What They Don't See

Chapter 26 - Well, I feel stupid now...

As Kate drove away from the ranch, Logan's words replayed in her head over and over again. They had hurt her more than she was willing to admit, even to herself.

Kate thought back to the days before she had let her walls down for him. Maybe it would have been better if things had stayed that way. If they had just stayed out of each other's personal lives, maybe they would be better off. Maybe she should have walked away at that first opportunity. The one that he had presented on a silver platter. She could have walked away. Maybe then she wouldn't feel so hurt by such simple words. 

I can't trust you can I? The words echoed in Kate's mind again.

Deep down Kate knew she didn't regret bringing Logan into her life. Despite how much he had just hurt her. He had made her life brighter. She couldn't remember the last time she had been so happy and content before Logan came around. He had brought laughter back into her life and reminded her that there was joy to be found in life, even in the small moments. He had shown her that she didn't have to be right all the time, that she didn't always have to be so guarded. 

But if he really didn't trust her, then it was all for nothing. Because she could never be with someone who doesn't trust her. If the unwavering trust she placed in him couldn't be reciprocated then it was all a big waste of time.

Suddenly Kate was pulled out of her musings when she wondered where she was going. She figured she might as well check on her men that were staying at a hotel in town, but would they be back from their shift change? She had instructed them to watch the ranch from a distance in pairs and to switch shifts every 6 hours.

Kate went to check the time, only to realize with a start that she had left her phone on the dining table. In her rush to leave, she had simply hopped into the car, used the spare key she kept in the car for quick getaways, and drove off.

"What is this boy doing to me?" she groaned, pounding the wheel a few times for good measure. There was a time when she would never have made a mistake like this. 

With a resigned sigh, Kate drove to the hotel in silence.

"Hi, I'm here to see Luke Adams," Kate told the lady at the reception. 

From the corner of her eye, Kate could see Stacy, the girl from the mechanic shop, wearing a maid's uniform, glaring at her. Choosing to ignore her, Kate spotted Jac stepping out of the elevator and rushing toward her. She met him halfway and gave him a brief hug, which startled him a little, although he didn't show it. Together the two of them walked back to the elevator.

~

Back at the ranch, Logan walked back to the house, only to find Max sitting out on the porch.

"Where's Kate?" he asked, taking a sip of the beer in his hand.

"She drove off to God knows where," Logan explained with a defeated sigh as he sat down next to his brother on the porch swing.

"Is something wrong?" Max asked, sitting up and taking a quick glance around them. Logan shook his head in defeat.

"It's just me. I said some stupid things that I didn't even mean and pissed her off."

"Oh. Did she uh... Did she say anything about me before you went and pissed her off?" Max asked, looking at everything around them except his brother.

"No... although I definitely yelled a few things about you," Logan replied, looking at Max suspiciously.

"Max, you do know what she does right?" Logan asked after a moment. Max nodded.

"What, that she's part of the French mafia? Yeah, I know." Logan didn't correct him, it didn't seem like his place to tell his brother that she was actually the boss.

"Then why did you accept the job she offered you? Do you know how much danger that life puts you in?" Logan asked in exasperation. He seemed to be the only one here concerned about his brother's safety.

"I know what I signed up for Logan. I know the risks," Max replied, looking right into his brother's eyes as he spoke. He wasn't afraid. 

If anything he was relieved. 

Logan shook his head.

"Why does everyone keep telling me that?" he mumbled to himself.

"Because it's true. We're all adults here, capable of making our own decisions. I understand that you're worried, but I'm more than capable of taking care of myself," Max answered. 

Logan sighed. 

His brother was right.

"So what did my badass girlfriend say to convince you to join the mafioso?" Logan asked in an attempt to lighten the mood. But it seemed to do the opposite when Max suddenly looked down at the wooden planks of the porch floor.

"She uh... she saved me. F- from Hellfire," Max mumbled nervously. Seeing the look of confusion on his brother's face, Max decided to elaborate.

"You remember how we thought we'd finished our dealings with Hellfire? Well, we were wrong. A few months after you did your third movie, they came to me, said they would tell the authorities about your involvement with them if I didn't join. So I did. I've been working for them ever since. Kate saw my mark and confronted me about it. I told her what happened and she offered to help. She made a few calls and sent some men to the boss's house, they got all the dirt Hellfire has on you, and informed the boss that I would be working for the mafioso now."

Logan was stunned.

"Why didn't you tell me about any of this?" he exclaimed.

"Because I knew you would give up everything to save me, again. I didn't want you to do that. So I stayed quiet," Max replied with a shrug.

Suddenly everything Logan had said to Kate in that barn came flooding back. She was protecting his family when he couldn't. And instead of thanking her, he yelled at her.

"I need to find Kate."