looked from man to man and finished, "She was right about it, but it took him a little longer. Turns out, her word and all of those papers weren't enough proof for Father... But when I had the accident and I needed that emergency surgery and they discovered there was no way he was biologically related to me.." Lola trailed off, going quiet. Grimacing and shaking her head as she sat up a little straighter and said in a tone almost too dismissive, "It doesn't matter. Grandmother told me all along that my real mom didn't want any part of me. That she went off and had herself a whole other family and I wouldn't be welcome in it. I think to start with, she drilled it into my head so that I'd be more compliant."
Dante and Logan exchanged looks as Lola paced the area behind the sofa they were sitting on, wringing her hands. "So, that leads me to my suspicions.. And the whole reason I didn't run you out on a rail when Simon dragged you into all this. Simon is working for her, I think. But I can't prove it. And I'm pretty sure that tonight is just the start of a lot of 'accidents' in my future. Again.."
Logan glanced up at Lola and bit his lip as he thought over what she was getting at. "Why haven't you gotten rid of the damn guy then, huh? Doesn't make sense."
"Because without him, I can't get my hands on her. I can't finally get my revenge. This is going to end the same way it started. Her and I. Because she completely fucked me up. She richly deserves every single thing I'm planning."
Logan scoffed and shook his head. "If everyone else whose tried hasn't managed to kill her yet, what makes you think you're gonna succeed, huh?"
"I'm willing to die trying." Lola shrugged as she nodded to the folders. "Keep reading. I want you to know exactly what you're up against since Simon dragged you into the middle of all this. Because it's not pretty."
Logan did as instructed, reading through articles and clippings of various accidents, a kidnapping attempt and when he finished, he looked up at her, holding up the folder. "It okay if I take these and make copies, darlin? Do my own further digging?"
Lola shrugged. "Whatever you want to do. If you choose to walk out that door now, sir, know that I won't blame you."
Dante glanced at Logan and groaned to himself as soon as it sank in for him that walking away from this entire bizarre situation was the absolute last thing that Logan Baldwin had on his mind. And almost instantly, instinct kicked in for Dante. "I'll work behind the scenes on this."
"Yeah. It'll give you somethin to do, man. I know you're goin stir crazy, bein forced to do street patrol." Logan took a deep breath and shrugged. "I'm not a quitter. All this just means I have to be on my A game."
Lola gaped for a second or two and then nodded. She'd gotten the feeling that he wouldn't do the smartest thing for himself and distance himself as far away from this crazy situation as he could. And for once, she could see just a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.
She quickly buried the thought and pulled herself together, dropping to sit on the seat right next to Logan as she muttered quietly, "You can't say I'm hiding anything from you. Everything I know, you know now."
"And this will definitely help me do my job." Logan muttered thoughtfully. Sharp knocks at the door of the suite had Lola grumbling and glaring at the door as she raised her middle finger to it. "And he's back. Time to get this shit show in motion, I suppose."
"I've gotta get going anyway. Want me to take these folders back with me? I'm going down to the station anyway, man.. Gotta look into something for myself off the clock too."
Lola nodded to the suit Dante had just dropped off and then she glanced at the bathroom in her suite. "You go ahead and get dressed. I'll be a little longer, pretty sure you'll be done in seconds."
Logan chuckled and nodded, raising off of the sectional to go into the bathroom of the suite and change. He peeked out and called out to Lola, "Hey! I'm grabbing a shower."
"Fine with me! I'm done with it anyway." Lola answered as she leaned her head back against the cushion and rubbed at her temples. On the one hand, she felt a certain relief in knowing that she'd finally taken the plunge and trusted someone with everything she knew and suspected. On the other, she found herself afraid that in telling Logan and his partner everything, she may well have managed to drag them into it all somehow.
Because somehow, Helena would find out. And given what she knew about the situation surrounding her birth and everything she'd been raised to believe about the family she'd been taken from, she had no reason to want a reunion. And she was at least eighty percent sure that neither would they.
Deep down, this was a disappointing realization to have. Simon entered the suit with 3 dress bags in his arms. Lola stood and wandered over, grabbing the garment bags, taking them over to the sleeping area because her vanity and a body length mirror happened to be there. She unzipped the first dress bag and glanced back at Simon, a brow raised. "This is pink."
"Maybe you should try a new look?"
"How about no. We have an agreement, Simon. How about you stop trying to undermine your cash cow, hm? The next two better be more to my liking or I swear to God, I'll find a new manager."
Simon rolled his eyes and grumbled to himself as he folded his arms over his chest. "The sooner, the better." he grumbled to himself as he thought about what he'd set up while he'd been out combing the entire town for dresses at the last minute. Lola heard him mumble something under his breath and she whirled around, gazing at him with a brow raised. "Something to say?" she quipped.
"Just that you're running late."
"Could have something to do with you, insisting I do this last minute." Lola muttered as she began to unzip the second garment bag. The dress inside was red and strapless and upon pulling the dress out, it had a slit that stopped at her hip. She bit her lip and mulled it over. She'd seen the black suit Logan's partner dropped off for him before Logan went into the bathroom to shower and change into it so she knew the tie was nearly the exact same shade as the dress.
"This one will have to do, I guess." she mumbled to herself as she wandered over to the bathroom door and opened it, promptly finding herself body to body with Logan, who was fresh out of the shower with a towel around his waist. She coughed a little and quickly diverted her eyes, but the image of water rolling over muscles was burned into her mind now.
"Need somethin, darlin?"
"Thought I'd come in here and heat up my curling iron.. Maybe do my skincare and put on the dress."
Logan's eyes settled on the dress in question and he took a deep breath as he chuckled and nodded to it. "That's it, huh?"
"Yeah, it'll have to do." Lola smirked up at Logan a little, daring to brush herself against him as she did so. "Can I get by you?" she muttered, getting lost in his eyes. Logan stared right back at her, smirking. "I'm not exactly in your way, darlin." he pointed out, feeling a small surge of pride as soon as he saw her face darken just a little bit.
"Right, well." Lola stepped away and then around him, over to the counter.
He tried not to think about her changing in the same room, right out in front of him no less and he definitely tried not to catch a glimpse of her, but despite his best efforts not to, he managed to. He coughed quietly and turned his attention back to getting himself dressed until he felt a tap to his shoulder. When he whirled around, he found himself body to body with Lola.
"Can you zip me?"
"Yeah, if you'll tie this damn tie." Logan answered as he motioned for her to turn around, tugging at the zipper and trying to ignore the slightest shake of his hand as he worked the zipper to her dress up. She muttered a thanks and then he turned to face her. Lola raised her hands, working the tie through itself into a neat loop and then she tugged it up just enough.
When she finished, she rested her palm against the lapel of his jacket. "You clean up better than expected, Officer."
"You're not so bad yourself, Ms. Casteel." Logan answered as his eyes roamed over her slowly.