Shelby Quinn

... one week later ...

I stare numbly at the stone cold cup of coffee on the cafe table, my mind nothing but a mess of misery and a million buzzing questions, hounding me like hungry mosquitoes.. It's been months since I last saw my father's weathered face and I grow more hopeless each day that passes with no news of his whereabouts..

The worst part of it all is not knowing..
Is Hendrix safe?
Is he suffering?
It's the mystery of it that hurts the most..
I keep hitting dead ends as if brick walls had been put up around the man and his life and confidential red tape ties me up at every turn.. It seems nobody wants to help me in my quest for answers and I am fast running out of money to continue funding the fruitless search..

Just as I had anticipated, Tyler Bennings, the CEO of Blackstar had once again cancelled our scheduled meeting, this time he had cited an important international business trip as his excuse and his secretary apologised via voicemail for the inconvenience..

An 'inconvenience', she'd fucking called it.. As if my father's absence were nothing more than unpleasantness, a nuisance..
Her snobby, inconsiderate and insensitive tone had grated against my every nerve.. Her lack of compassion was apparent..

Nobody fucking cares..

Dropping my head into my hands I swallow down all the bitterness and rage that festers inside me, biting back on a scream that desires to drive its way from my tightly clenched teeth.. When an oversized shadow slinks across the cafe table, blocking out the radiating warmth of the sunshine that I had been basking in, I groan in frustration.. "Do you fucking mind?" As I lift my gaze towards the sun I raise a hand to shield my eyes from the brightness to find the most unexpected sight.. Framed by a halo of golden light burning all around him, he glows as if he were some kind of saviour.. An angel.. "Oh, it's you!"

But saviours don't scowl the way Logan Nash does..

Dark, dreamy and downright devilish, I can hardly believe my eyes..

How did he find me?

"Let's get one one thing straight, Beauty Queen--" The Cyber-genius stands before me all six foot something of masculine swagger and unsuspecting muscle.. His earthy brindle hair shines glossy in the sunlight and his olive complexion is accentuated by his distressed black jeans and grey sweatshirt.. His titan's shoulders are broad and squared with confidence and his concrete jaw is set to stern as Logan pulls out the chair opposite me and flops his heavy frame down into the seat with a grunt.. "I don't give a fuck about Specter or any of your Federal friends, you got me? If I'm gonna help you, it's not gonna be for Iris.. I don't work for her.."

"Who do you work for?" Stunned by his seemingly miraculous appearance I sit up straighter.. A new spark of hopeful optimism flickering to life within me for the first time in weeks as he lifts the dark shades from his eyes to assess me under the honeyed gleam of his Teutonic-gold gaze..

"Does it matter?" Answering my question with an evasive question of his own, he leans back comfortably and motions to the waitress to pour him a cup of coffee with the wave of a hand..

"I guess not.." I shrug.. "I just prefer to know who I'm doing business with.."

He narrows his sharp hawkish eyes on me.. "The only thing you need to know is that I'm the only one who can get you what you want.." Soon enough a steaming mug is set before him and he smiles sweetly at the pretty waitress who swoons as if intoxicated by his southern manner and devilish charm.. "Thank-ya kindly, Little Darlin'."

I watch as our sporty young server blushes bright pink, a self conscious hand lifting to the tip of her ponytail as she twists it around her fingers with a coy smile.. "You're so welcome, Handsome.. Let me know if I can get anything else for you.."

"Really?" I scoff at their flirtatious exchange as he watches her walk away.. I can't help but wrinkle my nose in disgust as she leaves.. "You are shameless.."

Logan hefts a shoulder with a smug shrug and a sly grin.. "Naw, don't be like that, Barbie.. Green ain't a good color on you.."

"Ugh.. You wish.." My skin prickles hot and my leg jitters with a pent up irritation beneath the table.. "So are you really going to help me, or did you stalk me here just to chat up the waitress in a hopeless attempt to make me jealous?"

"I'm gonna help you, Shelby.." He takes a considerate sip of his coffee, his eyes never leaving mine before he hums thoughtfully.. "For a price.."

"I figured as much.. I doubt a guy like you does anything out of the goodness of his heart.." I smile tightly and he chuckles..

"Aw yeah?" He leans forward to rest an elbow on the table, curiosity claiming his attention.. "And what kind of guy am I exactly?"

