"Alright! Finally!" Dick grinned as he greeted Logan the following morning at his locker as his brown eyes roved over Veronica's petite form in her white t-shirt, red and green plaid skirt and small heels as she stood with Wallace collecting her books for class.
"Finally what?" he asked looking at his blond companion in confusion.
Did he have a love-bite someplace he didn't know about?
Giving Dick his full attention, he noted his friend's longer than usual blond hair was damp and tousled and he had a towel wrapped around his shoulders. He must have been out surfing before school again this morning. Typically Logan would have gone with him but he was exhausted after the revelations and drama from the night before. Mr Mars was insisting on looking for a new apartment complex after the incident involving that girl Sarah from the flat upstairs despite Veronica's reasoning that it could have happened anywhere.
A small private island and we could get one of those little cottages on the properties for her dad… maybe then she would run away with him?
The thought that she was entertaining getting involved in an investigation involving the Mob and people high up in the justice system had kept him awake into the small hours of the morning. She was drawn to trouble like a moth to a flame. He'd been practising all night how to give her a warning speech to not take this case in a way that wouldn't have her completely hate him and even thinking about it made his head ache.
At least I know she's not entirely immune to my powers of persuasion…
"I mean Ka-Pow… you finally sexed that little blond thing up… now that's what I'm talking about Bro… all that emotions crap… was turning you into some therapy seeking junkie when all you needed was to use your Junk… Sometimes you just need to remind the little lady… she's a little woman" he said offering up a fist bump.
"How the hell did you even find out about that?" Logan demanded, glancing over in Veronica's direction protectively.
Had they been caught?
"Dude… it's me! I've been watching you have Post-Coital conversations with chicks for the last 2 years.. I know the signs… and that little hottie has been looking at you like she can't blush hard enough" Dick said patting him on the back.
Typical… you could parade an entire safari of animals and have penguins in bikinis teaching all of the classes and Dick would barely notice… but one night of intimacy with Veronica and he's fricking Sherlock Holmes.
"I'm proud… oh hey are those your dads boots from Hair Trigger?" he asked browsing at the contents of his locker.
"Uh.. yeah. Big Ticket Item. Dad promised Vice Principal Clemmons he could have them for the auction" Logan confirmed before grabbing his books for his Life Skills class.
"Alright… new scoreboard… Hey Bro… now you've scored you could totally put it up there" Dick grinned and punched his shoulder, earning him an arched eyebrow. "Okay… you are under caffeinated… but it's okay, I'm guessing she wore you out last night since it's been a while. You go greet the little lady, I'm going to get me grape soda, I'll grab you a Red bull and see you in class"
"Later Dick" Logan sighed shaking his head before he picked up his bag and headed over towards Veronica and Wallace.
"Sup?" Wallace greeted as he nodded in his direction, as if responding on cue Veronica turned rewarded him with a smile and he gave her a tender kiss on the cheek as her arms automatically wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer. "I swear it's like since you got your memories back you are one part Koala" Wallace sighed shaking his head.
"I thought you smelled like eucalyptus" Veronica said, addressing Logan as she looked up at him, glad to be close to him again, even now her body recalled how and where it had been touched… if she could dissolve him into smoke and inhale him, it still would never be close enough. His masculine, musky scent had a hint of something spicy this morning and she wanted to just burrow into his wide chest that cushioned her against him and stay there for the rest of the day.
"I wouldn't be sending off to Animal Planet just yet… opening her arms… spreading her legs… it's all the same to her really" Caitlin snarled, glaring at Logan as she slammed her locker closed and wandered off towards the girls bathroom with Alexandra and Gabrielle, Veronica felt her vocal cords jam at the calculated insult.
"There we have it folks Neptune High's very own cast of Mean Girls" Meg sighed sympathetically as she joined them. "Hello My Basketball Star" she smiled at Wallace, tugging his arm so he was closer to her and stealing a kiss. Veronica cast a look at his best friend who looked like Meg Manning had just lit the entire sun from inside him his grin was so wide.
"Would it be weird if we started a drinking game based on how often I only get to see you these days when I'm at my locker?" Veronica asked Meg teasing.
"Only a star because I got my favourite girl cheering me on" he retorted smiling crookedly at her and Veronica rolled her eyes and shared a sneaky glance with Logan.
Hypocrite…
"Oh look… it's the usual morning snugglers. Move it along to class…. Come on…" Mr Sanders groaned as he walked down the corridors towards the administration lounge.
