Rescued

Chapter Two

Sheridan couldn't ask for more. She knew that what she was asking could be costly for Logan, but she didn't care. Her brother was priceless to her. She didn't care about the money; she never had. Unlike her father and brother, working for a living was fine with her. Her father may have still been alive if he worked as hard to do things the right way as he did at trying to get around them.

Now she feared that Payton may be in the same predicament. My brother, Sheridan thought. Her older brother who had always been more like the younger when gauging his maturity. Hell, at times Sheridan had felt more like his mother. He was supposed to be the protector; instead she had always been the one coming to his rescue or taking the beatings their father liked to dole out because she couldn't stand the thought of him hurting. She had even beat the shit out of him a time or two after her father finally let her start taking Karate. And was miserable with guilt afterwards.

"My brother works alone; well, except from the assistance I give, but other than that no one knows about his talents. Until recently. We moved out here almost three years ago after we got tired of traveling back and forth so much. It just made more sense. Anyway, we put the typical fronts in place - nine to five jobs, small living, that sort of thing. We agreed we would only take the risks we needed, but it's all Payton knows. He loves the rush and it has been harder to keep tabs on him. I'm sure you already know that the biggest money games aren't held on the floors of casinos. I told him it wasn't worth it, but -"

"But?" he prompted when she left off.

"He didn't listen, obviously."

Logan half grinned at her. "Who did he get tangled up with?"

Sheridan chewed her bottom lip. Just speaking his name made her feel nauseous. "Rhys Murphy."

Sheridan watched as Logan's eyes seemed to darken and narrowed just a bit, but without giving too much away. He would be one hell of a poker player to read.

***

Just hearing his cousin's name put Logan in a pissed off mood. Rhys had been the reason he had enlisted as soon as he turned eighteen. Rhys was dead set on joining up. Logan had other plans but thought it more likely his dumbass cousin would return home with a flag covering his casket if he didn't tag along with hopes of keeping him alive. He felt he owed his aunt. Cathy had taken him in when his mother died and his father couldn't be bothered to take in a pre-teen boy.

Logan fell in love with serving his country whereas Rhys was four and out. When he finally returned home he found that Rhys had yet again made dumbass decisions that ended with him serving some time.

Unfortunately, his stint inside didn't deter him from a life of crime as his aunt had hoped. Instead he met bigger and badder connections that had a longer reservation, and for some reason built a trust in him, opening their doors to him once he got out. Now Rhys was making a living by taking from others and no doubt taking more than just their money. Sheridan had a good reason to be worried about her brother.

Rhys didn't want to join the military to serve and protect. He joined because he had been fixated on killing since he was a kid. He wanted to go to the Army, but agreed to Navy since that was Logan's preference. He always had a way of acting as if he was meeting you halfway, as if it were your idea to begin with. Rhys was the stereotypical sociopath.

Logan had kept his distance except for family get-togethers. He wasn't scared of his piece of shit cousin, but he feared that one day he might have to kill him which would in turn emotionally kill the woman who had raised him through his toughest years.

Logan wasn't sure how long he had sat silent. Sheridan watched him from across the desk. Finally she spoke.

"Do you know Rhys Murphy?"