“Let’s focus on getting Harper back.”“Yeah, I can’t do that from here.” He wanted to shake him. Logan wasn’t made for sitting behind a desk. He needed to be doing something.
“Fuck this, they can’t keep us in here, let’s go.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - XANDER
“Owningthebuildinghasto count for something.” His palms were sweating.
Luis and Asher stood, their arms crossed in front of their chests, blocking the doors.
“Good evening gentlemen. Let us through.”
“Sorry, Mr. Montague, our orders are not to let you and Mr. Marrock leave the building.”
“On whose authority?” Xander asked, but he already knew.
“Ares, Sir. You can follow Team Stealth through a video feed. A monitor has been set up in your office, and Meg Carlson is upstairs if you need any technical help.”
“You got to be kidding me,” Logan said, running his hand through his hair.
“Doing our job, Mr. Marrock,” Luis said.
Xander cursed under his breath, turned on his heel and flung open the doorway to the stairs.
“Hey! I’m coming too,” Logan said.
“I’m not stopping you,” Xander said.
“If it wasn’t for you, she wouldn’t be missing.”
Xander stopped on the stair and turned to look at Logan. The man’s eyes were wide, and a thin bead of sweat was on his forehead. As usual, before a job, Logan was looking for a fight.
“And maybe if you gave her the reassurances she needs, she would have told you about going to this audition.”
“Maybe if you had given her what she wanted, she wouldn’t be seeking it elsewhere,” Logan scoffed.
“I have done everything to protect Harper, Logan. Not getting romantically involved with her is another way I protected her. How haveyouprotected her?”
“I didn’t know sheneededprotecting. You have the most highly trained staff on the planet, and you didn’t tell us she was in danger!”
Xander continued on the steps, Logan’s voice echoing off the walls. Xander knew he was right. He wanted to cocoon Harper and keep her safe, but he didn’t want to share her. After Olivia, Harper became his redemption.
Throwing open the door, Xander marched into the executive branch, taking in the mess on Harper’s desk.
“The more stressed she is, the messier she becomes,” Xander murmured.
“Yeah, I’ve noticed,” Logan said.
“When we had our date at the symphony, she asked if she could have one secret. She must have meant that audition. I should have pushed her harder, but she changed the subject.”
“She’s good at that.” Logan nodded. “I’ve let her get away with distracting me more times than I should have. She hates talking about her feelings.”
“She hates being vulnerable,” Xander said.
“But I want to spank her ass for not telling you she was going to audition. For her not telling me.”
“Forget the spanking, she needs a good caning, enough to crack through that tough shell of hers.”
“Make her break down and cry,” Logan agreed, nodding.
