Logan led the way into the living room. The staff had turned on the gas fireplace and set Logan's requests out on the dinning room table: a fifth of tequila, lime wedges, and a small bowl of course salt. Also known as the big guns.

Back in high school, Dick and Logan had spent more than a few nights partaking of the one tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor adage. But for tonight Logan hoped his plan might help them all relax…and maybe spark some bonding. The three of them were an unlikely trio, but one of the few times they had all been together had involved this particular game. It was either going to help—or make things much worse.

Logan turned to take in Dick and Mac's expressions. Mac looked nostalgic and Dick looked nervous. Better than angry.

Logan approached the table and poured three shots. He held his up. "I would like to make a toast to mending fences and building bridges."

Dick and Mac followed Logan's lead and accepted the shot glasses, each throwing theirs back.

"What do you expect, dude?" Dick asked.

"I expect nothing—"

"Ensuring you will not be disappointed," Mac said, holding out her glass for a refill.

"Precisely," Logan agreed.

"You've gotten weird, Logan." Dick looked confused and held out his glass for a refill as well.

"You say weird…I'm going to go with wise," Logan smirked, hoping to dispel some of the lingering tension. "Look, Dick, I think we all need to say a few things and then maybe this will get easier," Logan said, filling his own glass.

"I'll start," Mac offered.

Several more shots later—sipped rather than chugged—Mac had shared her account of what happened the night Cassidy was arrested. Logan watched Dick throughout most of the telling, and based on Dick's demeanor, he had gone from obstinate, to unsure, to devastated.

"I'm so sorry, Mac. I didn't know. He was…is not right. I see him sometimes, you know?" Dick said.

"You do?" Logan asked, taken completely by surprise.

"Yeah. I treat him like I treat religion. I go for Christmas and Easter. Our dad's, well…you know, not allowed on US soil. And Betina," he sneered. "She pretends he doesn't exist. So I go twice a year. I tried to go more often but…it wasn't good. He'd get upset. He used to ask me about appealing his sentence, but he hasn't mentioned it much the last year or so," Dick said, casting his eyes to the floor. "I have control of all the money, so if he wanted to do something he'd have to go through me." Dick looked as if someone had a kicked his puppy. "The things he did…the people he hurt—killed—I told him I wouldn't pay for an appeal. I told him that if he wanted to get a public defender and go that route, he could." Dick laughed mirthlessly. "You wanna know something funny?"

Considering their current topic of discussion, Logan wasn't so sure he did want to know anything funny, but Mac was nodding so Logan did as well.

"You can't just get a public defender. You have to qualify for one, and since we have money, he couldn't get one. It was the best news I've ever gotten. How fucked up am I that I was relieved—no happy—when I found out my little brother couldn't appeal his sentence?"

There were no words; Logan was at a complete loss as to what to say.

"No brother should ever have to feel that way, Dick. But he didn't leave you any choice. How long is his sentence?" Mac asked, rescuing Logan who was still stuck in his tongue-tied state.

"Um…until he's deemed no longer a danger to those around him. So, forever if I had to guess."

"Veronica, while they have their—what is sure to be an emotionally traumatic slumber party—I thought maybe you and I could talk about something."

"Did you have a specific something in mind?" Veronica asked. She put her arm through Jeff's as they slowly walked down the path away from the lodge.

He cleared his throat. "Yeah. I have something specific in mind."

Veronica spotted a lookout a bit ahead with a small fountain and bench. She presumed it was situated that way as a private spot for a romantic rendezvous, but it was also perfect for a private conversation. She led Jeff in that direction. "Spit it out, Jeff. You're making me nervous."

Jeff waited until they were seated on the bench to speak. "You know I ran a background check on you when you and Logan where first seeing each other," he stated.

Veronica thought back to the handful of rather uncomfortable conversations that had been necessary to convince Logan she wasn't a tabloid reporter trying to sell his story. "Sure. Oddly enough, that was one of the high points of that particular week, if you can believe it," she snorted.

"Sadly, I can. So when I did that check, information came back about your parents."

Veronica stared at Jeff, hoping he would continue but he didn't; he just stared back at her. Veronica let out a frustrated sigh. "Jeff, I think we've been through enough together at this point that you can just say whatever it is you need to say. I've never seen you so reticent. I'm not a porcelain doll. I promise that I'm fully equipped to handle it. Trust me."

