Built for Power (17 page)

Logan stood as soon as Bree returned with his mother hurrying behind her. “Let’s go, Bree.”

“It’s okay. I want to give your father and brother a chance to apologize for judging me without knowing me.”

Bree sat down and didn’t look up at Logan. Instead, she stared down his father and brother who just stared right back. Logan had told them what he thought about them when Bree left. He even lit into Stacy, but it didn’t make him feel any better. It was a relief to get his feelings off his chest, but he found he didn’t care if he had their approval anymore.

“Ah, here they are,” Jean Blanc said happily with Reid trailing after him.

Logan shot a look to Bree as she simply looked up at Reid and smiled. What was she up to? Whatever it was, he was about to find out.

“Ah, Mr. Simpson,” Brad said as he stood up and shook Reid’s hand.

“Sorry to interrupt, but B. just called and discussed the contract. I figured you’d want to know Simpson Global’s answer right away.”

“Of course! Let me introduce you to my family. This is my wife, Stacy, my mother, Carolyn, my father and president of Ward Stone and Brick, Charles Ward.”

Logan enjoyed the fact he wasn’t introduced as part of the family. He looked at Bree again, but she wasn’t giving anything away.

“Mr. Ward, ladies. It’s a pleasure to meet you all. But, I’m kind of surprised; I didn’t know you already knew B.”

Brad looked confused and Logan bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. Considering that he went through this same thing, he should have sympathy, but he didn’t.

“I’m sorry, but we’ve never met Mr. Simpson. We’ve only negotiated through email and through calls with his assistant,” Brad told Reid.

“Funny guys. Anyway, I guess you wanted me here to help with the facts of the meeting, so I’ll summarize. I met with Brad today to purchase limestone for the out-building by the lake at the resort. He put the price at $300 per ton, which is way above market value. Why don’t you take it away, B.?”

“This isn’t funny, Mr. Simpson,” Charles cut in before Bree could answer. “I don’t know what kind of joke you think you’re playing, but we don’t know Mr. Simpson. I thought you were here to talk business.”

“No,” Bree said finally standing up and walking over to her brother. “
We’re
here to talk business. I hadn’t wanted to bring it up over such a lovely dinner. Since dinner was anything but lovely, except for dear Carolyn, that is, there was no reason to delay our business dealings.”

“What are you talking about?” Brad challenged.

“You wanted to know B.’s response, so here she is. She can tell you herself,” Reid said as he stood shoulder to shoulder with his sister.

Logan couldn’t hide the smile anymore. The looks of utter confusion on the faces of his family were just too much. He laughed even harder knowing he’d had that same look on his face when he realized the woman he had quickly started having feelings for after the explosion was the same person he thought was the devil, continually changing the design of the corporate center.

“Let me clear some things up. I’m Logan’s girlfriend, Bree Simpson. I’m also the V.P. of Simpson Steel and Construction, and I am rejecting your outlandish bid for stone and will stop all future orders. Gentlemen, you’ve lost my business. Carolyn, you are welcome at my home anytime. Now we can go, Logan.”

“With pleasure.” Logan stood and tossed his napkin on the table. “Oh, and I’m quitting Clarke Group and starting my own architectural firm here in Atlanta.”

“That is great. I bet Elle and Drake will be your first clients. They’ve been talking about finding someone to design a house for them,” Reid said happily as he led the group outside.

“Oh, that’s wonderful, Logan!” Bree said, genuinely happy for him. “I’m so happy for you, but leaving London?”

“I love you, Bree. I’d do anything to be with you. But this is ultimately about me. It’s my passion. Designing and building houses is what I long for. I want to be my own boss. And of course, Atlanta is where I can have that and you.”

“Okay, I’m out. I don’t need to see this mushy stuff.” Reid shook Logan’s hand and gave Bree a kiss on the cheek before heading out of the restaurant.

“I couldn’t leave you again,” Logan cupped her face with his hands and looked into the eyes of his future.

