For Logan (Chicago Syndicate Book 5) (35 page)

Luca’s coolly taking it in as the other
Capi
accept it and nod.

“Furthermore,” Adriano continues, “I want you to keep Alessa Calderone away from the soldiers. She’s grieving and causing conflict, which I don’t need. Just don’t harm her. She’s still Rosalia’s mother, but she’s not a part of this Syndicate family anymore. Rosalia Calderone is though.” Then he looks up sideways, holding out his hand, anticipating that I want to expand on his statement.

I take my position back as if I’ve never left – the best way to enforce my power again. “Let me be clear that Rosa is off limits to anyone in this organization. No guard or soldier is allowed to make a move on her anymore. She’s my girl and will be protected by
me
and the men
I
order.”

I observe their reaction and notice Adriano smirking, yet the other men dip their chins in acceptance.

“Then go and inform your soldiers today.” Adriano dismisses them with a flick of his wrist.

They disband while Luca, Carmine, and I stay behind. Luca’s quiet, but he’ll come around eventually. Carmine shakes my hand and is just as easygoing and businesslike as Adriano.

“Possessive much, Logan?” Adriano points out, amused.

“You’re one to talk,” I retort, smiling.

He merely shrugs. “True. But at least I know Cam’s mine. You, on the other hand, have some making up to do. You just claimed Rosalia before she’s even agreed.” He stands up and snatches his car keys from the desk before leading the way out.

“She’s mine,” I respond with a grin, eager to get to the parish.

Rosalia

––––––––

I
n a plum floor-length dress that hugs my curves, I hurry down the aisle that’s decorated with white flowers toward the front where everyone is gathered. Adam’s holding my skirt, looking dashing in his tuxedo with his
Cars
toy in his hand. I try to release his fingers from my gown and shoo him to Mary, who’s sitting on the first row.

He glimpses up at me and refuses to let go of the fabric, pressing himself against my legs while watching the other people next to Mary distrustfully. “I wanna stay with you.” He holds out his arms, wanting me to pick him up because he’s still a little on edge with all these unfamiliar faces.

“Okay, but you have to be quiet.” I lift him up and hurry to the altar to join Fallon on the left side of the priest, kissing his cheek to soothe him.

Yet uneasiness arises when I notice that only Adriano and Luca are across from me. There aren’t many guests attending, maybe around forty people, and I haven’t seen Logan. Glancing back at Fallon I want to ask her if Luca has said something about Logan, but she jerks her chin, gesturing for me to turn around.

Farther down the aisle, Logan comes out of the dimness in his pressed tux, taking his place next to Luca. His gaze is settled on me, and my heart gives a traitorous thump. He always makes me weak in the knees.

In the distance, the ‘Wedding March’ starts to play, people rise, and Cam struts down the aisle in an ivory mermaid gown with a big belly. All eyes are on Cam, but I’m riveted by Logan, and Adam sizes up Logan, who winks at him. Smiling, Adam nuzzles my neck and peeks at him.

The ceremony carries on, but I don’t hear the words. It’s as if Logan can command my every thought to be enthralled by him. The emotions only he can evoke in me rush to the surface as I study every angle that I’ve missed on his clean shaven face.

“I could look at you all day,” he mouths.

Regardless of his words, the confusion about the last few weeks lingers. Our stare is broken when Luca hands over the rings and the ceremony ends. Since it’s a traditional occasion to appease Adriano’s religious parents, there’s a brief reception with cake, punch, and coffee. The big wedding party will be after Cam’s given birth.

People congratulate Cam and Adriano as I scan the faces while drinks and cake are being served. One person who’s absent is my mother. I assume she wasn’t invited.

To my surprise, no one seems to question Logan’s attendance as I sit down on the bench on the first row next to Adam, who’s fascinated by Cam in her white gown and all the cheerful people around her. Logan’s talking to Cam as if he wasn’t MIA for a week. It would appear he’s secured his position in the organization.

Unexpectedly, I catch Adriano staring at me, mouthing, “It’s over. Talk to him.”

Relief fills me. This means that Adriano’s caught my father’s killer, and it’s not Logan – he’s still an official member. At that moment, Logan stops in front of Adam with a glass of orange juice in his hand, offering it to him.

Adam inches sideways against me, hesitating.