"Fine. You're right. You mentioned before that Jake had 'rubbed you the wrong way'…that you didn't know him. Are you sure you don't know him, Veronica?" Jeff asked.

Veronica leaned back against the railings of the bench and stared up at the stars. "The first time I met him I thought he looked familiar. He said he would have remembered meeting me when I asked."

"So he didn't actually say you hadn't met?"

"No, he didn't. The way he was looking at me tonight….it makes me very uncomfortable, and he is familiar…" she trailed off and sat up, turning her gaze back to Jeff. "Why?"

"When I did your background check, Jake came up, so I did a little more digging. It turns out that he dated your mother in high school; they were prom king and queen, actually. He also owns the house that she currently lives in. Does that mean anything to you?"

Veronica felt her heart skip a beat and constrict. Lianne. "I haven't spoken to my mother in years."

"Veronica, she's employed by Kane Software. Did you know she was living in Logan's hometown?"

"No." She pulled in an uneven breath. "No, I did not. Honestly, I try to think about her as little as possible. I…" she stood and paced around the fountain. "Jeff, please don't mention this to anyone else. I need to talk to my dad, and he and I aren't exactly seeing eye-to-eye at the moment."

"Of course. Are you going to tell Logan?"

"Yes, as soon as I figure out how to phrase it. Somehow 'Hey babe, by the way…it seems that the man you think of as a surrogate father is somehow connected to my estranged mother', seems a little shocking." She sat back on the bench and leaned heavily on her elbows. "To tell you the truth, I don't really talk about her much. Her departure from my life was…well, colorful. Maybe you could do a little more digging first? I'd like to have the full picture."

"You know I'll look in to anything you want me to. I just…Logan isn't good with secrets. Or maybe he's too good with them. You're going to tell him?"

Veronica laughed; Jeff was cute when he was nervous. She realized she'd just caught a glimmer of the Jeff that Mac had described. "Yes, Jeff. I'm not much of a sharer—as you know—but with Logan, I share with him. I'm still kicking myself for not telling him everything about my article. His mind is devious in ways I hadn't given him credit for. I think if I'd been more upfront with him I could have saved us all some grief," she said, exhaustion hitting her.

"He surprises me sometimes. He's not just another rich pretty-boy asshole. Though he is all of those things, too." Jeff smirked. "Did you want to talk about your conversation with your source this morning? Mac mentioned that you sounded pretty unhappy with him."

Veronica sat back down on the bench. "Unhappy doesn't even begin to cover it. That asshole used me. Though I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I accused him of caring more about his case than the safety of my loved ones and he didn't even deny it." Veronica hung her head. "He doesn't care. His advice was more security. Speaking of which, is there any chance you can bring in Samson and maybe another guy? We've got the extra bungalow, and I don't want to risk any of you. God! I can't believe I got myself into this. I was so stupid. Katherine—Yelena—totally fooled me, and then my super spy secret agent-man did too. Maybe I shouldn't be doing this kind of investigative journalism," she said, wrapping her arms around her middle.

"Veronica, I'm going to tell you a story. Let's call it a fairy tale. This young guy—totally green—fresh off The Farm, gets sent out into the field. He has a simple job: get a source to tell him a location."

Veronica nodded; Jeff wasn't really the sharing type either. "By 'Farm' I take it you don't mean where you milked Bessy and shucked peas."

"No, Veronica, not that kind of farm. So I meet the source and gain his trust, and eventually I get the information I was supposed to get. But the source's employer…well, they suspected they had a leak. When our operatives showed up at the location they were ambushed."

Veronica gasped. "Were they…did they?"

"They made it out. Got lucky. But my source wasn't so lucky. They killed him as soon as we showed up at the fake location. My point here is that sometimes circumstances are out of our control. Sometimes our actions have unintended consequences. But we learn as much from our failures as from our successes. I failed my very first op and I learned that intel isn't just information. It's lives. Your article got two corrupt government agents out of circulation along with a whole group of lower level criminals. Your source is an ass with an agenda. Guess what? They all have their own agendas. The trick is to not let theirs take away from yours."

Veronica sat and absorbed what Jeff had said. "You know, I think that's the most I've ever heard you say." She laughed, actually feeling a little better.

"I prefer to be the strong silent type," he teased. "Look, let's take a walk around the pool and tennis courts—give them some more time—and then head back to the house. We can make sure everyone is still alive and I can get things set up for more security to be here in the morning. Sound good?"

