Page 9 of Ghost Hunted

“Stop! Please, stop!” Piper actually stomps her foot, and the tension fades as we both look at her. She’s the most harmless creature on this Earth, and her show of anger is adorable.

Goddammit, I love her. She’s all I have left of Lia, and there’s no fucking way I’ll ever let anything happen to her.

“Piper’s mother called,” says Quill, apparently deciding, like I have, to stop fighting and get on with the situation. “Piper was determined to come back, and I wasn’t going to let her leave without me.”

“You shouldn’t have let her leave, period.” But I don’t speak angrily anymore. I lean against my desk, accepting that shit has hit the fan, and that we have to deal with it now. “In my time, women listened to their boyfriends. Or husbands. When the hell did the marriage thing happen, by the way?”

Piper looks at me furiously. “That’s so misogynistic! Stop being… old. We’re in the 21st century, Logan.”

I smirk. “How old exactly do you think I am?”

“Ancient, if you think I should willingly submit to my husband!”

“I didn’t say willingly.” I chuckle as she glares at me. “Well, your mother was always a brat. I guess it’s in your genes.”

I was trying to joke, but my own words hurt me, and they cause a heavy silence to settle in the room. Which Piper at last breaks shyly.

“Logan… she’s my mom. I just know she is.”

I give her another hug, and this time, Quill doesn’t look like he wants to murder me. Too bad.

“I know this is hard for you,” I tell her. “You lost the woman who raised you. Then you learned you were adopted, but that your birth mother had died too. You never had time to grieve either of them before you were thrown in the midst of a gang war.”

I sigh, wishing I could tell her just how hard it is for me too. But I guess that’s how it is when you’re a parent, isn’t it? Suddenly, your kid is the center of your world. Their emotions matter—yours don’t. And that’s just how it should be.

“Logan…” She sighs, putting a timid hand on my arm. “I really believe it’s her. Please, give this a chance.”

I shake my head. “We can’t. You’re in too much danger already. As long as you’re alive, and we haven’t killed each and every one of those mobsters, we need to be on our guard. You should never have left Oregon. Whatever trap this is, I’m going to get to the bottom of it. You’re taking a plane back today, and I’ll figure it out.”

She crosses her arms once more, regarding me with defiance. “No.”

“No? So help me, Piper, if I have to put you over my knee…”

“Absolutely not,” cuts in Quill sharply. “That’s my job.”

“Quill!” she squeaks.

I turn away for a moment, because I just know I’ll laugh if my eyes meet theirs. “So much for the feminism, huh, Piper?”

“I am a feminist. And Quill, you’re an asshole. You know that’s not what we… well… uh…”

When I turn around again, she’s blushing bright red, the splotchiness on her freckled face making her look like an exact copy of Lia.

Thank god there isn’t a speck of Carmelo in her or I don’t know what I’d do. The genes must run strong on the Cabello side of the family. Or the O’Connors.

Lia’s mother’s maiden name.

“Ireland,” says Piper.

“Huh?”

“Ireland. My mom… uhm… the person on the phone… says she’s in Ireland. Northern Ireland, by the sea.”

I blink at her in confusion. “But that’s where…” I pass a hand over my eyes. “That’s where Lia’s mother used to live.”

Piper’s eyes widen in excitement. “See? It must be her!”

“No, no.” Impossible. “Of course, the mafiosos know a little about her background. And god knows they’ve had time to learn all there is to know about her. Lia’s past isn’t exactly a secret, and if anyone in the family is going to lay a trap, they’ll take the time to make sure it’s a good one.”