Chapter 34
Logan discovered several things over the next few weeks as they settled into married life back home. It
was perfectly possible to be jealous of one little human dynamo cock-blocker. After the third morning in
a row, when his preferred method of greeting the day—making love to his wife—was interrupted by
Rhia bouncing into the room, he stopped trying.
Attempts to convince Hannah to install a lock on their bedroom door were vehemently opposed by his
wife.
“We can’t do that. What if she has one of her nightmares and sleepwalks? What will she do with a
locked door? She’s only just starting to feel secure.”
Logan had grudgingly conceded Hannah had a point. Besides there were new joys to be found in
simply spending time with Hannah and Rhia. Much to his surprise, he enjoyed their family get-togethers
immensely. They were a wee balm to the shit that Lord and Lady Franningham threw his way on
an almost daily basis.
At least the courts had agreed for now that granting the couple ess and introducing a still
traumatized Ria to grandparents she’d never met before were not in her best interest.
Hannah had been by his side at that particr hearing, a quietly seething tower of strength who had
torn a strip off the Franningham solicitor when he’d dared to call into question the validity of their
marriage and her own introduction to Rhia.
“With all due respect, that is entirely different. And more to the point, where are your precious clients? If
they’re that concerned about their granddaughter, then where have they been for thest four years of
her life? Tell me that. Why aren’t they here, pleading their case in person, huh? The truth of the matter
is they don’t know the first thing about Rhia. They were never interested in her or her mother. They
don’t even bother to visit the hospital, and throwing money at the situation is not going to help. Being
there is what counts. If that was my daughter in aa I’d be there every day, trying my utmost to
bring her out of it, like Logan has done, and he continues to do, even though it looks increasingly
doubtful that she ever will, and they have the audacity to question his ability to be a father to Rhia.
They—”
“Enough, Mrs. Bryce,” Judge Hanson had interrupted her. “While I apud your spirited defense of
your husband, this hearing isn’t about his suitability, but what is in the child’s best interests. I’ve read
the psychological assessment on her, and on this asion, I concur with her counsellor’s
rmendation that it would set Rhia’s recovery back, if she were to be subjected to the stress of
being introduced to her grandparents.”
Hannah had breathed a sigh of relief, and Logan had barely resisted the urge to fist pump the air.
“That doesn’t mean the situation isn’t fluid. I’ve yet to receive full evaluations on Mr. Bryce and indeed
you, Mrs. Bryce, and until I have them and can consider all the evidence in front of me this matter is far
from settled.”
Those ominous words came back to haunt him now, when he saw the strange car on the drive. They’d
been warned that an unannounced home visit was imminent, and Logan had sworn down the phone
when Hannah had called him at work. Having caught the same nasty virus that had kept Rhia off
nursery for thest few days, she’d sounded exhausted and on the verge of tears. He hadn’t wanted to
leave either one of his girls that morning, but the meeting he’d now been called out of anyway, had
been too vital to miss.
Now, well now it would cost him a shit ton of money, as the deal would go to thepetition.
Of all the days, they had to send someone to investigate the home environment it had to be today,
when neither one of them was in best form. He forced himself to not m the front door shut behind
him, and scowled when the little munchkin didn’t appear to wrap herself around his legs like she usually
did. As she was much better than she had been, she must be taking a nap, which was probably just as
well, because the words drifting into the hallway made his blood boil.
“I see. I’m very sorry you’re not feeling well, but this really cannot wait. What is taking Mr. Bryce so
long? I have to say I’m surprised he went to work at all with you in this state. I take it workes
before all else?” The ingratiating tone of what sounded to him like false sympathy set his teeth on edge.
He forced himself to unclench his fists and take several deep breaths, while his little dove intervened.
“Not at all, I mean, yes, he can be ruthless in business. He has to be to be sessful, but he’s not like
that in his private life. He had to attend this meeting. The whole takeover of a newpany d
epends on the oue, and if you must know I insisted he went this morning. I…” A coughing fit
stopped her exnation, and Logan had heard enough.
“I’m here now, Ms.—” He spared nothing more than a cursory nce to the middle-aged woman
perched on the edge of his leather recliner. Notepad in hand and a thick file by her side, she regarded
Hannah over the edge of her silver-rimmed sses, and gave Logan a perfunctory smile in greeting.
Not that he took any notice because his attention was taken up by Hannah. Jesus, she looked even
worse than she had in the morning.
“Hey, babe, here, I’ve got you.” He sat down next to his little dove and gently tapped her back to help
with the cough. Her skin felt mmy and feverish to the touch, and when she looked up at him her
eyes held that zed look indicating she was indeed running a temperature. He handed her a ss of
water and swore under his breath when her hand shook too much to take it.