"Yeah, Jeff. That sounds really good."

The conversation had been stalled for several minutes. Logan could feel the weight of what they'd shared. Finding out that Dick had been visiting Cassidy…it hurt Logan that Dick didn't feel like he could share that with him. Logan decided that if there were ever a time to ask, it was now.

"Dude, why didn't you tell me about you seeing Cass? I would have helped," Logan said.

Dick stared at him, his face a little slack from the alcohol, and frowned. "Cass almost killed you. No fucking way was I going to put you through dealing with him. You've dealt with enough," Dick said, shaking his head.

Logan reached out and clasped Dick's shoulder. "Doesn't matter. I would have been there for you. And, anyways, he only sort of threatened me." Logan noticed that Mac had gotten up and walked out to the deck during their exchange.

"I'm feeling less than great about how I treated Ghostworld," Dick said in a whisper.

"Don't call her that, man. And trust me, you aren't alone in that. But I've learned a lot about Mac recently. She's a cool chick and she's pretty forgiving. You don't have to become BFFs, but she has some good memories with Cassidy, too. Maybe she's someone you can talk to about him?" Logan suggested, hoping Dick would seriously consider it.

"I dunno, dude. Why would she want to talk to me? So much of what happened with Cass is my fault."

"There's only one way to find out. And don't take all the blame; no one person could cause…well, that. I played my part in it...and then there's your dad. He encouraged us to be mean to Cassidy. And he and Betina were so self-absorbed that they didn't realize their child was being abused by his coach. It was their job to see the signs. That's on them…and Woody. It's not on you. You were just a kid too, remember."

Dick nodded and stood up. Logan watched him walk out to the deck and stand next to Mac. He couldn't hear them, but he really hoped that maybe Dick and Mac could find a way to be friends or at least find comfort in this moment of commonality. They both needed someone to talk with about Cassidy, and maybe they could fill that need with each other.

Logan leaned back against the fireplace and rested his head on the cool stone. A few moments later he heard the front door open and then Veronica and Jeff appeared. Veronica kneeled down next to him.

"You're all still in one piece, I see. How's it going?" she asked, placing a gentle kiss on his temple.

"Better than I could have hoped. Did you have a nice walk? You were gone longer than I thought you would be."

"It was nice," Jeff answered. "I'm going to go make some phone calls. Will you let Mac know I'm in our room? I don't want to interrupt them."

"Sure thing. Come on, Veronica, I want to go to bed," Logan nuzzled his face into her neck, breathing in her scent and the contented calm that accompanied it. He stood and extended his hand to Veronica, leading them quietly past Mac and Dick to their bungalow.

Mac felt the sting of tears in her eyes as she gazed out over the resort. She'd come out here to allow Dick and Logan their moment of privacy and also to gather her thoughts. For the first time Mac wondered if there was more to Dick Casablancas than she had realized. Everything he'd shared had surprised her. She had always assumed that Dick—and Logan for that matter—hadn't thought more about Cassidy after the events of their senior year. But recent weeks, and then tonight, had shown how wrong that supposition had been.

From inside, Mac could hear rustling, and then a large presence took up residence a few feet away from her, staring out at the night.

"I'm really sorry, Mac."

"Thank you, Dick. It's nice to hear. I always thought you knew—that you didn't care," Mac said softly.

"I'm an asshole, but I do care. Cass is all the family I have left…our parents…" The words hung in the air.

Parents…seems to be a common issue for all of us, Mac thought. Even as she acknowledged that she loved her parents, she still had a hollow place inside of her that wanted to know her birth parents. A part of her mourned the loss of that connection.

"You know, I lived at the Neptune Grand that whole summer after Cassidy almost jumped. Almost killed Logan. Hurt you."

"He only hurt my pride, Dick. He never hurt me physically," Mac said, trying to reassure him; it wasn't entirely true of course. Cassidy leaving her in the room like that had hurt physically—emotionally, too—but Cassidy had never, himself, hurt her. It was an important distinction to her, and she, despite some of her less positive views on Dick, didn't want him carry around that kind of guilt.

"There are a lot of different types of hurt, Mac." Dick pointed at the pool well below them. "I hate swimming pools now. I only swim in the ocean."

"Pools? Why?" As far as she knew nothing that Cassidy had done had involved pools.

