Sins of Our Fathers Ch. 01

"Hey," he says as he approaches.

"Hey." She's trying to be cool, to show him she's not interested. Was he this good looking before? It never ceases to amaze her how men can look so well dressed with so little effort. He's wearing a long sleeve NYU t-shirt and a pair of running shorts. He doesn't appear to be cold at all, despite the late October chill.

"I have to be honest, I was wondering if you'd even show up," he says to her.

Riley smiles at him. "Well, I know I can win so I don't really have anything to lose, right?"

"I wouldn't be so sure. I used to be a midfielder."

She nods. "Used to be. You're kind of an old man now, aren't you?"

He laughs and smiles, charming her. Riley swoons and tries to keep it off her face. "We'll see how old man I am. Race you down to Houston?"

She nods, but before she can say anything he takes off. Riley groans and sprints after him. She watches him running, wondering if she can keep up a dead sprint for the almost three miles it is down to Houston St. Logan knows to toy with her, and lets her get ahead of him, as they dodge other joggers on the trail. She's extremely fast, but at 6 feet tall, an athlete his whole life, he has the slight advantage. In the last couple of seconds, he speeds ahead of her. As they hit Houston, he beats her by about two steps. Riley stops and puts her hands on her knees, panting.

Logan, also out of breath, looks at her, "That was close."

Riley nods. "Okay... you're fast." She's trying to catch her breath. They both walk over towards a water fountain. Riley pauses to take a drink. Logan stares at her as she gently parts her lips. What he wouldn't give to just slide his lips between hers. She looks up and she catches him staring at her.

"You're really pretty, you know that." Riley blushes. "And also fast. At the running thing, I wasn't implying... you're good at running. You're like really fast. I've never run so fast in my life."

Riley smiles, "Okay, Logan... I... I think I need to be honest with you for a second."

He shrugs, "You sure? I kind of like being lied to."

She looks serious. "I don't date. If I did, you might be the kind of guy that I'd want to hang out with. But I don't really date.

"Who said anything about dating?"

"So it's just sex and running you're looking for then?"

"Was I not clear about that? I'm sorry. My bad." He flashes her his charming smile. She smiles back, but then her face becomes serious again.

"My life is really complicated."

"You could tell me about it. I mean, now that I know your name and we've gone for a run, I'm not a stranger anymore, right?" He can tell she's skeptical. "How about I walk you home? You can tell me whatever you want on the way"

She nods and they start walking. She's quiet until he interrupts the silence.

"So... you live with your brother? Can I ask where your parents are?"

"You can ask if you want but um... It's not really a first date story."

"Good thing you made it abundantly clear this wasn't a date then, right?" He's trying to be charming, but its clear this is hard for her.

She stops and looks at him, making a face. She bites her lip, contemplating whether or not to tell him the truth. He waits for her -- wanting this to be her choice.

"My parents were killed. My dad, he was in charge of the FBI, here in the city, and he had this case he'd been working for a long time, like a decade. This really bad guy -- his name was Robert Sharpe... my dad wanted to get him. But when he went to arrest him, it got really bad. And a bunch of people were killed, including Robert. Robert's youngest son blamed my dad for that. He said it was murder. So one night, he broke into our house and he killed my parents."

Logan stares at her and stops her. "Riley -- I'm so sorry that happened to you." He's a little dumbfounded that he told her. But also interested -- because this isn't the story the way he knows it. He plays along, as if it he knows nothing. "So, the guy -- Robert's son, he's in jail now, right?"

"No. It was a hung jury and the prosecutor didn't think they had enough evidence to try again." She pauses and looks at him. There is such caring on his face. "I was there, you know. I was asleep and I heard a noise. So... I came downstairs and I saw him, talked to him." She laughs... "I broke my hand punching him after he called my father a bunch of names." Her face drops. "He said he didn't want to hurt me though, 'not today' -- that's what he said. I asked him if he was going to hurt me too and he said, 'no, sweetheart. Not today.' But it didn't matter. I testified, but it didn't matter. I didn't see him pull the trigger." She pauses. "That's why we're back here you know? My brother got a call from he thinks he can catch this guy -- get him on something else. He wants him to pay for what he did to them."

Logan nods, not sure what to say. "Your brother -- is he like way older than you?"

