Page 59 of Bloom: Part 2

Logan was back.

“What interesting story is Jamie telling now?” he asked.

“About the Agosti crime family.” I tilted my head back to look up at Logan. He’d gone still, his fingers still gripping me tightly. “Apparently, his friend here works for them. Have you ever heard of them? Their son betrayed them. Who fucking does that? You don’t betray your brotherhood. Ever. Those who do deserve worse than death. Logan? Ouch, Logan, that hurts.”

But he wasn’t listening to me. He was staring at Joel, who was looking right back. I didn’t like it at all.

18

LOGAN

The last place I would have expected to hear about the Agosti family was in Smoky Vale. And a biker club during Thanksgiving at that. I definitely hadn’t expected to hear the name from Bloom’s lips when I’d done everything to bury those memories in the depths of my mind and protect him from knowing about the people who could rip us apart.

Grimm’s son must be a rare talent. My father only worked with the best lawyers. It was one of the areas in which he never compromised. He didn’t bat an eye to shell out hundreds of thousands to retain the best. Still, Joel was so young. He couldn’t have much experience in the courtroom. Was he that good for my father to have him on his payroll?

My father was in prison, which left either my uncle or my brother in charge. Regardless, they were just a figurehead. Pop still called the shots, even from behind bars. I never followed up with the family after being placed in WITSEC, preferring to leave that part of my life behind.

“Logan?”

Bloom’s voice cut through my torrent of thoughts. He was squirming beneath my hands. I gentled my grip on him, massaging his shoulders in apology. “Sorry.” But I didn’t take my eyes off Joel. Did he recognize me? I would have already left the family years before he started working with the Agostis…still. Was it a coincidence that he was here?

“And this is…?” Joel raised his chin in my direction.

“Dr. Collier,” Jamie said. “I told you about him, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, you did.”

“Why’re you interested?” Bloom asked, sharp and clear.

Joel shrugged, a charming smile on his lips, but if he worked for the Agostis, he couldn’t be this simple. “Just curiosity. I’m meeting everyone for the first time.”

“Well, he’s my man. As long as you remember that, we’ll be fine.”

“Is he serious?” Joel glanced around him for confirmation.

“Very,” Jamie said. “No one wants Dr. Collier, Bloom, so withdraw your fangs.”

“I’m just saying.” Bloom raised his left hand, wriggling his fingers. “We’re engaged anyway, so he’s off-limits.”

“You’re what?”

“You’re engaged?”

“Oh my god!”

“No fucking way!”

The exclamations came from either side of me, varying in shock and delight. They all crowded around us, looking at Bloom’s engagement ring and squealing. I groaned. Tonight wasn’t going according to plan. This wasn’t how we agreed to tell people we were getting married. We would have dinner first, and then over drinks, we would let the cat out of the bag.

At least the announcement took the focus off the Agosti family. Joel was also observing Bloom’s ring and seemed to have forgotten all about the uncomfortable topic. He didn’t seem tohave recognized me at all. Not surprising since my father would have declared me persona non grata. I could only imagine he would have wiped out all traces of the person who was a stain on the family’s reputation. But Joel’s presence bothered me. It was too close to home. It would only be a matter of time before he found out who I was. I would rather not risk it.

“I can’t believe you’re getting married,” Cass said.

“I love the ring,” Fable said quietly. “It looks so you.”

“It really does.” Jamie grinned widely at me, his cheeks flushed at me. “Did you ask Crowe’s permission before putting a ring on him?”

“He sure as hell didn’t!” thundered a voice behind us.

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