Page 116 of Logan

“What did you do, Liam?” I say in a low voice. My stomach aches.

“For now, I suspended her from the company until we decide what to do. She refused to say who the man in the video is, even though it’s clear it’s another employee.”

I sink into the chair and rest my head on the desk.

He doesn’t know. I glance at Lucas, who sits there quietly. Why is he silent?

“Fuck.” Why didn’t she tell him it was me?

My stomach churns, a cold sweat breaking out on the back of my neck. I did this. I destroyed her career, her reputation for a few moments of stolen bliss. And now she’s suffering for my lack of control, my reckless selfishness.

Beautiful, brilliant Sloane. So brave, so loyal. Sacrificing herself to protect me when I’m the one who put her in this untenable position. I can’t let her pay for my sins. I won’t. Even if it means putting my neck on the chopping block.

“Yeah. I asked her who it was with her. If she would just say who it is, perhaps I could dosomething?—”

“It was me.” Lucas jumps to his feet.

I stare at him, shock paralyzing me for a moment before I grab his arm and drag him out into the hallway. “What the hell are you doing?”

He meets my eyes. “I know it’s you in that video, Logan. I know why you did it, and I know you’re about to fall on your sword. But I’m not letting you.”

“Lucas, you can’t?—”

“I can and I will.” His voice softens. “Let me take the fall for this one. I’m already the playboy, remember? Dad already thinks the worst of me. And I’m not letting you throw everything away when I can easily take the hit.”

“This isn’t your mess to clean up,” I argue.

“No, it’s family business. And contrary to popular belief, I know how to handle those.” Lucas’s signature smirk returns, but his eyes remain serious. “Besides, what’s one more scandal to add to my reputation? At least this time it’ll be for something that actually matters.”

I stare at him for a long moment. “Why?”

“Because you’re my brother,” Lucas says. “And because for once in my life, I want to protect something real instead of just pretending not to care. I can give the vultures something to write about. Better they focus on the family playboy than the the bright clean CEO, don’t you think?”

“You’re a CEO too. And I’m not letting you do this.” I stride back in.

“It wasn’t Lucas.” I look at Liam straight in the eye. “It’s me in the video.”

Liam’s eyes widen, his mouth dropping open in a rare moment of unguarded shock. He blinks at me for a long, charged moment.

“Don’t you have anything witty to say?” I rasp, a humorless half-smile tugging at my lips. “Not even ‘what the fuck were you thinking, you asshole?’”

“I don’t?—”

My secretary knocks on the door. We wait in deafening silence for her to set the coffee cup down and leave.

“Should I bring you coffee, too, Mr. Valeur?” She turns to Liam and Lucas.

“No!” They yelp together, and she almost jumps back. “Sorry. No, thank you,” Liam adds.

She exits, and Liam turns his gaze back to me. “You had sex with a company employee? On her office desk? Fucking hell, Logan!” He runs a hand through his hair, gets up from the chair and starts pacing the room. “You’re supposed to be the serious one between us. What do I do now? I can’t report that it’s you in the footage. The board will demand you resign.”

“Tell them.”

“What?”

“Tell them the truth. Let them fire me. I did this, and I’ll face the consequences, whatever they are.”

Liam plops back into his seat. “You can’t be serious.” He turns to Lucas. “Tell him,”