"Yep, he's 34 now. A lot of people think that's weird. But... my mom got pregnant in college and then they just waited to have more kids."

"You know, my mom and her youngest brother are 15 years apart. But I think he might have been a mistake."

She laughs skeptically. "Look, I'm sorry to be like, super morbid. Want to talk about something else? Like -- creamy or chunky peanut butter?

Logan smiles at her and reaches out to hold her hand as they keep walking.

"Creamy -- chunky just slows me down."

They continue to walk, talking and laughing until they reach a large apartment building. Logan can tell she's starting to really open up to him, and Riley is starting to feel at ease. She stops him when they reach the building.

"This is me."

"Already? Want to take another lap around Manhattan? Or get some dinner or...?"

Riley laughs and looks at him. They seem to share a moment. "I should probably get inside. My brother worries and I... you're older than me and..." She pauses. Be cool, Riley. "Thanks for walking me home."

Logan stares at her -- straight into her eyes. "Yeah... look I know this isn't a date, but I've been wanting to kiss you since I first saw you... so..." He leans in. "Is it okay if I... Can I just..."

He kisses her gently on the lips and pulls back. She smiles, wrapping her arms around his neck. She stands on her tiptoes a bit to reach him. He kisses her a little bit deeper for a few seconds, lets his hands wander to the small of her back, stopping just shy of resting on her ass. Riley had been kissed before -- but never like this. His tongue expertly explored her mouth and every part of her felt like it was on fire. She never wanted it to end. Logan could tell how much she wanted him as she pushed herself into him, feeling his strong, solid body against her. But leaving her wanting more -- making sure she was the one who felt she was in control was part of the plan. So he slowly pulls back.

"Didn't you have to go?"

Her face is flushed. "Yeah... I... Goodnight, Logan."

She turns to head inside and sees Abby, her brother's fiancé standing by the door. Riley quickly rushes past her into the lobby of the building. Abby follows. They stand waiting for the elevator together. Riley is blushing.

"So, who is this Logan?"

Riley looks at the ground. "Um... no one."

"You guys looked a little close for him to be no one." Riley turns to Abby.

Abby can tell that's nervous. "Please don't tell, Ben. We're not... we just went for a run..."

"You always make out with boys you go for a run with?" Abby smiles at her.

They step into the elevator.

"Abby... please don't tell Ben. He'll kill me. Please!"

She smiles at Riley. "Okay. But he's really cute. Don't keep him a secret forever."

Riley blushes again and leans against the wall, thinking about the next time she'll see him.

Logan enters a large, modern townhouse and puts his keys on the table at the entryway. He takes a few steps inside. Gavin is already inside, sitting at a table across from his older brother, Chase. They appeared to be having a serious discussion that got quiet as they heard the key in the lock.

Chase and Gavin were practically opposites. Whereas Gavin was passionate and impulsive, Chase was calm and serious. Where Gavin cared way more about a grudge, Chase was more about the business. This situation with Riley and Ben Wilson suited both of them. Gavin still felt a need for revenge, but there was a business element to this to, a financial one that intrigued Chase.

It had been Gavin's idea to use Riley, and although Chase recognized she played a critical role, he wasn't as keen on the idea as his younger brother. He didn't particularly have a taste for hurting women, especially ones barely old enough to vote -- but he respected that his father had left both of them in charge for different reasons. And Chase, in his own right, could be ruthless when he needed to be. He also respected his brother's need to get some things out of his system. He knew Riley was something he was going to need to do that with.

Gavin looks up as his nephew approaches. "How was your date?"

"Good. She likes me."

Gavin smiles. "I never doubted that she would."

Chase laughs. "High school girls are easy. Just be careful with mixing business with pleasure."

Gavin looks at his brother. "He's got to have a little pleasure, Chase. There's got to be something in it for him."

Chase shakes his head. His brother was disgustingly predictable. At least she and Logan were close in age. Logan quickly changes the subject. "We almost got caught. I walked her home and I think her brother's fiancé was there. It's fine but..."

"Well, be careful -- I don't think Ben would recognize you, but I'd be careful." Logan stares back at Gavin. "Anything else?"

He waits a second. He's not sure what to say. "She told me about her parents."

Chase and Gavin both turn their nephew. Gavin speaks first. "Really? Did she? And what did she say?"

"She said she was there. That she saw you. She hit you -- broke her hand on your face."