“Jesus, woman, you should have called me back sooner. You should be in bed.” He scowled at her,
ignoring their far too interested audience, as he held the ss to Hannah’s chapped lips to encourage
her to take some fluids.
“I should call the doctor back. This can’t be right. Rhia wasn’t this ill.” He dropped a kiss on Hannah’s
damp forehead, shocked how hot she felt.
“These things often hit adults far worse than they do children. Your wife exined Rhia caught a nasty
virus from nursery. It’s the time of year, I’m afraid. You’re not the only one of my families to be
suffering.” The social worker stood up and held out her hand for Logan to take. Her smile dropped
when he ignored the proffered appendage and turned his back on her. She could go sing, for all he
cared. He was far more concerned about his wife right now than social niceties.
“Have you taken some paracetamol at least?” He knew his voice had taken on an edge, but he couldn’t
help himself. In his peripheral vision, he saw that damn social worker sit back down and scribble
something in her notepad. No doubt that he was an arrogant oaf, living up to his reputation.
Hannah nodded and rested her head on his shoulder in a trusting gesture, which made his chest
tighten anew. Jesus, if he lost her… Cold sweat ran down between his shoulder des, and he
adjusted their position so that his girl was now sitting on hisp. Raised eyebrows from the crone
across the coffee table, and a murmured protest from Hannah. He ignored both, and once Hannah was
into her notepad.
“Make this quick, will you? You can see how ill my wife is. I’m sure there must be rules against barging
into someone’s house and interrogating them, when that person is ill.”
Hannah shook her head and tried to say something, but Logan ced his finger over her lips to stop
her.
“Hush, baby, no more talking. Just rest. I’m sure I can answer all the questions, Ms.—” He paused and
raised an eyebrow in query at the woman across from them.
“Mrs. Offrey, and please rest assured that I’m not here to interrogate anybody. Believe it or not, I’m on
your side.” She frowned at Logan’s snort in answer, and Hannah tensed in his arms.
“Please, Logan, just listen to her. I’m sure…” Another coughing fit shook her small frame, and Logan
tightened his hold on her until it passed. Then he grasped her chin to tilt it up and brushed his lips over
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hers. Fuck the audience, he needed that connection right now, to feel her tentative smile at his actions,
and to know she was with him. He’d doubted that at times over thest few weeks.
Oh, in bed, at least, she was just as responsive as she’d always been, but when she didn’t think he
was looking he’d noticed the inherent sadness that clung to Hannah like an invisible cloak of impending
doom. It made him uneasy. Logan wasn’t one to second-guess his actions, but he found himself doing
that more and more. It wasn’t a feeling he relished, because the world just didn’t seem right when
Hannah wasn’t happy. Fuck knew why that bothered him as much as it did, but he needed her to be
happy.
So, he stopped the angry words aimed at this Mrs. Offrey—words which were burning a hole in his gut,
and would no doubt earn him another ck mark—and nodded at Hannah.
“Fine, I’m listening. Mrs. Offrey, exin to me how you’re on our side. All I see is a woman looking into
my private life and making assumptions.” Hannah tensed again, and Logan scrubbed a hand over his
face. Grief, he was tired. Neither one of them had slept well in days, ever since Rhia had first fallen ill,
and now this shit.
To give the social worker credit, she didn’t appear to take offense at his growled words. A small smile
yed around her lips, and she nodded.
“I’m only doing my job, Mr. Bryce, and an intrusion into your privacy is an unfortunate aspect of this.”
Logan barked a shortugh in answer to that matter of fact statement.
“Maybe you need to find another job then.”
Mrs. Offrey inclined her head, and a sliver of genuine amusement showed in her gray eyes.
“Believe me, I hear that a lot. And at times, I do wish I had a different job, but the children keep me
going. Someone has to look out for their bests interests and—”
“Don’t you think I know that? Why the fuck do you think I took Rhia under my care after what my dick of
a brother did? She’s my goddaughter, and I…” Jeez, why was this so difficult to put into words?
Hannah’s small hands snaked around his neck, and she kissed his clenched jaw.
“It’s all right, Logan, we know you love her.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to refute that notion. Love didn’t exist, did it? He cared for Rhia, of
course, he did. She was part of his family, his flesh and blood, so to speak, but he’d taken her on out of
a sense of duty. Out of guilt over his brother’s actions, not because he loved her. His life had been
going along just fine without the addedplication of a little traumatized girl.
Mrs. Offrey scribbled something else in her notepad, and nodded.