Page 34 of Fire Dragon Lover

"It's fine, just fucking hold me." Gretchen pushed him away from looking at her shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. "I was so goddamn scared, but I knew you'd find me."

"I will always find you," he said as he returned her embrace.

Forty-Six

Gretchen

Gretchen was trying to tell Logan she was alright, but he wouldn't stop looking at the cut on her shoulder. It stung, but it wasn't bleeding badly. From her own estimation, she didn't even think she'd need stitches. She just wanted Logan to hold her.

"I have to make sure it's safe first. Okay? Just let me check the hall, and then we need to get out of here," he said.

She reluctantly let him go and pushed herself off the exam table until her feet touched the floor. She watched as Logan took a step down the hall. He was only gone for a second when he backed up into the room with his hands raised.

"It's me. Logan Slade," he said calmly, but Gretchen detected the undercurrent of anger. It wasn't too far from the voice he'd used when trying to talk down the crazy woman with the scalpel.

That's when three PEACE agents entered and surveyed the room before lowering their weapons.

"Can I get her out of here now?" Logan asked, pointing at Gretchen.

"Not far, though. We still need to collect statements from everyone," a man with sandy blond hair said. He jerked his head at a short woman with red hair. "Richardson, escort them out and then collect their statements."

"Yes, sir."

Richardson walked in front of them through the halls, her gun drawn down. Logan held Gretchen as they walked out into the dulling afternoon light.

Logan wasn't happy when they separated them to ask questions about what happened. He agreed only after they said she would stay in line of sight the whole time.

Gretchen recounted her ordeal. When they were done, the agents released them, and she started shaking. Logan ran up to her and hugged her again.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Not really. They wanted to experiment on me and the baby. They said I'd be the perfect specimen. Logan, it was awful," she said, her eyes welled with tears.

"Let me take you," Logan stopped himself. He was going to say home, but her place might still be surrounded by press, and the villa had a large hole in the side of it. "I'll take you to a hotel. We can get cleaned up there and figure out what we are doing."

Logan booked them a suite under a fake name. After a shower and some fresh clothes, Gretchen was feeling a bit better, but there was still a sense of unease at the edge of her mind. Each time she was almost asleep, she felt like she was in the cage again. She jerked awake before she could really fall asleep. After the third time, Logan whispered her name before placing a hand on her shoulder.

"You're safe here," he said.

"I know, but when I'm about to fall asleep, it's like my brain forgets that I am. Will you stay up with me?" Gretchen asked.

"I would do anything for you."

They lay in bed, his arms wrapped around her and he told her that she was safe and that he was never going to leave her. Eventually, her heart stopped racing. He kissed her and they finally closed their eyes as the light of dawn tried to break through the curtains.

Forty-Seven

Logan

Almost two weeks later, the ordeal was out of their minds.

The buzz at the office was more enthusiastic than usual. Almost as if they knew his secret, and were waiting in anticipation for the big moment.

Or, maybe that was just him.

Logan checked his pocket for the umpteenth time, ensuring his secret was secure. Gretchen wouldn’t be here for another twenty minutes or so. He’d paid one of the secretaries to take her out to coffee while the others were setting up the company party.

He could sense her—vaguely, from this distance—and was content, knowing she was happy and safe. She deserved it, after the trouble they went through two months ago.

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