“Do you want OJ?” I ask him, and he nods. “Then take it.”

He keeps inspecting Logan, though, as he stoops low before us. “Hey little man, what’s that behind your ear?” He raises his hand to touch Adam behind his ear, presenting a penny between his fingers.

Adam gapes at him and scratches his earlobe.

“Magic tricks?” I perk a brow at Logan.

Logan pulls up his shoulders and replies, “Anything to impress you and him.”

I smile as he returns his attention back to Adam.

The pet name breaks the ice for Adam since Mykhail used to call him
little man,
so he accepts the drink and gulps it down. When he’s finished, he shows me the empty glass and wipes his mouth with his sleeve.

“Dirty boy,” I tease.

“I’m no dirty boy,” he retorts, offended, thrusting the glass into Logan’s chest.

“Do you want more?” Logan asks.

“No. Look, my car.” Adam’s feeling more and more at ease.

Logan just goes with it. “Well, I love cars.”

Adam’s eyes round; he just found his new best friend. Logan meant cars in general, yet I realize Adam didn’t grasp that.

A frown chases Logan’s features when he notes Adam’s expectant face.

“Wait for it,” I tell Logan.

“I love
Cars
too,” Adam chatters, kneeling up on the bench, leaning on me for support. “I have it with me.”

Logan’s gaze shoots up to me. “He has a car?”

“No, he means the movie
Cars
. He’s obsessed with it.” I roll my eyes.

Adam stares at Logan in the most optimistic manner.

“You do know what he’s waiting for now...” I joke.

Logan grins, that wicked smile I loved to hate when I first met him. That smile I can’t seem to forget. “Do you want to watch
Cars
together?”

“Yes!” Adam hops off the bench with Logan’s help and runs to Mary at the altar. She gives him the tablet I got for him that she stored in her purse. He’s learned how to switch on his device, and his finger swipes over the screen fluidly. He walks back while grown-ups have to step out of the way so he doesn’t bump into them.

“Come sit first, Adam,” I state.

Adam climbs up as Logan and I flank him. Smoothly, Logan places his arm along the back of the bench, his hand resting behind me, yet not touching.

“Look,” Adam insists to Logan when he’s not focusing on the opening credits of the movie.

“I’m Logan, by the way,” he mentions.

“I’m Adam,” he replies, introducing himself all on his own, which surprises me, before he points at his screen.

Mary joins us too, handing a plate of vanilla cake with lemon buttercream and a fork to Adam.

“Sit back,” Logan instructs, taking the tablet from his hands and holding it up so he can continue watching.

Mary sets the plate in his lap, and Adam begins to poke into the frosting, captivated by his movie.

“Don’t poke, eat it,” I chide.

Adam basically ignores me, but Logan caresses my neck, swooping my hair aside and impaling me with a roguish smile.

Then he wraps his fingers around Adam’s wrist to cease his movement. “Just eat your cake, little man.”

Of course, when Logan says it, Adam obeys and chews his cake within seconds. I narrow my eyes at Logan as he smirks.

“We have to go to the entrance for some pictures,” Mary remarks, seeing everyone following Cam and Adriano.

Hurriedly, I wipe Adam’s mouth with my hand. “Come on. We’re going to take pictures.”

He slides down as I place the tablet on the bench, and we rush down the aisle, through the heavy church doors, into the blinding morning sun heating the air. At the stairs, everyone’s assembled around the bride and groom.

“Rosalia?” Cam shouts as I push through the crowd toward the front.

Adam waves and yells, “Auntie Cam.”

“There’s my favorite nephew.” Cam takes Adam as he hooks an arm around her neck. She’s undeniably enamored with him. “You stand next to me, Rosalia.” She tousles Adam’s blond curls as he chuckles.

“Thank you,” I whisper. Happiness I haven’t experienced in weeks descends on me.

“I love you and him. We’re all we’ve got now, Sis,” she expresses in an affectionate tone.

I realize I have the sweetest older sister as the photographer instructs us to move closer together. All of a sudden, strong arms snake around my middle from behind, and I’m pulled back against a hard chest that anchors me.

Logan dips his head until his lips brush my cheek. “As you can see, everything’s been taken care of with the Syndicate.”