I run a finger around the rim of my coffee cup, wondering how honest I should be or if I should making more of an effort to flatter him into cooperation.. But I never was the kind to kiss anybody's ass, and the idea of sucking up to a jerk like Loagn is just too much to tolerate.. "Well.. You're rude as hell, arrogant, selfish and condescending.. You seem to think yourself so above me and the work I do and you obviously want me to know that.. You're the kind of guy who's out to prove to the world that he doesn't need anybody or anything.. Honestly, you're the last person I'd electively climb into bed with and if I had a choice, believe me, I wouldn't be asking you for a damn thing.."

He chuckles at the accidental innuendos phrasing of my insult and I bite down on my tongue to keep from anything else careless that could be interpreted in the wrong way slips out..

"Funny.." Logan smiles tilting his head to the side in amusement, that devil's grin curling his full lips upward.. "I could say the same thing about you, Barbie.."

"At least there's one thing we can agree on.." It takes all my willpower not to reach across the table and smack the smirk from his mouth.. "So what are you going to cost me, Logan, other than my patience, my sanity and my will to live?"

A gruff rumble of laughter rolls around his chest and my gaze is inexplicably drawn down to the swell of his pecs, pulling taut the fabric of his sweatshirt so that I can see the carved outline of his bulky muscle..

Great.. Just great.. The guy is cut from stone as if carved by an artist with entirely too much talent..
How unfair..

"It just so happens the angel on my shoulder is an extremely persistent eighteen year old girl who wants to compete in the Miss Darkport pageant.." He starts, forcing my eyes to flitter back up to his lips as his bassy baritone vibrates through me..

Fuck..
Why is he so damn distracting?

"Huh?" I frown, completely confused by his unpredictable angle..

"The Miss Darkport Pageant.." He reiterates with a bored sigh.. "Listen, the whole ridiculous dog and pony show is fucking sick and kinda sexist if you ask me.. But it's Tex's dream, so who am I to tell her she's just another slave to the patriarchy.."

"Seriously?" I blink at the man, stunned to hear his take on the state of feminist affairs as I wave a hand up and down towards him.. "Men like you are the fucking patriarchy.."

Logan laughs like the rumbling rolling waves of an ocean tide, cold and salty.. As he shakes his head one of his glossy chocolate locks comes loose to fall over his forehead.. "I can assure ya, Barbie, I ain't.." He reaches up to brush a hand back through his hair, fixing his amber stare to mine.. "If I was, I'd sooner tell the girl there's no fucking way I'd allow her to put herself on display like some prize pig at a county fair.. So she can what? Take a heap of criticism, be judged by her measurements, get her teeth checked for a pretty smile and speak on her obligatory desire for world peace? Hm, yeah, that sure sounds like empowerment to me.."

"Pageants are about more than pretty teeth and world peace, Mr Nash.. There are opportunities that wouldn't exist for a lot of young women otherwise and a sisterhood that you wouldn't understand.." Giving in to my most immature instincts, I find myself playing devil's advocate for the sake of an argument I'm not entirely sure I even believe in.. Fast defending the tradition of ball gowns and crowns, even though I had hated competing..

Still, I can't deny that I had learned so much from the pageant world, skills that had served me long after I left the spotlight behind.. Like how to spy a fake smile or how to maintain my composure under pressure..

"Hm.. That's exactly what Tex would say.." His harsh regard softens on me, but only for a second and almost in an instant that scowl of displeasure returns to darken his handsome features..

"Who is 'Tex?" I squint at him, wary of his mention of such a young woman.. Surely as a man in his thirties he isn't dating eighteen year olds..

God I hope not.. Then I'd have to feel sorry for the poor naive girl..

"My niece.. Her name is Dallas.." He explains with a knowing smile, taking another sip of his espresso.. "And you will have your hands full with her, believe me.."

"Oh.." I shake my head.. "Listen-- I'm sure Dallas is a beautiful girl, but I'm not a pageant coach and I have no interest in becoming one--"

He holds up an indifferent hand to cut me off.. "And I don't offer my services for hire to Feds.. Look, neither of us want to be here, judging by that sour little pout on your puss, you ain't happy, and neither am I.. Now that's a sign of a fair compromise.. So, you help my niece win the crown, and I'll look into what Blackstar has to do with your father's disappearance.. That's my final and only offer, take it or leave it, Army Barbie.."