"I do have to get ready for the morning announcements actually" Meg sighed in dismay as she gazed up at Wallace.
"And I have attendance slips to check and tardy notes to dispense in the Admin office" Wallace lamented in mutual disappointment.
"Quite the workaholic power couple, it sort of makes you feel like a slacker, doesn't it pumpkin?" Logan teased Veronica as he kissed her forehead.
"Yeah… I mean all we do is smooching in the hallways…." Veronica grinned at Wallace who was busy admiring Meg as she walked away towards the AV club to do the schools morning announcements.
Or have clandestine meetings in laundromats and think about taking down an international sex trafficking ring?
Neptune was an exclusive coastal resort and home to several shipping lanes if someone wanted to bypass San Diego. It made sense that that in a place more usually known for harbouring luxury private yachts for celebrities and politicians that some corrupt underworld influences would seize on the opportunity to use the flashy tourist friendly backdrop as the perfect disguise… hiding their dealings in plain sight.
Just one more mask of their sordid little hometown.
"Don't even tease me… I had Meg over to my place last night after the football game against All Saints High and our psycho tenant was in the kitchen again. Dude is seriously disturbed. I told my Mom's to just evict him but the dude just won't leave…" Wallace grimaced. The Sheriff's department had been less than useless in removing the hookers the guy had brought over and let camp out in his room for three days. He was supposed to be working tonight at the Sac-N-Pac after Basketball Practise before their game on Friday against Pam High but he really wanted to be at home with his Mom and little brother Daniel.
"Jeremy? You can't keep letting him get away with this, it's like the third time this month" Veronica pleaded. She recalled how a few weeks ago he'd mentioned that his mother suspected the creep was going into her bedroom while she wasn't there.
"I'd handle it myself but he's threatening some kind of lawsuit saying he fell in our yard. He's saying that he'll take it up against her employer if she doesn't back off. My Mom's up for a promotion this month, she can't be having any drama like this making its way back to her at work…." Wallace said shaking his head, besides the guy owed almost 2 month's rent and they couldn't afford for him not to cough up like he would eventually. "Look I got to get to the office" he sighed and walked away. "I'll see you at lunch"
"Okay…" she replied quietly, she'd let it go like he asked just this once, but one more incident and she was going to contact her dad.
I might just run a background check on him just to be sure… see who we are dealing with.
"You have that look" Logan remarked.
"What look?" she asked innocently.
"Your I'm-going-to-do-some-digging look" he replied.
"That has its own look?" she inquired, flashing him her best guiltless expression.
"Yep" he nodded wryly.
"Does it resemble anything like my kiss-me-Logan-Echolls look?" she teased giving him a little smirk.
"Does this resemble anything like your homeroom?" Mr Sanders repeated as he wandered past them again and tapped on his wristwatch for dramatic effect.
"It's like the school district employs that man simply to make sure I can't spend my mornings kissing you" Logan sighed in frustration as is breath on her neck sent tingles feathering over her skin.
"Come along Mr Echolls… we mustn't monopolize all of Ms Mars's time…" Mr Sanders urged as he glared at them sternly.
"Its like what happens to a person when you can't do… or get laid" he whispered in a low voice pitched just for her as he kissed her cheek and stepped away to glance back over his shoulder at Mr Sanders and gave him a mock salute as Veronica stifled a giggle.
Communications with Weevil and the other PCHers had been all but limited to subtle nods and calculated side wards glances, topped off with the usual wolf howls at the sight of any female flesh on display from Orlando and Havier. Most of the rest of her morning classes passed by in a blur and she found herself assisting Ms Dent by helping out with aiding Evelyn Buglee, the volunteer commissioner for the upcoming 20 year High School for the people who graduated at the same time as her mother, Lianne Reynolds. It was with mixed emotions that she both resented her own weakness at devouring every new piece of information she could about the woman who had raised, and then abandoned her.
I'm only checking it out because it might offer up some new leads as to where she might have gone…
It didn't matter how she tried to reason it to herself, part of her hated her mother. She'd left… Veronica had needed her and she'd just ran away with no explanation... she hadn't even bothered to come back when she'd lost her memories and she knew that it'd ended up as a small bit in the entertainment section that she'd had medical problems and was attending Homecoming with Logan Echolls.
She just didn't care enough to even call…
The biggest shock had been finding out that her mother and Jake Kane had been Homecoming King and Queen.