"I went up to the roof. That summer. I spent a lot of time up there contemplating life. You know, how I hadn't noticed something was wrong, and why I did the things I did…Anyway, there is this one spot where if you jumped, you'd land in the pool. It's like…whatever, so many stories up, not like anyone could survive even a fall into a pool from that height. But I'd sit up there wondering if that's where he would have jumped if Logan hadn't convinced him not to."

Mac didn't know what to say, so she just nodded and stood with Dick, staring at the swimming pool below and remembering a sweet boy who was a killer.

Logan woke up to little hairs tickling his nose and just the hint of a headache. He shifted and found that he was wound tightly around Veronica with his face buried in her neck. She was soft and warm in his arms. He'd wanted this for so long…someone who got him and understood some of the darker places in his mind and didn't run away.

Of course, Logan knew Veronica had her own set of dark places…and that Piz was only one of her demons. From early on in their relationship, he could tell that something had happened to her. She had eventually confided in him that she had been assaulted…raped. The word echoed through his mind. It hadn't been Piz, but beyond that, Logan knew nothing. It hadn't escaped his notice that after several months she still hadn't brought the demons of her past up to him, beyond that admission. But Logan understood secrets and denial. Sometimes one or both were necessary for self-preservation. It didn't stop him from hoping that someday she'd feel safe enough to share the entirety of her past with him. He wanted to help her deal with it.

Veronica stretched against his chest and hugged him tightly to her. "Good morning." Her voice was still deep with sleep.

"Good morning," he replied and pressed a chaste kiss just below her ear. "Looks like I turned you into my human body pillow. I hope I didn't crush you too much," he said, rolling so that she rested on his chest rather than the reverse they'd just been in.

"Not at all. I like how it feels when you hold me like that. It feels…hmm…like nothing bad could ever happen. You know what I mean?" Her question was punctuated by a series of soft kisses to his chest.

Logan moaned low in his throat. "I definitely do. You make me feel the same way," he said, smoothing back her hair and then tilting her chin so he could see her face. "I love you."

The smile that broke across her face shook all of the left over sadness from the previous night and his earlier thoughts away. "I love you too." She pushed up and met Logan's lips for a deep kiss.

Logan pulled away the little clothing they both had on and moved so they were lying face-to-face. He let his fingers trace their way down her body, little pink flushes appearing along his path. When he reached her knee, he lifted it to rest on top of his legs and moved so he could rub his cock against her. It was a little bit of an awkward position, but Logan wanted to hold her close without being on top of her. She may have liked it for sleeping, but he could still sense her hesitation anytime they dabbled with positions where he was on top of her.

"Please, Logan." Her voice was soft but urgent.

"For you, anything." He kissed her deeply and pushed into her.

Vivian strode down the sidewalk. All determination and kick-ass boots. No one was going to mess with her. She pushed her way into the precinct, her target easier to find than she'd hoped. Guess I don't have to lie my way up to the floor with the detectives.

"Detective—

"Dude are you seriously going to sit there on your computer all afternoon?" Dick asked in a distinctly whiney tone of voice.

Logan sighed in frustration. "I was going to, Dick."

"What could be more important that spending time with your oldest friend?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all." Logan snapped his laptop shut and adjusted the chair he was sitting in to face Dick head-on.

"Well, now you're all pissy." Dick's lower lip pouted out.

It took all of Logan's strength not to snap at Dick again. It would be fine. Vivian wasn't going anywhere, and he had gotten his vision of her written. Sometimes Veronica would do something and it would set off a whole scene in his head. Today it had been the way she'd taken charge of her and Mac needing dresses for the fundraiser. The longer they were together, the more of Veronica's determined and confident side he got to see. Investigator mode, as he liked to think of it, though it was coming out more and more in their personal life too. He loved it.

"Logan? Dude, you just went from looking pissy to all dreamy. What's the deal?"

"Just thinking about Veronica," Logan said, getting up from his chair. "You're right, Dick. I can write whenever. Let's catch up. What's happening in your life?" he asked, pouring them each a tumbler of scotch.

Logan intertwined his and Veronica's fingers. He wanted to wrap his arm around her waist, let his fingers trail across her bare back, feel her skin heat and flush with his touch…but there would be plenty of time for that later. In fact, if his memory served, this winery had a private little cellar they might be able to sneak off to.

