Page 40 of Tortured Eyes
He stares for a minute, arrogance on his featuresuntil eventually, he walks around the edge of the elaborately carved desk. His body leans over my shoulder, and he looks at me before he taps out the password. The computer has a thumbprint sensor as well and requires a double authentication before unlocking, but he does his thing, and the computer lights up.
Logan doesn’t leave my space but hovers over me, his breath tickling my exposed shoulder. “You’re going to need to some help if you want to cross-reference the files your father was working on and the evidence or information we have on the Cane servers.” His whisper is more of a caress, tempting me to jump down a rabbit hole with him. Screw that, though. "And don't look at me like that. We both know you like me this close."
I flinch at the words but seem unable to deny them regardless of the circumstances. It's infuriating to me, making me hover my hands on the keys to keep them away from him. My eyes eventually go back to the screen as mysenses kick in. I can’t access the police database from Logan’s computer without risking the security of the entire site. There’s nothing to say this isn’t still a trick.
I turn to look at him again, desperately trying to ignore the proximity of his body,the heat of him near me. “I only need you to show me the files you have pertaining to a few specifics. Clear proof that my father was, as you say, on the take. Plus, what his involvement was in cases. I’d also like to see who was paid off on a few other cases.”
“You’re asking for a lot, Red.” His eyes grow hungry, just as they did the night we met.
“Stop fucking with me, Logan.” As I see him, my vision blurs and cuts out to other images of us in the bar, or a man with a cross on his back and my body aches in response. I screw my eyes up, fighting the sensory overload and the banging headache that comes with the mixed-up memory.
“Oh, we’ve not had that fun, yet, Red.”
I snap my hand across his cheek in warning and narrow my eyes at him.
“Temper, temper. Be careful, or I’ll leave you out for those men again. They made such a pretty mess of you last time.” He trails his fingers across my shoulder to one of the bruises still growing darker.
“Logan!” My patience is paper-thin.
With a chuckle, he swipes the laptop from me, and his fingers begin to fly across the keyboard, opening files, writing commands and all kinds of shit I have no chance in hell of following. Window after window pops up with new lines of code until finally, he opens a series of files.
“Each file is the total evidence we have concerning the crimes your father was involved with.” He slides the computer back towards me. I reach out with my arm and tense my muscles as I see my hand tremble. The information on that screen could damn my father. Why would Logan lie about this? Why would he offer this to me if it wasn’t the truth? He has nothing to gain.
My finger moves over the mouse pad, and I click the first file.
A copy of a police report flashes up on the screen dated nearly twenty years ago. My eyes run over the details, as I run through the pages, looking for what involvement my dad had. It was a drugs case. Possession.It isn’t immediately obvious what this proves, so I click on the next file. Another police case, and as I read, I recognise the name of the suspect from the previous one.
“These don’t show anything incriminating.”
“Keep looking, Red.” His arrogance is back, and I want nothing more than to wipe it off his face, but my gut tells me I won’t get that chance.
My hand gets to work opening another few files and I review them, scanning the documents and trying to put the pieces together. The first couple of files don’t make any sense until I see the coroner’s reports for two victims. The dates of their murders coincided with the dates of the arrests my father made. A coincidence, maybe, but I know that it won’t be that easy.
I look to Logan with realisation in my eyes. He nods.
“That was his first mistake. He didn’t realise he made it until it was too late.”
“You manipulated him? He was only doing his job, and you used him.” The tears behind my eyes burn hot with rage for my father.
“That’s how it starts. Always does, Red. Then there’s a little exploitation on his part. We settle somewhere in the middle. Everyone’s happy.”
Keeping my eyes on the screen, I open every damn file on the computer in front of me. Money transactions, copies of evidence logs and shift rotas are the only other documents after the first few, but it's enough. You don't have to be a genius to know that giving Quinn Cane any information is too much.
My stomach flips and turns sour until I can’t contain it any longer. I stand up and look around the study, rushing over to the wet bar where I heave the contents of my stomach into the stainless-steel sink. The rancid taste burns down my throat as I choke up and struggle to breathe through the dry heaves.
A warm hand plants firmly on my back. I twist out of his reach, still holding my hair away from my mouth as my stomach convulses again, but the hand remains. Eventually, I let the warmth soothe my skin, pissed at myself that I'm even tolerating him.
“Get off of me,” I cough out, but it does nothing. I stand, when my stomach stops flipping, wipe my mouth with the back of my arm and turn to look at Logan. He stands in front of me, unapologetic. “Why?”
My question sounds like a pained cry, and it is. Everything I built my world around, the integrity and honesty of the man who meant more to me than anything else in the world, has shattered into a million pieces. My memories turn dark and foggy as I try to cling to something concrete, something I know to be true and just.
“I’m sorry you didn’t know who your father really was.” Logan’s voice pierces through my internal pain.
“What did you say?” I seethe, all my fear and hurt now turning towards him.
He picks up his drink again, sipping slowly. “I said, I’m sorry you didn’t know who your father really was when he was alive. Must be a bitch to think about now.”
“No, you’re not. You did this. This is your revenge. I’ve taken away the good in your life, and so now it’s my turn?” I tap my chest as I stalk towards Logan. He has the sense to back up a few steps.