“I was looking into moving to London,” Bree confessed. “Now take me home, Logan. Quickly.”

“I think I can manage that. But it will be the last thing I do quickly tonight.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

“Where’s Mallory?” Bree whispered to Allegra as they got in position for the rehearsal.

“She got called away on business. Cousin Mary is standing in.” Mary walked down the aisle in front of them at the wedding planner’s cue.

“Isn’t that strange? She missed the shower and now the rehearsal?”

Allegra shrugged as she watched Mary walk slowly toward the altar. “I do, but what can be done? Elle doesn’t seem too upset. She said it goes hand in hand with Mallory’s job.”

“Please. I think something happened between Mallory and Reid. Haven’t you ever noticed they're never in the same place together? Something is up.”

Allegra started walking slowly down the aisle on cue, but looked back at Bree quickly. “Mallory and Reid have always been very different. They might just not like each other and want to spare putting us in the middle.”

Bree thought about that as she watched her sister walk down the aisle. Maybe, but it sure would be interesting to see them together at the wedding tomorrow.

* * *

Logan sat at the large rectangular table at Drake and Elle’s house and laughed. Everyone there was smiling and teasing one another. Reid, Bree, and Allegra were trying their hardest to embarrass Elle with childhood stories and warning Drake of her particular quirks. This was what family was supposed to be like.

Shirley thumped the table with her glass and brought his attention back to the conversation at hand. “No, no, no. The reason we had separate twin beds back then wasn’t because we didn’t have sex. Come on, most people had four or five kids. Think about it. You didn’t really watch much television and once it got dark, there wasn’t much to do, so we had a lot of sex. Without those twin beds, we’d never get any sleep!”

“Ew, come on, Shirley. I don’t want to think about that,” Reid joked.

“You just don’t want to admit you’re not the Casanova you think you are. Now, Cary Grant, he was a Casanova. They don’t make men like that anymore.”

“Or Paul Newman,” Margaret called from the kitchen.

“I always loved Clint Eastwood. Now that is a man.” Drake’s mom sighed as the ladies all giggled.

“Okay, enough of that. Did Logan tell you his big news yet?” Reid asked.

Logan felt all eyes turn to him. Margaret and Drake’s mother even popped out of the kitchen and quickly glanced at Bree’s left hand. “News? What is it, dear?”

“Well, Drake really should be included in this, too. He’s the one who planted the idea in my head. I’ve decided to move to Atlanta and start my own architectural firm.”

“That’s wonderful news,” Elle said excitedly. “Drake and I just moved into this beautiful house, but it doesn’t feel like it’s
ours
. We have found the most perfect lot. We were thinking of building a house next spring and we need an architect. Do you think you could build our dream house for us?”

“Please,” Drake added. “I saw some of your designs and they’re amazing. Plus I think we may be working together on a business project as well.”

“I’d be happy to have you two as my first clients.” Logan shook Drake’s hand and soon the table was full of conversation about the house and his new firm.

Bree basked in the happiness around her. Everyone was laughing and the dangers of the past month seemed so far away. More importantly, she’d found a love like her parents had—the same kind Elle and Drake had found. She had been prepared to leave Atlanta if she needed to. But seeing how Logan fit so perfectly into her family and how they could all give him the love and support he deserved, she was glad he decided to move here. One day, maybe he’d be designing a house for her to build for their own family.

“Okay, Bree. It’s time to try on your dress,” Allegra told her as she walked back inside carrying a large garment bag.

“I think that’s my cue to leave,” Reid joked. “Logan, you said you needed to stop by the hotel to check out. Do you want me to take you?”

“That would be great, thanks.” Logan gave Bree a quick kiss and stood up. “You’ll be okay getting home?”

“Of course. I have two of Mallory’s men in the driveway. I'll be fine. I’ll see you at home.” Bree loved the way that sounded. Home . . . with Logan.