"What are you thinking, Logan? You just got that look that says you're going to get us in trouble," Veronica whispered in his ear.

Logan stopped walking and used their clasped hands to twirl Veronica around so she was facing him. "When have I ever gotten you into trouble? Besides, this," he gestured to his face, "is my 'I'd rather be worshipping your body' face. My 'get us in trouble' face is completely different." He kissed her nose, and spun her back around to continue their progress down the stone path. "It's like you don't know me at all," he teased playfully.

"Worship, huh? We'll see…"

Logan swallowed. "Can't wait."

"God, you two are so obvious. If you disappear tonight we'll know where you are, and trust me, we won't be looking for you," Mac said from behind them, her tone suggesting more amusement than actual disgust with them.

"Speak for yourself. I just might go looking," Dick said, moving to walk next to Logan and leaning to leer at Veronica.

"Not if you want to retain your manhood…Dick," Veronica said. Logan loved when she got feisty; it reminded him of when she had tased Piz.

"I love you," Logan said into Veronica's ear, ignoring Dick.

"Me too."

Leo drove the rental car he had picked up at a moderate pace. He didn't want to risk alerting Diller that he had a tail, so he took his time. It was one of the few things he was actually good at…being a cop. He clearly wasn't good at anything in his personal life. Showing up at Veronica's new house—where she lived with her new boyfriend—had been an unmitigated disaster. And if the tongue-lashing he'd gotten from Alicia was any indicator, Leo had been so off point that he couldn't even begin to reconcile his actions with the reality that Alicia had dumped over his head.

Veronica was in love. And it wasn't with him. He felt tears prick his eyes again. It felt like he'd loved her for years but her words and Logan's—God, I hate that asshole! Leo had to slam on the breaks to avoid running the red light in front of him.

"Shit!" He watched as Diller's civvie car moved off ahead. "Deep breath, D'Amato. One light cycle is fine."

After that he tried to stay focused but his thoughts kept straying to every stupid mistake he'd made in the past week. Proposing…watching that damned video…what was I thinking? He'd gotten a very unhappy call from Keith Mars, who had clearly heard that Leo was being accused of leaking the video. It seemed that Keith believed him, but he was pretty sure his invitation to Thanksgiving dinner was going to get lost in the mail.

He caught back up to Diller's car just in time to see him pull into a parking garage by the docks. Cautiously, Leo followed, still maintaining some distance but making sure not to lose Diller. After parking he didn't have to do much. It turned out that Diller was meeting someone in the garage. Leo kept to the shadows, took up a spot behind a support column and waited.

"I don't see why we couldn't do this over the phone," Diller whined in his nasally voice.

"Because you are not as clever as you think you are. You're being monitored by your superiors," an accented voice replied.

"Seriously!" Leo could hear footsteps. He assumed Diller must be pacing.

"Yes. But there are more important matters. The Sheep tried to…I believe the term is 'shake down' my man at the club. They are being followed by a private investigator, and I believe they are about to do something very foolish."

"What does that have to do with me?" Diller's question was followed by the sound of flesh against flesh. "What the fuck, man?"

"You must learn to check yourself or you will find that life can be much less pleasant. Now get in the car. We are not done."

Leo waited until he was certain that there wasn't any more of the conversation he would be able to eavesdrop on and then carefully made his way back to his car. He knew two things now. First, Diller was a dirty cop. And second, there was a problem with the two federal agents Veronica has exposed in her article. The Lambs.

His resources in San Francisco might be limited, but he had an idea. Leo climbed into his car and came face-to-face with a stranger.

"You're an even bigger idiot than I thought. Start the car. We have a lot to discuss."

Veronica took another sip of her wine. It really was very good. Bold and fruit forward but with a finish that left her wanting more. She was also pleasantly surprised to find that the other guests were more approachable and normal than she'd expected. She had especially enjoyed her conversation with a professional photographer and his husband who lived in Washington State but frequently came to the Bay Area. They'd exchanged contact information, and Veronica was hoping that maybe while she and Logan were in Portland for Thanksgiving they could visit the couple and check out their studio.

The party was being held in the large garden courtyard of the winery and a lot of waiters were circulating with food and drinks, but what Veronica was really enjoying was the view. They were on the valley floor surrounded on both sides by rolling California hills, and the entire space between seemed to be filled with row after row of vines with the occasional nut tree and a few somewhat out of place palm trees. It was beautiful.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Veronica?" Jake Kane's voice startled her out of her reverie. Her abrupt turn sent wine flying out of her glass, splattering on Jake's shoes.

