Page 126 of Logan

I shake my head. “I don’t understand.”

“No one knows this.” He takes a deep breath, his eyes finding mine.

“I won’t tell.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

LOGAN

Iknow she won’t. She stood in front of Liam while he threatened her career, her future, and she didn’t give him my name despite having every reason to do so. Despite thinking I’d betrayed her. She’s courageous and genuine.

She deserves to know.

“I’m adopted,” I blurt out, the words feeling strange and heavy on my tongue.

Her eyes widen, shock flitting across her face. “What?”

I nod, swallowing hard. “Yeah. My parents thought they couldn’t have children, so they went the adoption route. They adopted me and didn’t tell anyone, not even my siblings. As far as everyone knows, I’m their biological son, born just like the rest of them. Sometime after me, they found out they were pregnant. and then Lucas was born, followed by Liam and Cora.”

Sloane blinks. “They didn’t tell your siblings you’re adopted?”

I shake my head. “No. Even they don’t know.”

She frowns, confusion marring her brow. “I don’t understand.”

I take a deep breath, steeling myself. “I was born to an alcoholic mother. I was expected to have intellectual disabilities, and yet, my parents still chose me. They were willing to give me everything they had, prepared to invest in a child with special needs.”

Sloane sucks in a sharp breath, her eyes going wide with sympathy.

“As I grew, it turned out I dodged that bullet, and my IQ isn’t low at all. But I can’t help thinking that maybe something in me is still wrong, still broken.” I look away, unable to meet her gaze.

She scoots closer, so close I feel the heat of her, the whisper of her breath on my skin. I don’t let myself touch her, though, not yet. We need to finish this conversation first.

“So you see,” I continue, my voice rough, “even my biological mother didn’t love me. Not enough to stop drinking, anyway.”

“I’m sure she?—”

“She what? Was a pathetic woman with an addiction? Because that’s what she was.”

Sloane is quiet for a moment, considering. “Have you searched for her?”

I bark out a harsh laugh. “No. I have no desire to find her. My parents, the Valeurs, they’re the ones who gave me a life. I’m lucky they chose me, that they were my parents, because it’s only thanks to them I got to where I am today. They wereamazing parents. But sometimes, when people say all those things about me—when they call me The Dark Lord and all those other names...I wonder if there might be some truth to it.”

“No, Logan—” Sloane protests, but I silence her with a look.

“No?” I pin her with my gaze, my eyes searching hers. “You don’t think I’m ruthless? Tyrannical? Lacking in social skills? Because I think I am. I think they’re right. Something in me is fucked up, damn it. No one ever wants to be with me.”

She bites her lip. “You had a girlfriend, didn’t you? The blonde from the restaurant?”

I nod with a wry twist to my lips. “Yeah. She was my girlfriend for a year or so.”

“A year is a long time,” Sloane mumbles, something like envy flashing in her eyes. “You were together that long?”

I can’t help the smile that tugs at my mouth, warmth blooming in my chest at her obvious jealousy. It gives me hope that maybe, just maybe, she could develop feelings for me.

“We dated, but it never turned into anything more. I was comfortable with her, nothing else. It took me some time to understand it. It was right when I took over the management of Valeur-Tech, and I was immersed in work, trying to prove I was capable. Eventually, I decided it wasn’t fair to either of us to stay in that situation.”

“And what happened?” she asks, leaning forward.