"Fine.." Unable to decline the prospect of help from the man who Iris had assured me was the very best at what he does, I find myself reluctantly nodding in agreement.. "We have a deal, Mr Nash-- I mean-- Logan.. On one condition-"

He arches a scythe-shaped brunette brow in keen curiosity.. "This oughta be good.."

"You stop with the 'Barbie' bullshit.." I fold my hands on the table and his attention dips down to rake over the tattoos that trail up my right arm.. The ribbons of navy rope, anchor and an eagle that are written on my skin in ink seem to interest him greatly..

After a few lingering seconds Logan lifts his whiskey-brown eyes to meet with mine and he smiles a passive, sugary sweet smile that shines with goading sarcasm and cruel humour.. "You got it, Beauty Queen.."

"Ugh.." I groan, not in the least impressed or surprised by his taunting response.. "I think I actually prefer Barbie.."

Ignoring my irritation, Logan pushes ahead to solidify our arrangement, making a blunt request of his requirements.. "I need access to your father's equipment.." He appoints me the task before he slides his sunglasses back on and rises to his feet.. "His computers, his hard drives.. Everything.."

"I had to clear out his office at the HCC campus a week ago.. Everything is in storage now.." I reply, but his patience appears to have run out and he is itching for our interaction to end.. He is now as tense as he'd been the day I'd met him when he couldn't wait to get out of the Specter offices, almost as if he is itching out of his skin in discomfort..

"Then go get it out.." He bites in irritation..

"It's all in Havenport, It'll take me a few days to have it moved down to the city.." I explain, tamping down my temper..

"Yeah-huh.." He drawls, slow and indifferent as he produces a matte black business card from his jacket pocket and slides it across the table to me.. "Bring it to my office on Monday.."

I lift the card to inspect the company name, embossed in silver that reads 'Alpha Tech', beneath his title of 'director' reads three ambiguous words.. 'Creative Technology Solutions.'

My brow furrows.. "What exactly is it that you do again, Logan?"

"If you have to ask, you probably wouldn't understand the answer." He offers with teasing jibe as he pulls out his phone to flick his deft fingers over the screen, giving rise to my anxious curiosity about what he might be looking at..

I roll my eyes at the patronising timbre of his tone.. "I'm not an idiot.."

"I didn't mean 'understand' in the comprehensive sense.." That impatient grimace causes his brow to crinkle and his jaw to twitch as he tucks his cell back into his pocket..

"Oh.. I see.." I glance back at the flashy business card in my hands.. "So you mean to say that I wouldn't approve of your methods?"

"That's been my experience with people like you.." He nods in return, repaying my earlier critical judgment with a jaded assessment of his own about me.. "See ya Monday, Sargent Shelby.."

I suppose it serves me right for opening my mouth and speaking too plainly..
Dammit, Shelby!
Why can't I ever say the right thing?

"Logan, wait-" As he turns to leave I reach out to grab his sleeve, compelled to make him understand that none of this is a game to me..

Logan casts an uncomfortable glance down at my hand as if I were contaminated and touching him was akin to the spreading of some kind of infectious disease.. So I release him with an apologetic wince..

"Yes?" He growls..

"I just- I wanted to say- Thank you.." I force a smile as he continues to scowl.. "I knew you'd do the right thing.."

"Save it, Barbie.." He grunts before he brushes off his sleeve in exaggerated discontent.. "This-" He waves a hand back and forth between us.. "--is transactional.. I'll compile the data and get you a look into Blackstar's Systems, but that's as far as I'm fixin' to go.. You hear? I'm not one of your soldiers.. I ain't prepared to die for you.."

"Oh my God, that's it!" Reaching the end of my tether I throw my hands up.. I have tried being nice, I've tried being patient, but Logan Nash is such an insufferable asshole that I can't contain my frustration any longer.. "What the actual fuck is your problem with me?"

"I ain't got a problem, Beauty Queen.. You do.. That's why you came to me.. Don't get it twisted, Shelby.. When I said I didn't care, I sure meant it.. I don't give a fuck about what you think you know.." He takes a step back towards me, a spiced scent of cinnamon and a woodsy fragrance of masculine musk waft through the air, tempting me to breathe him in.. "You don't know a Goddamn thing about me.."

He turns swift and sure and with the power and grace of a panther he strides away, not once looking back..

I'm left with an odd emptiness in my chest and a rage in my blood, caught somewhere between wanting to cry and the desire to strangle him, I mutter a cuss beneath my breath as I watch him disappear down the sidewalk and into the crowd.. "Fucking asshole.."