"Shit! Um…I mean, I'm sorry. You surprised me. Let me got get something—"

"Don't worry about it. They're just shoes," he said with a smile that looked genuine, but Veronica wasn't willing to take that at face value.

"If you're sure." He nodded. "Okay, to answer your question, I'm having a very nice time. This is a lovely place, and the wine is excellent," Veronica said.

"I'm glad you think so. I've been a silent partner here for…oh, I think just under ten years."

Veronica considered that for a moment. Ten years was when her mother had left. And if Jeff was correct, not just left but left to be with the man standing next to her. "Was there a special reason?"

"You could say that. I like to think of it as a mark of a new chapter of my life."

"That's funny. It marked a new chapter in my life, too." Veronica looked up into his face, still soft and almost dreamy with a memory. "The chapter where my mother abandoned my father and I when we needed her most. And haven't heard from her since."

Jake's serene expression disappeared. "Veronica…I can explain."

"Explain what?" Logan asked, his arm coming around Veronica. She let herself lean into him, taking the strength and comfort he was always there to offer.

"It's complicated, Logan. Um…maybe we can all talk about it some other time." Jake took a step back.

"Not so complicated actually. Logan, did you know that Jake and my mother were Neptune High's prom king and queen in 1979?"

"Go Pirates," Logan cheered weakly, before the words registered and his mouth dropped open. Veronica felt his fingers flex on her waist. "Excuse me?" he asked.

"Yeah. Jake wasn't being very honest with us when I asked if we'd met before." She turned her attention back to Jake. "Though I suppose maybe you and I haven't. Or have we?"

"This is neither the time nor the place," Jake said, his voice low and angry.

"You're the one who brought it up."

"Whoa. Okay. Let's all take a second here. Veronica, maybe we should go talk about this just you and I?" Logan asked, his thumb firmly rubbing against Veronica's spine, relaxing the tense muscles. Getting away from Jake sounded like a very good idea and she did owe Logan an explanation; she'd meant to tell him earlier, but they'd been so busy getting ready for the stupid fundraiser.

"Yeah. Let's go. But Jake—I have more questions. You are not anywhere near off the hook," she called over her shoulder as Logan led her away.

Logan held on to Veronica's hand firmly. His mind was a mass of questions and confusion. Jake knows Veronica's mother? Veronica knows that he knows? Logan started walking faster, needing to put distance between himself and the words.

"Logan! Slow down. I'm in heels." Veronica's upset voice penetrated that miasma of conflict in Logan's head. He turned and looked at her shoes. Tiny blood red toenails peeked out of dangerous looking shoes. They made Veronica's already shapely legs look killer, but clearly hindered her movement. Logan felt a smile creep across his face; he bent down, scooped up Veronica, and then resumed his previous pace, hoping his destination was still as he remembered it.

Veronica let out a little squeal and then settled her head into the crook of Logan's neck. He could feel her warm breath, and then her arms wrapped around his neck more tightly. "Where are we going?" she spoke softly against his skin.

"Somewhere private," Logan said, pushing open the door to the house that served as tasting rooms and offices. They were currently empty since everyone was outside enjoying the party. On the far side of the first floor was a large sunroom with a great view, which, thanks to heavy plantation blinds, was currently hidden. That also meant they were completely hidden from the partygoers. Logan pushed into the room and moved to a large wicker sofa with deep cushions. "I've been dying to peel this dress off you for hours."

"Logan!" Veronica protested as he settled them onto the sofa with Veronica straddling his lap. "Didn't you want to talk about what just happened?" she asked as he attacked her neck.

An overwhelming need filled Logan. "After," he said between kisses. Since Veronica had come into his life, the feelings of loss and loneliness had all but disappeared. But the knowledge that one of the few people he had always trusted had lied to him was overwhelming. It was as though the gaping hole that had been a permanent fixture in his existence since the loss of his mother and Lilly had opened back up at the betrayal. He seized the woman in front of him—his lifeline—and anchored himself to her. He needed her like he needed air. "Right now I need to be inside of you," he gasped.