"Yeah, she was a feisty little girl."

"She said she asked you if you were going to hurt her, and you said, 'no sweetheart, not today.'" He tries to keep the contempt out of his voice, but it's clearly there. Chase rolls his eyes. That sounds exactly like something his brother would say to a terrified child.

Gavin pauses and looks at his nephew. He looks at his brother who nods at him. A little truth might be helpful to drag him over to their side. "Did you know Ben, Riley's brother, and I were friends when we were kids? Best friends. My father and his father -- they knew each other. And Ben and his father, they exploited that friendship, and betrayed that trust. And when it came down to it, they chose their self-interest over that loyalty. They destroyed our family."

It becomes clear to Logan now, exactly why his uncle had chosen this path. He could have easily done whatever he was eventually planning without him. But Gavin wanted them to know exactly how he had felt when Ben had betrayed them. Logan and Riley were pawns in a game that Ben and Gavin had been playing for decades.

Logan shakes the thoughts out of his heads. He only has one question. "So, are you going to kill her?"

"Maybe. But there are worse things you can do to a person than kill them. Maybe I'll start there."

Logan nods. He doesn't want to think about what that means. He tries to push the image of that kiss out of his mind, how good her lips felt against his, how much he liked her small, athletic body against his. He sighs. "So what do you want me to do?" he asks.

"Just keep her interested. And when we need her to get to Ben, we will use her."

The next night, Riley walks into her living room. She looks like she's dressed for a casual night out in a tight pair of skinny jeans, a grey V-neck tee tucked slightly into her jeans, and a pink and blue flannel. Her hair is down now, resting against her shoulders in soft waves. Ben and Abby are sitting on the couch. Ben is on the phone and he motions her to come closer. He ends his call and she looks at him.

"I'm STARVING! Can we please go grab burgers now instead of in like 7 minutes?"

His face drops. "Okay, I am really sorry, I will make it up to you, I swear."

Riley folds her arms across her chest. "You can't go? Seriously? Seriously?" Riley is pissed.

"I'm so sorry." Ben feels guilty. He knows he's been practically ignoring her since they moved back.

"One Saturday a month. We have a date. You and me. This is the 3rd time you've blown me off since we moved here. 3 out of 4. You are the one who made this our thing, and now you're the one blowing me off all the time!"

He shakes his head. "I'm not doing it on purpose. I have to work! You know how important this case is. To us, to our family."

"Are you going to feel any better if you arrest him? I sat in a courtroom and told people he killed our parents and he got off. Why are you so sure that this time, this time is going be different?"

Part of Ben knows she's right. Riley's anger is still wrapped up in fear of the unknown as she stares at her brother. She believes that this type of persistence is what got her father killed, and the thought of something similar happening to her brother, the only family she has left, terrifies her. Abby interrupts, trying to cut the tension.

"How about you and I go out Riley? I was going to go with my girlfriends, but I can blow them off and you and I can do something."

Riley just shakes her head. "No thanks. It's okay. I appreciate that at least one of the parental figures in my life wants to spend time with me. But you should go out with your friends. I'll see you guys later." She sulks up the stairs. Ben looks at Abby.

"I'm an asshole."

"I really want to disagree with you... but... yeah. You totally are."

He smiles, and grabs his bag. "You ready to go? I'll walk you to the subway.

Upstairs in her room, Riley is contemplating what to do. She bites her lip. She picks up her phone and starts dialing. If she can't go out, maybe staying in with Logan will be equally fun. And pissing off her brother feels right anyway.

About an hour later, Logan arrives at her door. Riley stares at him for a second -- she realizes she's never seen him in real clothes. He's wearing loose jeans, and a striped t-shirt, with a navy blue cardigan on top. No coat. Why is he always warm? He smiles at her and she realizes she's been staring.

"You going to invite me in?"

She is embarrassed as she moves out of the way. "Sorry, that was awkward. I'm not usually awkward."

He laughs and kisses her on the cheek. "I don't believe that for a second." She blushes and looks away. "But it's okay, it's kind of cute."

She shakes her head. She looks at the food in his hand. "Oh my God! Did you bring burgers? And fries?"

"I did. You said you were missing burger night -- and I wouldn't want to get between a pretty girl and meal she's been dying to have, so I brought the food to you."

