Page 2 of Fierce Secrets

I needed to get away from here. Sofia's place was an option, but Logan would know it was the first place I'd go to with my spare key, and I didn't want him following me when I was there alone. I needed to be as far away from him as I could be right now.

Fucking Logan. How could he do this to me? To us?!

The tears poured, and I choked on a sob as I wiped them away harshly, struggling to focus on my phone.

I opened up my rideshare app, tossing in the nearest mall for now just so I could get away from here. I'd work out my next step once I was away from him.

The first three rideshare attempts failed – surge pricing and high demand. Of course. My car was still in the shop after a fender bender last week, and public transport at this hour wasn't an option – not in this part of the city.

I opened up my contacts again, focusing on the one other name I had pinned. I knew he'd come for me, he always did. But I was worried about what he'd do. Sof would give Logan a mouthful, but my brother…

The call went to voicemail, and I ground my teeth, my hands trembling, a combination of the cold and the barely contained panic.

Keep it together. Get away from here. You're safe.

I tried again, moving further down the street, knowing Logan would be following after me soon enough.

"Pick up, pick up, pick up," I muttered, fighting back tears that threatened to freeze on my cheeks. God, it was cold out, why the hell had I left my jacket behind? Stupid.

Voicemail again.

Fuck.

This couldn't be happening, not right now. The tightness in my chest got worse, and I clutched at it, my heart thundering. I slid my gaze to a man crossing the street nearby, giving me a concerned look.

Please don't talk to me. Not now.

My phone lit up, and relief swept over me at my brother's name. I let out a breath of relief as I put it to my ear. "Mer? What's wrong?"

"I need you," my voice cracked. "I'm outside my apartment, and I need?—"

"I'm interstate on business," Grayson cut in, but I could hear the worry in his voice. "What happened? Are you safe?"

"Logan, he..." I couldn't finish the sentence as my vision swam once more, a sob bubbling in my throat. "I just need to get out of here."

There was a pause, followed by rapid Italian that I couldn't quite make out. Grayson had slipped into our childhood language, speaking to someone else. I barely used our old tongue anymore unless with him.

There was a garbled response, and then another spout of Italian, although it sounded like he was holding his hand over the receiver.

"Leo's ten minutes away," Grayson said finally. "Stay where you are. He'll come get you."

My stomach dropped. "Leo? No, Gray, I don't want?—"

"Meredith." My brother's voice was firm yet gentle. How he managed that was beyond me, but he'd always been this way. He always came through for me, even if we didn't see one another as often as we would've liked. We had our own lives now, even if mine had just imploded.

"Let him help. Please. I'll be back tomorrow, but right now, let Leo handle this."

The line went dead before I could protest further. Leonardo Donati. My brother's best friend. The man whose name was whispered in both boardrooms and back alleys with equal measures of respect and fear. I hadn't seen him in years now. The past few years, my brother's work had gotten busier, so we rarely saw one another now. His short response with me made it clear he was likely tied up with a meeting or something, but at least I knew I could count on him.

Well, in this case, it'd be Leo.

Leo was as loyal as they came, and the friendship he and my brother shared was just as strong as the one I had with Sof, if notstronger, although I didn't want to admit that. After all, they'd been friends far longer than I'd known Sof for.

"Meredith!" Logan's voice echoed from the building entrance, and I cast a glance back up the street, my heart lurching. He was fully dressed now, and even had a jacket on.

I guess he hadn't been in such a rush then, considering I was battling the chilly night air.

I yanked my gaze away just as he looked my way, wishing the earth would just open up and swallow me, that all this pain and panic would disappear.

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