Free Her Temporary Hero (a Once a Marine Series book) (Entangled Indulgence) by Jennifer Apodaca Page B

dating and here we are married.”
    “In a courtroom? Why not have a wedding? Are you going on a honeymoon?”
    Logan opened his mouth to put a stop to this inquisition.
    Becky pressed her fingers into his stomach, silencing him. “It didn’t seem in good taste to have a big wedding, Mr. Knight. My mother just passed a few weeks ago. And a honeymoon is too difficult to arrange as I have a three-month-old daughter. Her name is Sophie. She’s asleep right now or I’d introduce you to her.”
    “This is your second marriage?”
    “First marriage.”
    “Enough.” Logan wouldn’t allow his father to grill and embarrass her. “Becky doesn’t owe you explanations.”
    Frustrated anger crackled around his father like snapping flames. His arms and shoulders bulged beneath the blue chambray shirt. “You married a janitor who has a baby with some other man.”
    Adrenaline burned through his muscles. Taking his arm from Becky, he yanked open the door. “This is Becky’s home. You aren’t welcome here until you can treat her with respect.”
    His father barreled to the doorway, then looked him dead in the eye. “You can’t even fulfill a man’s bargain with honor.” Then he strode off.
    Logan shut the door and turned.
    Becky wrapped her arms around herself. “This is going to be harder than I thought. He hates me.”
    Leave it to his father to ruin the moment. “It’ll work out.” It had to.
    She shook her head. “What if he finds out?”
    “Our marriage is legitimate, so there’s nothing he can do.”
    Her eyes brimmed with worry. “But that contract, what if he discovers that?”
    “He won’t, but even if he did, I’ll still have fulfilled the terms of my contract with him to get the land.”
    Becky rocked on her feet, worry spreading over her face. “I could lose Sophie.” She trembled, holding her arms around her stomach. “What if I’ve made things worse, not better?”
    “Becky, stop. It’s going to be okay.” He went to her, and stroked a lock of her silky hair. “It’s been a long day, you’re dead tired, and imagining the worst.”
    “You think so?”
    She looked up at him like he had all the answers. Like he could save her and her child. She was so naïve and trusting. His past failure splashed across his mind and sweat popped out on his back. Sick memories played—a horror movie with no sound. Just the silence of death. Horrible underserved deaths. Logan’s team was supposed to save them.
    Supposed to.
    But he’d failed and all those young girls died.
    Jesus. Logan was no one’s hero. The walls started closing in on him. Jerking around, he strode to the front door. “I need some air.” He needed to get away, be outside, be alone, and pull his shit together.

Chapter Seven
    A wet nose woke her up. “Jiggy.” It was dark and cold, but she didn’t hear Sophie stirring or crying. Pushing up on her arm, she looked in the crib. Her baby was sound asleep with her mouth opened, little chest rising and falling in her thick sleeper. Glancing at the clock, it was close to two a.m. Sophie usually slept through the night now, at least until five or six.
    She lifted the covers, hoping Jiggy was just cold rather than needing to go outside. “Come sleep with me.” He liked to curl up behind her knees.
    He shoved his nose in her neck.
    “Fine.” She didn’t want him getting desperate and peeing in Logan’s house. Getting out of bed, she grabbed the extra blanket, wrapped herself in it, and half stumbled out to the living room. Jiggy shot out the front door, while Becky leaned against the doorjamb. Her feet were freezing.
    “Go inside, Becky.”
    Becky yelped. “Logan?” Stepping out onto the porch, she couldn’t see anything. It was pitch black. The moon must be behind some clouds.
    “Over here.”
    She turned in the general direction of the chairs. “What are you doing out here?”
    “Can’t sleep. Go back to bed. I’ll watch the dog.”
    His voice didn’t sound right. Too