Bree watched them leave, then headed upstairs with Allegra and Elle to try on her new dress. Allegra pulled it out of the bag and held it up.

“Wow. I can’t believe you made this whole thing in a day. You are beyond talented,” Bree told her sister.

Allegra blushed and looked slightly embarrassed. “Thanks. Here, try it on.”

Bree slid into the dress and Allegra zipped it up. It fit perfectly.

“I’m going to have the hottest bridesmaids ever! You look amazing in that dress, Bree.” Elle clapped as Bree did a little spin. The dress had a sleeveless, form-fitting top that flowed into a full-length A-line gown. The pale yellow looked romantic and made Bree glow.

“And the shoes . . .” Allegra looked around. “Oh, no. I left them at my apartment!”

“I’ll get them tomorrow. Don’t worry about it,” Bree said as she tried to calm her sister.

“No, I really need to see you in the dress with your shoes so I can make sure the length of the gown is right. I can meet you at home in thirty minutes. I’ll bring the shoes and it will take just a second.”

“You’d better not argue with her. You know what a perfectionist our little sister is,” Elle teased.

“Really, Allegra. The dress is perfect, but if you want I’ll meet you at my house.”

“Thank you. I really would feel much better if we did that.”

Bree and Allegra kissed Elle goodnight and hurried to their cars. The men Mallory hired turned on their car and the procession headed out the gates. Bree drove slowly and watched every oncoming car. Her security guards had said they would drive, but Bree was fighting for control of her life. She wasn’t going to give in to fear and allow whoever was behind this to take her freedom from her.

Her street was quiet as she pulled into her driveway. She waited for the garage to open and one of the guards to search it and her house. When he came out the kitchen door and gave her the thumbs-up, she drove into the garage, lowered the door, and headed inside.

The guard had turned on the lights for her and she set her keys on the kitchen counter. She turned on the television and looked at the clock. Logan would be arriving soon. She dug around her junk drawer and pulled out a spare key. Bree had never given a man a key to her house before.

“Crap. The dress.”

Bree set the key down and hurried to her car. She lifted the trunk and pulled out the dress her sister had worked so hard on. There was a small sound, then a pinch on her back before she heard the zap of a taser. Her muscles tensed and she fell to the floor, gripping the soft yellow dress as the world turned black.

* * *

Logan waved to the security guards as he pulled into Bree’s driveway. This was the first time he was going to walk inside and say, “Honey, I’m home!” It was the beginning of the rest of their lives. This weekend was Elle and Drake’s, but he had already snuck away to ask Drake which jeweler he used.

Grabbing his bags from the backseat, Logan walked up to the front door. He set one bag down and turned the handle. Locked. He rang the doorbell and waited. Nothing. He looked in the window and knocked. The sound of a car pulling into the drive made him turn around.

“Hey! So sorry to interrupt your first night together,” Allegra paused, “well, not together . . . I mean, I’m sure you’ve been together . . . together as roommates. No, wait that’s not right.”

Logan just laughed. His future sister-in-law was so flustered he decided to have mercy on her. “I know what you mean. I just got here. She must be upstairs because she’s not answering the bell.”

“Is she home?” Allegra asked, coming up the steps with a shoebox in one hand and a massive sewing kit in the other.

“The lights are on, and her security is right there across the street.”

“She’s probably taking a shower. Ring the bell a few more times while I take a peek in the back to see if she left the door open.”

Allegra handed him her things and hurried around the side of the house.

“Is everything okay, sir?” a guard asked from his place in the car.

“Bree didn’t leave, did she?”

“No, sir. She got home about fifteen minutes ago. Why?”

“She’s not answering the door. She’s probably taking a shower.”

The front door opened and when Logan turned around he knew it was bad. Allegra stood there, her face white. “She’s not here, Logan. The side door to the garage was unlocked.”

“What?” Logan pushed into the house as Allegra frantically waved for security. He searched the house from top to bottom. Her car was there. Her keys were on the counter right next to a spare key meant for him.