Her mother and Lilly's father had been high school sweethearts…. What did that mean? Did her father know? Could it have had something to do with why he'd gone so hard after Jake Kane during the murder investigation? Was it… jealousy?
She cast a brief glance at her ex-boyfriend Duncan Kane.
Did he know about this?
She was tempted to ask him but things between the two of them had gone from indifferent, to cordial to damn right frosty. Ever since she'd gotten together with Logan, he had completely blanked her again and he was his usual evasive self.
"Neptune High Trivia for you" Veronica announced as she sat down in her seat beside Logan where he was waiting in the food court. "Did you know that my mom and Jake Kane used to be childhood sweethearts?" handing him the yearbook.
"You're kidding right?" Logan scoffed before he looked at the picture of them at the high school dance with a heart around it.
"Its crazy right?" she sighed as she pulled her lunch out of her bag and a chilling thought occurred to him.
Did Veronica's mother have something to do with Lilly's death?
She'd fallen apart after Lilly's murder, she'd pretty much fallen into the bottom of a bottle… she'd always been adamant that Jake Kane had been innocent.
Was she so certain because… she'd killed Lilly?
He tried to kill the mutinous thought but he couldn't deny that her sudden disappearance a few months later didn't look like the actions of someone who wasn't hiding some kind of secret. He would focus their investigation in another direction first… until they had eliminated all other possibilities. His eyebrows tilted down in the hint of a frown as he clamped down on the accusations and questions clamouring for release.
Who would ever want to think that the person who raised them was a killer? Who'd want to be burdened with the thought that that kind of darkness ran in their blood? I'll be with her no matter what happens…
"Logan! I'll catch you outside Wu's after Study Hall" Dick called as he wandered by with several pizza boxes and went to sit beside Faith Schultz and Madison. "Veronica… you keep looking after my guy" he winked.
"What was that about?" Wallace asked as he walked up to their table with his tray, narrowly missing tripping on the step before he corrected himself.
"Just Dick… being Dick" Logan dismissed quickly although Wallace was sure he could swear he'd almost see him blushing. Veronica was too engrossed in looking through an old high school yearbook to notice.
"Uh huh…" Wallace replied sceptically as Logan tried to reign in the raw craving that flushed his cheeks when he thought about the previous evening and her cool-as-a-cucumber veneer made him envious as his groin tightened.
He'd taken her right there against the wall… He didn't do things like this… He wasn't this reckless…
Logan mentally scolded himself, they were tracking down murderers, attempting to unravel conspiracies and getting involved in plots against the Mob, while to ace Mr Daniels English test and avoid being separated being ripped apart by their fathers… and all he could think about was how the water had shimmered seductively over her lithe lines and sultry curves as she gave herself to him with complete abandon the night before? He'd be torturing himself with that image of her for months… standing naked almost glittering from head to toe like some kind of provocative early Christmas gift.
She must have sensed him watching her because she looked up from her salad and gave him a quizzical look.
"My Mom was asking again when she could expect you over for Dinner" he said quickly, trying to ignore the tide of desire for her currently singing in his veins. "And fair warning… since she is back in town, my sister Trina has been threatening to take you shopping" he sighed.
"Oh…." Veronica shifted nervously. "I'll have to check my schedule and pencil that in for next to… never?" she replied.
"Shopping? Where?" Meg asked as she arrived at the lunch table with May, Tessa and Natalie.
"Please tell me it's for shoes!" Natalie pleaded, earning Meg a pained expression from Wallace as he slid over to allow them to sit down.
"Hey! You got all the glitter out! I'm so sorry about that again Veronica…" May exclaimed and Logan looked over at the short redhead girl, contemplating offering her thanks for the erotic pictures currently circulating around his head and igniting his libido.
"I miss the days… when all we used to talk about at this table right here… were Taco Tuesdays and whatever dessert we were having at Gumbo and Basketball night" he whispered to Veronica as his deep voice rumbled across the table and she giggled silently. It was good to see her laugh, if even just briefly.
"I set up the equipment in the AV lab for you again Veronica" Mac announced as she came over and slotted into the seat beside May.
"Thanks!" Veronica smiled and offered over a small bag with chocolate chip cookies.
"You're using the video lab?" Logan questioned, something in his tone implied that he knew this was more than just a class project.
"Yes… I was actually hoping to ask your help with that… I am in need of your particular specialist skills" she said cryptically.
