What They Don't See

Chapter 32 - "What with hackers and threats?"

"So I take it this means I'm forgiven?" Logan asked with a chuckle. Kate laughed and nodded. There was a moment of silence in the room before Logan cleared his throat.

"Guys, can Kate and I have the room please?" his family reluctantly stepped out of the hospital room, giving them a moment of privacy.

The second they were out of the room, Kate climbed into the small bed beside Logan, making herself comfortable at his side. For a moment, neither of them said a word.

"Kate? Who's Jordan?" Logan finally asked, bracing himself for the answer when he felt Kate stiffen beside him. 

That was never a good sign.

"Jordan was my college boyfriend," Kate replied, glancing up at Logan from the crook of his good arm.

"You know you don't have to tell me about it..." he murmured. Kate nodded.

"He was this American transfer student at the Paris business school where I was studying. Right from the beginning we just clicked. We'd been dating for nearly six months when he got a call. His mum needed him home. But on his way to the airport, he was attacked by Tristin's men. They beat him up and kidnapped him. Then Tristin video called me from Jordan's phone -showed me how he was torturing Jordan.

"I couldn't look away. I watched as Tristin tortured him for information on me." Kate had been staring at Logan's hand in her's when she told the story but paused to glance up at Logan, wanting to catch his reaction. When all she saw was understanding, she continued.

"It was only when they threatened his mom that he finally broke and told Tristin about the safe house I had been staying in while I was at school. He seemed so mad at himself for giving Tristin that information. But honestly, I was just glad he had told Tristin something so he would finally stop. 

"The last thing I saw was that look of regret just before Tristin fired a bullet into his skull," Kate finished, looking everywhere but at Logan as she spoke.

"I'm so sorry you went through that Kate," he murmured, using his index finger to bring Kate's chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. The sincerity in those blue orbs brought another round of tears to the surface, and for the first time in a long time, Kate allowed herself to be completely vulnerable with a man outside her family.

"Okay, now it's my turn to ask the difficult questions. Logan, why didn't you tell me about your involvement with Hellfire?" Kate asked as she wiped the tears off her cheeks. 

"I didn't want you to feel judged. I hated working for those guys and I worried that if I told you about that, you might take it personally. I mean, you do almost the same thing," Logan explained after a moment. Kate laughed, surprising him completely.

"I can understand not liking working for them, but honestly being compared to them is more offensive. I know more about that gang than you would believe, and we have very little in common, that's for sure. If you really thought we're similar then why were you so comfortable when I first told you about everything?"

"Honestly, I just had a gut feeling that you were different. You seemed to know what you were doing and you were significantly more discreet about your dealings. Besides, so long as I didn't have to be an errand boy again I was fine." This got Kate to laugh again. 

"Trust that instinct from now on alright? And don't keep secrets from me again."

~

Over the next few days, everyone was in damage control mode. The hostages from the hotel were not a concern; they saw Logan and the others as their heroes and had all made it very clear they had no intention of snitching.