Page 80 of Sticks & Serpents

I shook my head slightly as if trying to dispel the swirling thoughts crowding my mind.

“I just need time,” I murmured softly.

Logan sighed, running a hand over his face, the weariness in his expression evident. “I know you care about him. But caring about someone doesn’t mean you should be with them.”

I flinched at his words, unable to meet his gaze. A lump formed in my throat as I felt the truth behind his statement press down on me like a heavy weight. He was right, and that realization stung more than I cared to admit.

He exhaled softly, his tone shifting. “I just don’t want you to get hurt, Holly.”

I forced another weak smile, but it felt brittle on my lips. “I won’t.”

Even as the words left my mouth, I didn’t know who I was trying to convince—him or myself. The chaotic feelings inside me twisted tighter, making it harder to breathe.

“Look,” he said gently, stepping closer again, concern etched across his features. “I’m not trying to come between you two. I just want you safe.”

“Safe,” I repeated under my breath, feeling the irony sting. My heart had never felt more dangerous than when I was around Damien.

He hesitated. “The donor’s dinner is this weekend. Are you ready for it?”

I exhaled deeply, grateful for the shift in conversation. “I guess I have to be.”

Logan nodded but didn’t quite relax; tension still lingered in his posture as if he were waiting for something more.

“Will he be there?” he asked cautiously.

I shrugged, crossing my arms defensively as if trying to shield myself from both Logan’s scrutiny and my own swirling thoughts. “He’s supposed to be.”

But Damien was anything but predictable.

Logan frowned, his expression tight with concern as he studied me. The weight of his gaze felt heavy, like he was trying to peel back my layers and see the truth hiding underneath. “If anything happens… you’ll call me, right?”

I swallowed hard, the knot in my throat tightening. Logan was a good guy—one of the best I’d ever met. He cared about me in a way that made sense, a way that felt safe and familiar. But still, I couldn’t promise him that.

Because no matter what Damien did, I kept coming back to him.

“Yeah. I will.”

The words slipped out before I could think better of them. It was a lie—I knew it deep down. Even if something went wrong, I wasn’t sure if I’d reach out to Logan. The pull toward Damien was too strong; it wrapped around my heart like a vine, squeezing tighter with every passing moment.

Logan’s brows knitted together further, frustration bubbling just beneath the surface as he let out a slow breath. “Holly, you can’t ignore this.”

“I’m not ignoring anything,” I shot back, feeling defensive. “I just need time to figure things out.”

He shook his head slowly, disappointment flickering across his face. “You keep saying that but?—”

“But nothing,” I interrupted, my voice rising slightly before I forced myself to calm down. “I’m not trying to be reckless.”

He stared at me for a long moment, and I could see the gears turning in his head as he weighed his next words carefully.

“I just don’t want you caught in the crossfire again,” he finally said softly.

My chest tightened at the reminder of what had happened between Damien and me—the mess we were still tangled in—and how close it had come to hurting us both once more. A shadow of doubt crept into my mind as I thought about Mrs. Sinclaire’s warning earlier today.

I took a deep breath and turned my gaze away from Logan’s penetrating stare, unable to confront those feelings head-on just yet. The sun reflected against the car windows as silence enveloped us for a moment—a quiet pause where unspoken thoughts hung heavy between us.

But all too quickly, that familiar urge pulled at me again—the urge to reach out for Damien despite everything swirling around us like an impending storm.

“Just… please be careful,” Logan said finally, breaking through my spiraling thoughts.

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