Free LogansEmpath by Jenna Castille

will be
able to stop the leak.”
    Finally Ty, who hadn’t spoken since Logan started telling
his story, asked, “Why did Bree slap you? What aren’t you telling us?”
    Logan looked at each man at the table. Five brothers…how
can I answer that question when I’m talking to her five brothers? “The
ritual takes a certain amount of trust and…intimacy. Your sister barely knows
me. She didn’t want to hear what boosting both her and my powers would entail.
But she asked me and I couldn’t lie to her about it.”
    Jordan glared at him. Logan knew that if Matt didn’t still
have a hand on his shoulder, Jordan would’ve launched over the table to
strangle him. “Intimacy. You mean sex. You actually told Bree the only way she
could strengthen her empathy was to have sex with you.”
    Wes snickered and rocked back in his chair. “Oh I’m sure
that went over real well. I’d hate to be you right now.” He noticed his other
brothers glowering at him. “What? You don’t actually think this guy would—or
could—force Bree to do anything she didn’t want to, do you? Poor guy’s lucky
she only slapped him instead of gutting him.” Wes gave Logan a pitying look.
“She’s real good with that hunting knife of hers, just so you know.”
    “I’m sure she is.” Logan felt a stab of nostalgia. “She’s
always been good at inflicting pain with sharp objects.”
    Wes tilted his head as he stared at Logan. “Always? You
mentioned past lives before. Are you saying you knew her?”
    “That’s what I meant when I said that she’s part of my
Three. I’ve loved her for more lifetimes than you would ever believe.” Logan
paused, staring down at the age-scarred table, not wanting to see what reaction
his words caused. “You have to understand that I would never, ever force her
into doing something she didn’t want. I know exactly how she would
react—violently. I want only to protect her. And trust is also a key factor. Without
trust it doesn’t work, so forcing her would always be out of the question.”
    Wes started to respond but a gesture from Aaron cut him
short. “We don’t trust you, not entirely.” Aaron leaned forward in his chair,
demanding Logan’s attention. “But you won’t hurt Bree. She wouldn’t let you. So
what happens with you and her is between you and her. I just want you to
understand that we are there for her. We have her back.” He waved his hand at
Matt, Wes and Jordan. “We’ve checked up on you. While you’re history of
institutionalization as a child doesn’t exactly endear you to us, it is
understandable with your family’s massacre at such a young age. We, more than
anyone, can understand what that kind of tragedy can do to a person. And what
else we can find on you since then is clean. You will stay with us, where we
can keep an eye on you.”
    Logan grimaced. He’d known it was only a matter of time
until they knew about his less-than-savory personal history but that didn’t
make the reality of it feel any better. Still, he was lucky that they didn’t
look down on him for it. Not many people were so understanding when they found
out he’d spent close to a decade in the nuthouse. “I’ll do more than that. I’ll
help you find the root of your nest. You have to have an older demon here
controlling the rest, otherwise you’d be seeing mass murder and mayhem on a
grand scale.”
    “Oh, you’ll help us. No one stays here who can’t pull his or
her own weight.” Aaron waved at Matt. “You go help him bring his stuff back
here from the motel.”
    Matt didn’t say a word, standing and heading for the door
without waiting to see if Logan followed.

Chapter Nine
     
    The bark scratched her back as Bree leaned against the tree
trunk and stared up at the stars. From her perch on one of the highest branches
of the old oak in their front yard, the night sky stretched out in a glittering
blanket weaving its way through the mountaintops. The lights of the town
weren’t