Logan smoothed his hands up Veronica's thighs and cupped her ass, drawing her closer to him. His hands wandered under the tight skirt of her dress until he felt her, hot and wet. "You're not wearing anything under this dress," he groaned, nipping her collarbone.

"Not a thing. I thought it might come in handy…" she gasped as Logan circled her clit with his thumb and entered her slowly with one finger. He sat up and watched her face as he pumped slowly into her; she was a beautiful sight. And she was his. "I need you too, Logan."

Logan slowed and took in Veronica's dilated eyes and flushed skin. There was concern there too, and a softness he'd really come to value. He'd never had anyone look at him the way she did. "How do you do that?" he asked kissing her gently.

"The same way you do for me." She wiggled in his lap and her small hands reached between them. Logan watched with a smile as she unbuckled his belt and pushed his suit pants and boxers down. She wrapped her hand around him and stroked him slowly. Logan moved his hand away from her center and grabbed her hips, pulling her closer. She lifted up and let out a breathy sigh as she came down on his erection, taking him into her.

The urgency and empty hunger Logan had felt when he rushed them away from the party was replaced with longing and happiness. Being with Veronica made all of the insecurity and pain recede. He rolled her hips against him, making them both gasp in pleasure. Veronica continued the rocking motion while Logan used his hold on her hips to slide her up and down his length. He could feel her body start to tremble and flipped them. Logan let himself get caught up in the sensations as he moved within her in deep strokes, her wavy hair mussed, eyes dark and heavy. Every little sigh and moan fueled his desire for her.

Veronica's hand reached out for him, and she sat up to meet him in a kiss. She pulled Logan further on top of her and shifted her hips. She came with a low groan, and her husky, "I love you, Logan," sent him over the edge with her.

He let his body drape over hers while they both took deep breaths. Logan pressed a kiss to Veronica's forehead and then realized their positions and pushed off of her quickly.

"Shit, I'm sorry, Veronica," he said, moving her into a sitting position.

"Mmm…for what? That was great," she sighed with a slightly dazed expression on her face. Logan stared at her for a long time, waiting for her discomfort and displeasure at how he had manhandled her.

"I dragged you in here and fucked you without making sure that was okay. And then…I just got caught up, I didn't mean to…" Logan dropped his face into his hands. So stupid. Never should have done that.

Veronica's laugh brought Logan back to the present. "Logan, I'm fine. And I purposefully didn't wear any lingerie under this dress so we could do exactly what we just did." She kneeled on the couch next to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You've never lost control like that with me. It was…exciting. I was so mad about…" she trailed off.

Logan nodded; he knew she was mad at him. "I shouldn't have grabbed you like that. I'm really sorry."

She laughed again, though it was less joyful than previously. "I'm not mad at you, ya big goof. I'm mad at Jake. He lied to us. But angry sex…that was kind of hot." She kissed him on the temple.

"It really was. I still didn't mean to flip you over like that. I know it makes you uncomfortable." Accepting that she wasn't upset, Logan wrapped his arm around her waist and tugged her dress down to cover the rest of her ass in the process.

"Sometimes. It's getting…" she looked thoughtful and a little uncertain, "umm…easier? We've never talked about that, and I don't want to right now, but soon, I think."

"You can tell me anything. But for right now, how about we straighten up, go say our goodbyes, and get out of here. We do need to talk about what happened with Jake, and I don't think this is the best venue for that discussion." Logan rubbed his hand along her spine.

"Agreed. We'll need to include Jeff as well," she said, standing up and righting the rest of her dress. Logan stood as well and made himself presentable.

"Ready?" he asked, holding the door open for her to walk ahead of him.

"Yep." Veronica stepped through the door and it looked like she stumbled and disappeared.

"Veronica?" Logan stepped through the door and an arm wrapped around his neck. He bucked and turned, trying to dislodge the arm from his neck but his vision was darkening. He saw Veronica being carried out the door. As he reached in her direction, the world went black.

A/N: For those who don't know what 'The Farm' that Ratner mention is, it's a CIA training facility. If you want to see the inspiration for the winery that Jake Kane is a part owner of check out Larkmead Vineyards Winery. And if you ever get the chance to go there I highly recommend it.

The final chapter will go up in the next week. It's fully written and I'm just doing final edits.

Huge thanks to Bondopoulos and Marshmallowtasha! Seriously, I went through so many drafts of this and the next chapter and you both helped me through that painful process. This story would not have gotten finished without them!