Coming Home

Chapter 18 - Maybe One Day

I buried my face against Logan's neck and just enjoyed the feel of him against me, of his breath against my neck, his hands still tracing words on my back. I tried to block out the sound muffled sobs coming from beyond the boxes but it was impossible. I guessed that about half an hour had passed before one of the men spoke again.

"Okay that's enough, orders were to keep him alive, teach him a lesson," he spoke to the man they had been beating. "You got the message yet? Don't mess around with George. Next time he won't be so nice."

I looked up at Logan and he nodded, acknowledging the fact that they worked for George, who obviously wasn't here.

The men left then, not once did they look back at the man they had left possible bleeding to death on the floor. As soon as they were gone from sight I jumped up from Logan's lap and ran over to the man.

He was bleeding heavily and I guessed he had internal bleeding from the way the men had been kicking him. Logan ran up behind me, looking to make sure the men had really gone.

"Do you think he will be okay?" He was unconscious. Well, I hoped he was.

I watched, holding my breath as Logan bent and took his pulse. Long seconds later he looked up at me and slowly shook his head. I understood that the man was dead.

"He didn't make it."Logan whispered.

I turned away from him and covered my face with my hands, holding back a sob. I couldn't believe that this man was dead, no, he had been killed, and I had done nothing to stop it. A voice in the back of my mind wondered if Jack would end up like this, if he was cold and alone, if he was alive. I couldn't think like that.

Logan came over to me and folded me in his arms. I looked up at him and noted with some surprise that he also had tear running down his cheeks and I finally saw that this was as hard on him as it was on me. He was only here for me, to help me get my brother back. I had put him through this and as I stood there, watching him silently cry for a dead man neither of us knew, I loved him more than I ever had.

We held each other's gaze for a long time; I was lost in the deep blue sea that was his eyes. I could always lose myself in his eyes. He brought his hand up caught my chin, rubbing his thumb back and forth over my lips. He groaned and rested his forehead against mine. "Will it ever be easy for us? Just me and you, nothing to worry about, no problems, no fears or sadness. Just love?"

"One day, maybe one day." I promised him.

I kissed him, briefly encircled his neck with my arms and held him close before I pulled away.

"We need to bury him. I won't just leave him here." Logan nodded. He had already cleaned the man up as much as possible, I could see he was only young, late twenties or early thirties. He should have his whole life ahead of him, but a monster had stood in his way and taken it from him.

I vowed to myself then that George would not get away with this.