Page 63 of Eight Years Gone

Logan laughed harshly. “You even stole my sister. She loves you more than she’s ever loved me. Tell me, Jagger, do you have any flaws?”

This version of Logan was pathetic. “You could have everything I do. Natalie was crazy about you until you fucked everything up. And that’s the problem. You love your pills, booze, and whatever the hell else you’re on more than you love anything else.”

Logan gave him the finger.

Jagger shook his head again, no longer interested in concealing his disgust. He wanted off the Logan Evan’s roller-coaster ride. “Call me when you’re ready to clean yourself up. Otherwise, keep your bullshit away from Grace. You break her heart whenever she has to see you like this.”

Logan covered his heart as he batted his lashes. “The knight in shining armor.”

He kept his temper in check, even as Logan continued to bait him. “If that’s what it takes.”

“If being Grace’s protector ever gets old, your brother wouldn’t mind a shot at that.”

And then Jagger saw red as he rushed forward. “You fucker.”

His fist was in Logan’s face, knocking him to the ground with the force of the blow. Before Logan could recover and put up any sort of block, Jagger was on top of him, plowing his knuckles into Logan’s cheekbone.

Logan groaned as more bruising bloomed.

Jagger reined himself in, yanking up on Logan’s collar. “Never, ever talk about Grace to my brother, you pathetic piece of shit.”

He gave him a shake. “You might be playing it all badass these days, but let’s not forget which one of us is actually from the streets.”

He moved his face closer to Logan’s. “If you ever bring any of those disgusting pieces of slime around here when Grace is home, I will end you. I promise I’ll end you. Stay away from me, man. Stay away from your sister.”

Jagger gained his feet, leaving Logan where he’d dropped him, eager to help Grace pack and head up to Preston Valley.

He’d be damned if they weren’t going to enjoy the last few days of summer before they had to get back to Syracuse.

Two weeks later, Logan had bled to death in the passenger seat of his car.

“Fuck,” Jagger murmured as he sat with his face in his hands, scrubbing his palms over his cheeks, absolutely wrecked with a new wave of regret.

“Jagger?”

He looked up as Grace walked his way, sleepy-eyed and slipper-clad, wrapped in her dark-pink robe.

“What are you doing out here? It’s freezing.”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

She stared at him as she stopped in front of him. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he said as he nodded his lie.

She sat down next to him. “No, you’re not.”

He moved to wrap the blanket around them both in the chilly air.

Grace settled her head on his shoulder as she locked her arms around his waist. “What’s wrong?”

He leaned into the comfort that was Grace. “I can’t stop thinking about Logan—about that night.”

She tilted her head up to meet his gaze.

“I’m so sorry I couldn’t get him there in time.” He sucked in a breath when his voice broke. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t save him.”

“Jagger,” she whispered, moving to sit on his lap and hold him even closer.

---