“What should we do?” Allegra asked him. He didn’t know. He had to find her, but where?

“We found tire marks. It looks like someone came through the side door and took Bree out the back. There are drag marks in the grass through a neighbor’s yard, and they stop at the curb the next block over,” one of the security guards told them.

“I’ve alerted Mallory who has called Agent Delmont and Officer Macey. She’s on her way over here now,” the other said as he rushed from the upstairs. “Nothing seems out of place.”

“Oh, Logan, what’s happened to her?” Allegra cried. Logan put his arm around her and wrapped her in a hug.

“I don’t know, but I’ll find her.”

“Don’t tell Elle or Mom! They can’t know. Not right now. This is one of the happiest times for them.”

Allegra was right. They’d wait until the last moment to bring them in if they needed to. Hopefully, they weren’t far behind whoever took Bree.

The front door flew open and Mallory stormed in. She was all in black. Black-heeled boots, tight black jeans, and a black top that hugged her bombshell body. Her long, wavy blonde hair hung down her back. She looked like a menacing angel.

“Update!” she demanded.

The guards hurried to fill her in as she looked around.

“Here’s what we’re doing. Damien and Delmont are heading to some of Jeff’s known locations. Officer Macey is checking on Trevor’s properties. I have men checking on Trevor’s wife, just in case she became upset with Bree. I’m covering every base I can think of.”

“I’ll call Finn. He can help,” Allegra suggested, already sending a text.

“Good. When he gets here, you two go to Simpson Global and make sure they didn’t take her there. I’ve already alerted security there,” Mallory told them.

“I have men heading to various construction sites belonging not only to Trevor and Jeff, but also some of her other competitors.”

“What about the corporate center?” Logan asked.

“I'm going to go there,” Mallory replied.

“Not without me.”

“Then let’s go.”

* * *

Bree was exhausted. Her muscles ached and she had a severe case of cotton mouth. Slowly, she tried to wet her mouth only to find she couldn’t. A strip of cloth was actually stuffed in her mouth. Her eyes shot open and she stared into the darkness of a construction site. She was sitting on a metal folding chair. Her hands were tied together, palm to palm, in front of her. Her chest was also bound to the chair and her legs were tied to the chair legs.

Moving awkwardly, she pulled the cloth from her mouth and gasped for air. Oh no! The cloth that bound her hands and had been stuffed in her mouth was a beautiful pale yellow. As her heart slowed, she heard the sound of the freight elevator rising.

Looking around, she took in the walls and design of the building she was in. She was on the top floor of an unfinished building. The ceiling above her was not yet complete and she could see the sky above. She could yell, but she didn’t think it would do any good. This high up in the city, the sound would bounce and it would be impossible for a bystander to know where it was coming from—if they even heard her.

No, she had to think her way out of this. She started looking for something she could use if she got free. And she needed to find an exit. She saw two flights of stairs, one in front of her and one behind her where the freight elevator was about to open. Sometimes this high up in a new build, the only thing available was scaffolding, covered in netting to stop anything from falling below and hurting people. But it could at least get her down a floor.

She continued looking and saw a table saw, a welding machine, and a cooler with
Al
written on it. Bree stopped and her eyes flew back to the cooler. This was
her
building. In the blink of an eye, she was imagining the last plans of the building from every angle. There was scaffolding on every side of the building from the top beam above her down to the floor below her. And, if she was really desperate, there was the debris chute. The trouble was getting there.

She tested her bonds again and they gave a little. A little was all she needed. With older siblings, it wasn’t as if she hadn’t been tied up before, and Reid and Elle were much better at knots than this person. Taking in a deep breath, she leaned forward as far as she could. Bree hooked her thumbs under the strip of Allegra’s beautiful dress and then exhaled all of the air from her lungs. It was enough to move the chest strap up and over her breasts. She slouched and wiggled in the chair until she worked the strap up and over her shoulders. Once her shoulders were free, she was able to simply lift the strap over her head.