Page 24 of The Surrogate Omega, Part Two

Logan trails off, but he doesn’t need to finish for me to get the picture. Gods, why are people so awful? I can’t help but think about Lake and what might’ve happened to him if his bio-dad had tried to sell him to anyone other than my father. Would he have ended up like this little boy? Just another unsolved homicide case on some poor, overworked detective’s desk? I can’t even think about something so awful, so I shove it from my mind.

“Have the parents been notified?”

Logan rests his head against the back of the couch and closes his eyes, beyond exhausted. “Yeah. I went with the homicide detectives who picked up the case, since his parents know me. They took it as well as you would expect.”

“And Rory’s parents? Do they know yet?”

Logan sighs heavily. “His mom killed herself about three months after he disappeared, and the dad washed his hands of the whole thing. His parents were already divorced, but the asshole took a job on the other side of the country, changed his phone number, and basically ghosted us.”

I purse my lips. “Could he be involved?”

“I always thought so. The fucker always skeeved me out. But he had a rock-solid alibi and we never found any evidence against him. He might just be a dead-beat dad that took the out when he could.”

Possibly, but I can tell Logan doesn’t necessarily agree. There’s nothing we can do about it right now anyway. “What do you need me to do?” I ask him.

“Just hold me. And maybe find some trashy reality show to put on?”

I grin, way too excited for this, even if the reason for him wanting to watch terrible TV is awful. “No problem. I can do both of those things.”

The two of us sit wrapped around each other, arguing about who will be the next eliminated on the show we found, and just try to push everything to the side. I notice that Logan keeps checking his phone every five minutes or so.

“Are you waiting for something work-related?” I ask, curious. He’s never been one that’s glued to his phone.

“No, I’m just obsessed with checking to see if Lake has messaged or called us. He told us it’s going to be from an unlisted number, and I’m terrified we’ll miss him.”

Yeah, I get that. The first three days Lake was gone, I didn’t let my phone out of my sight. But it’s been over a week now, and I know I’m going to lose it if I keep obsessing. So, I keep my phone as loud as it can go, but I won’t keep looking at it. I have faith that once Lake can contact us, he’ll make sure he finds a way to get through.

“I miss him too,” I tell Logan.

“I think that’s making this whole thing with Anthony’s body even worse. I don’t feel right with Lake so far away from us. It’s making me itchy. Like physically itchy, and my nerves are shot.” He glances at me guiltily. “Not that it wouldn’t be the same way for you, Ev. You know I love you just as much.”

Gods, he’s so fucking sweet. I kiss Logan’s shoulder. “I know, babe. And I understand. I’m not itchy or anything, but it feels like a piece of us is missing. I’ve felt unsettled all week.”

I don’t go into it now, but I’ve been researching a lot regarding the new genes, especially the effects on the newfound Alphas. Logan’s been struggling, even if he’s brushing it off. But I know he’s having a hard time with the biological changes and probably some of the other things as well, so I’ve been trying to learn as much as I can so I can help him. One of the things I’ve found is that past Alphas could be in physical pain if they were separated for too long from their fated mate Omega. Early research on the new adaptation of the gene is showing that something similar may happen now. I want to talk to Logan about it, but I don’t think he’s in the right mental state to add this to it. I’ll discuss it with him later.

“Do you think it will get easier the longer he’s gone?” Logan asks.

I shrug. I seriously doubt it, but I don’t know how to answer that question. “I’m not sure. But we’re here for each other in the meantime.”

Logan gives me his first genuine smile since coming home this afternoon. “Always, Ev. We’ll always be here for each other. Ride or die.”

I laugh roughly. “Please don’t say that again.”

Logan’s face lights up with laughter and a weight lifts off my shoulders. It’s rough right now, but we’ll be ok. I’m sure of it.

After a few minutes, Logan grabs his phone again. “I’m starving. Want to order some Chinese?”

“Fuck, yes.”I so don’t feel like cooking tonight.

I watch as Logan puts in the order on the app on his phone and allow myself to relax, confident that as long as the three of us have each other’s backs, we’ll get through the rough periods just fine.

THIRTEEN

Lake

Iturn back to my computer as the notification pops up that facial recognition got a hit. One of the undercovers managed to get some footage of the kids and young adults that are currently being held under the cover of nature deep in the Everglades.

I know both Logan and Evander believe I’m out of the country somewhere, and I didn’t dissuade them of that notion. Honestly, I’d much rather be in another country than stuck here. As much as I complain about some of the accommodations I’ve had in some of the other safe houses, I’d gladly take them over this place. First of all, I hate Florida. Why do so many people live here? It’s January. I shouldn’t be sweating indoors from the humidity. And the bugs. Ugh. Even with my heavy-duty bug spray, I’m being eaten alive.

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