"Organizing your porn career?" Caitlin sneered as she walked by.
"Seriously… what is that girls problem?" Wallace demanded as they watched her walk over to the table where Faith and Madison where sitting, flanked by Pam and Kimmy.
"Who? Her? Just the President of my fan club" Veronica said pointing at the bottle blond and heaved a sigh, trying to shake the recollections of the recordings she'd been listening to over the last few days from her head.
"It's not you… it's me" Logan comforted. "She's a Celebutant wannabe. Doesn't like someone else playing with her toys… girls like that think I'm like some kind of Gucci handbag" he thought bitterly, she was no better than any of the other rich spoiled socialites he'd dated who all flaunted him around like some kind of additional asset and using whatever fun they could get out of him before tossing him aside in favour of someone closer to their ideal version a mouldable future husband would make them his trophy wife while they were still young enough to twist their youth to their advantage. They quickly learned that he was not the kind of man to pressed and bent into shape, and when they figured that out… they usually left him.
Beautiful, privileged people, living beautiful privileged lives…
"Celebutant?" Natalie asked.
"Celebrity Debutant… young women who just want to look pretty for the cameras… you know… famous for being famous?" May explained.
Wallace stood, his tall athletic frame unfolding from the chair as he left his tray over by the collection point and he chatted to some of the basketball players about the upcoming game, his dark ebony eyes continuing to steal adoring glances at Meg while she focused on Mac telling them all about the new transfer student Troy Vandergraf who'd been sent off by his dad to some all-boys catholic school getting caught for drug possession.
"A whole piñata full of steroids… and there was some girl from his previous school too" Natalie added, Logan frowned. He'd known that Troy had been in Tijuana with Luke and Mike Stephens when his father's car had been allegedly stolen, along with about $8000 dollars' worth of drugs that Luke had been smuggling.
"Do you think it has anything to do with those meatheads that beat up Luke a few weeks ago?" May whispered, her sea-green eyes wide and Logan couldn't help but compare her wild red hair to that Disney character Mèrida from the movie Brave he'd had to watch on a loop when he'd been dating Tammy Forrester for a few months last year and they had to babysit her younger sisters.
"And to think you almost went to Homecoming with that guy" Logan smirked at Veronica as he followed her into the AV lab, no doubt rumours would be circulating about something less than savoury going on between the two of them in here.
Hell, all he had to do was think about something more intimate happening between the two of them in there and no doubt Mr Sanders would sniff them out like a blood hound.
"You are kind of pouty when you are jealous" Veronica provoked as she pulled out the tapes from her bag, placing them on the table behind her. His gaze trawled her body, slowly, assessing her petite curves designed to drive men to the edge of insanity.
"Jealous?" he asked, arching an eyebrow, his fingertips were gliding around her waist, tugging her against his body as she stepped away from him as his body mirrored her movements, inching closer.
"Wouldn't you be jealous?" she taunted, a playful glint in her blue eyes . "I'd be in those strappy heels… some red satin dress… smelling good enough to eat… and he'd be wanting to put his hands all over me…." She purred as her hands threaded through his hair as he pinned her up against the desk, his brown eyes dark with lust and challenge and she couldn't prevent the surge of reaction in her body as he looked at her that way.
"Yeah… well he can keep wanting… because the only hands you belong in are mine…." He murmured his hands on her slender ribcage as he pressed his lips against hers, her mouth was nectar sweet and she shuddered, trying to control the riot of hormones clamouring for gratification, the scent of sea and soap and male enticed her like a heady invitation. Her feet were glued to the spot, her will to resist in case they were caught eclipsed by a flood of remembered pleasure.
"Tell me why we are in here before I lose control and take you right here on the table…" his voice was hoarse and vibrated through his wide chest as he held her against him.
"T-the Homecoming video… I was hoping you could digitize the Abel Koontz arrest footage.. like you did before…" she swallowed, her blue eyes were careful, studying his face for signs of protest and she felt his grip tighten around her, his expression a careful mask revealing nothing. "I was thinking… We could get the files onto DVD and review the footage at your house together. Your pool house is pretty private and we wouldn't have to worry about my dad or anyone else interrupting us" she added quietly.
"Yeah… that sounds like a good idea…" he nodded, he could use that time to have a serious talk with her. Get them both on the same page.
If he could just get his libido to get over the fact that she'd just planned to be someplace private with him away from prying eyes and parental supervision…