Page 3 of Logan

The use of his SEAL nickname,Preacher,sounded strange to his ears, having not heard it in almost two years. He still remembered the team giving it to him as a play on his last name of Bishop and…for other reasons. Shrugging off the memories, Logan replied, “Cut Bank’s a nice little town. Good people. They’d help anyone who needed it, but they stay out of my business, and I stay out of theirs.”

“I notice you’ve got a hangar out back. That where you keep your birds?”

Nodding, Logan figured both men had checked him out for whatever reason, so they already knew the answer to that question. He played along, curiosity outweighing all other thoughts. “I run tourists up to take pictures of the mountains and have a Lakota for rescues.”

“Get a lot of business?”

“Enough. Tourists can fill the spring through fall, but rescues can be anytime.”

“And how’s that working for you?” Mace asked, his gaze sharp.

Logan leaned back, his body taut with the intrigue of the visit, but he knew the two men would tell him their reasons when they were damn well ready. Answering the question, he replied, “It’s a living… I’m good with that. When I’m not in the mood, I turn down tourists but take all the rescues I get called for.”

Nodding slowly, Jack took another long pull of his beer. Leaning forward, he pinned him with a steely stare. “I imagine you’re curious about why we’re here, so I’ll get to it. Mace came to me with his new endeavor and wondered if I had any good people who might be interested. I thought of a couple of people, and you were one of them. So Mace has been checking you out,and when he said he wanted to come out here, he asked if I would come along.”

Logan eyed Jack and then Mace carefully, uncertainty filling his mind. Not saying anything, he simply let the silence fill the room.

Mace ignored Logan’s blank expression and plunged ahead. “First off, what I say has to stay between us. You don’t like what you hear and aren’t interested… I count on you as a former SEAL to keep this in confidence.”

Logan’s expression changed to one of annoyance, his eyes flashing fire, but Mace threw his hand in the air. “I know, I know. Once a SEAL, always a SEAL, but it had to be said.”

Logan’s shoulders barely relaxed, but it must have been enough for Mace to notice as he offered a chin lift, then leaned forward, his forearms resting on his knees.

“I retired some years before your knee gave out. I heard about it… how your mission ended with success but with an injury that cut your career short.”

Logan grimaced, hating the reminder of why he had no choice but to retire. One last mission—successful but devastating. When he went back to get a fallen team member, his knee took the brunt of a fall, tearing it to shreds. He’d saved a life and gave up his career all in the same minute. But if he had to do it over again, no question—he would have made the same decision.

Mace continued as though he hadn’t noticed Logan’s expression change. But Logan had a feeling that very little got past Mace.

“My own career path had gone sideways at one point, but I had the opportunity to lead a team for the CIA that included special op personnel from SEALs, Deltas, Rangers, Air Force… hell, it was a dream come true. All egos were checked at the door, and the experience let me know that I wanted to replicate thatwhen I got out. No more military or governmental bullshit… just me taking on the missions I wanted.”

Interest flared… or maybe it was more curiosity. With a short nod, he indicated for Mace to continue.

“Anyway, I had some money come my way, and then it seemed the government was willing to pay for me to go private. Built Lighthouse Security Investigations. Based in Maine.”

Logan continued to nod but couldn’t imagine why Mace was here ’cause there was no way he’d consider moving to Maine to work for someone else.

“So now I have a team, a special compound that holds our company, and since we’re right on the coast, we can deploy boats when needed. And the government I used to serve that would then put restrictions on me now sends jobs my way to handle how I see fit. And I only take the jobs I want. We have other contacts and even do our own missions to assist the local area.”

Jack snorted, drawing Logan’s attention. “That’s how Mace met his wife.”

Logan’s brows lifted. He knew Jack and most of his Saints had met their significant others, but it was hard to imagine the hard-edged man in front of him as married. Then Mace’s face gentled into a softer smile, and Logan could have sworn he’d just witnessed a personality change right in front of him.

Getting his mind back to the reason his visitors showed up, he said, “I admire what both of you have done, but forgive me if I don’t see what it has to do with me.”

Mace nodded slowly, but his gaze never wavered. Logan’s confidence always gave him the upper hand in situations, but he fought the urge to squirm under Mace's perusal.

“Makes sense,” Mace said. “Why the fuck would I come all the way out to Montana to tell someone I’d never met what the fuck I’ve been doing?” He chuckled. “No, I don’t want to ask youto give up all this and come work for me. What I want is for you to consider a business proposition.”

Logan’s brows lifted to his hairline.A business proposition?His mind blanked, uncertainty now taking precedence over any ideas he thought might have brought the two to his door.

“I enlisted Carson Dyer to start work on a Lighthouse Security Investigation on the West Coast in California. He and I now work together as business partners, and he’s started taking assignments after hiring the best employees.”

Logan worked to keep his breathing steady. Mace's revelation was fascinating, but Logan was still in the dark as to how it pertained to him.

Mace leaned back and took another swig of his beer. “I’d like you to consider doing the same.”

Logan’s mouth opened, then he narrowed his eyes. “You want me to do the same what, exactly?”

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