She smiles at him. She doesn't know what it is about him that she finds so attractive. "I'll grab plates from the kitchen. You can put that down on the coffee table. I'll be right back."

The two spend the next hour and a half eating and laughing. She fills him in on life in DC, telling him stories. He listens to her intently, letting her get more and more comfortable with him. He can't help but watch her as she speaks, the way her mouth moves, everything about her is sexy. He doesn't know how much longer he can hold back and let her take the lead. He knows she's shy, inexperienced. But it's all part of the game.

She finishes her story and he looks at the food mess. "I can't believe how much we ate."

She feigns offense. "Are you calling me fat?"

Logan can't tell if she's serious. "No... wow... I... I would never..."

Riley starts laughing hysterically. "Man, you should see the look on your face right now."

"Oh, do you think you're funny?" He throws a French fry at her. She laughs and throws it back. "Do you really want to start this?"

Riley just smiles. "Start what?"

She stares at him for a second and then throws another French fry at him. He lunges at her and tickles her sides. She starts laughing, as he lands on top of her, pressing her back into the couch. She tries to push him off, but she can't stop laughing. He's so big and strong, and she finds herself turned on by how masculine this feels.

"Okay! Okay. Truce!" she says breathlessly.

He raises his hands, but stays on top of her, resting on his elbows. She loves the feeling of his body pressed against hers. He brushes the hair out of her face. "I know this is going to sound like a line -- but you are so beautiful. I just can't stop looking at you."

He leans down slowly, wanting her to lean in the rest of the way to meet him. She wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him down to her. He needs no further encouragement, and his tongue pries open her lips and slips inside, dancing with hers. She moans into his mouth, loving the way his tongue feels pressed against hers. He pulls back slightly and starts to kiss her neck, sucking gently -- not wanting to leave a mark. Her hands go into his hair as he works his way back to her mouth.

Riley's mind is reeling. This feels fast for her -- she barely knows him, and yet, everything he is doing feels so good. Logan knows he should be letting her lead, but he's so turned on, he can't stop. He wants to touch every inch of her body. He brings his hand up her shirt, and cups her breasts over her bra, squeezing and massaging them gently. Her nipples instantly get hard against his hand, and he can feel himself getting hard too. Her breasts are the perfect little handful. Riley can feel the fire building between her legs again -- the same one she felt when he kissed her that first night.

Logan lifts her t-shirt and bra up, but doesn't remove them. He brings his mouth to her chest. Riley moans as he gently sucks on each of her nipples. Her hands roaming through his hair -- she is totally lost in everything he is doing to her. Logan starts to move gently, and Riley can feel his hardness through his jeans as he grinds against her leg. She has never felt so turned on. He pauses and looks at her eyes as he moves his hand to her jeans and undoes the button, pulling down the zipper slowly.

Riley starts to breathe heavier -- she's not sure out of fear or excitement, or some mix of both. Logan is tentative at first, staring into her eyes, moving his hand just over the top of her panties, rubbing her slightly. Her panties are soaked through.

"You're so wet," he moans into her mouth as he continues to kiss her. He slides his hand up and inside her panties, his middle finger gently rubbing her slit, feeling her wetness on his hand. He moves just the tip of his finger inside of her and Riley gasps. He stops, but doesn't pull his finger out. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

She shakes her head and looks at him, her eyes filled with lust and confusion at how she's feeling. "No... I... It's just..." There's no way she's a virgin, he thinks. But maybe?

"Has anyone ever done this to you before?" She shakes her head, her cheeks becoming a little red. He smiles. "Have you ever done this to you before?"

Her cheeks flush with embarrassment. She slowly shakes her head. "No." God how is she so innocent, he wonders.

"Do you want me to stop?" He pushes his finger in a little more, the side of his hand brushing her clit. He has no intention of stopping. He knows she won't ask him to. She moans and bites her lip.

"I... I..." It feels so good, and so wrong. Her head is spinning. "I don't know." Her body is on fire, but it feels too fast.

He smiles. He knows he has her right where he wants her. She is so warm and wet for him, and yet still, he leans into it. He gently rubs her clit, letting his thumb massage it in soft circles. He waits for her to let out another moan and then stops. "It's okay," he says, kissing her lips, leaving his finger inside her, gently moving it, just so she knows it's there. "We don't have to keep going if you don't want to." He kisses her again. "But I can tell how much you like it."