“So it seems.” I smile widely when the first set of pictures are taken and place my hands on his, which are still resting on my stomach.

“You look beautiful, Rosa.”

He swirls his thumb over my pulse, and we lock eyes. His are blazing with genuine yearning as a soft kiss is pressed to my temple.

“I want to talk to you alone, but I have to visit CIA headquarters first.”

The photographer interrupts, “Thank you very much. That was the last shot.”

“Meet me on the rooftop tonight at ten-thirty.” Logan’s arms fall away, and he doesn’t wait for an answer.

Instead, he bounds down the stairs while I contemplate whether or not to go.

Logan

––––––––

Y
ou don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone; it’s the fucking truth. It’s almost eleven o’clock, and I’m alone on the rooftop. I’ve never waited for a woman, but this is the second time I’ve waited in anticipation for Rosa. She’s the one who made me face my biggest fear, to love again – to take the chance to lose love – but only for Rosa do I want it.

Concern grows as the stars darken the sky. Maybe she’s doubting me? Or maybe she’s mad because I left and she doesn’t know yet that I didn’t cheat?

I become annoyed and stride back to the elevator, which opens and reveals a beautiful Rosa in her purple, figure-hugging gown.

“Hey, sorry I’m late. I let Mary use my car to take Adam back to her place, and I had to say goodbye,” she explains with a tentative smile.

I snare her wrist and pull her out of the elevator flush against me. “I was just about to come and get you.”

Entwining our hands, I careen through the closed restaurant, crossing the threshold to guide her outside into the whirling Chicago wind. Rosa strolls toward the canopy lounger that’s ours, tracing the grey blanket. She stands away from the wind at the foot of the lounge bed with the curtains hanging down the frame.

As I halt behind her, she turns around. “Can you tell me what happened?”

“What do you want to know?”

“Everything after we slept together is such a blur to me.”

I trace the back of my hand down the side of her face. “I had chosen you, Rosa. I didn’t lie, but I received a message to end Mykhail from an unknown number. I raced to his apartment and found him dead. Before you and I arrived, your father had already killed Mykhail. James then stopped me when I wanted to go after you and forced me to play along with his plan, threatening to harm Nana.” I pause, swallowing my grief. “He set up the scene with the other woman, who I didn’t kiss. It tore me apart to hurt you and push you away with those lies, but I didn’t know how to keep us all safe otherwise. Your phone was being controlled – I couldn’t email, call, or text you. And James took my regular phone, so he was notified if I tried to contact you.”

Her eyes pool with tears, and I finally console her, as my heart breaks, so I tell her the truth, except for one detail I’ll take to my grave. “When I saw you at the party, I couldn’t stay away any longer, but your father caught us and ordered Nana to be killed. I went to your house, thinking James would be there. The guard and your father apparently fought there, so I left, realizing that James would now frame me for Mykhail’s murder and attempt to turn the Syndicate against me. Then I discovered they had both died.”

I press a kiss to her forehead since I can’t look into her lovely cat-tipped eyes and lie; however, I
will
protect her from harm. Although I’ll have a secret to keep forever, I refuse to add more agony to her misery. I don’t want her to have too tainted a memory of her father and decide to protect her the only way I know how. She deserves happiness without the stains of our mistakes casting darkness over us. I haven’t taken so many risks to lose her now. This is who I am. A man who takes care of his own with the extent of my power, without answering to anyone. In fact, that makes life much less complicated.

“I heard the guard killed Dad.” She edges forward, so I circle my arms around her back. “I’m so sorry about your grandmother.”

“I’m sorry about your father,” I whisper, embracing her tightly. “I never wanted to leave you, but we underestimated James.”

“And so many people died,” she mutters. “When did he find out about us?”

“He said he knew for months. He waited to find the perfect opportunity to come between us. Your father saw our pictures on your phone. And, well, he guessed that I’d slept with you, and I suppose he told your mother.”

Her expression turns knowing. “Oh, well, that explains it.”

I frown.

“My mother and her family are strict Catholics. They, of course, concluded that you probably brainwashed me to sleep with you or something – since my mom still treats me like a teenager.”

“Yes, she does.” I lower my face until the tips of our noses are touching. “I came back and everything’s been taken care of. Adriano is in my corner. I’m still the head
Capo
. Tell me you believe me.”